The art of painting involves applying pigments to a support (either flat or three-dimensional) and using expressive techniques to create two-dimensional visual relationships. Depending on its subject matter, it can represent realistic or supernatural phenomena, interpret a narrative theme or generate wholly abstract visual relationships. It also can incorporate other materials like sand, clay, lacquer, paper, plaster and gold leaf.
Painting is a very specialized form of artistic expression, so it’s important to find the medium that suits your style. It is also helpful to learn about the different painting tools and techniques, such as how to hold a brush, how to apply paint to a canvas and how to mix colors. The best way to improve your skills is by observing the work of the masters and taking painting classes.
A good painting can evoke an emotional response in the viewer and convey a message. However, if the composition isn’t well-thought out or if the technical aspects aren’t sound, the result can be disappointing. A good painting will incorporate the following principles:
Movement: The movement of lines, shapes and colors guide the eye through a picture. This can be done through a rhythmic pattern, a directional flow or a feeling of light and space. Unity and Harmony: A balance of positive and negative space is important to create a balanced picture. The inverse of harmony is disharmony, which can be created by contrasting elements such as light and dark or smooth and rough.
Color: An important element of a painting is color harmony, which is achieved by combining the right colors to achieve a pleasing effect. A good painter can achieve this by utilizing color mixing and value patterns, as well as knowing how to use tints to enhance the luminosity of a scene.
Texture: The addition of texture can give a picture depth and interest. This can be real (like impasto in oil painting) or implied, such as through techniques like brushstrokes or Asian calligraphy. Balance: The distribution of visual weight in a painting can be symmetrical or asymmetrical, creating dynamic compositions.
Throughout history, painting has been used as a tool for political and social commentary. Works by trailblazers like Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh and Frida Kahlo are testaments to the power of this art form.
While painting has changed in many ways over the years, its fundamentals have remained the same. The earliest considered paintings date back to the Upper Paleolithic period some 40,000 years ago, when cave drawings and clay sculptures were created with coloured earth pigments mixed into liquid-based pastes. In the fifteenth century, the introduction of linseed oil made it possible to use water-based paints on fabric supports and ushered in a new era of artistic innovation. Over time, a painting can deteriorate and crack, depending on the quality of the materials and how it is handled. Exposure to light and acid can cause pigments to fade or lose their integrity, while air humidity and changes in temperature can lead to shrinkage and expansion of the paint film, which may result in cracking.