Exploring Watercolor and Acrylics: 3 Simple Tips for How to Start Painting!
Ever look at art and wish you could do it too? Have you thought that you are “too old” to start painting or maybe you just don’t know how to start? Do you think you are bad at art so it’s frustrating to start? These are normal feelings, but don’t let them get in your way of creating art for YOU!
I believe that anyone can learn to paint, and that people are not “good” or “bad” at art—everyone is on their own artistic journey and at different places of practicing and learning. You get better at art by practicing and exploring!
If you’re interested in learning how to paint, here are some tips for starting watercolor or acrylic painting that I have learned from experience.
1. Buy some quality supplies.
These really do make a difference! You don’t need to go out and buy the most expensive, professional level supplies but buying decent, quality supplies is important. It will make your painting journey so much easier. Let your paints, brushes and paper HELP you instead of HINDER you.
Student grade acrylic paint and watercolors are a good place to start, and most art or craft stores have supplies organized under “student”, “professional” etc. I recommend buying tubes of watercolor paint and a palette and then squeezing in paint and letting it dry—then you have your own palette. If you want a pre-made palette then you can find a lot of recommendations on art YouTube channels for quality watercolors in pans!
As for brushes, start with a round #6 brush for watercolor painting that is in the $5-10 range. Those super cheap, rough-bristled plastic brushes that come with watercolor sets will make your painting journey so difficult, so stay away from those. For acrylic painting, get a set of brushes that are recommended for acrylic painting but aren’t the cheapest option available. Synthetic brushes work well!
For paper, you want to buy paper that is designed for the type of paint you are using. So you need to buy watercolor paper (300 gsm is best) for painting with watercolors. For acrylics, you can choose to paint on canvas, mixed media paper, or other surfaces (like wood) as long as you seal and gesso any porous surfaces first. Craft stores sell inexpensive canvas packs that are good for practicing (and you can always just paint over a practice painting with gesso and start over to get more use out of them!)
2. Go find some tutorials online to follow.
Skillshare and YouTube both have tons and tons of art tutorials. Go find some for beginners and follow along! I have been painting with watercolors for over 20 years but I still find watercolor tutorials to be helpful and relaxing.
3. Understand that PRACTICE is how you get better and that it takes time!
You aren’t going to just pick up a brush and start painting art that you think is amazing right away. You need to give yourself time to practice and start with easier subject matter during your learning journey. It is difficult when you go on social media and see AMAZING art all over, but you just have to remind yourself that those people have been practicing their skills for a long, long time. Just paint what makes YOU happy and try not to compare yourself with others. Make art for yourself and it will be so much more fulfilling.
There’s no better time to start painting then now! If you want some inspiration, you can check out my artist friend Erin Acker for some landscape watercolor and acrylic painting examples. Find her on Instagram at erin.acker.art and her website is www.erinackerart.com
Happy painting everyone!