Start Here Before You Worry About Talent, Supplies Or Style
The ball has dropped and it’s time to consider what you really want to learn and accomplish this year. Have you ever looked at a scene and wondered “how would I paint that”? Or maybe you’ve looked at a beautiful painting and thought, “I wish I had the talent to do that”.
One of the biggest myths about creating art is “You have to have talent”. There isn’t a bucket of talent that some come here with and others don’t. What there is, is skill that you can learn, practice and improve on. That’s what that painter you admire put into play. They learned a skill, they practiced a skill and they improved on a skill.
You Don’t Need a Gift, You Need A Path!
The video I’m about to show you isn’t about techniques (although that’s coming in the next few weeks), but it is about how artists think and see things differently. It’s about understanding that every painter—every single one—starts by learning fundamentals, training their eye, and slowly developing confidence through practice. No shortcuts. No magic. Just skills, built step by step.
Let’s set the table for you to start painting in 2026. You’re not late, behind or talentless. You’re not! You are at the beginning and that’s exactly where you should be.
What I Learned When I First Started Painting.
I have a favorite series of movies. They are the Jesse Stone movies starring Tom Selleck. There is a recurring line throughout the series that says, “information is out there – you just have to let it in”. The information is out there and I’m going to help you distill it into usable bites.
I started painting in 2000, (I gave the wrong time frame in the video), and that was pre internet so information was difficult to come by. Now we are in information overload and it’s difficult to sift through to get to the good stuff.
I also started painting when I was a very sick lady with what the doctors told me was a very short time frame, so I was in a hurry to learn everything quickly. Fortunately for me, the doctors were wrong. What they expected to happen didn’t happen and I’m still here 25 years later still learning to paint.
What Did I Learn From That
I learned it is better to focus on a specific skill, like color theory, and then move on to another skill, like mixing paint or understanding how to use a brush. You can’t learn it all at once and you can’t rush it. You’re building your own skill set library.
I learned I will always be learning to paint. With every single drawing or painting I am learning, I am practicing and I am implementing what I’ve learned. You will never know it all. So see, you’re not behind at all.
What The Future Holds
In the next several weeks my videos and blog posts will be all about focusing on different skills beginning artists need to acquire. Here’s what we’ll be learning:
- 5 Simple Steps to Start Painting
- Decide What You’re Learning
- Use Fewer Supplies
- Start With Values
- Work in Layers
- Light Source and Negative Space
My plan is to upload a weekly video so by the end of 2026 you will have had at least 50 videos to help you on your way to creating and improving your art. When you watch the video above it would be beneficial to you to subscribe to my channel and click the little notification bell so you know whenever a new video uploads. The plan is for Wednesday. (Disclaimer: The PLAN doesn’t always work.)
For Right Now
I created a Beginning Artist Bundle that I wish I’d had 25 years ago. It gives you a plan to help you stay on track that you decide on, 5 Things Beginning Artists Should Know, and an ebook on perspective. It is FREE and you can get it HERE.
I am thrilled to be on this journey with you and I can’t wait to paint together soon.
Sharon
P.S. I’m not exactly a social butterfly but you can find me here:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paintingwithacrylics101
- Instagram: @kypaintster
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kypaintster
Bye for now!