[Deckard]

Hi all, I'v made up my mind now, and I think it's about time for me to try some traditional painting. But this traditional thing is all new to me, so my question is, where do I start, what `medium' should I choose, wc, oil etc., and what tools should I choose?

Appreciate any tips you talented people might have on this issue.
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"It would be quicker to train an APE!"
-- Basil Fawlty

[mtw]

Try watercolor, acrylic, and oil painting. They're all different. I haven't tried acrylics, but a book I read throught said that acrylic paints can behave like water color or oil paints depending on how much water you mix with it. Acrylics also dry faster than oil paints, so acrylics might be a good starting point.

Go to the library and check out books on each subject.

[mtw]

When buying supplies, go for the cheaper at first. Cheap brushes can be good for learning how to wash off paint. I haven't been doing it too well, so my brushes are not in the best shape anymore, but at least they didn't cost much. Now I've found out more about washing them so I won't be as worried about ruining costier brushes that I'll buy next.

[oDD]

my approach

stuff you need

- buy 5 tubes of acrylics (blue yellow red black and white (about white: you can ask if they got some cheaper white paint, i buy that paint for walls))
- buy 3 brushes (one wide so it is not a pain to paint big parts on canvas quickly, and two medium brushes for more detailed painting)
- find a jar (fill it with water, you will use it to clean the brush or for making your brush wet)
- find some flat surface ( a plank or something, this will be your pallet you will mix paint here)
- a rag (you can use it to clean your brushes and its overally usefull in painting )
- buy some big sheats of paper or cardboard

what to do

- remember that you have to get used to the medium first so don't think about painting too complex things or don't stress your self too much
- althou some say digital painting won't help you in the traditional medium, i can say it helped me for the very beginnig i was confident with the canvas and knew "what goes where", so remember that you are not a total newbie and you will make it
- paint from life, get few thiings from the kitchen put it on your table and paint those
- at the very beginning concentrate on making the colors as close to the oryginal as possible, lear how to mix them, how to get a certain hue(u will have to change your thinking comparing to digital), how to control saturation and value etc
- if you want to move further search for topics with "acrylics" word in them in this discussion section and on poo.

ok thats it, some of my thoughts i am a beginner too but i know something and wanted to share my expirience, hope that helps
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portfolio | art blog

[Deckard]

Ah, alot of great tips there oDD, so, it seems I have some shopping to do, oh this will be fun.

Thank you for your help, I appreciate it alot.
_________________
"It would be quicker to train an APE!"
-- Basil Fawlty

[ceenda]

Deckard: This site is quite nice:

http://www.zest-it.com/

Web layout could be better, but lots of info about oil painting, mixing, blending , technique etc. etc.