Having the urge to paint or draw a picture is not the same as having a vision in mind. It can be a big waste of time, effort and materials if you do it without an idea in mind.
Another problem is what materials to use?
You have so many mediums to select from. You can choose to use a pencil, ink, charcoal, or you can do a canvas painting.
Drawing with a pencil or a ball pen is one of the easiest things to do. However, it fails to create much impact on the viewers, it could even look boring, therefore try your hand at canvas painting.
Basically, oil paint and acrylic paint are the best for canvas. There are advantages and disadvantages for each type of paints. Centuries ago, artists did their masterpieces in canvas.
For beginners though, canvas painting can be daunting. There are so many materials to use like brushes, paints, canvas, etc. Oil on canvas has been a very popular choice for many artists over the years. They are best for extended projects because the oils don't dry fast.
Artists paint by layers because applying a thick coat of paint will eventually crack when it dries. Artists can put off painting for the next day, and they just rejuvenate oil, artists use mineral spirits and turpentine.
Also, it is easier to correct mistakes because of the time it takes to dry up.
Brushes used for oil painting have a shorter life span because these brushes need to be thoroughly cleaned and in the process they lose their shape.
Canvas painting using acrylic paint is different from using oil paint because acrylic paint dries fast. Paintings are finished as quickly as they are thought of. If you are in a rush or are impatient, use acrylics because painting by layers will only take you hours.
To avoid smearing, some artists can use masking tape on the dried acrylic paint.
This cannot be done with oil paint. Like oils, acrylic paint can be mixed and the possibility for color is endless. Unlike the brushes used for oil paints, you can clean brushes for acrylic paint with soap and water. These brushes retain their shape and have a longer lifetime.
Watercolor is not restricted to using watercolor paper anymore. Just recently, there are some companies that released canvases for watercolor painting. This allows artists to create paintings that appear like oil paintings.
Using watercolor canvas helps artists achieve the distinctive look that is made by using canvas. Watercolor canvas will be something different from the traditional watercolor painting on paper, especially on the techniques, methods and the end result.
Watercolor on canvas will have a longer lifetime than if it is done on paper. Paintings might take longer because the watercolor on the canvas dries longer.
Some claim that it's difficult to use canvas with watercolor because moving painting around the canvas sometimes lifts the paint, or it's difficult to form pools because the canvas can't absorb the paint.
Using oil, acrylic or watercolor on canvas will always have its advantages and disadvantages. Pick the one that works for you. Paintings on canvas sell for a higher price than if they are done with paper.
These paintings can easily be hung on walls without having to look for a proper frame or putting it under the glass. Have fun and experiment until you recreate the vision in your mind!
Author:Murtaza I. Habib Cool Media Artist here!
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