Beginner Artist Mistakes to Avoid

When you start painting, you will probably make the beginner artist mistakes for sure. And these mistakes are quite common. But the good thing is this is also a part of the art learning process. We all learn from our mistakes.

Art will improve with each mistake we do. It’s important to learn from it. Here you will read about some common beginner artist mistakes and how to avoid them.

Mistakes are ok, and like our beloved artist, Bob Ross, said, “We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.”

Mistake #1

Use more variety in your paintings. Research and use more techniques in your artworks. The person who is observing a painting is attracted by variety or shapes, colors, and techniques. Learn to implement a lot of shapes and colors.

Mistake #2

Your painting is too technical and less creative. When you focus too much on the techniques and how to do, you lose focus on what you are doing. And what I mean by this, is that you should not strive to copy your subject too much. If you copy and create a very realistic painting, your artwork will look like a photo and a painting. When you combine the subject and your creativity, you begin to create art. This is one of the major beginner artist mistakes, so it’s important. Take a look at the painting of Monet or Van Gogh. If they painted the landscapes as they saw it, those incredible artworks would have never existed.

It’s nothing wrong with finding inspiration in other people’s artworks, but you need to differentiate at some point. You need to draw a line between their influence and your creativity. The artwork is a wonder as long as it’s unique and intriguing. At some point, you will need to forget about theories and focus on feeling the art. You need to find a balance between inspiration, techniques, and creativity.

Mistake #3

You are not observing the subject enough. Take your time and observe human anatomy if you paint portraits. On the other hand, go in nature and paint, if your domain is landscape. In order to implement a subject in your art, you need to observe it. This is one of the important beginner artist mistakes because it helps you improve.

Mistake #4

Are you art materials good enough? I can relate to this mistake so much! I used to believe I am terrible at painting in watercolor. Until I bought some high-quality paper and paint. That’s when I realized I was making a big mistake. It’s ok to use cheap materials in the beginning. But as time goes by, you need to upgrade and use better brushes, paper, canvas, and colors. You will see a big difference in the paint stroke, color pigment, and fluidity, but also color fusion and brightness.

Mistake #5

You don’t load the brush with enough color. This mistake will lead to frustration and more work and movement for you. You might be careful not to waste paint, but when you use a small blob of paint you only scribble the canvas. Plus, the resulted artwork will not give that picturesque and volume effect.

Mistake #6

You think too much when you paint. I used to do this so much. This is one of the very popular beginner artist mistakes. The beginner hesitates to begin an artwork. Doesn’t know when to finish. They’re constantly doubting their artwork and feel like they should add or correct something. This is a very frustrating state of mind. Art should be relaxing and pleasant. It’s important to spot these moments and relax.

Mistake #7

You don’t take proper care of your materials. If you finish painting, you should clean your brushes and the paint splatters from your art desk or studio. But keep in mind that your brushes should at all time, be very clean. I had to throw away some brushes in the past. I used to leave the palette dirty and the brushes in water. Never do this. Also, if you have brushes with dry paint. Soak them in warm water and soap. Rinse them and the dry paint will dissolve.

Mistake #8

Take the time to plan your artwork. Most of the time, the idea in our head doesn’t look like the final painting. This is happening mostly because we don’t plan the artwork. This implies creating sketches, researching color palettes and test various color until we have the desired colors. Creating an artwork takes time and should not be rushed.

I hope this article will be useful for beginner artists. You should never let yourself down when you do a mistake. All these beginner artist mistakes are common and are an important step in becoming great artists. The most important part is that you should enjoy the process of creating and painting. Enjoy painting!

Thank you!