Getting Started With Portrait Painting in Oil or Watercolor

Portraiture is doubtless one of the most betrothed of painting genres. People just tenderness finding out about other people, and for centuries portraits were the equivalents of today ' s paparazzi pictures. Back in the days before cameras were make-believe, portraits were the individual way that ordinary people could see what public figures like kings, princesses or generals looked like. A portrait painting in oil or watercolour often served because a means to panoply people an ideal picture of the power, beauty and other virtues these people were supposed to possess.

As time went by, a portrait painting in oil or watercolour took on a more personal significance as portraits began to be painted as keepsakes and memorabilia. It was even the practice for sweethearts to exchange miniature portraits of each other in much the same way as they exchange photographs today.

If you ' re interested in portrait painting in oil or watercolour whether as a hobby or as a means to generate a little extra income, here are some tips on how to get started.

Before you can start creating portraits in oil or watercolour, you will have to familiarize yourself with the media you ' ve chosen. Oils and watercolours require different techniques. Watercolor paintings are usually created on boards or heavy paper. They require allowing one layer to dry before adding a second one, meaning that the artist must always be conscious of working with light colors first before progressing to dark ones.

With oil painting, the artist usually works on a cloth canvas or wooden board. Successive layers can be applied even without drying previous ones, which allows for wet - on - wet painting and greater freedom to experiment with technique.

If you ' re serious about painting in oil or watercolour, you ' ll also have to study human anatomy, since the human figure is the foundation of good portraiture. There are many established guides to help you with this; you may even use a medical text if you desire.

Finally, portraiture requires a genuine interest in people and the stories of their lives. When you ' re doing a portrait, make it a point to talk to your subject and look into his or her eyes. This way, you get the chance to become acquainted with his or her personality. Having relevant insights about a subject ' s character and being able to imbue your painting with a sense of his or her visions, hopes and dreams will go a long way towards making you a successful portrait painter.

Watercolor Painting - How Watercolors Can Reach Beyond Reality Into Poetry

Watercolor Outlook Artists and Poets Share a Special Bond

Artists and poets are united in their wild for of individualism. Mood sustains them, and creative mortals can never get enough. Watercolor artists depict a scene with a paintbrush loaded with color. The poet carefully selects words to wrest a picture in your consciousness ' s eye. It ' s for you to supply memories and associations that make the painting or poem a touchstone you neatly must have.

" When a painted summer prospect can capture the warmth and restfulness and grace of this season, and possibly regular the rumble of distant thunder, then it begins to approach that tenuous edge of reality where poetry resides. When the voices of other summers whisper through a canvas to the viewer, it has hit the mark ". Elizabeth Mowry

A poetic landscape will draw you in until " you hear the voices of other summers whisper through the canvas, " as Elizabeth Mowry states. Many times you encounter a " quiet space " within a painting - just enough spaciousness to intuit the artist ' s true intention. It might also be compared to a " still point " of inner balance while meditating.

The sensed stillness in a picture speaks volumes within the painting and about the artist. Colors used by the artist may be warm and inviting, for example, depicting the light of a summer morning, with mist rising and the pine trees still... not even a tiny breeze. Looking at a painting such as this, you just know it ' s going to be a hot, country day!

Artists and Poets Evoke Mood by Expressing Their Bliss

The artist uses color and brushstrokes to soothe your soul and inspire peacefulness each time you view the painting. Poets choose words that express their serenity and joy. Poetry and art paint with words and color in ways that defy logic yet deeply nourish the spirit.

The watercolor landscape artist loves to portray the woodlands, paths, meandering creeks mountains and farms. This is poetry for the artist ' s soul. Painting nature as they see it, they become absorbed in their painting and forget of troubles and cares of the day.

Poets paint their pictures with the color of their words, the sweep of their expressions and re - creations of their inspiration.

Many times as I encounter scenes of the countryside, I ' m reminded of my happy childhood in the country on a small farm. My paintings reflect lessons taught by my parents, who were deeply attuned to nature and the seasons. I have learned first - hand that inspiration can come from many things.

So if you are moved by nature, I warmly encourage you to create watercolors, poems or any other expressions of your joy, so that others can join that enchanted realm of inspiration where you find yourself.