Painting is a two-dimensional visual language of lines, shapes, colors, tones and textures that create optical sensations of volume, space, movement and light on flat surfaces. The interplay of these elements can express an idea or emotion, interpret a narrative theme or create wholly abstract relationships. It is a complex process that has evolved over thousands of years, and continues to fascinate and intrigue artists, as well as art historians, philosophers and anthropologists.
Paintings can be made on a variety of supports, including canvas, paper, wood panels and metal. The paints used can range from traditional earth minerals based on copper and plant extracts to more modern synthetic varieties that are manufactured using chemical reactions. The medium can also include other ingredients like water, alcohol, acrylic inks and even digital printing techniques. This has resulted in a broadening of the concept of what can be considered to be a painting, making it more difficult to define.
As a general rule, the first thing to do when starting a painting is to establish a composition. A simple drawing is usually enough to help you decide where to place those luscious paints, and can give your work the structure it needs.
Normally, the next stage is to lay down some basic color. This can be done in a loose, expressive manner or with more precise brushwork. In either case, it is vital to the success of a painting and helps establish its overall tonal and compositional relationships.
The final stage is to add more detail. This can be as straightforward as creating small dots with the tip of a brush, or more intricately detailed as depicting things such as hair, fabric and foliage. Regardless of the subject matter, this will help to add depth and texture to the image and make it more realistic.
This is a useful technique for improving shading, adding tone to an area that the paint has already dried so that it no longer blends with the surrounding areas or simply adding some extra fine details to the painting. You can use any tool that will allow you to scratch into the surface of the paint – this could be anything from the pointed end of a brush, to a piece of card, palette knife, comb or fork.
Another good idea is to choose a specific medium to work with for the duration of your training. This will help you get to grips with the unique properties of the material, and concentrate your efforts on learning the important fundamentals of painting. This doesn’t mean that you can’t try other materials in the future, but if you are new to painting, it is best to focus on just one until you’ve mastered it. Then you can move on to other mediums.