do you want to know how to paint a painting?

Learning how to paint a painting opens the door to creativity with endless possibilities.

Painting allows us to translate our thoughts and emotions into a tangible piece of artwork. Regardless of our background or skill level, we all can all experience the joy of creating.

Let this introductory guide help you with the first steps to begin painting art.

Painting is fun!

what do we need to paint a painting?

Start out with the basic materials: paint, palette, a few brushes and a surface to paint on. Begin with the minimum of supplies, try them out and then discover your preferences.

Paints have different qualities. Beginners often choose between acrylics, oils, or watercolors. Consider which medium aligns with your goals and interests.

Each paint type has its own unique qualities, enabling you to develop a wide array of styles and techniques.

Paint your favorite subjects.

Acrylics dry quickly and are great for building layers. Oils offer a rich texture with longer drying times, ideal for blending and detailed color work.

Watercolors, known for their transparency and fluidity, allow for intricate washes and subtle gradations.

The surface we paint on depends on what medium we use. Oil and acrylic are normally painted on canvas or panels.

Watercolor most often is painted on paper made specifically for watercolor. The paper is treated to keep the colors and water from sinking into the paper.

Brushes are usually flat or round. Flat brushes work for covering more area, making straight lines and cutting in edges. Round brushes depending on the size are used for large or detail areas.

It's best to use large brushes when we're learning how to paint a painting. That way we don't get bogged down in painting detail.

A palette gives us a place to mix our colors. We may use fancy palettes. But for starting out we can just use a Styrofoam plate, an old kitchen plate or a disposable paper palette.

Recommendations to start painting on a budget.

the fundamentals of how to paint a painting

The important basics of painting are composition, values and color.

Composition is placing the parts of the picture into a pleasing arrangement. The easiest way to do that is with the Rule of Thirds. That places the subject one third of the way into the painting. That draws the viewer's eye into the painting. If the subject is too close to the edge of the painting, it entices the viewer's eyes to leave the painting.

Paint with just a few colors.

Values are how light and dark the colors are. Artists use contrasting values to separate items in the painting and make some stand out in comparison to others.

For example, in the fish painting below, the blue water is a darker value than the orange fish. When we squint our eyes and look to see the values. We can see that the blue water is a darker value.

Color makes vivacious, lively paintings. The color wheel is the artist's best friend for learning to mix and use color. It teaches us warm and cool colors, light and dark values and how to use complimentary colors.

Start out with a few colors; we don't need many colors to paint a painting. The primary colors of red, blue, and yellow are the building blocks of the artist's palette. They are the foundation for creating a broad spectrum of colors. They are fundamental to mastering the technique of mixing colors.

start painting easy subjects in a small format

When I was giving my sister a lesson on how to paint watercolor, we painted her goldfish named "Speedy and Tuna".

"Speedy and Tuna" Lots of fun!

When you are learning how to paint a painting use fewer colors.

We used Cadmium Red Light, Cadmium Yellow Light and Ultramarine Blue.

A limited palette is easy to handle and great for mixing more colors. See what other fish you can paint with only 3 colors.

how to paint a painting

Every artist has their own method. A simple 1, 2, 3 is a great way to paint a picture.

1. Block in the Painting. Cover the painting surface with the general color and value for each area of the composition.
2. Paint the Painting. Paint the subject and the background.
3. Detail and Finish the Painting.

How to paint varies with the different mediums, requiring different techniques and mindsets.

One way is not necessarily better than any other, as long as we get to a finished painting. 

how to paint a painting with oils

There are two general guidelines for using oil paint.

Paint oils dark to light.

Paint fat over lean.

The first layers you paint will be mixed with medium or a thinner like mineral spirits or turpentine. This makes the paint lean, thinner.

The top layers of the painting are painted with little or no medium or thinner, many times just straight paint. Oil paint is fat with the oil it is manufactured with.

Paint dark to light.

It is fairly easy to paint light colors over dark oil paint.

However, it is difficult to paint a dark color over a light oil color. Especially, if the color has been mixed with white.

It is not impossible, but difficult. You may let the light color set up awhile, then paint a dark color on with a very, very soft touch. Following the dark to light rule is easier.

Find out more about using oil paint.

three steps for oil painting

1. Block in the Painting: An oil underpainting is quickly scrubbed in without trying to make it look smooth or perfect.
2. Paint the Painting: Paint the way you want the finished painting to look. Use the colors, brush strokes and texture you desire.
3. Detail and Finish: Apply the highlight colors last and complete the final details of the composition.

Paint the dark colors first.

Then paint the light, white colors.

how to paint a watercolor painting

Watercolors are painted light to dark, the reverse order of painting with oils.

Paint the light colors first. Then paint another layer on top of the light color or the darker colors around the first layer.

You may use transparent colors painted on the top of the first colors. This traditional way of painting watercolor is called glazing.

paint watercolors light to dark

1. Block in the Colors: A watercolor underpainting (the block-in) is done with lighter colors.
2. Paint the Painting: Glaze more layers to darken the colors. Paint darker colors where appropriate.
3. Detail and Finish: Paint the darkest darks of the composition. Erase pencil marks and scratch out highlights, if desired.

Adding another layer to darken the color.

It took a second layer of paint the get the butterfly wing tip dark enough.

Use less water to make your colors darker and/or more vibrant.

Layering darks onto the light colors.

The light flower colors were painted first.

While the colors are still damp, add darker or different colors. The colors will softly blend.

Use these guidelines when you are learning how to paint a painting. Artists can bend the rules and do their own thing after they are comfortable with painting.

techniques for painting a landscape

The logical order of landscape painting is to paint things behind or underneath first. Paint from the back of the painting to the foreground.

Look at the painting below and imagine yourself painting it in the order of the numbers.

1. Paint the background things like the sky, distant hills or water.

Paint the background first, then paint forward.

2. Come forward and paint the middle ground items. They are closer, so they overlap the background.

3. The water is painted before the buildings, boat and bushes because they rise out of the water.

4. Next the buildings are painted. Note how the buildings overlap the foliage of step #2.

5. The boat and its reflection are painted on and into the water.

6. Paint the foreground foliage on the sides of the painting. They overlap the water.

Last paint the details and make any corrections. For example, you may want to darken the base of the grasses because they are in shadow.

Painting from back to front is a good way to start painting landscapes.

After we are familiar with how to paint a painting, we may approach each painting differently. For example, the sky may be the last thing to be painted. It's up to the artist and each individual painting.

techniques for painting close-up subjects

When we are learning how to paint a painting of closeup things like butterflies and people.

Paint the subject first. Then paint the background around the main subject.

The butterfly was painted first.

Then paint background around the subject.

This is my preferred method of painting a close-up subject. If the subject is painted first, then I have a better idea of how to use values and color contrast to highlight the subject.

Many artists do it the other way around. And, sometimes I do paint the background first and the subject second.

Either way is correct. It is just a matter of personal preference.

learning how to paint is a journey

go to see "Critter Prints"

How long did it take me to learn to paint? Actually, it has taken me a lifetime and I am still learning.

Painting is not a one-time adventure. The more we paint, the better we get and the more we enjoy the art of painting.

It's a privilege sharing my painting experiences with you.

As you explore the different techniques and subjects, focus on the joy of creating while you are learning how to paint a painting.

Allow each painting to teach you something new, and celebrate the privilege of expressing your vision.

You can paint anything from flowers to butterflies, giraffes and ocean by practicing the step-by-step 'Painting Tutorials' on the menu.

Enjoy your art journey!