Learn to Oil Paint
Is Painting For You?
There are no painting police - just have fun. -Valerie Kent
First and foremost you have you have the desire to learn the art of oil painting.
I will use the example of a very dear friend of mine. Barbara was a professional
physical therapist. She approached me about taking my oil painting classes. She
asked me if I could teach a dummy. She stated that when she was in an art class
in college her instructor told her to drop the class and find something else she
liked to do because art wasn't her thing. She said she was so hurt that she
never took another art class in college. My answer to her was, if you have the
desire, I will teach you to oil paint. The rest is history, Barbara painted with
me and I talked her into entering her paintings in the county fair. She won first
place on her very first oil painting and won ribbons on all the rest of her
paintings that she entered. As an artist and instructor, my advice is to follow
your heart. The best rewards I get are to see someone like Barbara achieve what
she had always dreamed of doing. I don't hold anyone back. A new student of
mine wanted to paint a rose for her first painting. I didn't discourage her
even though roses are difficult even for veteran painters, let alone beginners.
Her rose won first place at the county fair. If the desire is in your heart then
don't let anyone take it away from you. If you can hold a paintbrush,
you can learn to oil paint. All you need is the desire. Fear of the unknown is
what keeps most people from oil painting. Not knowing where to begin, what to do
next and being afraid of making mistakes are obstacles you must overcome. I
believe mistakes are the best way to learn in oil painting. When oil painting,
you need to think like an oil painter and learn the language. It isn't like
drawing, it is wet. I feel you never have an accident in oil painting that cannot
be corrected. As with any art medium, there are certain rules to follow.
