Painting is a medium for creating images and conveying sensations of movement, volume, space, light and color on a flat surface. It is one of the oldest known forms of visual expression and has been a part of human culture for centuries. Painting can represent natural scenes or objects, tell a story or be wholly abstract. It involves using a variety of brushes and paints to arrange shapes, lines, colors and textures in unique ways to produce striking works of art.
When starting a new painting, it is important to be clear about what you want to say – what is the big idea that makes you want to paint this particular subject? Then it is necessary to think about how you are going to arrange all the individual strokes, shapes, colors, lines and tones in your painting so that they work in harmony to communicate that idea.
It is also useful to understand the basics of painting: how different types of paints are used, and how the various tools and techniques can be combined to create interesting effects. For example, the use of different brush sizes can be very effective for different purposes in a painting. Choosing a paint brush that is right for your purpose will also allow you to apply the type of strokes needed to achieve your desired effect.
Once you have mastered the basic skills, it is time to start playing around with some of the more advanced techniques that can be used in a painting. For example, dabbing a thin layer of paint onto the surface with a sponge can help create a textured effect that adds interest and depth to a painting. Claude Monet used this technique to great effect in his paintings.
Another way to create texture is by using stippling, which involves applying small dots of paint to the surface with light pressure. This is a great technique for creating the look of grass or tree tops and can be very effective in capturing the sense of movement in a painting. It is also a good choice for experimenting with colour as it is easy to use complementary colours that seem to ‘zing’ together.
Finally, it is worth taking the time to develop your observational skills in order to learn how to accurately portray what you see on the canvas. This is referred to as composition and it is a skill that can be learned with practice. There are many different rules and devices that can be used to compose a successful painting, and it is worth experimenting with different methods until you find the one that suits you best.
Lastly, remember that it is the quality of the pigments (the substance that gives a color its strength and intensity) that will ultimately determine the lifetime of the painting. Some pigments are very sensitive to deterioration and can be damaged by exposure to sunlight, acids or bases. It is therefore advisable to keep any painting in a cool, dark place when not being used.