Painting can be a very relaxing hobby to have. You can create great decorations for your home or gifts to give to friends and family. It takes a lot of practice to gain the experience and skills to be able to produce something that looks as great as a Bob Ross painting, but with time, your skills will become more refined. If you want to start painting in the near future, use the following guide to learn a few tips to ensure you are able to develop your skills quickly and affordably.
Use Canvas Board Instead of Stretched Canvas at First
When you first start painting, you need to be able to paint on a medium that can hold the paint well and not cost you an arm and a leg. The best way to start painting is with canvas board. Canvas is stretched over a piece of hard boarding and then glued down to stay secure. The canvas boards are completely flat and can be used on a table or propped up on an easel. Canvas that is stretched over a frame can be very expensive and since you will make errors along the way, it is best to invest in low-cost materials until you perfect your craft.
Use Acrylic Paints Instead of Oil Based Paints
Oil based paints can be difficult to use when you are first painting. The oil paints are often not as thick as acrylic paints and can thus spread more easily, making it difficult to get the sharp lines that you may want to create when you are painting. It is best to purchase the acrylic paints in a package to save money on the overall cost of the paints. Buying them individually can be costly.
Purchase a Basic Set of Paint Brushes
When you go to purchase paint brushes to paint with, you need to be sure to purchase a variety of shapes and sizes. When you are painting, everything on the image will not be the same exact size. You will need smaller brushes to create detailed lines and larger; flayed brushes can be great to use when creating trees and clouds.
Purchase an Easel
When you start painting, you need to use an easel to prop up the canvas so that you can easily paint from different angles. There are many inexpensive easels that you can find on the market that are designed for use on a table or desk. The small easels will easily be able to support the weight of your canvas boards and the stretched canvas so that you can use it for quite a long time.
Sketch What You Plan to Paint
When you start painting, you do not want to start applying paint to the canvas right away. Take the time to choose what you want to paint and then sketch the image onto the canvas lightly with a pencil. This allows you to be sure that you have the placement and proportions of the items well planned before you actually start to paint. You cannot erase paint from the board, so it is best to plan ahead to save yourself time and frustration.
When you first start painting, it is important to take your time. You do not want to rush to see the finished product because that will increase your chances of making a mistake. It is best to do a few strokes and then take a step back from the painting to see how it is looking. This allows you to make any adjustments in future strokes that may be needed to ensure you are able to easily create the painting that you want to create.
