some help getting started?

Question

i have always wanted to paint, but i have never tried before. so could you guys give me some advice for and easy start up? what is the easiest to work with, what basics i need, all that stuff. i dont have a lot of cash, the reason i never started, but i am at a point in my life that i truly want to do this.
any advice is appreciated.

i dont want to do protraits, i just dont think i have the talent for that, maybe abstract or impressionism. something a little more forgiving for a novice.

Answer 1

Excerpted from a previous post and possible upcoming novel, edited and presented once more for your edification:

Buy a decent set of tube colors, a mid-priced {nylon? bristle?} brush set and a couple of pre-stretched canvases or canvas boards. You'll need a palette knife and a couple of rags. For oil, you might try a bottle of Liquin medium and some {odorless} turpentine. ...Maybe some cobalt or Japan dryer. Liquin should cover you though. For acrylics and watercolors you'll probably want some sort of spray bottle.

You don't especially need an easel or even a palette knife... you just need something to mix the colors. You can use a small sheet of glass, some of the china from the dining room or a piece of waxed paper as a palette.

You can manufacture a lot of the tools you need and not pay "art supply" prices. Don't bother with all of the junk you see advertised... the above list should be all you need to get started. You can add other stuff as you "need" it.

...I used to use an easel made from some of those adjustable shelving strips that you buy in hardware stores... I attached the strips to the wall and used the adjustable shelf holders to hold the canvas... it was cheap, held huge canvases securely and was really comfortable to use. {Of course you will want a dedicated wall for that sort of thing and probably a dedicated studio...} I have simply tacked canvas to the wall and painted on it that way... you definitely want a dedicated wall for that.

Check your library for books on process.

- End excerpted

I started with portraits... they came easy to me. Don't sell yourself short... I would suggest that you paint from life for a while before you start doing abstracts. You sort of need to know why you're abstracting stuff in order to do it properly.

Impressionism is probably more difficult than {real} realism...

Answer 2

Holy cow! Do you want ot know how to drive too? LOL. Not exactly a paragraph kind of question. But here goes:

I would recommend you stick with a medium you don't have to have a lot of specialized equipment or supplies. Acrylic paint is probably the best thing to start with because it is fairly easy to learn to manipulate. It needs only a little water to use it and to clean up, and is inexpensive.

You will need some paint. Duh! You can get a starter set of six colors, but you may find it better to just buy four or five tubes of color that grabs you. Leave the black for doing home improvment projects to begin with. Liquitex Basics or Van Gogh are good brands to begin with. The quality is consistent and both are cheap. Yes, get the primaries. Red, yellow, blue. You really can make almost anything else you want with just those three. You will probably want to buy a green rather than mix it to begin with, you may be happier with the results. You will need some white. You will need some gesso to prime your surface. Resist the temptation to use gesso as your painting white--it will lead to poor painting practices--they are not the same thing and do not work the same way.

You will need some brushes--geez that is a hard one because it depends on what and how big you want to paint. In general get a mix. You can use those packages of several brushes in a bag. Get some bristle and some hair. You will need to see what the difference is between a soft brush and a harder, stiffer brush is. Again don't spend too much until you get a feel for what you want to do and what you need to do it. You'll find yourself using one or two or three over and over again.

You don't need to buy a palette. A white plate (actually styrofoam plates are a great disposable palette. Nothing much cheaper than that.) will get you all the room you need and will contain the mess quite nicely.

You will need something to paint on. Canvas boards, pads of wet media paper, well primed birch plywood or mdf panels will all work well. This will require some experimentation to see what you like. Stay small (16 x20 or less) to begin with. That way you can concentrate on what your doing without worrying about covering too much ground.

Lastly--and I really recommend you do this. Buy a Good artist's handbook or instruction book. It will go into much more depth about things. Also the web is a great source for information about how-to. There are a million sites that address painting.

Make certain you do not expect too much too early. You have to climb that learning curve so give yourself a break and have fun and learn your materials and subject matter for awhile. And spend time as often as you can doing it. It is very easy to get discouraged if painting is an event you have to "do something" when you get the chance.

And don't rule out any subject matter. Try what you want to. Who cares if your great at it to begin with. A little secret--nobody is any good to begin with. Rembrandt had to learn how to draw and paint too.

I envy you. I wish I could go back and have the excitement of learning it all again. HAVE FUN!!!!!

Answer 3

Well when i first starting painting it was watercolor papers because i didn't have enough money to buy canvas...but later i gradually moved on 18x24 canvas for my better pieces. I usually start off using a palette, such as a throw-away palette or and egg crate or even a lid to put my paint in. And then I use some gloss or varnish to create thin layers of transparentcy.((my option)) Also get some gesso to prime the canvas with...but some canvas that are pre-strecthed already already have been primed. I like to paint moonscape, abstract, landscapes, and self-portraits. Just experiment with the colors and work your way up, the first few pieces are not so perfect. Sometimes an art book with painting techniques also helps too. Well good luck with painting! ;D

Answer 4

Many super markets have some introductory painting package. It is a very cheap way of getting started.

Paint. Acrylics are nice. White black red, yellow, blue and green to get you started.
Brushes. A big flat one 2 inch minimum. number 8 round, number 8 flat. One of your choosing (either bigger or smaller)
Surface. Can be pre-stretched canvas or canvas board.
If you get a can of gesso you can paint on pretty much anything. It is a primer that will make any surface good for painting. It is also the white on your pre-stretched canvas.

Nobody has the talent for portraits. It is a skill that needs lots of work. You can do portraits just use a picture and a ruler to put it in pencil on your canvas(board). It is a very interesting thing to learn.....but starting with a bowl of fruit may be a good idea for your first painting.

* Beginners tip*
Use white liberal and think twice before using black.
Buy good paint once you start liking it. A tube of nice paint every week gets you many colors you really want and is less expensive that smoking :)

Answer 5

See if you can find a local art group. From the group you'll get hands on assistance and advice about materials etc. So you will be less likely to waste your money on materials you don't need. Best of all you will get guidance and confidence.They may have beginners classes. Once you have worked out the basic skills, then you can apply them your own way.

Just remember that we were all beginners once, and to just enjoy "paddling and splashing" in the paint like a pre-schooler. Don't set out to create a representational image at first, just play around and see what the paint can do.. without expectations. Enjoy yourself . Big smile, Lizzie :o)

Answer 6

Either buy yourself one of the starter kits. There are stores that offer xx% off coupon. Use them to reduce the cost of your kit. Usually these kits will also have a example project. Or try to borrow a simple, basic painting book from the library and try out something from there.

Otherwise, take a inexpensive class. In my area, the craft and art stores have a class. It is usually a single class and you create a single project in acrylics, one stroke painting or Bob Ross painting etc.

Don't discard Bob Ross or Craft painting such as one-stroke. You will get a lot of introductory material from such classes for a small cost that you can put to use in your subsequent fine art.

Good luck

Answer 7

I can tell you from personal experience what I did! I bought a basic set of acrylics, a large canvas, and just started painting. I like modern art and I studied the artists I liked and did some pictures in that style. With every painting, my own style came through more and more! You learn by diving in and experimenting. Don't be afraid-you can always paint over it with gesso:) Have fun on your new adventure!