Easy beautiful drawings with paints. How to learn to paint with paints: the use of gouache, acrylic and oil by beginning artists

  • 04.03.2020

If you want to try something new in painting, pay attention to the acrylic painting technique. Canvases created with plastic-based paints have an interesting three-dimensional structure. Painting with acrylic is no more difficult than painting with watercolors. At the same time, the finished painting does not need to be treated with fixing compounds - the paints are highly durable, do not fade and are not afraid of water.



What is acrylic for painting?

Acrylic paints appeared in mass production relatively recently - only 50 years ago. Pigmented acrylic resin quickly gained universal popularity, primarily due to its versatility and durability. It is used not only by canvas painters, but also by interior artists who create paintings on walls, builders and even manicurists.

Acrylic paints come in different varieties. So, to decorate walls or ceilings, it is better to choose special acrylic paint of dense consistency. Three-dimensional images in the interior look colorful, realistic and original. Less concentrated paints, usually sold in tubes, are suitable for creating paintings on canvas. The drawing process for beginners is fascinating; it allows you to fully reveal your artistic talent.




How to prepare the basis for a future painting

Before choosing acrylic paint, take care to prepare the base. You can draw on wooden boards or plywood. You can use a stretcher or regular canvas. The easiest way to paint with acrylic is on paper, so a beginner should first master this canvas.

Choose paper with a dense, rough surface. For you to be able to paint with acrylic properly, the base must be strong. If you choose textured paper, glue a wood backing onto it.


Remove any air bubbles that have formed using a book - the canvas is ready for painting. Canvas for painting with acrylic can be additionally sanded, since the material adheres best to a smooth surface. Beginning painters often wonder whether it is necessary to prime the canvas for acrylic?

If you are working on boards, you will need an acrylic primer, which is sold in art stores. It is a special emulsion with titanium dioxide, which gives whiteness. The primer is applied to the prepared board in several layers and dried for 24 hours.


How to learn to paint with acrylic from scratch

First of all, make sure that the paints are not dry. When applying the first strokes, be sure to moisten the acrylic paint palette with water - you will need a spray bottle for this. There is no need to pour out a lot of acrylic paint at one time. Use absorbent paper, you can put it under the palette.

Observe the transparency of the paint: the more water you add, the more transparent the strokes will be. Paint with large brushes first, starting with large areas. Then move smoothly to the main details. The technique of painting with acrylic on paper or a wooden board requires extreme care and precision. From time to time, look at the drawing in the mirror - this will help you understand whether its proportions are correct.

Many beginners find it difficult to mix acrylic paints with each other. You can use a thinner - it increases the “open” time of the paints, making them easier to compose. You only need to distribute the material with the edge of the brush, and to obtain clear contours of the sketch, you can use regular adhesive tape, which is sold at any hardware store.

Try lightening and darkening shades by adding white or black tones. To clean the palette from acrylic paints, use any product that dissolves plastic - a regular household solvent will do.


Painting with acrylic on paper or wood is a creative process that is a lot of fun. To make it even more enjoyable, follow these guidelines:

    Paints darken significantly when dry. Take this into account when choosing shades for the future canvas. Choose non-toxic materials for work, even if they cost more. Wear an apron while working to avoid getting your clothes dirty.

    In addition to professional brushes with long handles, paints and canvas base, stock up on decoupage glue, as well as a convenient spray bottle filled with water.

    It is better to use a plastic palette - it is practical and easy to clean. Don't forget to use clean water to rinse your brushes.

Having mastered the technique of painting with acrylic, you will be able to create real masterpieces. A little patience, diligence and the right materials for the job are the key to impressive results.



In this article you will find many interesting ideas on how to diversify painting activities with your child and make them interesting and educational.

Eco-friendly paints for children

There are 3 types of safe paints for children, which parents prefer:

  • finger-shaped
  • gouache
  • watercolor

It’s better to start with finger paints; they are suitable for younger children. You can learn more about them from the article. Gouache and watercolor for older children.

A child is interested in exploring something new, but over time he may get tired of the monotonous procedure of coloring a sheet with paint. To prevent this from happening, parents need to show their child how to draw.

There are many ways to paint with the above paints. Various techniques will not let your child get bored and will show him a lot of new and interesting things that he has not seen before.


Finger painting for kids

This is the most interesting activity for little ones, because you first need to feel the paint before learning how to paint with it. Dip your index finger into the paint and use it to make spots on the paper, using them to draw a flower or a caterpillar. Draw lines with your finger, make rays of the sun. Show your child that you can draw like this and let him create on his own, let him draw what he wants.


Painting with a brush for children

When the child can already hold a brush in his hands, show him how to paint with it. Explain to your child that before taking a new color, it needs to be washed. Take the paint with a brush and apply it to a piece of paper. Try painting with brushes of different sizes and shapes, see what kind of drawing you get.

You can paint with a brush in the following ways:


Dot painting for kids

Show how you can draw with dots; for this you can use a brush, a finger, or a cotton swab. Dip your tool into the paint and quickly touch it to the paper. You can color simple pictures using this technique; kids really like this activity, and it is also very useful for developing fine motor skills.


Drawing with stamps for children

Apply paint to the stamp and apply it to the paper, press down. An imprint of the picture will remain on the paper. Show your child how to work with it. The stamps can be painted in different colors; instead of ready-made stamps, you can use homemade ones. For example, to make circles with straws, you can use figures from sorters, parts from construction sets, and even cut vegetables and fruits.

A very interesting texture is obtained if, instead of a stamp, you use a regular napkin with pimples. Dip it into the paint and, as if blotting, walk it over a sheet of paper.

Drawing with foam rubber

Cut a piece of foam and dip it in paint, then press it onto the paper and remove it. You can draw lines and paint over some shapes. Show your child how to draw. Your child will also be interested if you make different geometric shapes from foam rubber. You can attach them to a pencil or stick and use them as stamps. This way, by playing, you can learn not only colors, but also shapes. Then complicate the task, try to draw ornaments, first from two shapes, then use more shapes.


Drawing on wet paper

Wet a piece of drawing paper with water. Now draw on it with paint. The contours of the lines blur, become fuzzy, smooth transitions and haze are excellent. Just don’t overdo it with water; it will be better if you wipe it with a damp cotton swab. This technique is good for paintings with rain, images of fog, flowers behind a curtain.


Blotography

Teach your child to make blots, because then it’s so interesting to guess what they look like.

Take a sheet of paper, fold it in half, unfold it and put a few blots on the fold; you can make them the same color or different ones. Fold the sheet along the fold line and run your fingers from the center of the design to its edge. You can say something like “sim-salabim”.

Unfold the sheet and show your child what you came up with. When the child grows up a little, you can ask him what he sees in the drawing, what it reminds him of. When the drawing is dry, you can add small details with a felt-tip pen or outline the outline. This develops imagination and abstract thinking very well.


Nitcography

To do this you will need a sheet of thick paper and a woolen thread. Bend the sheet in half and unfold it, lower the thread into a jar of paint, then place it on the paper and fold it. Move the thread, pressing the sheet with your palm. Unfold and see what happens. You will see chaotic strokes of paint, look at them with your child, maybe you will see some familiar objects in them, circle them and complete the details, say what they are called. The combination of creativity, mental and speech work will help your child develop intellectually.


Wax painting

This is a very common and interesting technique. Draw a picture on a sheet of paper with a wax crayon or a piece of wax candle, and then with your child, paint over this sheet of paper with paint. Since the wax is greasy, the paint will not cover it and you will see your drawing. This method can also be used to make secret notes or write congratulations.


Waxing and waxing technique

Place something under a sheet of paper, such as a coin or other embossed object, rub the sheet with wax, paint on top and you will get an image of the object.

Drawings with salt

Sprinkle the finished drawing with salt. When the paint dries, the salt will remain on the sheet and give an interesting texture to the design. This way you can make a three-dimensional drawing, for example, highlighting stones or a path in the image. On blue paint, salt will look like snowflakes; if you sprinkle green leaves with salt, they will become like alive, translucent.



Drawings with masking tape

Molar tape sticks and peels off paper well, so it can be used in drawing and get interesting effects. For example, you can make a birch forest: cut out tree trunks from tape, you can glue twigs and branches from the leftovers, and glue the tape onto a sheet of paper. Paint everything on top with paint, when it dries, remove the tape, white stripes will remain under it. All you have to do is add details and the forest is ready!


You can cut out something more complex, such as houses and draw a whole city. The good thing about adhesive tape is that it can be used instead of a stencil, but paint drips are unlikely to get under it, and there is no need to fix it additionally.

You can also use the tape as a frame for the picture, when you remove it, the edges of the picture will be clear and it will be neat.


Drawing pictures using cling film

Yes, yes, you can also make interesting drawings using cling film. Lay it on a sheet of paper covered with wet paint and move it around a little. When you remove it, you will see interesting abstractions that resemble crystals.


Blowing paint through tubes

Thin the paint with water to make it thinner. Take one or two colors. Drop paint onto the sheet and blow into the tube, directing it in different directions onto the paint. What you draw will resemble the interweaving of tree branches, or you can add a face and it will be hair - let the child dream up.

Coloring drawings

Draw some animal on a piece of paper and ask the child to hide it, just show how first: paint it completely over it. You can tell a fairy tale, for example, that there was a mouse, she went for delicious cheese, and a cat was waiting for her, who wanted to eat the mouse. And ask your child how you can help the mouse? Of course, it must be hidden. And ask him to do it.


Leaf drawing

A very interesting way of drawing. For this you will need leaves from trees. Apply paint to the leaves, you can paint them in different colors, attach the leaf with paint to the paper and press it, then carefully remove it. You can make such a beautiful forest.


If you turn on a little imagination, you will come up with a lot of new ideas with which drawing will not only be a fun activity, but also educational, educational and useful.

In addition to paints, there are other tools for drawing. Your baby will definitely love wax pencils, markers, and crayons. More details about fine art and other types of creativity are described in the article

VIDEO: Let's paint! Drawing games

WikiHow works like a wiki, which means that many of our articles are written by multiple authors. This article was produced by 13 people, including anonymously, to edit and improve it.

This article is intended for beginners, that is, for those who are about to start learning something new, since any road begins with the first step. Just get started and take your time and try to enjoy the process of learning how to draw! Watercolor painting is both enjoyable and a little challenging. It all depends on your approach. Watercolor is one of the most versatile genres of painting, in which you can paint almost anything: from realistic concrete images to abstraction and impressionism. Beginners are advised not to start with the idea of ​​​​creating a masterpiece, but with small steps, gradually and slowly.


Before you feel completely comfortable with watercolors, you will have to paint a lot. Don't give up if your first attempts are less successful than you would like. Mastering the watercolor technique requires a lot of effort and time, but it's worth it!


So, let's begin!

Steps

    Place a sheet of thick paper on the table. Draw something very primitive with a simple pencil. For example, square or circle

    Apply a small amount of watercolor of any color to the white surface of the palette.

    Wet the brush a little. If the brush absorbs too much water, remove it with a cloth or shake it lightly.

    Drip a little water from the brush onto the paint previously applied to the palette. One or two drops is enough, no more.

    Dip the brush into the paint and water that has formed on the palette and pick up a small amount of paint. Next, paint over the geometric figure drawn on a piece of paper. If the paint is too thick and won't spread, dip your brush in water and try again. Continue experimenting with different amounts of water and paint in the mixture until you get the consistency you want. If you want light, dry shades with a dry brush effect, you will need less water. If you want juiciness and brightness, then, accordingly, more, etc. Completely paint over the geometric shape drawn on paper.

    Let the drawing dry.

    Take a piece of watercolor paper and secure it to the drawing board using special adhesive tape. Use a large brush or sponge to dampen the entire surface of the paper. After this, try applying several strokes of watercolor paint in different colors. See what results are obtained with different degrees of paper moisture when applying different colors of paint.

    If you use paper that is too wet, you can end up with a very smooth and light color. Paint of different colors is mixed on paper, allowing you to obtain new shades. Try putting a blue stripe on wet paper next to a yellow or gold stripe, and then a red stripe. You will see how the colors mix, creating uniform color transitions.

    Try letting the test design dry until the shine is gone and the paper is still damp. Now the applied stripes will still have soft edges, but will become a little more defined. Once the paint has completely dried, add details with a wet brush on dry paper.

    To begin with, try to depict a very simple object that can be multi-colored. Mix up some sky blue paint. Draw a sketch of the hills and tree. First paint them with a wet brush on wet paper. After that, start adding some larger details with a wet brush. Finally, when the paper is completely dry, add fine details with a wet brush on dry paper. That is, the larger the parts, the moister the paper should be.

    You can determine that the paper is completely dry by its temperature, which can be checked by holding the back of your hand over the paper, but without touching it.

    There should be no cold coming from the leaf. In order to acquire the skill of determining temperature in this way, you will need to practice a little. But this is necessary, since any touch can lead to damage to the design and the appearance of greasy stains from the skin of the palms on its surface. Do not remove the adhesive tape until the paper is completely dry. The tape helps the paper not curl, keeps it straight and flat, eliminating the formation of unevenness caused by changes in humidity and exposure to paint.

    You can use ready-made watercolor blocks in which all four sides of the paper are glued, like the top edge of a notebook. It's a little more expensive, but very convenient for a beginner.

    Try applying light paint to the surface of the paper, and while the paint is still wet, sprinkle salt on it.

    You'll get interesting effects that can be used to paint landscapes with snowflakes in the sky or lichen on the rocks.

    Try drawing on paper with a white or wax pencil, or the tip of a candle, to see how the lines appear when watercolor paint is applied to them. Try cutting out shapes from adhesive masking film and painting over the resulting stencil to get specific outlines.

    Anything covered with stencil film will remain unpainted. Always start your watercolor paintings by painting in the darker areas and outlining the lighter areas.

  1. Isolate or mask out anything that needs to remain white. Get used to the "negative image" as this will also help you get more accurate outlines of objects than if you draw them first and then outline the background. Try starting your image of the cup with its surroundings and the background behind the handle, leaving the details of the cup itself for last. You will feel a big difference in image accuracy! Watch videos on YouTube and other portals to learn more about watercolor painting techniques. After that, try to draw something you really like. An interesting type of painting is Sumi-E or Japanese ink painting, which transforms beautifully into watercolor drawings.

    • Many instructors begin their courses by teaching the wet-on-wet-paper technique, but it is preferable to begin by introducing the most common technique, wet-on-dry-paper.
    • If you use quality embossed watercolor paper (such as Arches), don't throw away any sketches or failed paintings you made on it. You can always paint over them again with acrylic or gouache or use it as a background for pastel painting. This paper will also look better no matter what you paint on it, and if you paint something beautiful, your painting will last longer without yellowing.
    • Watercolor paints are produced in various forms: in tubes, in pencil form or in pans. There are also watercolor crayons. This article used tube watercolors.
    • Try to find a type of paper that suits your painting style. Different types of paper have different characteristics. Arches paper does not have most of the disadvantages and is the most versatile, even allowing you to wash off a watercolor image, dry it and reuse it.
    • If you use paint in pans, do not throw them away after the paint runs out. You can always reuse the ditches by filling them with paint from tubes, after rinsing them thoroughly, and you will have the opportunity to fill the ditches with your favorite colors without relying on the standard sets in which the ditches are supplied.
    • Don't buy the most expensive paper or natural sable brushes. You can spend a large amount of money on the purchase, but this is not necessary! Quality synthetic brushes, a small palette of good paint (artist paint is better than student paint) and 300gsm cold pressed paper is most suitable for beginning artists. Buy a few supplies to start with and gradually add more as needed.
    • Watercolor pan sets are convenient for painting outdoors or while traveling. They are not as easy to mix in large quantities, but they are very useful for wet-brush-on-dry paper work. For travel, it is better to choose a brush with a medium or large tip with a pointed tip, included in the sets of paints in cuvettes. However, to draw fine details you will need a smaller brush. A pocket-sized block of watercolor paper is ideal for sketching during travel, class, or lunch breaks. Some sets (like Winsor & Newton) include a water bottle, collapsible palette lids, and so on.
    • One of the best manufacturers of watercolor paints is Winsor & Newton. The Cotman brand is designed specifically for use by beginners. It is cheaper and therefore you can experiment without worrying about high costs. Winsor & Newton Cotman accessories are of excellent quality and are suitable for students.
    • The wet-brush-on-wet-paper method also works well over the wet-on-dry-paper method within the same painting.


What can you draw when you're bored? A question to which the site actually has a hundred answers, but let's talk about everything in order.

The simplest ideas for beginners

Not all of us can draw well, and we don’t really want to bother with complex drawings in those moments when we’re just bored. I offer a whole set of cool and interesting drawings that you can draw in those moments when you or your child really want to take up drawing to kill boredom:

More ideas

What else can you draw when you're bored? Let's get creative.

  1. Comic . Surely funny stories happened to you not so long ago, which you told your parents or friends more than once. What if you draw them in the form of a comic book? It is likely that your story will touch many people, and you will even become famous! You can find examples of comics on the Internet - today you can find almost anything online: how to call a Life operator, how to make a craft and how to fly an airplane.

  2. Your character from the game . If you are a fan of any computer toy, be it Minecraft or League of Legends, you definitely have a favorite character that you wouldn’t mind drawing. Try to portray him in battle or, on the contrary, in some unusual situation - for example, as if your character had ended up in our world;



  3. You yourself . Although drawing yourself is difficult, it is very interesting! Try drawing your own portrait in your favorite style - perhaps you will not only find something to draw when you're bored, but also have a unique and unusual avatar!



  4. Idol . If you have a favorite actor, singer or just a cartoon character, why not draw him when you're bored? Drawing a loved one from the world of show business or just a fictional cartoon character will perfectly take your time and leave an excellent result in the form of pumped-up drawing skills and a cool drawing!

  5. Your girlfriend or friend . This is a great opportunity for you to practice your drawing skills and keep yourself busy when you're bored, and just imagine how pleased the person you drew will be!

  6. Relatives . Mom, dad, grandparents, sisters and brothers - all these people who are very close to us always support us, no matter what situation we find ourselves in, and, of course, it will be very nice to draw a beloved relative with a pencil on paper or digitally.

  7. Pet . If you have a favorite animal, then this is a great chance to learn how to draw an animal from life. Of course, it takes a long time to persuade your pet to sit quietly, but if suddenly you are lucky enough to have your kitty curled up to take a nap, don’t waste time, grab pencils, paper, an eraser, and start drawing!

  8. Something beautiful. Think about what causes you the most emotions? Maybe a bright rainbow after a rainy day, rays of sun in mom’s hair, some landmark, an elegant butterfly, or just something ordinary at first glance, but incredibly dear to your heart.

I’ll leave you with some cool drawings for inspiration - if you still haven’t figured out what to draw when you’re bored, just look at the gallery and choose what you like!

Looking at the paintings of famous artists, you involuntarily admire their creativity and ability to depict the world around them in bright colors. Each of us can also try to master the art of drawing and make this hobby our favorite pastime. Here are beautiful gouache drawings for beginners; they will allow you to test your talent in painting and master the technique of painting with paints.

To master the gouache painting technique for beginners, you need to have:

  • Set of gouache paints of twelve colors.

  • Paper.

  • A pair of flat pig bristle brushes.

  • Palette and dishes with water.

The aroma of gouache paints is familiar to everyone from childhood. It is not difficult to understand how to draw with gouache; the technique of such drawing is quite simple. You need to draw, starting with a pencil sketch.

A palette knife is used to apply paint and mix it. With its help you can apply paint in even strokes.

From an early age we draw a simple, unpretentious landscape in gouache in an album. But, you can paint patterns, flowers, mountains, and even city buildings with such paints. For beginners, working with gouache is simply an ideal option.

By drawing a sketch with a pencil, you can avoid mistakes and do the work accurately. If you smear and mix paints directly on the canvas, you will just end up with dirt on the painting. Therefore, you can add a little water to gouache and it will turn into watercolor.

To learn how to draw beautifully with gouache, you need to get acquainted with the step-by-step technique. This technique involves applying gouache only horizontally during painting.

First of all, we will draw the dark fragments of the picture, and only then we will depict the highlights with a light color. As a result, we get the desired color without traces of dirt.

Gouache painting techniques

Among the techniques known to artists for painting paintings with gouache, the following are common:

  1. Apply a wet layer of paint over the not yet dry layer. In this case, the paint applies tightly and takes a long time to dry. This method is more suitable for painting with watercolors.
  2. Using a dry brush, gouache paints are applied to the dried layer.
  3. Using a sponge, a textured picture is created. This technique is ideal when we are painting an autumn landscape; we can easily depict the bright colors of golden autumn.
  4. For a beginner, the technique of splashing paint on the canvas will cheer up and help overcome anxiety. It is enough to wet the brush in paint and spray the gouache on the paper or canvas. The result is a bright and beautiful painting. Be sure to learn this method of applying paint, which helps train your hand.

Of course, we cannot paint a picture without the right brush. It is advisable to choose brushes made of nylon, goat or pig hair.

On video: how to beautifully paint the sky with gouache.

Types of gouache

Gouache is suitable for painting on cardboard, paper, canvas and other surfaces. But not every gouache has such universal properties. Let's look at the main types of such paints:

  • Suitable for use on surfaces intended for painting only. It is absorbed into the material and allows you to apply a second layer, making the colors in the painting more saturated and bright.

  • It has a more saturated pigment and bright coloring abilities. It is used to decorate theatrical scenery. Children's gouache contains PVA glue, so it dries quickly. This gouache is convenient to work on plywood, ceramics or canvas. But acrylic paint fits perfectly on any surface, and after drying it does not wash off and does not lose its original color.

  • Fluorescent gouache. Amazing in its properties and quality. It glows when exposed to ultraviolet rays. The color is too bright, which gives the picture a special beauty.

A step-by-step method helps even children understand the basics of painting with gouache. Such lessons will allow you to master this wonderful creativity and learn how to paint in a certain sequence, choose the right paints to reflect the real beauty of nature, representatives of the flora and fauna on canvas.

To create pictures of nature, like drawings on any other topic, you need to start with a pencil sketch. It's easiest to draw by starting at the top of the canvas or piece of paper. As a rule, at the top is the sky, which is colored blue along the pencil contours.

Clouds are painted with whitewash, brushing white highlights across the blue sky.

Mountains are depicted in brown colors, and vegetation in green tones. The trees below are depicted in lighter or darker green gouache. The main thing is that the colors in the painting look like in reality. Paints can be mixed directly on the sheet, changing the water periodically. To create fine lines, you need to choose the right brush.

When using gouache, you must adhere to the following tips:

  • You can buy gouache in tubes or jars; everyone chooses the most convenient packaging for themselves.
  • The colors you need to choose are those that will be needed to work on the painting.
  • Tests should be done on the palette, only after selecting the desired color, transfer it to the canvas.
  • If the paint cracks, add a little gum arabic to it and stir thoroughly.
  • To apply the next layer, you need to wait until the previous one has dried.
  • It is advisable to coat the painting with varnish after drying.

Having mastered the technique of drawing, you can achieve success in artistic creativity. Moving step by step, from simple to complex, beginning artists gradually master the technique of painting with gouache. Below are video tutorials, the purpose of which is to help you depict the chosen plot on the canvas as accurately as possible. This step-by-step approach allows you to quickly learn how to work with paints such as gouache.

Gouache painting lessons for beginners (2 videos)


More ideas for drawings (27 photos)