10 Tips for Beginner Painters To Make the Most of This Amazing Art Form

10 Tips for Beginner Painters To Make the Most of This Amazing Art Form Ready to paint? Beginning this type of visual art can feel daunting, but it doesn't have to be. With some small steps, patience, and basic tools, you can begin putting pigment to paper (or canvas) and express your creativity via paintbrush. We’ve compiled a list of beginner tips for painting that will help you get started. […] READ: 10 Tips for Beginner Painters To Make the Most of This Amazing Art Form

Art May 3, 2025 0 0 Add to Reading List

10 Tips for Beginner Painters To Make the Most of This Amazing Art Form

Photo: padnob/Depositphotos

Ready to paint? Beginning this type of visual art can feel daunting, but it doesn't have to be. With some small steps, patience, and basic tools, you can begin putting pigment to paper (or canvas) and express your creativity via paintbrush. We’ve compiled a list of beginner tips for painting that will help you get started.

No matter your media, these tips apply to all types of paint. It’s often not about the paint itself; it’s about your attitude as you approach the activity. If you go into painting with an open mind and a willingness to learn—and make mistakes—you’ll be amazed at how much you’ll grow. This takes patience and consistency, but the results will be worth it. You’ll fill your creative cup and have a lot of art to show for it!

Scroll down for 10 beginner tips for painting. When you're ready to get started, check out our long list of painting ideas.

We've compiled a list of 10 tips for beginner painters to make the most out of this creative activity.

Photo: VadimVasenin/Depositphotos

Tip #1: Find the right type of paint for you.

Four of the most common types of painting are acrylic, watercolor, oil, and gouache. Each has unique traits, and it might take some experimenting to figure out which type you like the best. If you're looking for the most beginner-friendly paints, however, opt for acrylic and watercolor. These are both water-based pigments, and each has a quick drying time. Acrylic paint colors allow for easy mixing, while watercolor paint is lighter and portable.

Tip #2: Keep your stash simple.

Don’t overwhelm yourself trying to buy all of the painting supplies or perfect your palette. Just jump in and get started learning! All you need are some paint brushes, pigment, a palette, and canvas or paper. You can always add more supplies later, such as an easel.

Tip #3: Learn about color mixing.

Learning how to mix colors has its benefits. The first is that it allows you to save money on buying every tube of color under the sun. All you need are the primary and secondary colors (in addition to black and white), and you can make any hue you need. The second is that it allows for a more customized palette. Instead of settling for colors out of the tube, you’ll have hues that fit with what you’re trying to say with your painting.

Tip #4: Practice your brush techniques.

There are a variety of brush strokes and techniques to use in your painting. Play with pressures, angles, and mark-making to figure out what you like best. Check out our guides on watercolor techniques and acrylic painting techniques for more.

Photo: KoliadzynskaIryna/Depositphotos

Tip #5: Remember that composition is key.

Painting technique is important, but don’t forget that your artwork won’t shine without a great composition. A composition is how a viewer “reads” the art. Essentially, it's how your eye travels through a painting. Aside from painting, work on your compositional skills. This involves learning how to create a visual path of interest in your work and how to build a balanced composition. Determine your composition before you start, then begin the painting process.

Tip #6: Practice patience when waiting for paint to dry.

Watching paint dry is no fun, but resist the urge to work on your piece before a paint layer is set. (Unless that’s part of your approach, like watercolor wet-on-wet.) Waiting until the color is dry will keep the thin layers from looking muddy or smudged as you add more paint.

Tip #7: Don’t overcomplicate things (while you’re still learning).

Start with easy subjects, especially as you’re learning. If you’re looking for a great beginner subject, pick a piece of fruit. An apple, for instance, will allow you to work on the basics, like building depth through shadows and color mixing. Try to let go of perfectionism as you paint; it's better to aim for quantity over quality.

Photo: VadimVasenin/Depositphotos

Tip #8: Reframe your mistakes.

Famed painter Bob Ross famously said, “We don't make mistakes, we have happy accidents.” While it might be challenging, keep that mentality as you work. Something you perceive as a mistake could be just the thing to spawn a new idea or way of working. There’s always something new to try and learn, no matter how long you’ve been painting.

Tip #9: Make painting a habit.

We’ve covered striving for quantity over quality. Consistency is also key. You’ll grow faster when you paint more consistently. It doesn’t have to be a long stretch of painting, but setting aside some time—whether that's every day or every week—will help you maintain consistency. You'll see the most progress made through practice and not perfection.

Tip #10: Have fun!

When painting is hard, it’s easy to think, “This isn’t fun!” Painting is challenging, yes, but it should be joyful and not stressful. Get inspired by following artists on social media, joining challenges like Inktober, or taking a painting class online or in person. It will remind you that you’re part of a large artistic community, and that’s a great place to be.