4 answers
Girls
Student
Canada Bay, New South Wales, Australia
15
Questions
Asked
431 views
How do I paint a super cool picture that makes my teacher say, "Wow, you’re a little artist genius!" and maybe give me a gold star ?
8 want to learn to paint but I don't know how to draw very well. I am sad.
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4 answers
Dr H
Dr. H's Research
1327
Answers
Australia
Updated
Dr’s Answer
Hey there girls, so here's the deal—don’t stress, you’ve got this, no need to be sad or else your paintings gonna end up sad! 🥺
So, Start by practicing the basics, like drawing simple shapes. Even if you're not a pro yet, getting a hang of circles, squares, and lines will make everything else way easier. Trust me, every masterpiece starts with a circle somewhere!
Next, get into color theory—sounds fancy, but really it’s just about figuring out which colors look awesome together. Play around with a color wheel and try mixing them up. You'll feel like a genius when you get it right.
Shadows and light? Oh yeah, that’s where the magic happens. Try playing with how the light hits your subject—it’ll give your painting way more depth and make things look more real.
Also, get cozy with your brushes. Big brushes for bold strokes, small ones for details. Mess around with different amounts of paint to get different textures. It's like being a mad scientist but with color.
And hey, layering is your best friend. Paint over dry layers for richer tones and depth. It’s like giving your painting a nice little makeover.
Lastly, don’t forget to have fun experimenting with different styles. Try out some abstract, impressionist stuff, or whatever feels good. You’ll find your groove!
And most importantly, don’t rush it. The more you paint, the more you'll grow—just enjoy the ride! You'll be that little artist genius in no time.
So, Start by practicing the basics, like drawing simple shapes. Even if you're not a pro yet, getting a hang of circles, squares, and lines will make everything else way easier. Trust me, every masterpiece starts with a circle somewhere!
Next, get into color theory—sounds fancy, but really it’s just about figuring out which colors look awesome together. Play around with a color wheel and try mixing them up. You'll feel like a genius when you get it right.
Shadows and light? Oh yeah, that’s where the magic happens. Try playing with how the light hits your subject—it’ll give your painting way more depth and make things look more real.
Also, get cozy with your brushes. Big brushes for bold strokes, small ones for details. Mess around with different amounts of paint to get different textures. It's like being a mad scientist but with color.
And hey, layering is your best friend. Paint over dry layers for richer tones and depth. It’s like giving your painting a nice little makeover.
Lastly, don’t forget to have fun experimenting with different styles. Try out some abstract, impressionist stuff, or whatever feels good. You’ll find your groove!
And most importantly, don’t rush it. The more you paint, the more you'll grow—just enjoy the ride! You'll be that little artist genius in no time.
Wyatt s. Miles
Animator
7
Answers
Dayton, ID
Updated
Wyatt s.’s Answer
Hey Girls,
As an artist/animator I feel like I am up against this every day myself, so I understand where you are. There is a part of me every day that's shouting, "Do something amazing!" I am trying to practice patiently telling that part of me to stop shouting, while I just do something....and sometimes, I do something good.
Like the others are basically saying above here: Believe, Learn, Practice, Have Fun (Repeat)
As an artist/animator I feel like I am up against this every day myself, so I understand where you are. There is a part of me every day that's shouting, "Do something amazing!" I am trying to practice patiently telling that part of me to stop shouting, while I just do something....and sometimes, I do something good.
Like the others are basically saying above here: Believe, Learn, Practice, Have Fun (Repeat)
Gladys "GG" Siebert
Administrative Assistant
8
Answers
Newfoundland, Pennsylvania
Updated
Gladys "GG"’s Answer
Art is perfect to each artist. Have you ever had a chance to go to an art museum? If not, lots of them have links on line where you can look at the pieces. (Ask your adults or teachers to help you with that.). Create what you feel and don’t worry about what it looks like. If you enjoy a certain type of art, practice, ask for guidance and develop your skills, they will improve but don’t be hard on yourself, your art will change as you get older.
Thank you so much for the advice.
Girls
Kim Matthews
Graphic Production Designer and Sculptor
47
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi!
I understand what you're going through. Some kids show talent when they're really young. Drawing comes easily to them, and they get attention and praise from adults and friends. Great, right? But what we often overlook is that what we give our attention to, grows, and they keep getting the gold stars because they keep practicing--and enjoying what they do.
Do you want to make a cool picture to get a gold star, or because you want to make a cool picture? If you love making art, just keep doing it because you love it. When you put pressure on yourself to please other people, you actually make it harder to get where you want to go. The best art looks great because it looks effortless, and that comes from feeling free and having fun, as well as the confidence you get when you practice.
You should know that even great painters do bad work. What makes them great is that they keep going in spite of failures and criticism, and through this exploration they learn about themselves and what sets them apart from others.
Learning the technical stuff is important, but first you have to get to self-acceptance. You don't have to share everything you do with the whole world--sure, if you have an assignment, you have to hand it in, for better or worse. But then you get feedback, and you can pick out the useful parts and apply them next time. Try drawing just for yourself, in private, any way you want, and see what happens.
Hope this advice helps and that you know that in America, a fellow artist is rooting for you.
I understand what you're going through. Some kids show talent when they're really young. Drawing comes easily to them, and they get attention and praise from adults and friends. Great, right? But what we often overlook is that what we give our attention to, grows, and they keep getting the gold stars because they keep practicing--and enjoying what they do.
Do you want to make a cool picture to get a gold star, or because you want to make a cool picture? If you love making art, just keep doing it because you love it. When you put pressure on yourself to please other people, you actually make it harder to get where you want to go. The best art looks great because it looks effortless, and that comes from feeling free and having fun, as well as the confidence you get when you practice.
You should know that even great painters do bad work. What makes them great is that they keep going in spite of failures and criticism, and through this exploration they learn about themselves and what sets them apart from others.
Learning the technical stuff is important, but first you have to get to self-acceptance. You don't have to share everything you do with the whole world--sure, if you have an assignment, you have to hand it in, for better or worse. But then you get feedback, and you can pick out the useful parts and apply them next time. Try drawing just for yourself, in private, any way you want, and see what happens.
Hope this advice helps and that you know that in America, a fellow artist is rooting for you.
Thank you, Kim!
Zaroon
Ooo I love your encouragement Mr. Kim mercy. You and Dr H are really encouraging. Love to always hear from you on us girls advice. Mercy.
Girls
Thanks. BTW, that's Ms., so I have many years of firsthand experience in the additional challenges faced by women artists. The playing field is far from level, but we carry on and learn how to support each other, even though the natural inclination is often to compete.
Kim Matthews