Tips for a Beginner Painter

[thestrangequark]

Here is the first thing I ever painted, let's call it impressionist :

Very nice for a first painting. Were the faces deliberate?

You see faces? Are you sure you're not the one who's been sniffing the gum spirits? They weren't intentional, it was just some flowers in Washinton Square Park -- I'm still trying to see them!

And here is the second thing I ever painted:

Very arresting. The angled clouds really catch the eye. Is that fireworks in the middle?

It's my rendition of the images from a bubble chamber.

I started my third painting. Ambitiously, a portrait.

TSQ- if that is really your first painting ever, you have a gift.

Well, I did some paint-by-numbers and random watercolors as a little kid, but this is the first time I've painted anything in at least 15 years, and the very first time painting in oils. I do draw, though. Honestly, I've been a bit afraid of painting until now, preferring the tight control offered by a pencil.

Thanks very much for the kind words.

 

[RJDiogenes]

You see faces? Are you sure you're not the one who's been sniffing the gum spirits? They weren't intentional, it was just some flowers in Washinton Square Park -- I'm still trying to see them!

They're there. What about the voices? How did you add the voices?

It's my rendition of the images from a bubble chamber.

Ah, so it is fireworks. What a fantastic idea.

 

[Dukat's Major]

tsq, these are just wonderful, really, really wonderful! Please keep painting (and posting them here). Your command of color combinations is arresting. I like how you alternated between textures. Beautiful!

 

[thestrangequark]

^Thanks, you're very encouraging. Quite ambitiously (and perhaps a bit illadvisedly), I've begun a self-portrait. In itself an odd choice for me, as I've not had any desire to draw myself since I was about 7 -- almost as odd as my wanting to paint in the first place! It's going to take a few days, I think, I've been working on it for two already. I've found that I do not like painting by artificial light at all, so I am limited to daylight hours. Good thing it's summer!

You see faces? Are you sure you're not the one who's been sniffing the gum spirits? They weren't intentional, it was just some flowers in Washinton Square Park -- I'm still trying to see them!

They're there. What about the voices? How did you add the voices?

You know, for a moment I thought, "How cool would that be? And if they moved too!" Then I remembered that that's television.

 

[M'Sharak]

It's my rendition of the images from a bubble chamber.

Exactly what I thought it looked like: particle trails in a cloud chamber. (I'd have to check to remember which kinds of trails go with which particles, though.)

I think I see a couple of faces in the other one. Letting my eyes go slightly out of focus helps.

 

[captcalhoun]

good stuff

 

[Dukat's Major]

^Thanks, you're very encouraging. Quite ambitiously (and perhaps a bit illadvisedly), I've begun a self-portrait. In itself an odd choice for me, as I've not had any desire to draw myself since I was about 7 -- almost as odd as my wanting to paint in the first place! It's going to take a few days, I think, I've been working on it for two already. I've found that I do not like painting by artificial light at all, so I am limited to daylight hours. Good thing it's summer!

I much prefer painting by natural light as well. I would love to take a painting trip --- take my fold-up easel and supplies and just roam some pretty trails or fields and paint. Or go to an interesting city, find places to sit, and paint. To me this would be one of the highest forms of fun!!! I wouldn't want to do it alone, though. Which is probably why I haven't done it yet

 

[enlisted person]

My advice would be to do all your bodywork first and make sure the panels are straight

 

[thestrangequark]

^ Har har.

Okay, here is painting number 3. I know it has some major problems (the left eye I just can't seem to get right -- it probably would have turned out better had I sketched first as Elmo suggested), but it's not terrible for my 3rd painting and first attempt at painting a portrait. I have a lot to learn, but I am really enjoying myself. I liked trying to find the perfect green for my eyes and I really liked putting on my freckles. It does look a bit like me, at least.

I'm still finding that the biggest challenge is working from dark to light -- the opposite of what I'm used to.

 

[RJDiogenes]

That's really nice. I never would have thought anything about the left eye if you hadn't said anything. But you have to Post a matching photo so we can make sure you got all the freckles right.

 

[captcalhoun]

nice work.

 

[thestrangequark]

^Thanks.

That's really nice. I never would have thought anything about the left eye if you hadn't said anything. But you have to Post a matching photo so we can make sure you got all the freckles right.

You know I used a measuring tape and a ruler to make sure each freckle was in exactly the right spot. Then I went out in the sun today and a few dozen new ones popped up and ruined it all!

 

[propita]

The last time I painted something besides a wall, I just tried to use the right number paint and stay inside the black lines.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Hmm, you could do an animation of the new freckles appearing.

 

[thestrangequark]

^I could just never stop painting the picture -- it would age with me! For some odd reason I'm experiencing a sudden urge to fling myself on the divan and bitch about youth and springtime.


Here is a work in progress, my nephew, Liam. I've been working on him for about 4 hours. His eyes turned out nicely, now I just have to do the rest of him! It's times like this I wish I'd taken an art class. It'd be nice to know the rules one can follow for success rather than just trying and failing, painting over it, and trying again. I'll post the finish product, likely in a few days time.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^I could just never stop painting the picture -- it would age with me!

Or without you.

Here is a work in progress, my nephew, Liam. I've been working on him for about 4 hours. His eyes turned out nicely

Yeah, the eyes are great-- very vibrant and almost photorealistic.

 

[thestrangequark]

Here's another two hour's worth of work on Liam. I'm struggling over what to do with the background. I started painting him in my sister's arms, but I'm not sure if that's the direction I want to go.

Elmo, I need you input!

 

[thestrangequark]

Here is some more progress on my latest portrait. I've got his little face pretty much done, and I've decided to do a grey background and have him wrapped in a blue and green blanket. The blanket will be a much lighter shade of green eventually.

 

[RJDiogenes]

It's interesting how the hair has evolved. I think the blanket is a good idea.

 

[thestrangequark]

^His hair was all sticky-uppy in the pictures I've been looking at, I tried to capture that.