Painting Beginning

Amanda

Buy a camera

When you want to be serious about painting and have a portfolio, you need to buy a camera. Take pictures of your paintings. Develop them or print up on a photo printer. Digital cameras require a little more know how. Regular cameras are pretty easy to use. Buy some film, send it to the developers. You can buy a disposable camera if you only want one or two copies of your paintings. It is good to have a camera and take pictures of your paintings its stages. Sometimes you painted over something you liked. You can show people pictures of it. Maybe you painted over it completely. Maybe you painted over a part of it.

You have to take good care of your camera. Don't get it wet, hot, cold, or leave the film in for a long time, or use corroded batteries. Your camera will last a lifetime. You don't have to buy a professional camera. A regular one will do just fine. The painting can look professional and the camera does not have to be.

Take pictures of yourself. Use up film and develop it if you are going to take a break. Take extra pictures of paintings, pictures of yourself (the painter), or take art pictures of nature in your backyard. Have good lighting to take pictures of your paintings. Good sunlight coming in through the windows. Turn the ceiling light on also. Buy a clamp light to shine from a cabinet top or ladder on top of the painting. Not too much light though, sometimes it floods the picture.

Cameras can be fun. Get use to your camera by taking it out and taking pictures with it first. Try photographs as an art for a little while. You can use black cloth from the fabric store to backdrop your paintings for the pictures. This makes it easier to crop the photograph.

Get your camera for a Christmas or birthday present.

Buy a camera book to help.

A photography book will also show you how to take care of a camera.