I thought I knew about making art. I thought I understood acrylic paint.
Not even close.
Some lessons I learned this week from paint:
- Take it slow, but not so slow the paint dries before you can get it onto the canvas.
- Patience. There is no need to hurry. If the paint on the canvas is too wet, it will mix with the new paint, and you may not like the result.
- Not everything needs to be bright and bold.
- A little bit of black goes a long way.
- Layers, layers, layers. Let the paint dry between layers. At least a little bit. Unless you really want the colors to blend.
- If you don’t know what you’re trying to achieve, you won’t get what you’re hoping for.
- Mixing lots of colors will give you mud.
- Try something subtle. It might surprise you.
- Getting inspiration from others is a good idea, but don’t waste so much time looking for inspiration that you run out of time to make something.
- Practice. Practice. Practice.
- Play. Play with color. Play with the tools. Play with techniques.
- You might think it’s done, but it’s not. Maybe,
- Know when to stop.
- There’s always a new technique to try, or an old one to practice.
- There are rules that you should learn, so you know when and how to break them.
- Just because I don’t like a result doesn’t mean it isn’t a good result.
- I’m still trying things. I’ll know it when I find a style I love.
- Brushes aren’t the only tool capable of putting paint on canvas.
Still so much more to learn! Two more paintings today. I’ll post photos when they’re dry.
