# Painting Cheatsheet ## Materials - Canvas or paper - Paint brushes of various sizes - Paints (acrylic, oil, watercolor, etc.) - Palette or mixing tray - Palette knife or old credit card - Easel or flat surface - Water container (for water-based paints) - Solvent (for oil-based paints) - Paper towels or rags ## Techniques - Wet-on-wet: applying wet paint onto a wet surface - Dry brush: using a dry brush with minimal paint to create texture - Glazing: layering thin, translucent coats of paint to create depth and luminosity - Impasto: applying thick paint to create texture and dimension - Sgraffito: scratching through layers of paint to reveal underlying colors - Alla prima: completing a painting in one sitting, often with wet-on-wet techniques - Underpainting: creating a base layer of paint to establish values and color harmony - Blending: using a brush or blending tool to soften edges and create smooth transitions ## Color Theory - Primary colors: red, yellow, blue - Secondary colors: orange, green, purple (created by mixing two primary colors) - Tertiary colors: yellow-green, blue-green, blue-purple, red-purple, red-orange, yellow-orange (created by mixing a primary and a secondary color) - Warm colors: reds, oranges, yellows (associated with energy and warmth) - Cool colors: blues, greens, purples (associated with calmness and serenity) - Complementary colors: colors opposite each other on the color wheel (e.g. red and green, blue and orange, yellow and purple) - Analogous colors: colors adjacent to each other on the color wheel (e.g. red, orange, and yellow) ## Resources - [The Elements of Color by Johannes Itten](https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Color-Interactive-Study-Color/dp/0471289280) - [Color Theory for the Makeup Artist](https://www.makeupdesignory.com/online-makeup-school/mud-studio-courses/color-theory-for-the-makeup-artist/) - [The Painter's Handbook by Mark David Gottsegen](https://www.amazon.com/Painters-Handbook-Revised-Expanded/dp/0823032757)