How to Paint

Have you ever thought of creating beautiful paintings to express your artistic talent? Aspiring Picassos need to look no further. Read on to learn how to paint.

Things You'll Need

• Rag
• Painting brushes of assorted sizes
• Paper or canvas
• Watercolors
• Thinner
• Acrylic colors
• Liquitex acrylic flow aid (optional)
• Linseed oil
• Oil paints
• Table
• Palette
• Easel

Instructions

Preparation

1. Find a piece of paper or canvas. The thickness of the paper depends on the type of paint you will use. For instance, oil paints require thicker paper.

2. Gather the paints and materials necessary for painting. If you are painting with oil paints, you will need linseed oil, brushes and oil paints.

3. Gather a pencil, an eraser, an easel, a scale, brushes of different sizes, a palette and a drop cloth.

4. Wear your painting attire and rubber gloves.

5. Arrange the colors and additional items properly on a table so they are easily accessible.

Painting With Oil Paints

1. Squeeze out a small quantity of the color you need into the palette. Mix linseed oil into it. The proportion of oil into color should be one to two. This helps make the paint thin and easy to spread.

2. Use the painting brush to mix the linseed oil and the paint.

3. Sketch out or trace out the image you want to paint on the canvas or paper.

4. Wash your brush properly in water before dipping it into another color.

5. Apply the second coat of color after the first one dries completely.

6. Wash the painting brush thoroughly and shake off the extra paint from palette.

7. Clean the brush with water and thinner (linseed oil or turpentine). Wipe the palette with a rag dipped in thinner.

Painting with Watercolors

1. Gather watercolors, a palette, an easel, paper, brushes, a pencil, an eraser, a drop cloth and table.

2. Select the image, object or figure which you want to paint with water colors.

3. Take the brush, wet it with water. Scoop out the color into the palette.

4. Mix appropriate amount of water into the color to make it consistent.

5. Scoop out the color that you want at that time as these colors dry out very fast. Trace the image on the drawing paper if you intend to draw and paint.

6. Start coloring the interior of the image neatly and consistently. Begin with the outline to ensure that the paint does not go outside that marked border.

7. Let the first coat dry if you want to apply second coat of color.

Painting With Acrylic Paints

1. Gather the materials required for acrylic painting. Make sure you have an easel, a canvas, acrylic colors, brushes of various sizes, water, a spray bottle, a pencil, an eraser, a drop cloth and table.

2. Squeeze out the paint in the palette from the tube.

3. Spray a mist of water from the spray bottle if the color in your palette dries up.

4. Wash the brush properly with water before dipping it into another color.

5. Arrange the canvas on the easel. Draw the sketch for the painting and start painting.

Tips & Warnings

• Use olive oil or baby oil to remove the paint from your hands.

• Mix and match watercolors to come up with unique colors. For instance, mix a little white color in red color to create your own shade of pink.

• Always wash the brush properly with water before dipping it into another color.

• Never keep any flammable objects with oil paints and thinner as both these items are easily combustible.

• Avoid any contact of colors with eyes, nose and mouth.

• Do not mix oil paints with acrylic paints. Never leave your brushes dipped in any kind of liquid.

• Never choose palette of porous material for acrylic paints.