Paints, papers, canvases: Starter tips for creatives

Creative painting requires certain basic equipment. Beginners who have little or no experience with art supplies will find an overview of the diverse range of paints, papers, and canvases in this article.

The choice of colors is particularly fundamental, as it has a direct influence on the style of painting and the associated challenges in artistic craftsmanship.

Colors for every need

Painting can be expressed using a wide variety of artists' paints, each with its own unique characteristics. Acrylic and watercolor paints are particularly suitable for beginners, although the latter require more finesse due to the need to leave white areas unpainted .

Acrylic paints have the advantage of being easy to work with, being dilutable with water, and being reasonably priced. Furthermore, these paints, based on plastic dispersions, dry quickly and are then no longer water-soluble. However, this can be both an advantage and a disadvantage when painting – depending entirely on the technique used.

Glazing with watercolors

Those who prefer glazing as a basic painting technique, or at least want to try it out, are well advised to use watercolors. With the help of these non-opaque, water-based paints, glazing allows for the creation of watercolors with individual color intensity.

The thin application of paint allows for the muting or intensification of color tones, as well as the mixing of new colors. The result is the characteristic watercolor effect that defines many world-famous paintings.

When buying watercolor paints, several factors must be considered to ensure long-lasting enjoyment. Besides opacity and color brilliance, lightfastness plays a crucial role.

It is divided into four classes, from highest to lowest lightfastness.”

The VGL editorial team clarifies this in their test of 15 of the most outstanding watercolor paints. If the paints lack lightfastness, they decompose due to UV light and the paintings visibly fade.

Artist-quality acrylic paints are preferable

If acrylic painting a higher pigment content and therefore better coverage compared to cheaper products

Acrylic paints are also ideal because their intensity can be adjusted by diluting them. For targeted glazing, acrylic paints are simply mixed with more water. If you can't decide based solely on the facts, you should take a closer look at the styles of some paintings:

Oil, tempera and gouache

Besides watercolors and acrylics, which are well-suited for beginners, there are oil, tempera, and gouache paints. Classic oil paints are significantly more expensive than the beginner-friendly options and are also not exactly safe for your health. The solvents have a strong odor , and well-ventilated rooms are essential for painting.

Tempera paints are available in tubes and contain plenty of preservatives to extend their shelf life. Many artists therefore mix their own paints fresh using emulsion and pigments. Tempera paintings dry quickly, are durable, and rarely crack, unlike oil paints.

Nevertheless, these paints also require experience and technical knowledge , for example, to achieve smooth transitions. Gouache paints combine properties of watercolor and oil paints, containing relatively coarse pigments and chalk. The special feature of gouache: dry paints are characterized by a matte surface.

The painting surface: papers and canvases

For artists' paints to achieve their full effect, a suitable painting surface is needed. Paper is ideal for watercolors. Special watercolor paper has a rough texture to which the paints adhere evenly. This type of paper is absorbent and either handmade or industrially produced.

The paper weight usually ranges between 180 and 400 grams. Canvases are rather the exception for watercolors because their absorbency is not comparable to that of watercolor papers.

Acrylic paints are particularly versatile. Theoretically, any grease-free painting surface is suitable. This includes canvases and wood, but also concrete, metal , painting panels, and cardboard. For other types of paint, the preferred selection is as follows:

• Gouache: paper, cardboard, canvas
• Tempera: Watercolor and acrylic painting paper, cardboard, canvas
• Oil paints: canvas, wood

Painting with acrylics on canvas is very popular among beginners. With a little practice, impressive works of art can be created on these surfaces. However, prices vary considerably, and the quality can be difficult for inexperienced painters to assess.

In his guide acrylic painter Thomas Guggemos when investing in high-quality canvases is worthwhile and how to recognize them.

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and Managing Director of Kunstplaza . Publicist, editor, and passionate blogger in the fields of art, design, and creativity since 2011. Graduated with a degree in web design from university (2008). Further developed creative techniques through courses in freehand drawing, expressive painting, and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market gained through years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with key players and institutions in the arts and culture sector.

www.kunstplaza.de

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