Painting is a medium through which many people can express their emotions and thoughts. You don't need any prior experience, and if you've taken art classes, even if it's just “finger painting” in elementary school, then you already know painting. Hone your skills by starting Step 1 below or seek further assistance by viewing the sections listed above.
Step
Part 1 of 5: Choosing Medium
Step 1. Consider your goals
What type of painting or art would you like to create? Do you need a lot of time to work on one project, or do you want to complete several sections in one setting? Do you have a large, well-ventilated work area, or a small area that might cause evaporation? How much money are you willing to spend on equipment? These are some of the things you should consider before committing to a paint type.
Step 2. Try watercolor (watercolor)
Watercolors are available in several color boxes or pipes. When used without water, the result is thick and opaque, and cannot color large areas. When used in combination with water, this paint will become thinner and more transparent. Watercolors are used on certain papers made for watercolors; any old sheet of paper will not make a good painting. This paint does not produce a bold color, but produces a beautiful effect of a light, translucent layer of color.
- A set of watercolors can usually be purchased starting at $20 (Rp. 200,000) and can go up to over $100 (Rp. 1,000,000). For a good quality starter paint, it's a good idea to buy one that costs $50-$80 to get started.
- Because watercolors can only be used on special paper that won't wrinkle and warp when touched by water, there are limited options for materials that can be used as “blank canvases,” unlike acrylic and oil paints.
Step 3. Consider using acrylic paint
Acrylic paints are another water-based option, which dry quickly and do not evaporate. This is an excellent choice for anyone looking to complete one painting in a day. Heavy coats of paint can be stacked for a beautiful 3D effect, and because they are water soluble, they can be removed from a surface or washed off fabrics. The downside is that because it dries quickly, blending colors and mixing wet paint can be difficult.
- The application method and overall appearance of acrylic paints are most similar to those of oil paints.
- Acrylic paints are usually less expensive than oil paints, and don't require a lot of additives. However, these paints are more intuitive in layering and technique than watercolors.
- Oil paints are more toxic than acrylic paints, because they don't emit vapors or require a lot of ventilation. If you work in a small space or have pets or small children around, acrylic paints are a safer choice than oil paints.
Step 4. Try to use oil paint
This paint is the most advanced choice, old oil paint dries and is thick, and can be used with many special techniques. This paint takes about 3 months to dry completely, making it the best choice for someone who needs or wants a long time to finish a painting. The downside is that this paint is toxic and requires a lot of ventilation during use.
- Oil paint is the most expensive of the three paints, and requires a few additional supplies including mineral alcohol and gel.
- Oil paints produce the lightest color of the three paints, and will dry depending on the color mixed.
Step 5. Buy quality paint
Once you've decided which type of paint you want to use, you'll need to choose which brand to use. As a beginner painter, you'll want to buy the cheapest brand. However, you will save a lot of time and money (later on) by buying quality equipment. The color produced will be better with quality paint, and this means you only need to scratch once, whereas with cheap paint you need to scratch 2-3 times. You'll end up spending a lot of time on a cheap (and often frustrating) paint pipe rather than a more expensive paint pipe.
You can find quality paint at a paint supply store, online store, or local bookstore
Part 2 of 5: Studying the Elements of Painting
Step 1. Recognize the use of lines
The most basic lines used are contour lines; this is a line drawn to form an object. Some painters use contour lines to surround their subjects, while others use color splashes to show shapes. Decide whether you want to use clearly visible lines (such as contour lines) in your painting or not.
Step 2. Learn how to create shapes
Every object that can be painted is the result of several shapes combined. The biggest problem that novice painters face is trying to see a single subject as a single form, instead of superimposing multiple shapes. Instead of focusing on draining the lines that make up one figure, consider it as several different shapes that can be combined.
Step 3. Get to know the rate
Grade is the color of your figure when converted to grayscale; how light or dark a particular color is. Levels are very important when mixing paint colors, as colors can be deceiving when mixed except in light and dark terms. Be aware that most paintings will only have a range of levels in the bottom (mostly light tones), middle (medium grays/hues), or top (mostly dark) portions of a gray scale.
Unless there is a very strong contrast, the levels in your paintings should be similar to one another
Step 4. Use your space effectively
Since you are working on a flat surface, you must create an illusion of distance through the use of space. To have a flat surface, make sure all objects are the same size and spaced from each other. To create depth, layer multiple shapes and make objects farther away smaller, where objects closer to the observer should be larger.
Step 5. Learn how to create textures
In order for objects to appear touchable in your painting, you must create the illusion of texture. Textures are created by using different brush strokes and moving the paint in different ways on the canvas. Short, quick brush strokes will produce a feather-like texture, whereas flowing brush strokes will make things look softer and longer. You can also layer paint on the canvas to create texture.
Step 6. Create movement with your paint
Movement is a continuation of texture, but on a larger scale. Movement is created when a texture pattern is repeated many times across the canvas. Not all paintings require movement, but if you want to create a realistic painting, movement is a very important element to combine.
Step 7. Take a look at your overall composition
The layout of your painting, the location of objects and figures, is called composition. To produce an interesting composition, the figures must be placed in such a way that the observer's eye surrounds the entire painting. Avoid placing a single figure in the center of your painting, as this is the most basic composition. Create interesting paintings by placing one figure at a crossroads, or by adding interesting objects in the background.
Part 3 of 5: Creating Your Painting
Step 1. Choose a subject
The most important decision in creating your painting is determining the subject of your focus. For most beginner painters, it's easier to select an image (which is already flat) and paint a copy of the image rather than selecting a 3-D object. To get started, find an image with basic lines and shapes, without too many colors, and easy to test your painting skills on. Beginner painting subjects generally include:
- A bowl of fruit
- Flower vase
- A pile of books
Step 2. Make a sketch
While this is not mandatory, it helps the painter a lot in drawing a rough outline of their figure on the canvas before painting it. Use a thin graphite pencil to sketch outlines and figures on your canvas. You'll be painting over it, but having a thin outline will help you paint in the right areas.
Step 3. Find the lighting source
The colors you mix and the layout of the paint on your canvas will depend on one main thing, your light source. Look at your subject, and determine the lightest and darkest areas. Mix your paints with that in mind, creating multiple shades and tints of one particular color to blend colors effectively if needed.
Step 4. Start painting the background
When painting, it's best to work from back to front. This will help you layer objects properly and create a perception of distance. Paint one color at a time, layering colors as you work. Your background should be painted first, then you can add closer objects later.
Step 5. Enter your subject
When you're happy with your background, you can add objects and shapes. Work with layers of paint, similar to how you would paint a background. Your subject is the center of attention for your painting, so it's important that you spend your time focusing on incorporating all the elements of art into it. Analyze from all perspectives, and focus on creating the shape rather than the whole figure.
- If you're having trouble painting accurately, turn your painting upside down. Painting it from a different angle will force your eye to see the shapes that make up the figure accurately, instead of the symbols and shapes that create in your mind.
- Start with the lightest color, then use the darkest color. It's harder to layer dark colors over light colors, so start with whites and pastels before starting with other colors and shades.
Step 6. Enter details
As you begin to finish your painting, add the details you want for the background and figures. This includes adding texture with your brush, stipple, or small figures as layers. This is when you take your time and focus on the final touches.
Step 7. Clean
After finishing the last detail, your painting is done! Tidy up mistakes in your painting, sign at the end, and clean your painting supplies. When it is important to clean your paint brushes thoroughly to keep them in good condition and can be used for your next painting. Store any remaining paint in a box, and put your art supplies in their place.
Part 4 of 5: Getting More Painting Tools
Step 1. Choose your brush
There are two main things to consider when choosing a brush: the shape of the bristles, and the material of the bristles. Bristles are available in 3 shapes: round (with a sharp cylindrical tip), flat, and filbert (flat brush with a pointed tip). Fur can be made of sable, synthetic, synthetic blend, sea urchin or squirrel.
- For watercolors, the best brushes to use are sable or squirrel bristles, with rounded tips.
- The best brushes to use for acrylic paint are synthetic or synthetic blends with flat tips.
- For oil paints, the best choices are synthetic blends and sea urchins with a filbert tip.
Step 2. Purchase your canvas
“Stretched canvas” (ready-made canvas made of cloth that is pulled back and attached using staples/nails/iron) is the best choice, because it is cheaper and all three types of paint can be used. However, heavy drawing paper, canvas board, and watercolor paper are good choices as well. Oil and acrylic paints can be used on most smooth surfaces, including wood and plastic. Watercolors can only be used on special paper and canvas or fabric.
- Do not use plain printer paper or other thin paper for painting, as the paint is too heavy and wet, causing it to warp and warp.
- If you intend to paint on a wooden or plastic surface, you will need to apply a primer first to allow the paint to adhere.
Step 3. Prepare your other equipment
In addition to these essentials, you'll need a pallet, a bottle/container filled with water (2 will suffice), and a rag, an old T-shirt or apron to wear. Other special equipment is required for oil paints, but not required for watercolors or acrylics. “Gesso” is also very useful; it is a primer that can prepare any surface (including canvas and paper) to produce the best possible painting.
Not always required for most paintings, but much desired, an easel that can be used to support your painting. Otherwise, any flat, stable surface can be used for painting
Part 5 of 5: Mixing Colors
Step 1. Get to know the color wheel
The color wheel is a color map, showing how to create a new color. There are 3 color sets: primary, secondary and tertiary. The primary colors are: red, blue, and yellow. These are the colors available straight from the pipe; This color cannot be made by mixing other colors. However, secondary colors (purple, green, and orange) can be created using primary colors. Tertiary colors are between primary and secondary on the color wheel (for example, bluish green or peach).
- Red + Yellow = Orange
- Yellow + Blue = Green
- Red + Blue = Purple
Step 2. Mix your colors
Don't paint a painting using only colors straight from the pipe. Mix your colors to create new variations; Mix the two primary colors in equal amounts for the right color, or increase the amount of one color over the other. For example, making purple with blue over red will produce a bluish indigo color, on the other hand mixing more red you will produce a dark maroon.
Step 3. Create a different “tone of color”
Adding a bit of white to any color will make it more luminous, creating a pop of color. Most bottle colors are very bold and bright, and can be made into pastel colors by adding white.
It's harder to add white to a color, so add some color to the white paint first. You won't need to use a lot of paint to create a pop of color this way
Step 4. Mix in some “dark shades”
As opposed to color tint, dark shades are obtained when you mix any color with black. This makes the color darker, for example, turning red into burgundy, or blue into navy blue. It's easier to drip some black paint into your paint color (than to add color paint to your black paint) to create your shade. In this case, less is better – always start with the least amount of paint possible to avoid making a drastically different color on the first try.
Step 5. Create different “color layers”
If a color is too light for you, mix the opposite colors to fade it. Doing this will turn your hue (base color) into a color layer; which means you fade the layer of color. For example, the opposite of red is green, yellow is violet, and blue is orange.
Tips
- Creating a skin tone isn't difficult, but if you just mix orange with white for a peach undertone, it will look flat and unrealistic. Pay attention to your skin tone. The visible veins set him apart. For light skin tones, give a little touch of green, for dark skin tones, give a little touch of blue.
- If you don't have an idea to paint, dip your brush in different colors and then paint it on your canvas, you will be surprised at what you create, there may be passion buried without you knowing it.
- Check out some examples of classic paintings, such as those by Pablo Picasso, Johannes, Vermeer, Vincent Van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock, Edvard Munch, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. They will give you several different painting styles.
- Try to make friends with other painters. At some art schools or art community programs, they will have open studio sessions where the artist can use the space to do something. Talk to other artists about their methods and styles, observing other people's work can give you ideas for what you can do.
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Watch films about art, such as:
- “Girl with a Pearl Earring, which depicts Vermeer's art. Several scenes show color theory and painting methods.
- Frida, on the life and art of Frida Kahlo, who provides excellent examples of illustrative vision and expression, as well as painting techniques.
- Visit the nearest art museum. If there are no museums, visit the art departments at nearby universities and schools to see if there are any on display. Several well-known urban galleries have online tours and high-resolution photography of their paintings.
