The way to a real work of art - a guide for hobby artists

The world of painting opens up a space for creative development. Careful choice of materials, understanding for composition principles and the development of a unique artistic perspective are key elements for touching works of art.

Continuous learning and patient exploring converts challenges into valuable experiences. In the end, these are rewarded with great results.

But what should beginners pay attention to in order to be able to look forward to a great end result? The following sections provide answers.

Complete beginners who are interested in starting their career as a painter will find this book extremely helpful. As I composed this, I thought about what I would do if I found that I had to start painting again.

01 Think about why you start painting and what you expect from it

First of all, you should think about why you want to start painting and what you want to get from it before investing in artistic equipment and starting to put color on a screen.

Your findings decide on your approach and about which learning areas you should give the highest priority. I don't think everyone has a firm learning path to become champions of painting. Everyone has different innate skills, interests and inclinations that determine the best teaching course.

For example, some people lack the patience to sit down and to present every shade and every nuance of a topic faithfully. As a result, they could be better able to take over colors and brush guidance from the impressionists than the demanding techniques of the Russian academic painters.

Or you just want to have a nice leisure activity or a worthwhile hobby. In this case, you will have no ambitions to get into the commercial art scene. In such a situation, you may want to approach your learning more relaxed.

Alternatively, you may want to become a masterful realistic painter like Julien Dupré or John Singer Sargent . If you want to close to this goal, you have to complete a committed and strict training program that focuses on drawing and other basics of painting (color, value, composition, etc.).

02 Select your medium - acrylic, oil, watercolor or something else

At least for the near future, you should concentrate on a medium . This allows you to really feel the medium and then more on the general characteristics of painting such as color, composition, expression, etc.

The most important decisions concern the selection between oil , acrylic and watercolor . Although I will not respond to this in this guide, there are other options such as Gouache , Tempera, Pastell and Water Misable Oils.

Incidentally, there is no right or wrong answer here. Each medium brings specific advantages and disadvantages. Now a crash course follows the various media that should help you with the selection:

a. Acrylic paints: The choice for beginners

Especially those who are currently starting their artistic career, dear acrylic paints because they are easy to use and do not require any special tools. The disadvantage is your rapid drying speed.

Acrylic paints could suit you if ...

• ... they are an absolute beginner and do not want to worry about the subtleties of oil and watercolor painting.
• ... you want short cleaning and cleaning up times.
• ... they are subject to a limited budget.
• ... your work with mixed media (combination with different materials) is great fun.
• ... they are sensitive to chemicals used in oil paintings.

Acrylic paints also have several disadvantages :

• The color dries quite quickly. This means that you only have a limited time in which your color is receptive on the canvas.
• Some colors become darker when drying; Lighter colors often show more changes.

Many years ago I used acrylic paints myself. Finally, frustrated with the quick drying time of the colors I started using oils. But as a beginner, acrylic paints were ideal for acquiring comprehensive painting knowledge. There are also additives for acrylic paints that delay the drying time a little.

The Draw Paint Academy has been an excellent point of contact for beginners and newcomers in the field of painting for many years. countless great tutorials and instructions for prospective artists on both their homepage, as well as in online courses and on YouTube ( @drawpaTacademy )

b. Oil paints: for masters the medium of choice

For various reasons, professional artists use oil paints most frequently:

• They are flexible. With color thinners and more oil, you can drastically change the drying time and consistency of your color. This allows you to use the glaze, mix and slide, in addition to other painting methods.
• The great oil paints preferred to paint.
• Art collectors seem oil paintings higher than acrylic images (of course there are exceptions).

In principle, you can't go wrong with oil paints. If you are not sure where to start, I recommend that you either start with acrylic paints and go over to oil paints as soon as they are developed or switch directly to oil paints.

Oil painting is ideal for the conventional painting methods of former painters. I advise you to push oil painting a little when you think it is too demanding.

In oil painting there are a few separate "rules" that you have to take to heart; The rest is similar to acrylic painting.

If you are worried about the strong solvents that are used in oil painting, such as turpentine, you should deal with odorless solvents. It makes oil painting much more attractive. You should also deal with water -based oils.

c. Watercolors: untamed beauty

Since water is wild and errors cannot be reworked (since the paper can only absorb a certain amount of water), watercolor -colored are usually the most difficult to learn. Nevertheless, when they are well done, watercolors can create exquisite, elegantly beautiful works.

That is why I recommend that you start with watercolor paints either with acrylic paints or oil paints before experimenting. But since watercolors convey different skills than acrylic or oil painting, they form a great accent.

John Singer Sargent painted impressionist and casual landscapes and portraits with watercolor paints, but was more known for his careful oil portraits. For Sargent, who would have been used to the long and strenuous portrait sessions, these watercolors felt very refreshing in between.

03 colors, painting utensils and basic equipment

In the third step we should start building our art requirements . You really don't need that much stuff, so you should first read this section completely before you start buying all brush types or colors.

The media you have chosen (see above) affect the necessary procurement of colors and artists. Everything you always need as a basic equipment is:

• An easel to support your work;
• For acrylic or oil painting: canvas; For watercolor painting: paper;
• a number of colors to mix;
• Brush, matching your selected media;
• Pallet knife; Colors; Solvent (for oil paintings); And paper towels to wipe up your brush between the lines.

That is exactly it. Painting can be so simple.

Your art shop nearby will have all of this directly on site. If you are an absolute newcomer, it can be advisable to start with an entry -level package that contains most basic tools you need. You can always expand later.

As with her brushes, your canvas and the colors - a high -quality easel does not automatically make you a better painter - it makes absolutely make sense to buy quality where it is important.

Choose high quality colors

High quality colors form the foundation of every work of art. They recognize such by intensive pigmentation, lightfastness and creamy consistency. They enable even application and give the picture a depth. The color quality directly influences the expressiveness and effect of the painting.

A targeted investment in first -class colors contributes significantly to the success of a work of art. For example, if you have high demands, you can order different types of Kratom .

Regarding the colors, I recommend that you start with a limited pallet made of red, blue, yellow (the basic color), white and an erdton that is reminiscent of raw Umbra.

Here is a decent pable :

• Cadmium red
• Ultramarin blue
• Titanium white
• Cadmium yellow
• umbra

Find the right canvas and easel

Modern oil and acrylic paintings are usually on canvas. Canvas replaced wooden panels for Renaissance paintings, as the tension of the canvas made larger works possible over wooden sticks. As a result, they were also lighter, rollable and more stable than wooden panels and gave way to less and splinter less. Canvas come from hemp and the first artist screens were made from high -quality Venetian hemp sailor. Cotton was later introduced as a linen.

There is a large selection of canvas fabrics , regardless of whether you manufacture them yourself or buy tense canvases or canvas boards. Which surface you choose depends on your needs. Different fabric weights, materials and surface preparations create different paint experiences. The appearance of your painting is also affected.

There are paintable, tense canvases in many sizes and designs. Your surface can be designed individually by applying a primer Thin canvas panels and ultralite plates are light and ideal for open-air painting. We offer 40 canvas sizes as meter goods or 10-meter roller for clamping.

Many artists experiment with various screens, primers and substrates to find the best surface. The surface properties can affect the paintings of some artists, especially when working with oil or acrylic paints.

In view of the media with which you work, also think of the stability and durability of the easel you need. While light materials would be suitable for smaller, less demanding tasks, stable wooden easel be the required support for heavy materials such as large screens or mixed media. Ergonomics is really important.

04 familiarize yourself with the basics of artistic design

I am firmly convinced that it is important to learn effectively instead of just spending time without purpose. Without the right instructions, you could practice for years and find hardly any improvement. Here the essential principles of art are emphasized:

• Color
• Expression
• composition
• Edges / lines
• Brush guidance
• Painting technology

I consider her as the cornerstone of painting. It is important to familiarize yourself with you at an early stage because you help to understand what exactly happens when your brush touches the canvas. The mastery of these essential areas will improve each of your color orders.

Here is a compact overview of the essentials:

Color

Color is something that we all know so well that we often overlook their meaning. Many people do not fully understand or appreciate the true nature of color.

I think it is easier to understand colors by taking color, saturation and tone value into account. These are the three elements of which one color consists.

The shade indicates the position of a color in the color circle. Red, blue, yellow, green - these are all different colors. Seastation describes the abundance, intensity or liveliness of a color. The tone value refers to the degree of brightness or darkness of a color.

Familiarize yourself with these three terms because you will appear in every work of art you produced.

The tone value is one aspect of color, but due to its importance in painting, it is often regarded as an independent area. Each color has an inherent value that lies in the spectrum between white and black .

If we remove the color from the equation, we get a range of value that ranges from light gray to almost black. A solid value structure is not absolutely necessary (think of many of the remarkable impressionistic paintings), but is undeniably helped to give your work of art a strong foundation. If you paint with different tonal values, gain more flexibility when using brush strokes, colors and details.

composition

In the discussion about composition in painting or photography, you will encounter a variety of complicated terms, "rules" and theories that aim to explain the composition principles in the visual art. Terms like ...

• Center of attention
• Third
• Golden
• Horizon line
• Guidelines
• Balance / balance
• rhythm
• Movement
• harmony

… and so forth. Ultimately, however, there are only two essential questions that are important for the creation of outstanding compositions.

1. What do you want to express?
2. How will you express it?

That's all. Everything else is relatively insignificant. "

Let us examine these questions more closely ...

What do you want to express?

If your painting had a voice, what would it express? It could be as simple as ... "I would like to show how light is reflected by the water surface."

It is important to have clarity about your message.

How will you express it?

How do you organize all the elements of your painting to create harmony and convey the intended message? Consider each of your unique lines, shapes, lines, colors and textures as instruments that are available to you.

Edges / lines / borders

Edges serve as a dividing line between two forms. It can be explicitly, gentle or missing. Hard edges create a clear transition between the two forms; Soft edges ensure a gentle transition; And lost edges are so subtle that they are almost invisible.

Brush guidance

Brush guide means the tangible impressions that arise from the brush, the spatula, finger or another tool used in the painting process. This is a frequently neglected element of painting that is a special feature because it gives a painting its unmistakable appearance.

Without a brush management, we could just as well choose photography or deal with digital art instead of devoting ourselves to traditional art.

Painting techniques

Technology refers to your ability to carry out certain actions. If you gain experience and feel more and more comfortable in dealing with brushes and colors, your technology will develop naturally over time. However, it is important to be aware of all negative habits that they could acquire during the artistic journey.

This can be related to how you hold your brush or which strokes you apply. It can be quite a challenge to correct bad habits that were rooted over many years.

In order to cultivate effective painting technology, I recommend watching master artists to create their works (also goes on YouTube, online courses or virtual workshops). Pay attention to the brush technology, the way the artists apply color to the canvas, how they mix colors and similar details.

05 Start with your first painting

You are now ready to start with your first painting. Only a small warning: it could be more demanding than it seems 🙂

Master seems to create works of art with impressive ease. But one should not forget that they have devoted to their craft for many years and in some cases even decades.

I recommend you to roughly start with your first painting; Focus on capturing your first impression of the topic. Consider the topic through the lens of shapes and colors. You can then refine the painting and incorporate further details.

Tip 1: Start with coarse drawing sketches

Do not stress yourself when drawing. Just draw some markings. Tell yourself that you only play, experiment and see what looks like.

Anyone who can write can draw; You already have your own form, a way of writing letters and numbers, and unique doodles. These are also forms of drawing. When marking and sketching, pay attention to the physical feedback that you get from your hand, your wrist, arm, your ears and your touch.

Change the way you approach the matter. Wrap your fingers in fabric to change your touch and experiment with the other hand to see what happens. All of this tells them something. Become very quiet inside and pay attention to everything you feel. Think neither positive nor negative. Think emotional, imaginative and unusual.

Tip 2: Always take a sketchbook with you

Mark a large piece of paper. However, do not simply fill the entire side from edge to the edge and from edge to edge. Consider the shapes, designs, structures, combinations, details, turns, buildings, scattering and compositions that you like.

Now repeat this on a different surface, any surface to determine what type of material you like. Draw on stone, metal, foam core, coffee cups, labels, sidewalks, walls, plants, fabric, wood or everything else. Simply make markings to decorate these surfaces.

Don't worry about reaching anymore. Every art is a kind of profit. Ask someone what ideas he has when he looks at what you have created.

06 The way to your own manuscript

An unmistakable artistic expression requires endurance and passion. Inspiration of other artists can serve as a catalyst without endangering their own authenticity. Consistence in technology and expression forms the individual manuscript.

Courage to creative new territory

Courage to creative risk, researching new approaches and trust in your own intuition are crucial. With continuous practice, a unique style crystallizes that enriches and makes the artistic journey.

Improving

Everyone starts as imitators. This is completely okay! But if you do this, concentrate and feel the opportunity to make all of these things your own - even if the ideas, tools and techniques come from other artists.

Imagine you enter a huge stadium full of ideas, paths, approaches, tools and materials whenever you create something. 

Develop a practice routine

For example, practice drawing your own hands while waiting in the subway or sitting around. Many hands on the same side, hands over other hands. The hands of other people if they wish. You can also outline other clearly visible aspects of your body.

But you have to look and then sketch or record what you watch. Mirrors are also good if you only want to outline the place where your cheek merges into your mouth. Play, enlarge, reduce and twist objects on several standards.

07 Development of their skills

Evaluate and develop further

After you have completed your first painting, it is time to pause briefly and evaluate your work and to note areas with development needs. Your first painting will most likely not be a masterpiece, unless you are a genius; But that's okay. Even the masters start as amateurs.

Consider your work of art as if it were art criticism. Here are some questions that you can take into account:

• What characteristics of the painting do I like?
• Which elements would I change?
• What is the atmosphere of the painting?
• What is the first impression of the painting?
• Does the compilation of the colors work?
• Does the composition make sense?
• Are there any obvious brush strokes that complement the picture?
• Did I present the topic generally correctly?
• Does the picture bother me in any way?
• Did I find the point of view to some extent?

Receive and implement feedback

Constructive feedback is another key to artistic development. Open communication with other people enables new perspectives on your own work. It is important to carefully evaluate suggestions and to reconcile with the personal vision.

Reflection helps to gain valuable knowledge and to integrate specifically into the creative process. The art is to critically examine foreign impulses and only select those who authentically enrich your own artistic path.

Constructive handling of failed attempts

In the creative process, failed attempts are valuable events. They create opportunities for self -observation and continuous improvement. From a constructive point of view, obstacles become educational moments.

Anyone who sees the failure as a guide continues to improve their methods. This approach promotes the entire creative process and supports personal artistic expression.

Diversity through different techniques

Experimenting opens up new creative dimensions. In addition to established methods such as oil or watercolor painting, unconventional approaches (keyword: mixed media) can produce amazing results. Each technology offers its own possibilities, textures and characteristics. individual club office rooms , the kitchen, the living room or the bedroom can be

The key lies in the willingness to cross borders and playfully discover new ways.

08 bonus tips

1. Don't worry about what other people think. Although you should welcome criticism, don't let your behavior determine it.
2. Become part of a community. Take part in competitions, visit galleries, network with other creative people, read artists' blogs, register for newsletters, etc. You will be more motivated you will exchange ideas with like -minded people.
3. Try not to be put off by highly talented artists. There will always be someone who is technically competent, more expert or more experienced than you. Find ideas instead of feeling threatened by you.
4. When you start, don't think about developing a unique or memorable style. Experience will make it possible to gradually grow.
5. Concentrate on the basics - color, value, composition, edges, brush management and execution. Every brush stroke you make will benefit these basics. This will increase its progress over time.
6. Find for the masters that we preceded. Find out more about your work, learning and living conditions. As a result, knowledge and inspiration are available at any time.
7. Do not hesitate to explore new activities and ideas.
8. Take a look at tricky approaches, secrets, methods or strategies from other creatives.
9. Design your learning flexibly and open.
10. Learning, practicing, checking and developing are the only secrets to become a great painter.

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and managing director of Kunstplaza. Publicist, editor and passionate blogger in the field of art, design and creativity since 2011. Successful conclusion in web design as part of a university degree (2008). Further development of creativity techniques through courses in free drawing, expression painting and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market through many years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with actors/institutions from art and culture.

www.kunstplaza.de/