Painting for Absolute Beginners

By Marion Boddy-Evans, About.com Guide to Painting

If you're an absolute beginner when it comes to painting, this is the place to learn.

1. Steps to Starting to Paint
2. Which Brand of Paint is Best?
3. Gifts Ideas for Artists
4. Painting Reference Books

Steps to Starting to Paint

Set off on the journey to learn to paint as if it were a cross-country run, not a sprint. There's a lot to explore and much to enjoy, so enjoy the process of learning and don't focus solely on the finish.

1. Decide What Paint You're Going to Use
2. Decide What You're Going to Paint On
3. Buy the Essential Painting Supplies
4. Select a Subject to Paint
5. Select a Painting Style

Which Brand of Paint is Best?

With so many brands available it can be hard to know which to buy. The good news is that brands of similar types of paint can be mixed, so you can try several to find the one whose price/quality balance is best for you. Here are my personal preferences.

1. Best Brands of Acrylic Paint
2. Best Brands of Watercolor Paint
3. Best Brands of Water-Soluble Pencils & Crayons
4. Best Brands of Pastels

Gifts Ideas for Artists

Looking for a gift for the painter in your life or an artistic friend? Take a look at my suggestions for arty gifts.

1. Gifts Ideas for Artists
2. Budget and Small Art Gifts
3. Art Gifts When Money's No Object
4. Digital Art Papers

Painting Reference Books

These books are all ones I consult regularly and can't imagine being without. I may not be able to find other things in my studio immediately, but I always know where these are.

1. The Artist's Handbook by Pip Seymour
2. Bright Earth: The Invention of Colour by Philip Ball
3. Artist's Color Manual by Simon Jennings
4. Art and Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland