what do you need to know to begin painting?

Are you eager to begin painting art but unsure where to start? The world of art is awesome!

Whether you're drawn to the fluidity of watercolor or the rich textures of oil paint, this guide will equip you with the essential knowledge to start painting these popular mediums.

In this guide we'll walk you through the essential steps with pro-tips on how to use watercolor and oil paint.

The joy of painting art!

painting with the Basics

To paint successfully, it's important to understand the foundational elements that make up every great piece of art.

From values and color to composition and focal points, these basics serve as the building blocks of your artistic expression.

Mastering these fundamentals will enhance your skills and elevate the quality of your paintings.

We will not cover them on this page, but you may link to their pages where they are covered in detail. Take the time to learn and use them in all your artwork.

You'll be glad you did.

Easy Composition

The rule of center lines is easy for compositions.

Create a Focal Point

Create a focal point to draw people into your paintings.

Artists Color Wheel

The color wheel is basic for mixing and using color.

Values in Painting

Contrasting values are the backbone of good paintings.

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begin painting oils

Oil painting offers a unique richness and depth that can transform your artwork, but it requires a specific approach.

If you're eager to begin painting with oil, understanding the essential rules and techniques can make all the difference.

This section will guide you through the crucial steps to create beautiful oil paintings, ensuring you get the most out of this classic medium.

two rules for oil painting

Oils are painted THIN to THICK and DARK to LIGHT.

1. Thinly underpaint the dark colors.
2. Paint the medium values with medium thickness.
3. Highlights and details are painted last with thick, light paint.

These rules are also used for alkyd and acrylic paintings.

using the oil painting rules

Phthalo Blue and white were used in this demo. You could also use a dark brown, black or Prussian Blue. The painting was done on a small 'ad' 8x10" stretched canvas with a 'ad' small bristle brush. Either a flat or bright brush is ideal for painting the edges of the mountains.

A good way to paint a landscape is to start at the top of the canvas and paint down toward the bottom. This enables the closer items to overlap those behind them, thus creating the illusion of distance in the painting.

Portraits or other paintings may be done in a different order.

sketch the large shapes

Outline the large shapes with thin paint.

Thin the paint with solvent.

While you're outlining, it's easy to make a change by wiping off the thin paint.

1. thinly paint the darks

Paint the mountains from the back to the front with THIN, DARK paint, each one is darker.

They are darker at the top and lighter at the base to simulate mistiness.

2. paint medium values

Lay in the sky, darker at the top and lighter toward the horizon.

Paint the reflections in the water. The dark reflections are slightly lighter and the light reflections are a little darker.

3. highlights and details

Finish painting the sky and make any other final adjustments you desire.

Load your brush with THICK, LIGHT color for the water highlights. Stroke the highlights on horizontally.

do you want to begin oil painting?

A dog oil painting tutorial

Practice the same oil painting rules you just learned with this fun dog tutorial:

• Paint dark to light.
• Paint thin to thick.

The painting uses a simple color scheme with only three colors and white.

Black, grey and brown are not included in the three colors.

You get to use the easy method of mixing black, brown and grey from the original colors.

begin painting watercolor

Watercolor painting is an exciting journey that allows you to explore the delicate interplay of light and color. To paint watercolor, we use opposite techniques from oil painting.

In this section, we’ll cover the step-by-step process that will help you create stunning watercolors with ease.

the essentials of watercolor

Paint watercolor from LIGHT to DARK.

Do a light pencil sketch, then begin painting.

1. Start with light washes of color.
2. Glaze the washes darker where applicable and paint the dark colors.
3. Detail and finish; scratching out highlights, darken where needed, any small brushwork, etc.

watercolor demo

This example used the primary colors of yellow, red and blue. It was done using a 'ad' Black Velvet watercolor brush in a 'ad' small watercolor tablet that's ideal for practice.

do a light pencil sketch

In a landscape painting, it is not necessary to draw every little detail.

Go for the big shapes. Good composition places the waterline above or below the center.

Sketch the outline of the two big rock formations. The fore-ground rocks are painted in later.

1. start with light washes

Wet the entire paper except for the big rock.

A. Turn the paper upside-down. Start painting at the horizon line with yellow, red, then blue.

B. Turn the paper upright and paint yellow, red and blue down to the bottom edge. The wet paper blends colors as you paint.

2. paint the darks

Mix a dark rock color with a combination of red, blue and yellow.

The three primary colors always mix to make neutral colors that harmonize with the rest of the painting.

3. detail and finish

Glaze dark colors on the rocks and in the water. More about glazing watercolor.

Mistakes can be corrected. I pulled some yellow off the distant water with a damp brush and then added a bit of blue.

paint an easy watercolor

Paint this step-by-step watercolor.

Many people begin painting with watercolor.

You can paint this watercolor Angelfish.

You are provided with the reference photos, how to get ready to paint with tips for doing any watercolor painting.

Using just a few colors creates a harmonious piece of artwork.

What do we do if the watercolor paper is wavy after we paint on it?

There's an easy way to solve the problem of wavy paper.

more painting tips

As you prepare to begin painting, equip yourself with additional tips and insights on painting.

This section will provide advice on drawing, paint storage, and setting up your workspace.

do we have to draw?

Drawing is a part of painting. Our paintings turn out best if we have a good idea of what and why we are doing the painting. That includes drawing.

The book classic by Betty Edwards "ad" Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is inspiring.

Many artists consider this an essential book on drawing. It is a powerful book for fortifying artistic confidence and building our drawing skills.

how do we store leftover paint?

Paints keep very well in their original manufactured containers. Out of the sun and in regular household temperatures, the paints are good for years.

Keep any open, unused paint in a covered palette box between painting sessions. You may put single colors in small sealed containers.

Oil and alkyd paints will keep for days in an "ad" Masterson palette.

Alkyds dry overnight, so my Masterson palette box of alkyds goes into the freezer between sessions. It comes out of the freezer to thaw, about an hour before time to paint.

Tube watercolors may be kept in an "ad" Quiller covered palette.  Before painting, give the colors you intend to use a spritz of water to freshen the paint.

What more we should to know?

Good light and ventilation are a must for painting both watercolor and oils. Where is a good place to do our artwork? What furniture and supplies do we need?

Get tips on setting up your home art studio.

let your creativity flow

Now you have an overview of the techniques to begin painting either oil and watercolor.

Don’t hesitate to experiment and express yourself. That's the joy of painting.

As you continue to develop your skills, explore additional pages on Art by Carol May to deepen your understanding and passion for painting art.