Beginning Again

Hello to all that read this.

I believe I am a beginner even though I've painted frequently, it was almost 40 years ago.

I actually had a teaching cert. in 1976 but my state lost 5,000 teachers that year. (Guess what kind of teachers go first !)

After a career in industry, I am going to give it another try - This time I'm not broke with a family to raise.

I enjoy water color most, and hope readers will give me tips on getting the most from this forum.  I look forward to my renewed life & the friends I know I'll meet.

Thanks for reading my post.

Twin

Just thought I would say hello. Sometimes it takes a bit before people answer here, but just keep posting. You will get alot of good information form this entire site, people have been very kind and helpful.

for instance, I did the post in beginners about using complementary colors. The feedback was great with every book recommendation being top notch.

I paint in oils and acrylics mainly, but today used some watercolor crayons. The watercolor forum group has some good threads and should be very helpful to you.

Good Luck and hope you have fun the 2nd time around, makes a whole lot of difference with kids grown and not being broke! Been there!!

Amy H

 

 

Well, welcome here and I'm thrilled you're giving art another real chance.  Let us know your progress!

Thanks,  I just knew this was the right place to go.

Welcome! And I am so excited for you that you are getting back into your art!! I assume you were an art teacher? Anyway, I am looking forward to learning from you as well. I work mainly in acrylics/oils/pastels/colored pencil but recently tried my hand at watercolors. They are tough, at least for me. Maybe it was all those years of oil painting where I felt every piece of white canvas had to have paint on it! Anyway, I completely overwork my watercolors and they seem so much more difficult to control. My husband said I just need to practice with them more, so I picked up some good technique books on the paints and I am determined to make peace with them. Looking forward to seeing your work!

Thanks for your messages.  I only taught 1 year (8th grade) before Michigan laid off many of it's art teachers (1976).  I think you'll find that watercolors are not so bad to work with.  You need to get a feel for them, just like other forms.  The biggest difference is that there is very little chance to revise your work.  Soon you find it flowing from your brush.  Art is not so much in the medium as it is in your heart , and you already know that.  I wont have a lot of time to paint till July. I retire June 10 and have to move after that.  All my time is open after that tho    I'll try to get a little of my old stuff up when I figure out how.  I'm a little afraid of how much I've lost by not painting for so long.

I tried to answer without going through the forum but, I'm such a NB here!

 

Thank you for the encouragement on the watercolors - you are 100% right - I just need to continue to work with them and get a feel for them. I remember I had difficulty with acrylics at first too. And art is indeed in my heart - I am thrilled to be back into drawing and painting. I have worked as a graphic designer for over 25 years and only did a few paintings/drawings sporadically during those years. I always thought I would get back into my art “someday”, and this year decided that the time had come. I am still working full time in graphics, but making time to work in my studio each day. I recently joined a local art society and I hope to take some workshops when I can afford to. Best wishes to you with your retirement and moving too. Looking forward to seeing you on these forums!