Just starting out, painting in general - WetCanvas: Online Living for Artists

This topic has 21 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 6 years ago by Yorky Administrator Ormskirk.

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April 14, 2018 at 7:17 pm #454596
JenniferG
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For some reason late in life I decided I would like to try painting. I don’t know what I’m doing but just now starting to pay attention to lighting angles.

Got a used canvas for $1 at flea market and painted over it. Had some black on hand so I used it. Tried some Rosemaling and didn’t like how it turned out so repainted over it. Then tried to do some trees. After I painted the trees I tried to make sense of the background so I painted some stars in the background and called it “Starry Treetops”. This is my first painting ever lol. (I’m 47.)

Nervmind.. looks like I still can’t upload images.
April 14, 2018 at 7:22 pm #604853
tmwilliams
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I started painting last year at 52. You are in good company. Looking forward to seeing your work!
April 14, 2018 at 7:44 pm #604854
JenniferG
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There we go. It was some problem with Safari. Seem to be able to upload with Chrome.

My favorite tree is the middle one, looks the most realistic of the bunch.
April 14, 2018 at 7:48 pm #604855
JenniferG
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Then I watched a video on doing clouds with acrylic paints on youtube. So I tried it. Here’s my first attempt. Clouds took all of a couple mins and were easy but the gradient sky blending.. oh my acrylic dries to fast it was a pain.. had to keep re-wetting and then it lifted the paint already dried and got white spots.. so had to keep remixing the paint various shades and water it down a bit.. I don’t even recall what I did because I was going really fast trying to keep up with the fast drying time of acrylic lol.

This was on chipboard. Feel free to C&C on anything I do in this thread. I expect lots of C&C because I know I’m a total newb and don’t know what I am doing
April 14, 2018 at 7:57 pm #604856
JenniferG
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Painted this last night, the chipboard “canvas” is only a few inches wide, so used smaller brushes.
April 14, 2018 at 8:33 pm #604844
Artchrispy
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You’re doing great Jennifer! Your cylinder shaped trees look very solid. If you get a spray bottle you can mist your painting to slow down the dry time. It also helps to mist your paints on your palette to keep them useable.

Christophervasil.com
April 14, 2018 at 10:35 pm #604849
ColinS, Moderator, Victoria British Columbia
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Welcome to the Acrylics Forum Jennifer.

You are doing well. Your clouds are especially successful. Keep painting and do poke around the threads in the Information Kiosk found at the top of the page. Lots of good information there. I would also like to invite you to join the Different Strokes challenge each month. Always something different.

"None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm." - Henry David Thoreau
Moderator Acrylics Forum~~~Reference Image Library
April 14, 2018 at 10:46 pm #604852
hmshood5
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Love your starry trees! And FWIW, I started painting last year at 45!

"All of us get lost in the darkness... Dreamers learn to steer by the stars"
www.brianfioreart-aviartisa.com
April 15, 2018 at 12:51 am #604857
JenniferG
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You’re doing great Jennifer! Your cylinder shaped trees look very solid. If you get a spray bottle you can mist your painting to slow down the dry time. It also helps to mist your paints on your palette to keep them useable.

Am I perhaps not using thick enough acrylic paint? It’s watered down thinner .. I use the craft paints in the bottles. I thinned them down a bit because I used them to paint D&D terrain and miniatures.

What do you think of painting with those bottles of craft paints vs. tubes of acrylic paint? They are so cheap at $1 a bottle.
April 15, 2018 at 7:18 am #604851
Grampy
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Hi Jennifer,
I didn’t start painting until two & a half years ago on my 65th birthday, I had never painted before now I love it.
I would advice you to look, listen and ask as many question as you need, there is always someone who can help. But most important thing is to pick up your brushes and put paint on canvas, get a feel of it. It is not about how it looks, it is how you feel. It is very nice when your latest effort turns out better than the last and it make you want to paint another. I am tripping over my work now.
Happy painting.
Steve.

Steve

Never regret doing what puts smiles on faces
April 15, 2018 at 7:52 am #604845
Artchrispy
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Am I perhaps not using thick enough acrylic paint? It’s watered down thinner .. I use the craft paints in the bottles. I thinned them down a bit because I used them to paint D&D terrain and miniatures.

What do you think of painting with those bottles of craft paints vs. tubes of acrylic paint? They are so cheap at $1 a bottle.

I only mentioned the spray mist since you said you had problems blending the gradient sky. If you water acrylic paint down too much it may not adhere to canvas very well or may rub off with subsequent layers. You can thin paint with acrylic medium too if desired or a combination of medium and water. I love the fluidity of the craft paints. If its a concern they may fade eventually but you can also varnish for UV protection.
Just keep doing what you are doing You can also do small sketches or studies instead of complete paintings too for practice.

Christophervasil.com
April 15, 2018 at 9:11 am #604842
LavenderFrost Moderator, Acrylics
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Welcome to the world of acrylics! You are definitely in the right place to learn. Youtube is good as well. Jerry Yarnell is one my favourites to watch and can be found on pbs channels sometimes.

Blending is difficult. Try getting a hake brush for painting larger areas. It has to be wet and you have to work fast. And be careful of when the paint starts to dry and gets into the tacky stage because it can lift.

I also started with craft paint. It is a good economical way to start. You can decide later if you want to get better quality paint and if you prefer thick or thin.

C&C always welcome. Michelle

mkmcreations.com
Every painting is a new adventure.
April 15, 2018 at 10:42 am #604846
Katie Black
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Hi, these are not bad at all and it pains me to say your clouds are better than mine. I’m going to have to look online again cos I cant for love nor money get them right.

Welcome.

Katie Black Fine Art
"Life is far too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde
April 15, 2018 at 10:58 am #604841
talisman
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Great start!
You have a cool style and I really like your colors, very vibrant.
Welcome to the fast and fun world of acrylic painting!

Dianna WC! Guide: Fantasy/Sci-Fi Art
C and C always welcome.
My DeviantArt Gallery
April 15, 2018 at 6:58 pm #604858
JenniferG
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Hi, these are not bad at all and it pains me to say your clouds are better than mine. I’m going to have to look online again cos I cant for love nor money get them right.

Welcome.

I think the following is thevideo I watched to learn the technique. You just put it on heavy and white where the highlights are then work the brush away form that hightlight line to where it ulitmately gets very dry .. so basically dry brushing out the tails of the clouds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN1J47FcNH8
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