Pen and Ink Tips - Getting Started

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You really don’t need much to get started with pen and ink. You can start with a normal ball point pen and a piece of paper that you have lying around the house. Of course, normal household pens and plain old paper will not be as rewarding as a professional pen & ink set, but at least you can get started right away.

Here are some suggestions for popular pens to check out once you are ready to buy:

Rotring Rapidograph Pen


Rotring Sketching Art Pen

Here are some suggestions for your pen and ink paper:

Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Paper


Bienfang Raritan Heavyweight Drawing Paper 18 in. x 24 in. pad of 30

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How To Become an Accomplished Artist

Many people want to become an artist, yet they feel they were not “born” with the talent to do so. I personally disagree with this belief.

To become an accomplished artist is just like anything else in life. It requires the correct mindset and the willingness to succeed.

DESIRE - First and foremost, you need to have the desire to learn and grow. Without the desire to learn and grow, your interest will fade over time. You will definitely make mistakes and progress may not happen as quickly as you originally anticipated. If you lack the desire to continue and learn from those mistakes, you will not see much in the way of progress. I can attest to this. When I first began oil painting I recall how terrible my first paintings were. I had no experience mixing or matching colors. I did not understand that mixing colors is a science all in itself. I would either mix too many colors, or mix the wrong colors, and my mixtures came out terrible. I did become quite frustrated, and eventually discouraged, until I finally stopped for a while. It wasn’t until I took a trip to The Museum of Modern Art in New York City, that I realized just how badly I wanted to paint. I became inspired and my desire to paint was ignited once again. So make certain that you always stay inspired to create. Surround yourself with creativity. Talk to other artists. Look at other artwork, etc.

LEARN & PRACTICE - Once you have found the desire to embark on your artistic journey, you will obviously need to learn and practice. You will need the right resources and teachers to guide you in the right direction. Everyone is different and your way of learning anything new can differ from another persons learning methods. Some people learn better by watching others. If this is the case, purchase some quality art instruction videos or DVD’s. Watch them once or twice first before you participate. This will make the experience much more enjoyable and easier to follow once you are ready to join in. There are a number of well made and resourceful videos and DVD’s on the market today. Perhaps you prefer to learn in a group or classroom setting with an instructor. Do a search for beginner workshops in your area and join a few. The benefit of the classroom setting is the instant feedback you receive on your work. You also have other students and an instructor there to answer any questions that you may have. There are workshops available on virtually everything from painting to crafts, so you should be able to find something in your area or online. Maybe you prefer to read books and learn on your own, at your own pace. This is the way I started learning. I have a nice little library now of great art instruction books that I am constantly re-visiting.

There is definitely no shortage of reading material out there. I usually go online first and do research at the popular online booksellers. Many of the books are rated by other customers. This will give you a good idea of what’s popular and worth buying. You can either get the book online, or go to your local book store with a few titles that you researched, and skim through the books before you buy. If you are lucky enough to have a local public television station in your area, you should definitely check into it. Here in New York, there is a great public television station dedicated to the arts. It airs many educational arts and crafts shows, and I watch it every day. Find a method of learning that you are comfortable with or try them all! At the end of this article you will see a great resource with free art and craft lessons and other great resources for beginners. Make sure you check it out when you are finished reading this article.

BUYING YOUR SUPPLIES - Before you go out to your local store or shop online for your art supplies, make sure you do a little research first. Visit online forums and chat rooms to find out what materials & supplies other artists in your particular area of interest are using. You will be surprised by the number of responses you receive.

Many experienced artists are more than happy to give advice and answer questions. Make sure you make it known that you are a beginner and that you are looking for descent quality supplies for beginners. Once you learn more about the types of supplies you will need, don’t settle for one brand or manufacturer. My advice would be to purchase supplies from a number of different manufacturers. Everyone is different and you will find that over time you will develop a preference toward specific products. Do not purchase the most expensive or highest quality supplies at first. In the beginning you are learning and experimenting. It is best to do this with cheaper supplies. You can then upgrade to more expensive or higher quality products later on.

SHARE YOUR WORK WITH OTHERS - Once you create your first work of art go out and share it with family, friends and other artists. There are a number of art discussion forums online where you can submit your artwork for others to view and comment on. Don’t be afraid of the criticism and by all means, never let anything anyone says about your work discourage you. Everyone has been where you are now at one point in his or her artistic journey.

The majority of people you show your work to will be patient and helpful. This is a great way to learn and grow as an artist, so get out there and show yourself. I do hope these tips have helped and have given you some confidence and direction. Remember to never get discouraged. If you really want to become an accomplished artist, just keep at it. You will create your first work of art in no time.

For more great free art instruction, be sure to visit http://www.creativespotlite.com/. The Best Source For Free Art & Crafts Lessons Online!

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Pastel Painting Tips - Use Different Color Paper..

If you typically work with only white pastel paper, you might consider spicing things up a bit by working with different colored pastel paper. You can create some very interesting and unique effects by allowing the color of the paper to show through. You are also saving money by using more of the paper as part of the pastel painting and less of your precious pastels.

Here are a few links to purchase colored pastel paper:

Strathmore 400 Series Artagain Pads

Canson Mi-Teintes Tinted Paper

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Colored Pencil Tips - Don’t Overdo It..

Be careful that you do not put too many layers of the colored pencil medium on your paper. Eventually your paper will not be able to hold the medium as it will become saturated. You will risk tearing your paper as well.

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Drawing Tip - Learn To Draw Before You Paint

Drawing is a wonderful art form all in itself, but it is also a great training tool for painting. One you understand and learn how to draw well, you are then free to focus your mind on the challenge of working with color.

One of the best ways to practice drawing is to take a sketch book around and simply start to sketch your surroundings. Find subjects that are appealing to you and start drawing.

Find a good book on beginner drawing and learn the fundamentals: The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is a really great book.

I hope this drawing lesson has helped. Keep practicing. Once you get a really good grasp on drawing, your paintings will flow much easier.

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Oil Painting Tip - Feeling Uninspired?

There may come a time during your oil painting journey where you may lose interest or lack ideas on what to paint. If this happens to you, don’t get discouraged, instead try one or all of the following things to give you a quick boost in creativity and to get your creative juices flowing

oil painting tip 1:
VISIT A MUSEUM

Head out to a local art museum with a friend or relative and spend time observing all of the beautiful artwork. This alone should spark some creativity and ideas.

oil painting tip 2″:
RENT A MOVIE
Not just any old movie, but an art based one. There are quite a few movies out on art and artists that you could rent that will flare up some creativity. A few that I recommend are:
“Vincent and Theo”, “Basquait”, and “Girl with a Pearl Earring”.

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Acrylic Painting Tips

If you have any experience with acrylic painting, you have probably already noticed that it is a fast drying medium. Many new artists squeeze far too much acrylic paint out on the palette and wind up wasting it. Make certain you do not squeeze out more than you need.

To keep the paint moist on your palette, get yourself a spray bottle and fill it with water. Keep it handy and spray a mist over your paints every once in a while to keep them from drying up.

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Oil Painting Tip - Organize Your Palette

With oil painting, things can sometimes get very unorganized quickly, so every little thing helps. Get into the habit of organizing your oil paint on your palette the same way each time you paint. Over time, you will get used to the setup and begin to automatically pick up the colors without even thinking. It makes painting a little easier.

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Pastels Tip

When working with pastels, you will more than likely create a lot of dust during the course of a painting session. Never try and blow the dust from the work surface as it can be dangerous to your lungs. Take your work outdoors and gently tap the paper or canvas to remove the dust.

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Oil Painting Tip - Use Acryic Paint For Your Underpainting

Next time you begin an oil painting, instead of using thinned down oil paint, try beginning your oil painting using acrylic paints. As you know, acrylic paint dries much faster than oil paints, enabling you to get to work on the painting much faster.

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