Part 5:Art Painting Supplies For Beginners

There are many places you can find your painting supplies. Local craft stores and artist supply houses will have many of the supplies you are looking for. When you want it to come to you, there is always the Internet. You need to compare prices when shopping on line for your painting supplies and lessons. Here is a list of some of the better web sites that carry an excellent variety of artist's tools.

ASW Express

Mister Art

Jerry's Artarama

The oils or additives also act as an aid in drying the oil paints.You do not need to worry about this if you are using acrylics. They are designed to dry quickly. An amusing note of interest is what your tubes of paint will go through when painting.

You may think this will never happen to you. It happens to all of us all the time. You just have to get used to it.  My mother was a professional artist for over thirty years. I still have visions of her coming out of her studio with paint up to her elbows, holding a squished up little tube and muttering about only needing an “itty bitty dab of the stuff”. It was when this happened more than three times in a week that we went to the art shop to pick up more paint.

Cleaning Up Paint Brushes After Painting

This is always the worst part in an artist's life. The need to clean up the palettes, brushes, easels, and other odds and ends in the studio. It is actually rather easy if you know what you are doing.

The brushes are the first thing to address. This is where the coffee cans come into play. Filling them half full of turpentine or other paint solvent will allow the brushes to soak until you are done with everything else. Just drop them in, bristle first, right into the turpentine. We will get back to these in a moment.

If you are working with oils, you will want a fine cloth to cover your canvas. Do not use a cloth which has a lot of lint or loose fibers. A thin cotton sheeting is perfect. Be careful not to let the fabric touch the art piece. You can actually buy extender clamps to attach to your canvas at the top. This allows the covering to drape without coming in contact with the painting.

The next thing you need to determine is if you are going to be using the same palette colors again, any time soon. If you are, then just slip the entire thing into a plastic bag and twist the end shut. This keeps foreign matter from getting into your paints while you are away.

If you have decided you are done with that particular color palette, scrape it off with a putty knife. I will say this about palettes. Stored properly, the ones you have used for your oil paintings will last for several days or even a week or so. You may not wish to waste the paints. If you are scraping the palette, rinse it off with some linseed oil or mineral spirits when you are done. Rub clean with a clean rag.

After you have put away all your supplies you can go back to the brushes. Certain brushes can carry a large paint load. You may not believe it until you are trying to clean them. Clean one brush at a time. Work the turpentine or other solvent into the bristles of the brush. Rinse with fresh solvent and completely dry with a clean rag. Either lay the brush flat or stand it up in a container with the bristles towards the ceiling. You do not ever want to leave the brush in solvent overnight. This can break down the brush and it will not perform as you have come to expect. Keeping the paint brushes clean and the bristles straight will allow them to continue making the brush strokes you want.

Acrylic paints can be cleaned up in the same way. However, the difference is the palette will not last. It must be cleaned after each use. The paints will dry within hours. There is one little tip that some artists use. By sticking the palette in a plastic bag and putting it in the freezer, the paints can stay soft. Sometimes this works and sometimes it does not. The quality of the paints have quite a bit to do with this.

Free Art Painting Lessons

The more you know the better you will become as an artist. For over 20 years, my mother taught many students the art of painting.  She spent hours going over lighting, shading, and focal points. She taught about centering the eyes of the face instead of sticking them in the forehead. She explained color theory, paint mediums, and different brush strokes. She taught anyone who would listen. There were only two years she taught professionally. All the other times the painting lessons were free. She would say a gift is a gift. You do not charge someone to perfect a gift, you teach them to use it. It was perfect when God gave it to them.

There are other artists who feel the same way. Many different classes are offered on line and in the local community which are free. Here are some of the ones which are on the Internet.

John Hagan Lessons

Expert Village This is probably one of the best because from a drop down menu, there are many on line videos with free access.

Creative Spotlight

You will find there are many others available. These should give you a great start to painting on canvas. There are lessons on using every medium. Each of them is from a different perspective because each is from a different artist.

The local library in your area and some other organizations usually have free art lessons at different times of the year. Check in the local paper to determine if there may be an organization offering free classes. You should never pass up the chance to learn about art.

As you learn, do the same for others. Never forget to pass on the painting art lessons you have learned in your experience as an artist.

Take Care of Your Art Painting Creation

An oil painting is not just some poster type thing you purchased at the local super store. It is an expression of someone's thoughts, feelings, or personal life. It is beauty and style with a sense of personal-ism. An oil painting is someone's creation. With proper care, your painting can last for generations.

You should never touch the painting it's self. Always handle it by the frame. Never allow anything to come into contact with the back or front of the painting, either. A canvas is pliable and can easily tear or have a hole poked into it.

In order to clean an oil painting, you should give it a light dusting with an extremely soft brush. Do not use sprays or chemicals on it at any time. Should there be damage or a dirt spot which is not able to be taken care of, have it repaired or cleaned professionally. You may think you are capable of doing this, however there are professionals who have been trained to handle original art pieces valued into the thousands. They know what they are doing.

Do not hang an oil painting in direct sunlight. This can fade the paint. It is advisable to hang the painting in an area with a rather constant temperature. Great changes in temperature can damage the painting over time. It is never advisable to hang an oil painting near an outside door or a window which is opened frequently.

For short storage or transporting, you can put cardboard on both sides of the canvas and wrap the entire painting, frame and all, in bubble wrap. A wooden crate with a moisture proof filling is recommended for long term storage or major shipping.

If you want to, when you have your painting framed, you can ask the framer to put the artwork under glass. This will ensure the risk of damage is at a minimum.

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