Position:Home>Visual Arts> What are good paints to use?
Question: What are good paints to use!?
My 2 year old son is showing what I think to be a lot of talent in his paintings!. I would like to have him paint a few things that I can hang up around my house!.!.!. the problem is, I bought cheap acrylic paints from the dollar store :P (this was the first paint I bought for him, before I saw the things he paints)!. I have also seen small (8!.5x11!?) canvas' at Wal-Mart!.!.!. would these be suitable quality!? also what would be a good type of paint to buy!? I just want to have good quality paints and canvas' so that these paintings will last a long time!
Thanks :)Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
you need to use a safe paint for a two year old like tempura finger paints!. Although tempura paints archivability is in question you can cover the painting with a water based coating to help save it!. The best paints are usually the most toxic!. Any canvas that forever hangs on the wall will last longer then you'll be alive!. but you need to prime it first (if it's not primed already) with gesso!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
If you REALLY want good quality paint, get artist paints (like derwents and matisse), not students!. However, these are INCREDIBLY expensive!. Since he's only two, just keep at the cheap stuff, see how he goes and as he gets older and develops a variety of techniques you can buy him better stuff!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
OK!.
Two year old make great art GREAT!. No kidding!. They don't have inhibitions we develop when we get older and that is why people saying: "My two year old can do that," are right!. They 'unlearn' it when they get older!.
It is NOT a good idea to let your kid paint with acrylics or any artist paint!. They just are not safe enough for small kids!. Let him paint with special kid paint!. Usually this is a paint based on potato starch and food coloring!. It will last indefinitely if you store it dry!. Hanging on a wall is a very good way to store it!. Do NOT seal it!. this will only make it go bad!. It must be able to 'breathe'!. If you let him paint on paper you can put it behind glass!.
Walmart canvas (that white stuff on it is the gesso) is great but framing a painting he did on paper may be a better idea!. You can pick from 100 pieces instead of the few canvases you buy and it will cost the same!.
It is always a good idea to make a photo of the art and him painting it!. If anything goes wrong (fi food-fight!.!. could happen) you still have the photograph!.Www@QuestionHome@Com