10 Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Started Painting
I’ve been painting for over 20 years and there are definitely things I wish I’d known before I started painting, but this list could also be where should I have spent more time and effort learning early on.
In compiling this list, I took myself back to when I was painting in a cramped upstairs bedroom on our farm. At that point I was really trying to learn to learn to paint on the walls of my bathroom so I practiced on the walls of that bedroom. There were practice flowers all over the place. I’d taught myself how to paint roses on gourds but painting on a straight up wall that you can’t turn or hold in your hand is a totally different animal. Then my husband built a studio for me in the basement. Then things got really serious.
That is when I really turned on the fine art turbo jets and spent 5-7 hours a day trying to learn all I could. I was very sick and it didn’t look like I was going to have to long to learn, so I ramped up my hours in the studio. You can learn about that by reading the about me section of this website.
Back to the 10 things Sharon. Oh yeah! I almost forgot what I was talking about.
In this list the first 3 are all about color. Color is critical to painting and learning how color works by itself and how it plays with others is even more important.
Here’s the list.
10 Things I Knew Before I Started Painting
- I wish I understood color better in the beginning.
- I wish I’d known how to use a color wheel.
- I wish I’d known how and why to make a color chart.
- I wish I’d known how to use negative space.
- I wish I’d known how and where to get instruction and help.
- I wish I’d known what brushes to buy.
- I wish I’d known it’s OK to play in the paint.
- I wish I’d known that everyone starts out somewhere.
- I wish I had not been so hard on myself.
- I wish I’d had a mentor.
In the video description on my YouTube channel are links to 2 videos on color and brushes.
My YouTube channel was created specifically for the beginning artist. I had a tough time starting out and I swore if I ever got it I would help any beginning artist I could. That’s why I only teach beginners.
I teach fundamentals of art like color theory, composition, perspective, values, and other things like that. I also do product review videos which you can find on this blog. You will also find videos on individual items to paint or draw as well as tutorials of beginning paintings.
On this website you can also take a free class on a complete start to finish painting of daisies.
I’d love to connect with you on Facebook at
You can follow me on Instagram as @kypaintster.
Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope you have a wonderful day and let’s paint together real soon.