How To Master Painting Techniques

Painting is a very good way to de-stress and relax, not to mention that it's a very good way to unleash your inner talent. If you want to take the next step--from merely painting as a hobby to mastering painting techniques, here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Know the paint trends. It's good to start with observing different paint trends from different centuries. Brush up on your knowledge of the typical attributes of paintings during such artistic eras as the Classical Age, the Renaissance, the Baroque Period, and the Post-Modernist Era.

You may also put your focus on the general characteristics of different art styles, some examples of which are the following: Romanticism (which focuses on imagination, feelings and emotions); Rococo (which deals with decorative art; it emphasizes movement, curves and light); Impressionism (which emphasizes the effect of light on an object; the appearance of an impressionistic painting is one of lightness and vibrancy); and abstract expressionism (which aims to defy conventions; it focuses on de-structuring the portrayal of reality and has paved the way for many other contemporary art forms).

2. Study various painters. Another way to master painting techniques is to study the work of master painters. You could focus on artists with particular styles that you admire; some famous painters include Vincent Van Gogh (with his emphasis on broad brushstrokes and brilliant colors); Peter Paul Rubens (who emphasized curves and movement in his work); Henri Matisse (who created patterns of color rather than realistic images) and Pablo Picasso (who destructured images into their elemental shapes and geometric figures).

By intensively studying the works of these masters, you would likely also be able to evolve your own artistic style, and you might be inspired to create a masterpiece of your own.

3. Learn about different techniques and media. The medium used in painting is a very big factor in determining the effect your painting will produce. Research the materials you could use with different media, along with the styles commonly used for each. Here are some common media used in painting:

• Watercolor typically produces a light, elegant and dream-like effect.
• Acrylic is a fast-drying paint that produces a smooth, shiny effect. It is more stable than oil paint, and it does not crack or turn yellow with age. One challenge to using acrylic is that blending colors is harder, since it dries up fast.
• Tempera. In contemporary times this term is commonly used by manufacturers to refer to ordinary poster paint; however it used to refer to paint pigment combined with egg. Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" was created using tempera.
• Oil paint is usually used on canvas. It was used by many masters to produce their great artworks. Oil paint is slow-drying (which makes it ideal for blending colors) and produces bright, vibrant hues,

4. Ask advice on paints. House painters may not be on the same level as the art masters, but they could certainly give you practical advice on paint. Ask them questions such as how to blend paint to produce the desired hues, what colors look good together, what ingredients to add to the paint to improve its consistency, etc.

5. Take art classes. You could opt to take Saturday art classes to help refine your artistic techniques. Expect to be trained on various skills such as sketching, blending colors, what type of brushes to use, and different painting methods. Another good thing about taking art classes is you could have your work assessed by your teacher, and you could obtain personalized, first-hand advice from him on how you could further improve your work.

6. Practice, practice, practice. As with almost any other skill, mastering painting techniques take practice. So instead of shopping at the mall or munching on junk food, take out your canvas and art materials and paint. Expect your work to be less-than-masterly at first; after a while, as you grow more comfortable with the materials and as you establish your painting techniques, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much your work will improve.