Do you like to paint?

United States
March 12, 2008 7:06pm CST
Do you know how to paint? What do you like to paint? I remember as a kid I wanted to take art lessons throught the local rec but it always fell during the time my brother played football. Back in the early 1970's we only had one car so I lost out. I was never artistic as a child. I love to color that is why I wanted to learn how to paint. My husband is a good artist and my girls are coming into it but I can still only paint a great wall or ceramics. I just can't pick up a paintbrush and start.\ How about you?
3 people like this
8 responses
@zeloguy (4911)
• United States
13 Mar 08
I am most definately not a painter. My paintings look like a horrible rendition of Jackson Pollock... whoa... can that actually happen? Thanks for the question Zelo
1 person likes this
@zeloguy (4911)
• United States
15 Mar 08
I hear that Pollock used to have huge canvases and buckets of paint and start by dripping paint out of a bucket onto the canvas... every once in a while he would stop, scrap the painting he was doing because he 'made a mistake'. Maybe I just don't know how to interpret his art... I would like to see what he was feeling when he was 'painting' what he was painting. And like you I hated art class!~ Thanks for the great response. Zelo
1 person likes this
@zeloguy (4911)
• United States
2 Jul 08
They say he would start painting and if he messed up (how can you do that in an abstract?) he would start all over again. Kinda crazy but a great read about the man himself. Zelo
• United States
15 Mar 08
Too funny. I use to hate art class as a kid. Last year I subbed in Art and learned so much.
1 person likes this
• United States
18 Mar 08
I am an artist, decided to be one when I first picked up a crayon and drew what I thought fish looked like on our bathroom wall. My suggestion is don't pick up a brush, lay a canvas or big sheet of paper on the floor and start dripping paint on it, use your fingers or an old credit card to move the paint around in a way that seems pleasing to your eye. Don't judge it, play with it, have fun. Obviously it is in you, the creative wonderment or you would't be thinking about it. It is the act of creating that is way more important than the finished piece. If you find enjoyment, then you will progress. Art is such a great way to express youself. I say go for it. Some of the best art I have ever seen, were mistakes made or just playing around. Get the since of play and you will fall in love with it.
1 person likes this
• United States
18 Mar 08
Thanks for the ideas. I think I am going to let my youngest daughter do this this summer, on a lazy day OUTSIDE. I think she will get a big kick out of it. Hey you never know I might join her and then maybe we can get her older sister involved also. Thanks again for a wonderful suggestion!
• United States
19 Mar 08
You are welcome, but I thought this was for you? I think involving children in art is a great way for them to release. I think people make art as something you have to have great skills, training, ability to do. It is an expression, you do it because it is freeing, exciting, fun. You aren't doing it to become recognized or famous. You do it because you want to. I paint every day, some is good, some isn't. I don't care, I love it, it is my documentation I was here and I get something out of it. You will naturally progress if you don't spend time judging it against someone else. I say do it now, and enjoy the experience. There are great free computer downloads that are fun to play with, Twisted Brush is very easy to learn and free. It is simple and you can create fun works and delete them if you don't like them. Lots of ways to get into art, just go do it.
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
13 Mar 08
I can put lots of color on a peice of paper if that's what you call art LOL Kidding, I just muck around with my son and pretend to know how to draw and paint but really I didn't get the artistic talent in our family. My second oldest brother did and loves to paint, draw, sketch and even though he has given it up over the years I bought a big canvas painting he did of a Samoan/Cook Island (Pacific Island) legend and I was not able to bring it with me when I moved to USA :( My sister is taking care of it for me!! My Uncle is also an artist and a well known Pacific Island writer but his artwork is kinda strange to me and not sure if I understand his abstracts. My son LOVES painting, drawing, cutting up and pasting paper and stuff together. Everyday after school that is the first thing he does, draw, color in, paint or make things. I hope it develops more as he has done some nice art work in Kindergarten and I had a few things made from one of his pictures he did recently. I am glad they encourage this in his school :)
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Mar 08
Your son sounds like my daughter, she is cuting, taping, stapling, or gluing paper, coloring, etc. I agree that they need to continue art and music in schools.
@moneyandgc (3428)
• United States
14 Mar 08
I love to paint! I have tried oils more than once but I am always put off at the long drying times. I like acrylics so much more. My husband and I both love art so we try to encourage the children in this area as well. My 20 month old daughter has been coloring and drawing since she could hold a crayon. I have many photos of her drawing pictures in her high chair for daddy when he was deployed. Our house used to be decorated with paintings that we made but they were all destroyed in Katrina. That's ok though we are making new ones.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Mar 08
I'm sorry that your paintings were destroyed. We had a major water damage in our home, while we were away, and I lost 75% of my girl's portraits, so I can totally relate. Are you still in the New Orleans area? A good friend of mine, her dad lost his entire house. He was living with her for six months and then moved back to start rebuilding.
@gabrielle47 (1219)
• Philippines
13 Mar 08
When I was small, all my painting skills all came from my teachers in school and that were just painting skills even couting painting by number.lols. But i love painting and hadnt had much time to learn. However when I got the chance to take a course in a paper craft, my teacher was really good that I learned how to paint in the way of that craft. Its called parchement craft. We had to deal with tiny brushes and use differnt paints and colored pencils even. It was a satisfying experince to learn how to paint and for me painting is one way to relax and express myself.
• United States
15 Mar 08
Wow, that sounds really interesting.
@beccarose (121)
• United States
13 Mar 08
I like to paint, I used to paint pictures when I was a little younger than I am now, but got out of doing it once I got married. Now I paint my house :) or I'm trying to atleast! I get confused because theres so many different colors and ways you can make rooms look different. I'm still learning!
• United States
15 Mar 08
Oh I agree with you there on painting rooms. I just finished my oldest daughter's room about 18 months ago and was working on my youngest with a really cool wallpaper. Then our house received major water damage and the whole house had to be painted. So now at least I have the colors I wanted. Now later on I can explore the sponge painting, etc.
@Brian77 (30)
• Czech Republic
13 Mar 08
I'm not good at paint xD
• Philippines
13 Mar 08
I don't know how to paint, all I can is to draw something, like an image in a magazine and copy it using a pencil. But one of my Utopian dream is seeing myself painting a beautiful sunset. Sunsets in Arizona and Caribbean perhaps. I am fascinated how painters blend the colors that made a wonderful manifestation of life in a canvass. I am also amaze on how they turn a white piece of cloth or board to a noticeable, stunning piece of art that gives happiness to everyone. I am also interested in charcoal painting- feels so sophisticated for me. =)
• United States
15 Mar 08
A friend of mine is a great copy artist/painter. She has seen pictures that she has loved, taken a photo of it and then recreated it. I have been to both places and seen the sunsets. They are beautiful. My favorite is watching the sun set overlooking the water. It is just so peaceful.