As artists, we always seek to try something new not just for fun and experience, but also for the improvement of our skills. If you’re looking for inspiration that can light up your artistic mind, then you’ve come to the right place because we got a list of painting styles for you!
Deciding to paint is the start of a creative pursuit. Trying the basic painting styles such as abstract painting, impressionism and Pop Art is a great start but usually, some aspiring artists stick themselves to only one or a few of those art styles. But, why stick to one particular art style when you can expand your creativity further? Stepping out of your creative comfort zone is like trying a new medium and a surface to paint on: it brings you to a new place that you might fall in love with. Hence, this is why you should consider trying new things in art, especially when you’re about to start a new project.
There’s nothing wrong with sticking to one art style, it could be your trademark and you could be known for it. However, being out of your comfort zone leads to new experiences, new knowledge and it could also help you find another trademark art style.
Remarkable Painting Styles that You Should Try:
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Contemporary Art: Paintings that literally don’t require you to use a paintbrush.
Painting is not just about the use of conventional materials like canvas and paintbrush; it’s also about breaking the boundaries. Here are some of the painting techniques that don’t require a paintbrush or a master skill in painting:
Paint Pouring— this painting style has been all over the internet recently. It may sound hard because you need a certain kind of consistency for the pigments to flow and perfectly cover the canvas, but actually it’s quite easy thanks to Acrylic Pouring Medium paint sets. These acrylic sets have everything you need to start your paint pouring journey: a pouring medium to thin out your pigment, as well as different colors of acrylic paints.
Scraping— this interesting painting technique allows you to have different textures in your canvas by scraping parts of your painting using a palette knife, a ruler or credit card (any object with a flat surface can be an alternative), or even a squeegee.
Dripping— this is arguably the most iconic painting style that doesn’t require a paintbrush. Thanks to American artist Jackson Pollock, this style has been around since the 1940s but the trend never died down. All you need are pigments, a surface to work on, and a few kitchen tools that can help you splatter and drip (but you can also use your bare hands!)
- Psychedelic Art:
You might have seen a couple of old rock n roll posters somewhere, especially on the internet. Well, those concert posters are inspired by this painting style. It’s intricate, colorful and pleasing to the eyes. With this painting style, you have to be playful with pigments by using different colors. This style is not only great for canvas, but even on paper using a different medium.
- Optical Art:
If you are up for something unique and challenging, then you should consider doing an optical art illusion for your next art project. This art style usually requires only two colors: black and white. It’s up to you if you want to “hide” a character or object in the painting, but make sure that the art creates an illusion to the viewer’s eyes.
- Surrealism:
This painting style is literally out of the ordinary. It’s dream-like and it has no influence from the mundane world. All of the elements of this art style are a juxtaposition of all things normal and logical.
- Ebru Painting:
Also known as paper marbling, ebru painting is a unique art technique which originated from Turkey. The results are somehow similar from Paint Pouring, however, the method is very different. Instead of directly pouring the medium into the canvas, the dye is put above a water surface and then carefully transferred to paper or a fabric canvas by submerging it to the water.
There are plenty of paper marbling kits that you can purchase online under $50! The results are amazing and the best thing is that no artworks come out exactly the same.
Transform Your Walls Into an Art Exhibit
Expanding your artistic horizons is one of the keys to impress your guests once they see your walls full of different artworks and different genres of art. Don’t just stick to one style, explore from here and there, and try to seek inspirations outside your comfort zone.