some questions on traditional Painting

#1

Im new in the art world very much so and Ive gotten into 3d and its really fun… I hope this interest goes further into a career… But I realised that there are more arts to experiment with and things to do… I am also getting into drawing and pencil art. Im having what you might call a mini rennisance inside of me. I really want to do art and get good at it.

Another experiment I did was in painting and I got my self a cheap mini acrylic paint set with one brush, 5 colors and 4 mini canvases. And lets say… I loved it. I loved the feel of doing something new. I loved the feel of making art(sorry if this is cheesy). Now I would like to take it a step further and get more things realitive to painting.

The only problem is Im really new to painting and have no Idea where to start. Some questions I have are what brushes do I get? What paint do I get? What colors do I get? Where can I learn to paint? are there any other things I should know? Things to watch out for? why are oil painting considered hard. Will I ever be ready for oils. Is Bob Ross’s Joy Painting videos worth getting(I read hes unliked in the world of art so I dont know.)

Some questions you might have for me. Some questions Ill answer before you ask.

My budget will be $200 to $300 up front please note any addtional charges I might face.
I rather the cost be closer to $200 though. Im not sure if im totally dedicated to this yet so a small budget like that is what I have in mind.

My experience with painting is well 4 days:scream:. I painted all 4 canvases in my kit and thats all the experience I have with painting.

How often will I paint? I will paint everyday:thumbsup:

So I was wondering if you could please help continue my artistic dreams
Thanks,
Ben

#2

Well, if you really want to start in art. Go to your local Wal-mart(grr… i hate wal-mart, but i still go there :sad:), or whatever and pick up a sketchbook and some pencils. Should cost somewhere between $5-$15 and draw everything you see. How’s that for a budget.

#3

You will be a far better painter if you know how to render tones accurately first. If you don’t have your lights & darks right, that will wreck the mood faster than anything else will. Get yourself a 2b pencil and read some of loomis:

www.saveloomis.org Failing that, at least read some of the tutorials posted in the tutorials sticky at the top of this forum. Enjoy!

#4

Thanks for you replies but why shouldnt I start painting yet and when will I be able to tell if im ready to paint?

I really want to learn it right any way to get me better is what I want to do. If you say learning first painting later will make me better than Ill do that in heart beat. Just could you explain why.

O ya and thanks for all the great advice

#5

well, put it this way.

 A painting is most likely to suck because:

  1. the proportions are wrong

  2. the composition is badly planned

  3. the values are wrong.

    All 3 of these things are most easily learned using a pencil, charcoal etc. Removing color from the equation makes it easier for you to discern correct darks and lights. It is also much cheaper and quicker to use a pencil than to set up for painting. Also, you can sketch anywhere and quite discreetly. Not as easy to do with paints.
    I could go on, but I won’t. Suffice it to say that if you want to learn to paint, you’d do best by learning to draw first. It is the basis for all paintings.

Hope this makes sense!!

#6

There are lots of Traditional and Digital Painting Tutorials on both this and the Artistic Anatomy and Figurative Art Forum.
On this Forum, check out the Sticky link:

Art Tutorials, Theories, and Book Recommendations

On the Anatomy Forum, check out the threads there, many (but not all) of which are linked here:

Tutorials, Workshops, Anatomy Reviews & More … [links within]

You’ve just got to jump in the pool and start swimming! :slight_smile:

Cheers, :slight_smile:

~Rebeccak

#7

I see you’ve met our resident thread pimper— rebecca. :smiley:

#8

That’s right! I’m Pimptastic! Or should I say…Pimptacular? :smiley: :slight_smile:

Cheers, :slight_smile:

~Rebeccak

#9

lol, Hello thread pimper:scream:.

Thanks for the advice. O ya paperclip I wasnt downing what you were saying I was just wondering why. But it makes sense thank you. Of the loomis books do you have suggestion on which one. Im doing the “having fun with a pencil” one or whatever seems nice Ill keep learning.

Thanks everyone. I will look at all your suggestions and learn. Thanks for setting me on my way. :scream:

#10

Pimping successful! :thumbsup:

#11

Creative Illustration or Drawing the Figure are both quite popular. Go for it, man!

#12

BenDstraw, I know exactly what you’re going through. :slight_smile: It’s a good and bad feeling hey?
Anyhoo, I can’t eally add anything that hasn’t already been said…but yeah, start out sketching and stuff to understand contrasts etc.
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#13

While I agree with paperclip that understanding value is very important, I don’t think you need to avoid paints to learn that. Black and white paint (or shades of color) can just as easily get you there as any dry media. If you’re motivated to paint, then that’s what you should be doing. Take advantage of that desire. In the mean time you’ll learn about mixing and pushing paint around too, which a pencil won’t help you with.

Water based media are generally more user friendly than oils; although, oils are great too and superior in many ways. Acrylic paint might be a better beginner media though, since you don’t have to worry about fumes, and proper surfaces, etc. Watercolor, gouache, or casein are even simpler choices, since you don’t have to worry too much about the support, just use a good thick paper or illustration board and off you go. Some brushes are better suited for different media types. Look around your library for some beginner books, or look into any local art classes in your area. You can learn a lot from painting with your peers.

-David

#14

“Pimp My Thread.” These MTV spin-off shows are getting silly now. :smiley:

-David

#15

David beat me to the punch and replied ahead of me. :smiley:

I’m not much into all that ‘fundementals’ or ‘theories’ in art (not dissing 'clip or pimp-chickie 'becc :wink: ), and I believe that if you love the feel that painting has given you in those four tries… I say just go for it in the next few weeks without training wheels! Be a kid again. The best way to learn (as with any art concept for beginners) is to imitate. Not copy another person’s piece, but imitate life. Do some still-life, use a photo of landscape, a person, a toy, anything. You paint what you see and your hand reveals what your mind sees. Your first several dozen aren’t going to be perfect, just like dancing: you feel the music and let your body do its thing. :wink:

Buy a few brushes from some cheap store (large, medium, small) and as mentioned, black and white acrylics tubes (and, of course, cleaning supplies). There are many many sites online that will give you tutorials on how to make an undercoating that you can follow as you paint (like, doing your piece in pencil, painting a line art with a sepia-like color, then fully painting your piece). As you go along, you’ll pick-up on what it is that you want to portray in your art. But if you start ‘learning’ right away the theories and mathmetical frickle-frackle (my opinion), you’re pieces will end up like anyone else’s. You need to find your own special technique, whether through long/short strokes, or through blotting.

Get the brush-stroke feel that is most comfortable for you, find what it is that you want to portray through traditional painting (different mediums can give different emotions through painting style, method, texture, etc), and down the road see what it is that you are missing by ‘learning’ the ‘theories’ that may be intermingled with your subject matter.

Did you catch all that? :argh:

Good luck, Ben.

#16

Thanks for all the advice guys Ill take it all into consideration. :thumbsup:

#17

I recommend you check out http://www.wetcanvas.com/. It is a fantastic website centered around art (mostly traditional). It has heaps of forums and everyone loves to help you out. Doing forum searches are always a great help for finding information.

#18 
  Don't see why not, it can definitely be a more complicated kind of paint to use but it's not [i]radically[/i] different to other paint. /awaits flames..

My budget will be $200 to $300 up front please note any addtional charges I might face.
I rather the cost be closer to $200 though. Im not sure if im totally dedicated to this yet so a small budget like that is what I have in mind.

Don’t worry, $200 (that’s what, about 100 quid yeah?) will buy you a very decent pile of art stuff- half that even would get you rolling.- set of small acrylics/watercolours, sketchbook, putty rubber, couple of pencils, few brushes and something to paint on.
If there’s any change a couple of decent fineline pens or some conteh pencils might be nice.

Since we’re on a budget, you might want to consider substituting canvas for a while and using sheets of hardboard/plywood (not sure what it’s called in the states, sorry.) since it’s about a pound for a huge sheet.
Cover it with either acrylic primer or matt acrylic household paint-sands up/down to a surface that takes acrylic well.
I mainly suggest this because I hate the “give” in canvas anyhow and this eliminates it while saving me cash, I know others love the feel of canvas though so up to you.
Stretching wet paper over a drawing board is another cheap option albeit a bit fiddlier.

If we’re still reaching over budget, those poster paints that come in big squeezy bottles ( yes, the kind you got in school…) can be mixed with white acrylic to quite interesting effect…
And yes, I am cheap.

My experience with painting is well 4 days:scream:. I painted all 4 canvases in my kit and thats all the experience I have with painting.
How often will I paint? I will paint everyday:thumbsup:
So I was wondering if you could please help continue my artistic dreams
Thanks,
Ben

  Go for it. Actually [i]enjoying[/i] something you're trying to improve at is more important than most people realise in my opinion and you certainly seem to be.
  
  Have fun.
#19

I actually find it easier to work with oils than acrylics. Easier to clean up, manipulate, blend, flow… but I guess that’s just a personal thing with me (like, which program is better).

I mentioned for you to get acrylics and not oils, because of COST. I tend to blow alot of money into oils and sable brushes and not acrylics. My method: expensive oil with expensive brush… cheap acrylic with school brush.

We can pretty much tell, Ben, you are gonna do a fine job with your euthusiasm.

#20

When you’re new especially, cheaper materials are good I think - gives you the essential freedom to make a mess and start again at little or no cost.

Besides, it’s not like the cheaper material will self destruct in two years or anything, even cheapish paint can be pretty decent these days.

-Steve