Welcome.
The sole reason I created this site is to help beginners start in the right direction and avoid some of the frustration and unnecessary costs I went through early on.
Let me be clear about one thing first: mistakes are part of learning. If you’re not making mistakes. you’re not really learning. That’s true in painting and in life.
That said, here are a few mistakes I made that cost me both money and a lot of frustration-especially in the beginning.
My Biggest Mistake: Rushing the Process
I was to focused on the final result instead of learning the basics. That mindset cost me money and many frustrating nights.
Here’s what I wish I had done differently.
1 Practice on an inexpensive canvas
Buy a basic canvas or a small bundle-nothing expensive. This is for practice, not a finished piece. As long as the canvas is stretched and primed with gesso, it’s perfectly fine. White is best when starting out. You can experiment with colors later.
You can you this canvas to test different brushes and paints to get the results that you are looking for without making mistakes.
2. Watch and observe techniques
Spend time watching how different brushes behave and what effect they create. I personally learned a lot by watching Bob Ross. I’m not promoting him-he was simply calming to watch, and his techniques helped me understand brush control and paint behavior.
3. Reuse your canvas ( this saved me money )
This was something I didn’t know early on.
If a painting doesn’t work out:
A. wipe off excess paint with a rag that has a small amount of paint thinner on it: should do the trick.
B. let the canvas dry completely
C. lightly sand the surface to your liking
D. apply 2-3 thin coats of gesso, letting each coat dry completely. going north and south on first coat and east and west on second so the gesso spreads evenly on the canvas.
You now have a fresh canvas to work with. I’ve done this many times, and if done correctly, no one can tell if there was a painting underneath.
4. Experiment before buying more
Try different brushes and notice which ones you actually need to use. You’ll probably find that a few brushes can do most of what you need.
The same goes for paint. Some paints have higher pigment and less filler, which means:
A. richer color
B. better coverage
C. less paint used overall
You will find that you don’t need every gadget or tool available. With the right few tools and patience, you can do far more than you think.
Final Thought
Take your time. Practice first. Don’t rush to the ” final painting.”
This journey is about learning, experimenting, and building confidence-and knowing you can do more with less, not buying everything that you really don’t need.
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