How to Paint [pdf]

Since the earliest days of human society, we have been painters. Lining ancient cave walls, the oldest known paintings in the world date back over 50,000 years. Despite the fact that painting is such an integral part of human civilization, many people feel intimidated by the medium. Perhaps the intimidation stems from the knowledge that some of the greatest works took years (or even a lifetime) to complete. Or maybe it’s the more technical aspects of painting that holds would-be artists back—the dozens of brush types, the unpronounceable pigments, the unfamiliar terms like chiaroscuro and grisaille. For these reasons and numerous others, painting can feel like an inaccessible art form. And yet, many people joyfully painted as children—who doesn’t smile when remembering the tactile thrill of fingerpainting or those little watercolor palettes of primary colors in elementary school?