Starting a New Medium

Trying out a new medium is one of the best ways to beat art block or push yourself out of your comfort zone. It can force you to make new and different things, as well as teach you new skills. If you’ve just purchased a new art supply and aren’t sure where to start, this post is for you!

A great place to start is the Internet. Regardless of what art supply you’re trying to use, there’ll be experienced artists online who can share information and techniques with you. A good beginners’ tutorial will explain the medium, show examples, and show some basic techniques.

Another important thing to remember is that different media require different supplies. For example, oil painting requires paint, canvases, paint thinner, oil brushes, and a palette. Ensure that you have everything necessary before continuing.

Once you understand the basics, you can start experimenting. A good place for this is your sketchbook. Before you try anything too complex, play around with things like colours, textures, line width, and blending. Get a feel for the new medium and make sure you’re comfortable with a variety of different techniques.

Once you feel comfortable, you can try making a finished piece. If it’s your first time using the medium, try to use familiar subject matter. If you’ve always made portraits, make a new one using the new medium. At this stage, don’t worry about how it turns out. Focus on your technique.

Certain media can be mixed with others. For example, if you're trying oil paint, you can do a base layer in acrylic and work on top of it with oil. This will make it easier to transition into using oil paint only. Transition slowly. If you start using oil paint and discontinue with other media, you'll get discouraged if you don't see the results you intended. It's best to include oil paint among your other supplies to keep a good balance.

Using your new target medium will take some time to get used to. In the meantime, make sure not to get discouraged. Art is a process, and everyone takes a different amount of time to learn!

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this article. Remember, I release new ones every week. Before you go, don't forget to check out my shop!