Can You Learn How to Paint Art in an Hour?

"I just want a painting for my walls - and I don't want to spend a lot of money."

Every so often I'll get a call from someone wanting only a couple of quick and easy art lessons so they can make a nice picture for their wall. They often expect to be able to create this masterpiece in an hour. After all, art is play right? How hard could it be?

So I ask if they play the piano or have some other finely honed skill. I then ask them how long it took them become a master at it. My goal is to bring them around to an understanding of all that's involved in learning how to create a fine piece of art.

Cheap Art Supplies

Sometimes they don't believe me and sign up for classes anyway. Showing up with a 'beginner kit' of cheap supplies - brushes that won't hold their shape and shed faster than a golden retriever in springtime; canvas that's warped; tiny tubes of odd colors like chartreuse and flamingo created mostly of binder with a minimum of pigment and destined to fade within 6 months — And of course, their crowning glory —  a blurry smartphone photo of a mixed-media abstract painting (highly detailed) — and they expect to make one just like it. 

I'm usually able talk them into starting with something simpler and begin their first lesson with color mixing and simple composition theory. After an hour or so they realize that what looked so incredibly simple, isn't. 

Inexpensive Wall Art

In all honesty, it's isn't their fault. We live in an instant and disposable society full of inexpensive, mass-produced prints available through stores like Ikea, Costco, Target and Walmart.

We watch professional artists magically whip out great art effortlessly in 5 minute YouTube videos. Artists who give no hint of their years of trial and failure, college, expenses and practice — purposely to keep the magical illusion alive.

Don't get me wrong, there IS plenty of magic - but it usually comes with years and years... and years (did I mention all the years?) of invested time and money.

And so those who have no experience expect that making art is quick and easy (my kid could do that).

In my art classes, I share how the magic of art is really created. Learning to paint involves time, effort and the advantage of quality art supplies. My students learn how to create the magic of beautiful art for themselves.

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The cost of good art supplies can be managed over a period of a few months and if taken care of, will last for many years.

How to make a great painting?
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Master Student

You can always fix a problem in an oil painting. If you don't like a painting you've made, you don't have to toss it - you can paint over it. With watercolors you can turn the paper over and try again or use it for a collage.

To learn what works, you often have to learn what doesn't. Every mistake is a lesson in growth.

Dale Carnegie once said, “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”