Spring is a time of beauty, when the world comes alive again! What better way to capture this than by learning to paint. Paint what you see around you, or really whatever you want. It’s up to you! This month’s bucket list item is learning to paint. You’ll need some basic supplies that you can get at any art store, some creativity, and one of the following ideas for how you will learn basic painting techniques. Not sure where to start learning how to paint? We’ve come up with 5 suggestions to get you started on your painting journey:
- Take a formal class at a local art store. Art and craft stores sometimes offer professional classes that you can pay to take. Head into your local art supply store and see if they offer anything of interest to you. Check pricing, what is required to sign up, any materials you might need (these classes often provide materials), and then go for it! You’ve got nothing to lose and all the painting skills to gain.
- Follow along with an online tutorial or class. You can find anything you can possibly dream of on the internet these days. Find an online painting tutorial or class that you can follow along with. Free and paid options are available according to your price range. Depending on your preferred learning style, you can choose to follow along with a video or text option. A little searching will open up a world of possibilities!
- Join a local paint night at the public library. Libraries run all sorts of activities for adults and children alike. Check with your local public library to see if they offer paint nights where you can paint with others from your community. These aren’t formal classes taught by an instructor but you can learn a lot just by painting with others. The classes are typically in the evenings to account for general working hours. You most likely won’t need to bring your own art supplies.
- Have a paint night with friends where an instructor comes in. The whole concept of paint nights took off years ago, with people getting together to paint for a couple of hours (sometimes with wine!). You can either sign up for a local paint night that’s running at a venue or set one up yourself. Grab a bunch of your closest besties and arrange for an instructor to come and teach painting for a night. If you head to a formal paint night put on somewhere, the materials will most likely already be provided.
- Buy a book on painting or listen to an audiobook. We don’t think books will ever go out of fashion! Head to your local bookstore or library and pick up a book on painting. It’s a sure-fire way to learn the basics and then some. If you’re more of a listener, grab an audiobook and learn that way. Follow along with the reading as you put the techniques they’re teaching to use!
There are so many different ways you can learn to paint! We say make it fun by involving friends, family, and good eats and drinks. Make an entire night or even weekend out of it and spend some quality time with yourself or others. Draw inspiration from anything around you to help get the creative juices flowing. We encourage you to take one of these suggestions and learn to paint a masterpiece this month!
