Richmond School of Painting
A step by step approach to painting
Tips For Beginners.
1. Be patient with yourself. Drawing (and painting) is an acquired skill. Some would say a lifelong pursuit. The more you practise, the faster you progress.
2. Learning to draw means learning to see. You may soon start to see reality with 'new eyes'.
3. Do not judge yourself or your drawing during the session. Let it be. Try to relax and enjoy the session. Remember that the drawing is just charcoal dust on a sheet of paper.
4. Do not compare your drawings (or level) to others. Everyone is unique. We come from different backgrounds and all have different experiences.
5. Look at other students work. Don't hesitate to ask question, note things that you like- what works well, and what is less affective. Try to be inspired by what you see and use it when appropriate.(from an early age humans and other animals learn through copying)
6. Remember - the resulting work is not important. What is important is the knowledge that you acquired in a session that you can take with you into the next session.
7. At the end of the session take a few moments to look at your drawing. Pay attention to what is successful and where it is not successful. Think about how you can improve next time.
8. Keep your drawings in a folder. After a month or two, have a look at them and compare old drawings with recent ones. Are you building on what you have learned?
9. Practice, practice and more practice: take a small drawing pad wherever you go and draw a little when you have the time. It could be a few lines on a page describing how angles meet in the corner of a room, a chair, a corridor.
10.Go back to your library and look again at your favourite artist or any other art books that you may have. Art is a language. Try to be inspired and 'communicate' with other artists.