Painting for Beginners
Painting is a very fun way to be creative and anyone can do it! There are many different types of paint, techniques, substrates, primers, varnishes, brushes etc. So it can be difficult to know where to start.
The most well-known types of paint to paint with are acrylic paint, watercolor paint and oil paint.
Painting with acrylic paint
Acrylic paint is a simple paint to start with. The paint dries quickly, can be thinned with water and you can apply it in several layers. You don’t need many materials to paint with acrylic paints, just the paint, brushes and the surface.
For working with acrylic paint it is best to use brushes with synthetic or hog hair. Sets with different brushes in them are very useful, so you can experiment and find out where you like to paint more.
You could also possibly use a gesso as a primer, this will ensure that the surface does not soak up or repel the paint. Most of the canvases you buy already have several layers of gesso on them, so this is often not necessary. You can also apply an acrylic varnish if you wish, to keep your painting beautiful longer and to make the finish glossy or matte.
Painting with oil paints
Oil paints can be more difficult to work with, as the drying process takes a very long time, but you can paint beautifully with them. It is handy to have a number of brushes, as it is more work to clean your brushes than with other types of paint.
Oil paint can be used straight from the tube, but it is usually nicer to dilute it with a solvent.
Painting with watercolors
Watercolor is a water-based paint. Watercolor painting is a very accessible way of painting, but also has its challenges. Water colors can be very unpredictable and smudgy.
For a beginner it is advisable to buy a watercolor set, which contains several colors. This type of set often includes a mini brush. A watercolor brush with a water reservoir is also very handy. You put water in the reservoir so that you don’t have to keep dipping the brush in water. You also need watercolor paper, because normal drawing paper tears quickly when it gets wet.