Most people think art comes naturally, like a gift that you inherited from your family- but that is so not true! While art creativity is more effortless for some people in general, it is entirely possible to learn the techniques to start or improve your skills on your own. So, if you want to become an artist, or just want to draw and paint, but have no experience in arts whatsoever- don’t worry! Because all you need to succeed is passion, inspiration, dedication, and lots of practice!
Art comes in many different forms. It includes painting, sculpting, drawing, literature, music, and even dance. It is born mainly out of the artists’ creativity and imagination and is a form of expression Also, art is very therapeutic. You can choose to express yourself through art to let out your inner stress and focus on the beauty of life. Whatever you are feeling, you can let it out with art!
So, if you want to start your art journey without any prior experience, fear not! Because we’ve lined up the easiest art techniques for newbies in the art field- and they are so much fun!
Drawing
Drawing is simple and complex at the same time because you must use lines and shapes to create. For more realistic looking work, you have to play with light, depth, shadow, and contrast. Bare with me! It sounds like a lot, but it’s not! The reason why those are important is because by adding more detail and shading to certain parts it begins to look more 3D, if that’s what you’re going for of course. It is a great activity for children as well as people who are new to art. It helps you explore your inner person as well because you get to draw whatever you like! And of course, you can use whatever medium you want, too- and there’s so many to choose from!
Some things you can do to start:
- You can use pencils, colored pencils, ink pens, and charcoal and just focus on the outside contours, lines, light, and shadows of whatever you want to draw.
- You can draw shadows by crosshatching and shading (think of it of making a bunch of horizontal lines, and then a bunch of vertical lines on top of them).
- You can draw ‘contour drawings’ which concentrate on solely one object, repeat the shape or pattern, and have overlapping shapes (Blind contour drawing are awesome! Just focus on the outline and don’t look down at your paper or lift your pencil. Who wants a challenge?).
- You can draw geometric shapes. Choose your favorite shape and practice making overlapping patterns with it (You can make a cool illusion effect with that one!).
- You can also draw from observation. This is basic sketching and can include anything from nature, buildings, people, cars, and even just a specific action.
- You can draw subjects from different viewpoints. For example, drawing a plate and teacup on a surface just above eye level, showing a bird’s eye view of a town, or drawing a tall building above eye level.
- You can draw with texture using lines. Just practice drawing trees, leaves, tree trunks, and furry animals. And add details using shading techniques.
- You can work with light sources using several colored pencils but make sure to use complementary colors.
- Learn about perspective and try your hand on the “vanishing point” drawing.
- You can use perspective to draw roads, landscapes, shelves, trucks, train tracks, etc. Just practice, practice, and practice!
- You can also use a two-point perspective to draw a house that recedes into two vanishing points.
Don’t be too concerned about what it looks like, the point of all this is to get you drawing! And the best way to do that is to just start!
Painting
Painting is often viewed as very difficult by many who are not familiar with it. In fact, they think that if they can’t draw (which they can, of course, with a little practice), they won’t be able to paint either. But honestly, it all depends on the style and what you are painting. Painting might even be easier for people because everything glides on a bit smoother with your paintbrush. Take a look at different painters’ work to get inspiration but know that no technique should restrict your creativity. Just remember to feel confident, and of course, have loads of fun! This is not a competition, this is just more practice to get better than you were the day before.
To keep things simple, start with a monochromatic color scheme, in other words, choose 1 color that you like and create different shades by using white to make it lighter and black to make it darker. This allows you to experiment with shading and highlights on your painting, (remember you need those to make it look more realistic). You should also take some time to learn about the color wheel as well as warm and cool colors. Play around with different colors and see what you are drawn to the most. Experiment with different mediums like acrylic, oil, ink, and basic watercolors to get a feel of everything that out there and of course find one that really works for you. You can even cover an entire page with different colored crayons, put India ink or tempera paint over it, and scratch it off to create beautiful designs!
Here are a few techniques to try when using painting
- Dry Brush- You can dip your brush in paint, rub it on a dry surface like a piece of paper and then use it to enhance your painting’s texture. This technique is great for creating grass and rock textures by applying little paint and going over the paint in quick, directional strokes.
- Stippling- You hold a dry brush vertically to create a ‘stipple’ pattern.
- Flicking- You flick the paintbrush on the surface to form a splatter effect.
- Dabbing- You can dab to remove or dampen paint with a sponge or paper towel. This also adds depth, texture, and motion to your work.
- Loaded Brush- Use a loaded brush over a part of a painting to give a raised effect.
- Underpainting- Work from thin to thick to create an underpainting, and then overlay it with another layer or a finishing coat.
- Blocking In- Brushes come in different sizes and fibers, and using a combination of these different brushes can help you create beautiful patterns and textures.
- Build up Texture- Almost anything can be used to add texture to your paintings. The obvious being different paintbrushes, and even something as simple as an eggshell or old toothbrush.
- Sgraffito- You can scratch wet paints to expose some parts of the underpainting for a beautiful painting.
- Glazing- Use transparent paint to coat the whole or part of a painting to intensify shadows and modulate color.
Or you can even substitute your brush with a knife, bread, sponge or roller, etc. Plus, you can throw in some powdered paint to create a feeling of roughness. So, just grab your medium and let your imagination run free! There’s no wrong way of painting!
Paper Art- Origami, Paper Mache, Collages & So Much More!
There is so much you can do with just paper. And it’s not just child’s play- you can actually create some really remarkable art pieces from paper.
- Paper Collages & Patterns- You can use different colored paper of varying thicknesses and textures to make ‘torn paper’ drawings. Cardboard, tissue, cellophane, and transparent paper and great to begin with.
- Paper Mache- For this, you will make paper pulp by tearing apart a newspaper and soaking it overnight. Then drain the excess liquid, mix it with paste (5:1), and use the mixture to make 3D models. And once it’s dry, you can add details like paint, carving, sandpapering, etc.
- Paper Sculptures- You can turn trash into art by using junk material, old newspaper, or clay to make different objects or sculptures.
Printmaking
This involves transferring a picture from linoleum or glass onto another paper by laying one on top of the other. For this, you can use vegetable or stick printing, stringy material, woodblocks, and even fabric- it really just depends on you! There is no right or wrong here. Plus, this is the simplest way to create beautiful art, and really anybody can do it.
Pottery & Sculpture Making
This involves clay to model, carve and construct 3D objects. And sure, it can take some time to master these techniques, but they’re great for beginners as well. Just start with a simple plot, and once you know how things work, you can really just make potentially anything you like!
Digital Art
You can also make digital art! In fact, you probably already do it, too. Digital art can include any or all forms of 3D modeling, web designing, PowerPoint presentations, film and video making, and just general graphic designing (Canva, anyone?). This is also a very valuable skill that can take some time to learn, but it opens a whole new world of art. And if you’re not sure where to begin, you can start with a computer course for beginners. Learn to edit and manipulate pictures, play up fonts, create logos and banners, design products, and create a social media campaign.
The Bottomline
Art is all about having fun and letting your creativity loose! Not to mention, it’s an excellent activity for kids. Plus, it allows you to destress and express yourself freely. But when you learn about art, you can often be intimidated by the countless techniques to try. However, improving your art is easier than you think! You don’t even need to stick to a certain technique! Your art can be whatever you want it to be. There is no wrong way to do it. And if you feel like you still need a bit of work before you get where you want to be, that’s okay too- it’s nothing a little bit of practice can’t fix! While your first drawing or painting might not be what you hoped it to, you will get there! Be confident in your hidden talent, and believe that you will be the best that you can be!