Decorative painters sharing encouragement, tips, advice and wisdom with new painters.
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"I would advise them to not be afraid to try anything. 
It is only paint!"
Iva H., Ca.
"Don't stress about trying to make your project look exactally like the pattern
(or teacher, etc.) you are working with.  This is your creation, it is not supposed to be an exact replica. 
Angela G., Pa.
"Paint everyday------ for at least 20 mins if only to practice strokes or basecoat your
next project."
Trish M.-Ca.
"Don't compare with anybody else.  Your work is unique to you. Especially don't compare with teacher.  She's been at it a lot longer than you have."

Patti W. - Fl.
 

"Your painting will only be as good as your brushes - buy quality and take good 
care of them."

Mary Jo T.

"Yes you Can, YES you can, 
Yes YOU can, Yes You CAN 
-if you so desire. 
Take baby steps and be patient with yourself, we are our worst enemies when it comes to expectation.  And to repeat..Practice every step you learn until you can do it with your eyes closed!"
Peg - Tn.
"RELAX!
 You're doing this for fun!"
Elaine - Wa.
"The wonder of painting will transform your heart soul and mind.. the love and time
you give to your creativeness  will be given back in fun,
confidence and enjoyment,
 the experience  will last for always and always.
Hugs Carol S. - Australia
"Practice your basic strokes, and the rest will come."
Sue H.

 
"Practice, practice practice."
Lynda V.
"Practice, practice practice."
Leah S.
"Patience, patience and more patience. Give yourself 'permission' to make
mistakes. 
That's how you learn.
Moe S. - Ont. Can.
"Find a good teacher that teaches theory, and don't accept limitations.
I have heard so may painters say " Oh, I can't do that I've only been painting one year,
or two years or more."
If you don't stretch yourself , you won't grow. 
Try different things and even fall on your face once in awhile,
it means you've tried."
CASS - Ks
  
 
 
 

"You will only fail
if you never try."
Brenda R. - Ok.

 "1. Get great brushes and keep
     them in great shape.
     Messed up brushes make
     messed up brush strokes.
2.  Practice all the time, even
     when you don't feel like it.
3.  Try everything, experience
     is the best way to learn."

Don't listen to your critics with your heart!
Junan H. - Nh.
Spend the extra money to get good quality brushes.
Mary Jo J. - Mt.



 

 "It ain't rocket science, 
don't cha know!"  Just keep at it and it will come.....practice is the name of the game.

Buy the best brushes you can 
and learn to clean them!!"
Sandi H.
"Ask alot of questions and
don't give up.
If  something doesn't turn out the way you thought it should,
take a picture (grin),
basecoat and begin again!!"
Rene - Ca
"It doesn't have to be perfect!!
It doesn't have to look
identical to the pattern. 
It is being painted with different hands, eyes, and hearts."   :)
Theresa M. 
GO FOR IT !!!! Try it and don't worry about messing up something..... 
Tammy - Ms.
"On how to know when you're done so you don't keep fussing with it, my old Teacher told us that when you look at the piece and smile at how it looks, 
you're done."
Deb W. - Vt.

I hear from beginners all the
time it is  "My  painting doesn't look like yours"
"Well" I tell students of course it doesn't, I have had years
of practice with  an obsession and had many teachers... 
but my students have been the best teachers !!
Besides you don't want it to look like mine..  My pattern is
just a line drawing , you are the artist and now that I have taught you
some skills is time for you interpert what you see and feel.
That is what makes the painting your creation of art not mine .We are not
clones of each other we all have individual taste in color and form. Use
that instinct that you use in decorating your home, buying a new dress or
planning your flower garden, maybe even  in cooking that special holiday
meal..  We all as women,and men have used theses skills in making homes for
our familys and those are all artistic creative endeavors.
"So See You do have talent!!! " Look at the wonders you have created!!
Peni P. -  Or.


"Invest in good quality brushes, then your 
top priority will be to take excellent care of these brushes.
We can have patterns before us and fabulous ideas in our minds;
but its the brush that actually does the painting for us.
We are only the minds that lead and hands that hold."
Shirl

"Don't be afraid of your brushes... know each one and what it can do, learn
to use the ENTIRE brush (including the tip of the handle, different size
brush handles makes a variety of dip dot sizes... 
my large one inch angular shader makes a great pearl...lol)

I see many beginners just barely tickling the edges of a brush on their
surface, learn to use the full body of the brush... practice
sit-down-strokes (what I call "Up-on-your-toes, Down-on-your-heels" strokes
where you go from lightly stroking (on your toes) to deep pressure on the
body (the down on your heels) Applying pressure to your brushes do not hurt
them, improper cleaning practices are what hurt them."
Diana C. - In.


"Paint as much and as often as you can with good quality brushes."

"I really believe that we give up too easily. The more you paint the easier
things become. Our first attempts at anything are never exactly what we
want. It's only by repeatedly doing something that we become really good at
it. Painting is allways a journey to find a new technique or perfect an old
one. The quest for that perfect brush, that beautiful petal to a flower is
allways there to challange us. Just never give up. Paint paint, paint!!!"
Happy Painting!
Diane - Ma.


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