I want to start painting but i dont know how to come about it?

Question: I want to start painting but i dont know how to come about it!?

I would really like to start painting!. I thoroughly enjoyed art at school and wish i continued!.

Its been years since i even so much attempted a drawing (i doodle all day at work) I just miss sitting down and spending hours on painting and drawing!.!.!.I just don't know where to start!. What kind of paint is best to start of with!.!.!.i don't have a lot of money to spend!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Desire is the first essential quality you need and that you have!. Good for you!

I will have to disagree with most of the other answers is some way or other!. First, watercolors are a bad way to start!. Acrylics are the easiest for a newcomer, oils are messy and smelly, watercolors are more difficult to handle and not very forgiving!.
I would suggest continue with drawing taking it a step farther than doodling!. Try drawing the corner of your desk or something you see around your office or outside!. Drawing is fundamental to painting!.
Don't use cardboard to paint on!. There are canvas pads, like paper but have a canvas texture to paint on!.
You can get a sketch book and canvas pad, a couple of brushes and some acrylic paints and palette which are decent student quality for less than $50!. You don't have to get everything at once!.
If you try to get by on the cheap as others have suggested by using materials not designed for the purpose,(cardboard) you will be disappointed and discouraged like I did!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

In many ways I would agree with Raymond M!. Learning to draw is the key to all methods of painting whether it be oils, watercolour or whatever medium!. Getting to grips with perspective, light, dark and intermediate tones are essential to your understanding of what you want to get down on paper or canvas!. You also need to know what colours will work for you and which to avoid and how to mix them!.
The above is by no means exhaustive and there are many more lessons to be learned!.
Please do not be put off by what I have written above, it is not as difficult as it might sound!. I have had great fun just experimenting and have produced one or two paintings that people have wanted to buy!
I would suggest that enrolling in day or evening classes is really good way to start and you wil find many people just like you who are already there and will help and encourage you as will your tutor!. If finances are difficult help may be available, just ask your local council!.
Good luck to you and at the end of the day be true to yourself and paint what is important to you!. It does not have to be lifelike and can be as abstract as you wish - Itis what you feel about what you see that is important!.
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I actually started learning to paint using watercolors!. I took a Saturday non credit course at a local jr college!. I took watercolor simply because I like how they look!.

If you want to take up painting again, start with what you enjoyed most! You don't need to sink a lot of money into it at first!. I have found that Loew Cornell makes decent stuff!. When I want to dabble in a new medium I usually try their stuff first, then move on to better brands if I like it!.

Start with what excites you!. The look, the feel, the textures, whatever reason you liked it back then!. Do it for the fun of it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I taught myself to paint using oil paints - I find them to be better for me to use - easliy mixed and spread and allows for any mistakes to be covered easily!.

Try to find on Discovery Channel (one of them anyway) - Bob Ross - Joy Of Painting - you'll see how easy it is!.

You can also search google for Bob Ross painting techniques - you'll find a good few step by step guides!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Watercolours are pretty cheap, though I would advise getting watercolour paper to stop the pages getting wrinkled!. Or you could try oils or acrylics, you can get sets of small tubes cheap too, it depends what you want to paint!.
To start off though I would go for watercolours!.
Good luck and have fun!Www@QuestionHome@Com

You can practise painting on a piece of cardboard, which doesn't cost much!.
Acrylic paint is easier than oil paint because it dries faster!.!.!.and cheap paint can be found everywhere these days!. Try a "99cent" store!.!.!.
When finished practising, you can worry about spending money on better paint, brushes and canvases :-)Www@QuestionHome@Com

If you are from the UK go to a shop called 'The Works' they offer cheap paints and canvas!. Start with something simple like acrylic, I hate it but its what i started with and its fairly cheap!.

Try and paint a few expressive shapes that reflect how you are feeling and go from there!.

The possibilities are endless!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Go to your local library and get yourself some books on art!. I am a self taught traditional artist who taught himself to paint with oils using library books!. You can buy painting starter sets to see which medium you like best!. I've only painted two acrylic paintings, every painting since has been in oil!. My work can be checked out at hellosanantonio!.com under artist name GUERRO1!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

If you want to just mess around than I would get some cheap water color paint!.!.!. even crayola!.!.!. it's just for fun right!? (And super cheap!) Then you can work ur way to more expensive paint!.!. or if you go to a craft store you can get pretty cheap acrylic paint!.!.!. painting for the fun of it you could use any kind!.!. even mix em up!.!.!. I find that when I am looking for ideas or inspiration!.!. I either take photos or go through magazines!.!.!. you could even cut out pieces and parts!.!. paint them or collage them!.!.!. maybe gather a bunch of picture that stand out to you!.!. practice with them or make them ur own!.!.!.!. You could look up a bunch of artist on the internet too for inspiration!.!.!. I find allot of cool stuff to try on:
http://www!.deviantart!.com/
http://www!.webshots!.com/
http://new-art!.blogspot!.com/
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Have you considered maybe joining an adult education course!. Theres usually loads around!. Its a great way to get back into art and you learn loads!. Water colour is always a cheap option to get you started!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Come round to my house, the fence needs doingWww@QuestionHome@Com