painting beginner?

Question

i like to draw and all that but i dont paint much, i tried painting a long time ago with watercolor, but i'm not very good with brushes, and i want to start painting.

i bought this canvas at micheals it's one of those cheap ones that are like 2 for six bucks. anyway, i want to try it on a real canvas so i can have it framed because my friends' parents have a framing business, and she says i need to have it stretched, what does that mean?

and what's the best type of paint start with? i have guache at home.

i just basically need the basics on painting, i need to know what i need to begin painting. :-)

Answer 1

With a canvas you will need to use Oil paint or Acrylic paint.

Stretching and Preparing a Canvas
http://www.ndoylefineart.com/stretchcan.html

Materials You Need
http://www.ndoylefineart.com/ptgmaterials.html

This will really help get you started......you can just look up on a search "Painting Beginner" and you'll find lots of help tips and different techniques that may follow your own personal style.

Good Luck! I hope it comes out great : )

Tip: Sketch very lightly on the canvas what you want to paint, it'll give you guidelines to follow with your paint and brush.

Answer 2

Mary’s Painting Rules :

1. If you didn’t stretch your picture and it is no longer flat. Put it face down on your ironing board and iron with steam on.
2. Never clean your palette you will waste paint and special colors you have mixed
4. Use any type of paint you like. If you consider 3.00 a tube plenty enough [like me] don’t ever think the price of paint is necessary to render a good painting follow the next rule.
5. Jane taught me this rule: Paint a thousand paintings.
6. When e-mailing copies of commissioned work for approval “accidently” send some copies of your other work.
7. You can generally turn a one picture commission into another order.
8.Use the biggest stable vase for water. A bucket is okay too. Anything to change water rarely.
9. When you need to blot paint with paper towels use the same one at least a week.
10. Share your art. It is good free advertising plus why keep it around in a stack.
Have your picture scanned to keep a record of your work.
11. The gift of being able to make another person happy through your time and talent is not a wasted potential moneymaker. A smile and thanks is money enough.

Answer 3

I prefer using acrylic paint, myself. If the beginner is over 15 either would be good. Gouache is matte watercolor. I find it frustrating to get out of it what I want, but there are times when it's the only thing I want to use for a piece. With either, using painting clothes you buy at the Thrift Store, but with acrylics which don't clean up well from fabric, I'd say it's more important. If you are using the gouache very thickly it might take longer to dry. But most people use it with more water, so it dries very quickly in that case. The same is true for acrylics, but they do take slightly longer and can be kept "open", meaning prevented from drying, by additives you can purchase.

Answer 4

dont start with trees as the above answers says. As a beginner you will not know enough about mixing paint. You will end up with mud. I would begin with simple still lifes to learn to see color, perspective, relative size etc. Once you grasp the still life you can go into landscapes. Also do not simple splash paint and try and paint abstractly right off the bat. I am an abstract painter and still from time to time paint the figure to get back to the basics of color and technique. Many have the misconception "anyone can paint abstractly" and start this way. They end up with mud and junk. You can also find colors in your body and try and match the many colors to get better and mixing color. "the oil painters bible" is a great book and usually sales for about 10 bucks.

Answer 5

I've painted on pre-streched cheapies (along with the good home stretched stuff) for several decades. Stretched canvas simply means raw unprimed or preprimed canvas is pulled (stretched) and fastened onto wooden bars, generally in a rectangle format. Once the painting is primed (covered with white sizing called gesso) the canvas shrink wraps itself tightly on the wooden bars. Voila. Go to work. Get 'er framed.

Answer 6

Hi, I'm a beginner with painting too. I am now on my third piece and for us beginners it may be best to buy the pre-stretched canvas-ready to paint on.

Answer 7

u can start your paintings by drawing or painting trees, coconut trees are better