TheVirtualInstructor Blog

The Holidays are approaching and I always get questions this time of year about which art supplies are best to purchase as gifts for beginning artists.  It seems that there would be an easy answer to this question, but unfortunately it’s a bit more complex.  Visual art is so broad.  Because of this, there isn’t just one art set that one can purchase to cover all of the areas of art.  The supplies that are purchased should be tailored to the artist’s needs.  So in this post, I have decided to take a look at a few of the subcategories of visual art and make a list that represents what may be appropriate for beginners in each category.

Drawing
There are lots and lots of drawing supplies out there.  So, it can be quite overwhelming deciding what supplies are appropriate for the beginner.  With such a flood of materials, it would be easy to find yourself with too many supplies.  I am going to break this category down even further into “Black and White Drawing” and “Color Drawing”

Black and White Drawing
1. 3 or 4 quality soft graphite drawing pencils- I suggest 2B, 4B, and 6B.  A regular #2(HB) pencil is also recommended.
2. a sturdy sketchbook
3. a pink pearl eraser, a vinyl eraser, and a kneaded eraser
4. a blending stump or two
5. high quality drawing paper of at least 11″ by 14″
6. Vine charcoal
7. Compressed charcoal (black)

Color Drawing
1. High quality colored pencils- pay more for a high quality.  If price becomes an issue, buy a pack that contains less colors.  There is a huge difference in quality among colored pencil manufacturers.
2. Colored drawing paper- If you can’t decide what colors to get, start out with “grays”.
3. Chalk pastels
4. Oil Pastels
5. Blending stumps 

Watercolor Painting
1. A pan of watercolor cakes (High Quality) or
2. A set of watercolor tubes-primary colors plus Paynes Gray (dark gray), Indigo blue, and Burnt Umber (brown)
3. Nylon or sable brushes
4. a Watercolor pad of paper
5. a plastic mixing tray (palette) 

Acrylic Paint
1. A set of primary tubes of paint plus White and Burnt Umber
2. Nylon brushes
3. a Plastic mixing tray or palette
4. Assortment of stretched canvas or canvas board
5. Table top easel

Oil Painting
1. A set of primary tubes of oil paint plus Titanium White, Paynes Gray, and Burnt Umber
2. a small bottle of linseed oil
3. small glass bottles or jars
4. Bristle brushes and sable brushes
5. a disposable palette pad
6. Odorless mineral spirits
7. Rags
8. Assortment of stretched canvas or canvas boards

Sculpture
1. Assortment of polymer clay colors
2. Mexican Air Dry clay
3. Sculpture wire

All of these supplies can be purchased at the local art store or any online retailer.

Creating abstract art is often a misunderstood activity that can often times lead to frustration when realistically minded artists try to create it. Most people unfortunately do not understand what true Abstract art is. Instead, they look only at the technical skill in the application of the material and dismiss the skill that lies in the thinking behind the artwork. You see, abstraction takes on many forms, but all of it includes taking something from reality and changing it in some way.   Some artists change the way we see objects so dramatically that it is hard to know what was abstracted. The skill of abstract art lies in the vision of the artist.   Many people don’t understand that this is largely the goal of abstract art-to encourage new ways of seeing.   Most of the world is programed to evaluate art based on it’s level of realism.   Many artists are programmed in the same fashion.  So when an scholar of realism decides to branch out into the world of abstraction, frustration often follows.   Not because the technical skill is missing, but because the skill of seeing is different and often untrained.
If you are looking to give abstraction a go, but consider yourself a realistic artist, consider taking a closer look at your subject- a lot closer look.  Remember, abstraction is about encouraging new ways of seeing.    One new way of seeing is by “zooming in” to your subjects.   Notice the way the shapes, forms, lines, and colors become simplified and deviate from how we normally view the object. Draw or paint what you see realistically, the result will still translate as abstract.   This is a great exercise to create true abstract art for those of us that are skilled in realism, but are abstractly challenged.
Some artists to take a look at for inspiration include Georgia O’Keefe and Richard Diebenkorn.

When creating a watercolor painting, one must make a critical decision even before the painting is started.  That decision is what paper to use.  Many people believe that watercolor paper is well, watercolor paper.  This, however, just isn’t the case.  There are many types and forms of watercolor paper.  Not to mention many different manufacturers of watercolor papers.  Knowing which paper to use for your project is very important.  Choose the wrong paper and you may regret it in the middle of your painting.  So how do we choose the right paper and steer clear of the wrong paper?  Understanding how the paper will affect your painting will help you decide.  There are generally three different types of watercolor papers.  Do you know what they are?  To learn more about watercolor papers and their affects on watercolor paintings check out this free art lesson-> Watercolor Papers

Another important skill for watercolorists to know is how to stretch watercolor papers.  Watercolor paper is sturdier and can accept the paint better when it is stretched.  It is fairly easy to stretch watercolor paper, but it does take some patience when waiting for it to dry.  Check out the video below on stretching watercolor papers.

Watercolor pencils are an interesting medium.  They allow the artist the versatility to draw AND paint.  Watercolor pencils are somewhat like colored pencils.  Instead of a waxy or oily binder like those found in colored pencils, they have a water soluble binder.  When water is added to them, they behave like watercolor paint.  Therefore, all of the watercolor techniques that you may already use, apply to watercolor pencils.  Watercolor pencils should be applied to watercolor paper or a heavier board, like illustration board.  Watercolor pencils are easy to store and transport, making them an ideal choice for color studies or quick preliminary sketches.  Watercolor pencils  are inexpensive and readily available almost anywhere.

To see the video demonstration of watercolor pencils click here-> How to Use Watercolor Pencils

Creating an acrylic transfer is an easy process that can result in amazing artistic results. Creating an acrylic transfer can allow an artist a variety of ways to present an idea in an artistic way. Any image that can be photocopied will work and any surface that will accept acrylic paint will accept an acrylic transfer.

Some supplies are needed in order to create an acrylic transfer. First, you need a surface that will accept acrylic paint to work on.  Watercolor paper, canvas, wood, or illustration board are acceptable surfaces. You will also need acrylic gesso, brushes, acrylic gel medium, a photocopied image, and acrylic paint.

You begin by covering the surface with gesso and let it dry. You can then add some interest to the surface by applying color through acrylic paint or texture with tissue paper.  Allow any paint or glue to dry completely.  Next, you will need to cut or tear your photocopied image to the size of the desired transfer…

To see the rest of this lesson and to see the video demonstration click here-> Acrylic Transfer Demo

Acrylic paint is a young medium.  Acrylic paint has been around for just over 50 years.  It has quickly become a very popular medium, thanks to the fact that it is safer than oils, dries quickly, and uses water as a solvent.  Acrylic paints when dry, can appear similar to oil paints.

All paints are made up of three basic ingredients-pigment, solvent, and binder. Acrylic paint is no exception.  Pigment refers to the color and is usually a naturally occurring substance. The liquid substance that thins the paint is solvent.  Water is typically used as the solvent for acrylic painting.  The material that hold the pigment together and allows it to be spread over the surface is called binder.  Acrylic paint has a binder of acrylic polymer emulsion  and dries quickly to create a waterproof surface.  It can also can be used as a glue or as an image transfer medium.  Acrylic paints are produced in a variety of finishes. Gloss finishes are shiny while matte finishes dry to a dull sheen.

Acrylics can be applied with brushes, palette knives, or really anything at all. In my experience, nylon brushes work best with acrylic paint-although any type of brush will work. It is especially important to keep your brushes clean, as acrylic paints will dry quickly and ruin a brush.

Although acrylics can be applied to almost any surface, most artists prefer canvas, watercolor paper, illustration board, gessoed masonite, or other papers. Any surface is fair game, though.

To see the rest of this lesson and to see the video demonstration click here-> Basic Acrylic Painting Techniques- Apple Demo