How can improve the quality of my paintings?

Question

This work of mine is acrylic on canvas paper, and I’m currently teaching myself to paint.
If there are any artist here what do you see that I could improve for my next painting
All critiques are welcome
I’m always striving to improve my skills

How can improve the quality of my paintings?

Answer 1

SkyCastle90

Xper 5

So I've only oil painted.

You have skill. However, you got to paint in layers. What it looks like you're doing is drawing, and then coloring in with paint, and trying hard not to mix the colors with the paint of the sky, grass, worms, etc, which leaves behind all these empty white spaces.

My only advice is you got to paint the background. Depending on what type of paint you're using and how heavy the coating is you can continue painting or wait of it to dry. For oil paint it could take hours or a full day to dry. However, since you're using acrylic paint, it should take 30 minutes more or less depending on how much you use. After that, then start with the landscape, then the birds, etc.

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1 Person

SunnyCaliGirl

1 mo
Thank you for the vary helpful pointers, I will try painting the background first and paint in layers on my next painting
SkyCastle90

1 mo
No problem.

Since you're drawing birds, here's youtuber (maybe you know of him already) who watches birds. It may make for a good bird reference.

https://youtu.be/9kQb-badp1s

Answer 2

SunnyCaliGirl

Thank you for the vary helpful pointers, I will try painting the background first and paint in layers on my next painting

Answer 3

SkyCastle90

No problem.

Since you're drawing birds, here's youtuber (maybe you know of him already) who watches birds. It may make for a good bird reference.

https://youtu.be/9kQb-badp1s

Answer 4

Ms_Facesitter | 163 opinions shared on Other topic.

Xper 7

Dare. Dare to paint new styles. New things. New animals. New objects. Things you haven't before. A different color combination or painting style. Create something new. Dare to try new things. Paint the things you see but can't touch. Example, light, the sunlight, the glow, the shadows.

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1 Person

Answer 5

genericname85 | 8.6K opinions shared on Other topic.

Master

reduce the level of "fanciness" (pencil and paper is enough) and increase the raw number of works that you finish instead. you get better simply by doing it more. so i feel like worrying about equipment like facny colors, fancy canvas materials and facy brushes and shit like that is the wrong way. just do black and white. focus on basic shapes and proportions first.

but ultimately the best tip is to just do whatever is more "fun" to you, cause that creates motivation. just increase the number of work as much as possible.

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genericname85

1 mo
just at an annekdote: i do have an artist friend that would really get pissed of of people who told him that "oh he's such a talente painter/illustrator". he would casually walk over to his bed, pull up the matress and what you'd see is, that the base of his bed basically consists of completely filled up sketch books. like completely full of his work. and that was in his late teens/early 20s. by now he has put way more work.

artistic skill has not much to do with "talent". it's all time you put in that pays out. or lack of time you didn't put in that slows your progress.

Answer 6

genericname85

just at an annekdote: i do have an artist friend that would really get pissed of of people who told him that "oh he's such a talente painter/illustrator". he would casually walk over to his bed, pull up the matress and what you'd see is, that the base of his bed basically consists of completely filled up sketch books. like completely full of his work. and that was in his late teens/early 20s. by now he has put way more work.

artistic skill has not much to do with "talent". it's all time you put in that pays out. or lack of time you didn't put in that slows your progress.

Answer 7

TadCurious | 3.1K opinions shared on Other topic.

Master

I like the picture overall because I think you did a good job with the hawk and its nestling. But something about the green is off for me. It almost looks like a background of grass on the ground but the nest is obviously up in a tree. Maybe it's supposed to be the green leaves of the tree, but some of the limbs are bare (which is a naturally occurring thing though).
But whatever the case I think you have promise as a painter.

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Answer 8

OlderAndWiser | 4.8K opinions shared on Other topic.

Influencer

When I draw, a horse and a dog look like identical twins. I have absolutely no talent for visual arts so I can't help you with this.

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Answer 9

CuriousMufuxka | 2.6K opinions shared on Other topic.

Guru

Well beyond the awesome and also I'm not a artist or painter besides home maintenance, the yellow on top and around the beak seem unnecessary. Also the chicks look incomplete, not like the queen bird standing out. The trees in the background could use definition as well.

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Answer 10

andreasderjuengere | 3.4K opinions shared on Other topic.

Master

Arts... is a way to express oneself. I would NOT recommend you to imitate the style of others.
Only: Make the worm pink (unless it's a snake?) - and all will be well :D

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Answer 11

jennifer_bloom | 5.6K opinions shared on Other topic.

Master

I guess more consistency in how you cross hatch the background and less phasing out when your trying to submerge the background

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Answer 12

exitseven | 4.8K opinions shared on Other topic.

Master

I think your colors are too drab. Browns and grays are not too interesting.

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Answer 13

Exterminatore | 817 opinions shared on Other topic.

Guru

I don't know, but I think your painting looks good.

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Answer 14

Deathraider | 3.5K opinions shared on Other topic.

Guru

It looks a little flat right now if I’m going to be honest. Try adding in a little more depth.

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Answer 15

Wise4myage | 3.4K opinions shared on Other topic.

Master

The detail needs to be finer, especially on the hatch lings.

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Answer 16

Iron_Man | 16.3K opinions shared on Other topic.

Master

By practice practicing and practicing until you’re at a real high skill level

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Answer 17

muncher717 | 133 opinions shared on Other topic.

Xper 6

that's actually pretty good. what you could do to improve is trace the image or draw the image first on the canvas with a pencil then use your paints

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muncher717

1 mo
also if you have a picture of the scene you want to paint that will help too
muncher717

1 mo
when working with acrylic paints it's important to know color combinations what blends of paints work well together to make certain shades of blue red yellow green etc and the type of brushes you use and the type of bristles on the brushes as well
muncher717

1 mo
make a general outline of the image first on the canvas with a pencil then use your paints and try to use a protractor if possible for more accurate curves and rules for more accurate lines
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muncher717

1 mo
also it'll help to work in layers as in when you paint one part of your picture wait until it fully dries then cover that portion up then start painting a different portion then cover that part up when it dries and paint more sections
muncher717

1 mo
also the thickness of your bristles and thickness of your brushes for narrower lines thinner brushes for bigger heavier lines bigger brushes. also depending on how light or dark you want the shade of the painting to be lighter strokes with the brush for lighter shades and heavier strokes with the brush for heavier shades. also work on your tones and shadows take your time to give each painting as much dept and personality and meaning and DETAIL as possible

Answer 18

muncher717

also if you have a picture of the scene you want to paint that will help too

Answer 19

muncher717

when working with acrylic paints it's important to know color combinations what blends of paints work well together to make certain shades of blue red yellow green etc and the type of brushes you use and the type of bristles on the brushes as well

Answer 20

muncher717

make a general outline of the image first on the canvas with a pencil then use your paints and try to use a protractor if possible for more accurate curves and rules for more accurate lines

Answer 21

muncher717

also it'll help to work in layers as in when you paint one part of your picture wait until it fully dries then cover that portion up then start painting a different portion then cover that part up when it dries and paint more sections

Answer 22

muncher717

also the thickness of your bristles and thickness of your brushes for narrower lines thinner brushes for bigger heavier lines bigger brushes. also depending on how light or dark you want the shade of the painting to be lighter strokes with the brush for lighter shades and heavier strokes with the brush for heavier shades. also work on your tones and shadows take your time to give each painting as much dept and personality and meaning and DETAIL as possible