Learning an old(ish) skill

I'm FINALLY living my dream of painting again, except this time I am tackling oil paints. This isn't something I have done since high school and I am pretty much making it up as I go along. I decided to swap to oils because if I ever wanted to paint in colour with acrylics I was finding by the time I had mixed the paint got a stroke on it would then be dry( I maaay be exaggerating a little there) but I tend to paint with a very dry brush which didn't help. I was at a point where I felt like acrylics just weren't for me but at the same time I found the idea of oils very overwhelming and I was struggling to find the space and also the creative drive to paint for years.  Oils definitely AREN'T as scary as I thought, they have all these liquids and extras you can use but I actually prefer them without for now. It is hard reteaching myself because I haven't actually painted for years and I haven't used oils since I was like 17 but I am slowly learning the way I used to paint and adapting it to oils. I really love the challenge and seeing the picture come together.  I thought I would start by painting Ella Eyre which.. maybe wasn't a smart move to start with considering I am awful at hair but I got there and I'm happy with it -ombre and curly hair was definitely a challenge! I've found I've got a whole new drive for painting, the new space I'm in is really helping me and I feel so creative. There is a lot for me to work on with both painting and relearning to sketch and draw and develop a style I hope people will see and recognise as mine. I get so frustrated with it sometimes when it doesn't come out like I feel it should it look; so I need to learn to work past that and admit that sometimes some things are going to look absolutely awful while I am still learning. I've ordered a couple of books of oil painting paper so I'm going to keep picking out pictures and people that inspire me and hopefully test my painting skills so I can become better and then at the same time start developing idea's for collections which I can start next year and hopefully get into a gallery. It'll be a bit of a challenge with working full time but I am hoping to get out 30-50 portraits by the end of the year! I'll keep you updated on how it goes! I will be selling these on etsy and I am thinking about taking commisions as well!  Have you tried something new lately? Laura x Keep up to date with my latest posts by following me! :)
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