Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

Hi @outlander and @Faith-and-Hope

I can't help you with your questions, as I only just started using art to express myself, but when I asked my friend abroad, who is very artistic, about tips and tricks to work with acrylics, she plainly said, you'll figure it out. I don't think she was being unfriendly or didn't want to help. I have and had so much fun, googling, you-tubing and especially searching on Pinterest. I also talk to the people in the art shops, not mega markets obviously, as they have a wealth of experience. I take photos of art that I like and try to figure out how they did it. I don't paint things, I just do abstract art, or sometimes I paint. I also try other mediums and just basically enjoy. I have crayons, acrylics, pencils, gel pens.... you name it, I got it - but although I do sometimes shop in art stores, I normally go for the really cheap stuff in supermarkets or dollar shops as I do it for myself and not to sell it.

For me art is all about FUN. I haven't done it in a while, and I now feel like I should get my fingers dirty 🎨

[Faith-and-Hope]

As a seasoned artist @Former-Member, I couldn't agree more ..... art for me is an aesthetic, and that includes the process.

🌷💕🎨🌈

[outlander]

I find art quite good too. Its gotten me through a few pretty rough thoughts and emotions
You can post some of your artworks on here too and photos too.
Nice to meet you @Former-Member great to meet another art fan

Hi @Faith-and-Hope love love your artworks too

[Faith-and-Hope]

Thanks @outlander ...,, 🎨💙💕

[outlander]

Ive started using the water colours with water and its hard @Faith-and-Hope

And i cant get my pastels to sharpern

[Faith-and-Hope]

It's all trial and error with the watercolour @outlander, but you might be able to find online tutorials to watch.

The pastels are better sharpened with a k-nife than a pencil sharpener - same with charcoal pencils and graphite pencils.

[outlander]

Hmm ill have to give that ago with the pastels and charcoals @Faith-and-Hope

Yeah im not good at watercolour painting

Whats weird though is the charcoal pencils are like back to front the hard one with lighter than the soft one. How does that work

[outlander]

Im going to attempt a water colour beach @Faith-and-Hope

[Faith-and-Hope]

The soft charcoal is more crumbly @outlander, so it is releasing more charcoal onto the paper, leaving a darker mark.  The hard charcoal is exactly that, hard, so it is not releasing much at all.  It's the same with lead pencils.  The hard (H) pencils make a sharper, softer mark the more they increase (ie 6H) while the softer (B) leads have a looser, darker mark (ie6B).

[Faith-and-Hope]

That sounds good @outlander .... a watercolour of a beach.  Try different water colour papers if you can. That is definitely part of the joy of painting with watercolour.