7 essential painting techniques for artists

Painting techniques: a sketch

Having a basis in fundamental painting techniques and styles is going to drastically help when you're starting out on your artistic journey using paint. In essence, this means logging some knowledge of colour, tone, brushwork, texture and composition to empower you to create your own masterpieces with confidence.

In this post, we set out seven essential painting techniques sure to get you painting like a pro in no time at all. For more, we suggest heading over to the best how to draw tutorials, to make sure you've got the basics covered there. And if you want to learn more about art terminology, then see our piece on common art terms. If you're just making the transition to canvas, take a look at our guide to canvas painting for beginners, or buy your own canvas with our guide to getting the best oil paint canvas.

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Bristol-based artist Dave Kendall began his career by illustrating book covers, and more recently has worked on trading cards and comics. He works in both traditional and digital media.