the basics of painting: our best tips and tricks

A sweet reader Jill wrote in and said: 

“… I love your art. I would love to get into painting some, and I was wondering if you could tell me about it? Like, where do I start? What would you recommend? Would love to hear some of your best tips…”

So today, we’re sharing the basics of painting: our best tips + tricks. 

I love a good piece of art, and it’s a great way to bring so much one of a kind character to your home. I guess because I’m an artist at heart, I’m always dabbling around the home. 

The Basics of Painting: Where to Start 

I’ve shared a little in the past as it relates to abstract art, so I’m going to make a few recommendations here on where it’s good to begin if you’d like to start experimenting with painting in general. All for the sake of basics.

When I started, I began with acrylics. Sometimes, I still rather enjoy them. I think the key is getting your hand on some inexpensive bottles of paint, and learning about the relationships with color, since painting can be an investment. Acrylics make for a great afternoon project, with easy clean up that doesn’t require additional chemicals.

Pros: it dries fast. Cons: it dries fast. I list it as both because once you start working with oil paints {more on which we’ll be focusing on below} you won’t want to go back. 

Acrylics can be watered down for a watercolor look, or mixed together to give you more experience with layers.

This will give you experience with watercolor and oil behaviors from a novice’s standpoint. These two paintings made with acrylics {above and the one below}. One made to behave like watercolor with thin layers in lettering, the other with heavier layers and a ‘legit’ painting. They’re just a good material to have in your arsenal. 

The Basics of Painting: Basic Materials for Starting Out 

So for any hand lettering I do, I work with MDF that’s painted over in a white matte acrylic paint {you can buy cheap cans of basic white acrylic paint at your local home improvement store}, or cheap canvas from the local craft store. I can touch up by painting white around my mess ups. 

Then we add simple frames around the finished piece, whether canvas or MDF, from here. 

It’s an issue of just becoming familiar with a few key things, and exploring from there. And this is a great money saver.

I was always intimidated by the cost and process and chemicals, until it was all required for a class. Otherwise, I don’t think I would have jumped in like I did. But the first tip is a great one to keep going back to, to gain experience over time. 

This ampersand is another example of acrylics, thinned out with water to behave more like watercolor. 

There are also so many different ways to treat acrylics. Well, just painting in general, so this will definitely be a basic overview. For example, this series of canvases is layers of wet paint, and a blowdryer. Easy and oh so fun!

The Basics of Painting: Oil Supplies

Once you’re a little more comfortable with all things paint and how it behaves, these are a few things I’d recommend to get started. 

Granted, the more experienced you become, the more you may want to spend. But these are a great starter list. And I still stick with a lot of these main supplies. 

• Canvas – look for sales at your local craft store.

Note: You can also make your own, to really save if you plan to be working in multiple quantities or REALLY large sizes. I love this source for that, but this is a whole post all it’s own. You basically need canvas on a roll, oil based primer, framing pieces, a staple gun and large paint brush. — see our full tutorial here. I also like to peruse amazon for great deals. 

• Turpenoid – don’t be afraid of it.

It has less toxins than the other stuff and is relatively easy to work with.

The only issue is having a place to safely and properly dispose of it when you’re finished. This will be the same place you can get rid of old paint cans, or even a local college to help you safely dispose.

• Jars with lids – Recycled – anything from pickle jars to jelly jars. At least two. We’re always washing them out and saving them when empty at our house. You’ll use those to store the Turpenoid and to paint with. I’ll give more tips on those below. 

• Brushes –  These don’t have to be pricey or even fancy the first or tenth time around. Not to sound old or anything, but I feel like brushes have come a long way since I was in school. The more experienced you get, sure. Splurge. But I’d start with something simple like this. 

• Paint – lately, I’ve been stumbling upon kits of oil paint which really make starting up, a lot easier. You can save there but here’s a good starting point of a list for colors you’ll want. 

• Titanium White- get it in the largest tube. You’ll use this more than you know. 
• Ivory / lamp black
• Cerulean blue {Cerulean blue hue is fine too} 
• Ultramarine blue
• Burnt umber
• Alizarin crimson
• Cadmium red or Cadmium red light
• Raw umber
• Burnt Sienna
• Yellow ochre
• Cadmium yellow or lemon yellow

Regarding greens – I try to mix them from blues + yellows but sap green is good for all things landscape.

 
• Paper palettes – can be thrown away after one use, but I also cover them with foil in between sessions. Sometimes I just use paper plates that are waxy on the bottom to keep from saturating it. 

• Easel – I also use a drop cloth when painting inside {home depot} , along with a large easel. If I’m working smaller, I also use this simple table top easel. 

• Storage – I’d also recommend a tackle box or old caboodle {wheee!} to store your paints

• Towels or paper towels – I end up using both

The Basics of Painting: Turpenoid 

Keep your empty container to re-transfer your used turpenoid back into, when you’re finished with the entire container of fresh turpenoid. This way you can carry it to a proper waste disposal until it’s time. NEVER pour it out or down your drain. Also, You’ll use two jars because you’ll basically transfer old turpenoid into one, and use the other to pour out/wipe down in between each session.

Oil paints tend to settle on the bottom like sand on the ocean, but are stirred up again. So start with about 1/4 of a jar, to work with, and then when it becomes to muddy in between switching colors, pour it into your jar with the lid. Then pour fresh turpenoid from the container. So forth and so on, until the original container is empty, and you can pour it all back in. I always do this over a towel or some sort to keep it from damaging anything. 

I use it to clean up my brushes at the end, then swirl it around in the jar. After pouring it into the temporary storage container with the lid, wipe it out with your towel and the jar will be fresh. 

Arrange your colors on your palette from dark to light, and in groupings of colors. I like to arrange mine like the color wheel. Do just a little of each paint color, working as you go. This way once you start, you’re not starting and stopping constantly, trying to get the right amount of color. 

The Basics of Painting: Underpainting 

A great place to start, is with an underpainting. I always view it as a negative of the actual painting. Start with your plan, and sketch it on to your canvas to use as your guide. A white canvas can be daunting, so the first day, do washes of paint underneath, and this will help blend your colors, and get a feel for the paint. It also gives it a nice intensity, with opposite colors often underneath. So wherever you think you’ll use green, use red underneath in a wash. Wherever you’ll use orange, use blue underneath. It doesn’t have to be exact, but a nice general wash will help. That way you’re not fighting the white the entire time, and you can add depth to your colors. 

The Basics of Painting: All about Oils

One of the beauties of painting with oils, is that they take a while to dry. This is what makes oil so much fun. It’s hard to describe until you’ve tried it, but it takes a little getting used to. Now when I go back to acrylics, I often get frustrated because there’s nothing to work with anymore. This takes a little understanding of all things color, and knowing how they will react when with each other. They call this alla prima, or direct painting.

Indirect painting is waiting for certain layers to dry in between. It helps to do both. And the latter requires some patience, and knowing when to take a break to let the paint colors settle.  

The Basics of Painting: Dive In {with a few little guides along the way}

Give your underpainting a day to dry. Once it’s dry and you have a nice foundation, it’s time to get to work. I do think that the best way to get started is to dive right in, so now that you  have a nice foundation, that’s definitely possible. 

Work dark to light

It’s easier to build up depth and volume in a painting, when working from dark to light. You can always go back later and add more, but I’d recommend starting there. 

Don’t get stuck

In one section of the canvas. Work around in different areas, and seek balance with your color applications. 

Vary your colors

Think in terms of warm and cool tones + how they work together. Some of the best and most interesting tension on a canvas can come from the way those colors play together. I love mixing a yellow into a blue, and watching green appear in between, in a really fun organic way. 

Avoid “bottled” or “tubed” colors

I had a painting professor tell me once that the most interesting paintings come from the nuances of color. The individual hues that you create  by mixing the on your palette. I couldn’t agree more with that. Go for it, and see what you learn about colors, while you’re at it. You’ll be amazed by what you can apply to your home in terms of knowledge.

Heiarchy

Every painting and piece of art has it. Whether its the dominance of one color or shape, or something else, play with that in your canvas, and see what you get. 

Points of interest

Look for points of interest within your paintings. Opportunities to create interesting shapes or color combos or all of the above. 

Finger painting 

You’re not above it. sometimes it’s great to mix it up so that you can get a smoother result. Play with that when it comes to thicker areas to smooth it out. You’ll be surprised with what you can create. 

Texture 

Bring it in with the applications of your paint. Wet paint vs. dry paint is a great place to start. Dry brushing on top of dry layers is awesome for those points of interest I was talking about, above. There are so many options with palette knives, and various other tools, we’re only scratching the surface. Don’t hesitate to experiment and have fun!

Rotate

When it comes to abstract pieces, sometimes those happy accidents a-la Bob Ross happen when you least expect them. Play with your canvases and see which orientation becomes more interesting. With these creations, we started out one way and ended with another because they were fun, and it was a great way to help keep those brush strokes fresh {aka becoming too uniform or predictable.} 

We hope this gives you a great starting point with all things oil painting! I’m seeing you now with a cup of your fave warm drink and a good e-book on a quiet Saturday morning. Dive in, and you certainly won’t regret it. 

Have an inspired day!

Oh, and want to add a frame to your own project when you’re done?

pssst… check out more of our paintings here + take 40% off your purchase with the code art40 at checkout!

Be sure to check out our simple, all encompassing framing guide here for some affordable solutions. 
    

Have an inspired day!