What types of paints are best to start with? oil? acrylics? watercolor?
what type brushes do you use the most?
Do you think is easier to paint objects?portraits? scenes?
Do you think buying one of the books telling how to mix colors is needed or did you wing it?
Any help appreciated.
Thank you.
Always found a decent art store had people who can set you straight. I’m not much of an artist but oils are fun to paint with. I’d suggest just setting yourself up with some paint and equipment and just diving in! It’s a worthwhile way to spend some time and can be very theraputic!
It depends on what you want to do. My all time favourite is watercolours, because the colours are very beautiful and I like when there’s little transparent specks.
Acrylic paint is maybe the most versatile, since it can be diluted to have watercolour effects or used as paste to texture or have an opaque finish. Oil paint is not hard, but is very very cumbersome; you need white spirit, turpentine essence (and there’s a good type and a bad type…), ventilation, it’s super long to dry…
It depends if you’re aiming for fun or if you just want to practice and improve. For fun, just do your stuff, gouache is easiest, but you have to be careful because it is highly dilutable, even dry. If you want to practice, start with still life, then photos (what we do at school) then do it by imagination, or using several reference pictures to create a new image. I personnally prefer painting faces and skin, or very textured surfaces.
Also, care about your paper/thing on which you paint. Brushes are not very important, but paper is. It’s really the most important thing.
I have soft ‘fluff’ brushes for watercolours, and medium to ‘hard’ brushes for the rest. I like brush that are precise. Size 0, 2, 4, 6,8 is a good assortment + 2 flat squared brush, one big one small
at any rate, have fun 
oh and no need for books on how to mix, just look up some tutorials and it should be fine, go by instinct, as long as you remember this rule: transparent colours on opaque. On the label they normally indicate the opacity and to have a good depth it’s best to layer, first with opaque then gradually move on to transparent colours. Also balance contrast.
if u wanna paint oil… mix it with linseed oil first cos oil can be too thick… if u wanna do watercolor… make sure u buy watercolor paper/ pad cos it needs to be thick and absorb… otherwise the color wont blend. u can watch tutorials on youtube on different techniques.
I like painting with acrylics as they most versatile. I don’t buy expensive art supplies, just from craft shop. It depends on how serious you are with your painting. And what type of style of art you like. As for subject matter - anything that inspires you should be fine.
My brother-in-law learned to paint just by watching Bob Ross on Netflix. I believe he uses acrylics.
It looks like most people perfer acrylics because they are easy to use. i will go for that and the other supplies.
Thanks to all who replied.
It really all depends on what you like. EAch kind of pain makes a different look. From what I’ve seen my Dad likes to use water-based for jobs but he has use Acrylic for large murals that he does in his free time.
Buying a book would be best to help you know how to mix paint, or just look it up online. Places you go to buy paint can tell you as well. (Because that is there job)
As far as what is easier, that depends on you. Everyone is different and how they’ve grown up, what type of movements they’ve done might make it easier to do one thing or another. Good example of this is I can move my arm and hand in ways that are good for making the style I want when drawing a person. And I can connect my mind and my body to search for ways to do things easier as well.
It all depends on your experience and background what you will be good at and what you like to make. You have to be happy with what you make other wise it will all be depressing.
Hi it’s great that you want to start drawing, I highly recommend starting with acrylic or watercolor Pencils and Pape
uy any instroctians books beacos you hav youtub for start
start with simple things like stil life, larn how to see the objact, shodos and form. and then portraots will be ezeyer good lock and show us wat you did
I used to paint with Acrylics.
For starters I would go with Acrylics or Watercolers.
@Ninjastar I love Bob Ross. Just hearing his voice is soothing.
Also if my opinion matters I prefer any water or alcohol activated paints. I find them easiest for me to use. I am not good with acrylics or oil paints. I find they blend easier and I can get the effect I am looking for with face paint, food colouring, watercolour and special fx paints…
I use acrylic. If you mix them with water, you can get a nice transparent or watercolour effect, so they’re really versatile 
This topic was automatically closed 95 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.