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Do you consider yourself a fairly solid beginner painter? Did you originally get into it as a hobby and a way to relax, and now you’re finding you’re ready for a new challenge? The great thing about painting is that there are no rules, the only limit is your creativity. Taking your paintings from beginner to advanced level may be simpler than you thought, so why not give it a try? Here are some fabulous tips you can get started with, giving you the push you need to elevate your paintings.

#1. It’s Time to Upgrade Your Tools and Supplies

It’s really hard to elevate your paintings if you don’t upgrade your tools and supplies. Better quality tools mean your paintings will look sharper and it will allow you to branch out and use different techniques. Even if you just upgrade a few items at a time, you’ll see the results instantly.

#2. Paint in Layers and Mix Mediums for Elevated Results

Using acrylic paint is a very beginner-friendly option. They tend to be simple to use and because you have such a wide array of colours to choose from, you can ensure the results are perfect.Acrylic paint also dries incredibly fast, which makes it the perfect choice for layering. You will be adding texture, dimension, and interest.

But don’t just stick to acrylics; try working with mixed media. When using a water-soluble medium such as gouache or watercolour, acrylic should be used on top. Meanwhile, acrylic paintcanbe used as a base layer when you want to work over it with chalk, pastels, or paint markers. Mixing the mediums allows you to be more expressive, and therefore elevate your results.

#3. Add Dimension to Watercolour Paintings

If you enjoy the softness that watercolour offers but are finding your work is looking a bit flat, adding dimension can be the solution. Look at options like shimmering watercolour paints that add colour shifts and interest. They can transform what would be a rather standard painting into something that is eye-catching and unlike anything else. Metallic watercolours have a way of picking up the light that is just so beautiful and sophisticated.

#4. Give Abstract Painting a Try

Do you tend to paint specific subjects? Maybe you’re into painting landscapes, animals, people, and so forth. If so, a great idea is to give abstract painting a try. Abstract painting is all about uniqueness and not focusing on perfection. While that may sound easy, many artists find it harder to try abstract artwork. It can be difficult to tell yourself it’s perfect the way it is, and that there is beauty in imperfection.

Beginners may want to try layering their abstract ideas. You can use a variety of techniques such as collaging, stamping and mark-making giving the piece depth. The goal is to let your mind be free and erase any “rules” you think exist.

Wow Yourself with the Results

Not only will you be able to elevate your paintings with these tips, but you’ll also wow yourself with what you’re capable of producing.

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Photographer Niore Iqalukjuak says even though he often gets demands to show his work in exhibits or shows, he never considers it when he’s out creating. 

“Photography started off as a hobby so I don’t think about, like, ‘This will go into a museum’ or ‘This will go into an English newspaper” or somewhere else out in the world,” Iqalukjuak told Eye on the Arctic in a phone interview.

“I just do it for my own enjoyment and to relax.”

Most recently, Iqalukjuak’s images are being shown along with the work of four other Inuit photographers in the Iñuit Qiñiġaaŋi: Contemporary Inuit Photography exhibition at the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum in Maine.

Bringing the work of northern photographers to the forefront

Fellow Canadian Jennie Williams, from Happy Valley-Goose Bay in Labrador, is also featured, as well as Greenlander Minik Bidstrip, and Alaskans Jenny Irene Miller and Brian Adams.

Adams also co-curated the show with curatorial staff from the Arctic Museum.

In a statement on their website, the museum said the goal of the show was to feature northerners’ representation of their lands and environment.

“For too long, visual storytelling about the North has been dominated by photographers from the South,” the statement said. 

“This exhibit is part of an effort to reverse that longstanding imbalance and to bring the work of northern photographers to the forefront.”

Landscapes and wildlife

Iqalukjuak’s images in the show feature the Arctic vistas and animals he’s known for.

“I find taking pictures of people hard so most of what I do is wildlife, landscape or night photography,” he said.

Iqalukjuak, who was born in Clyde River, Nunavut and now lives in the community of Arctic Bay, says he doesn’t plan his images, but that they come out of a process where’s he’s simply capturing what’s happening organically around him.

“If a polar bear was coming into the community, I used to run and go take pictures of it,” he said. “But, after a while I told myself ‘People are all taking pictures of the same thing.’ So I prefer to take pictures of the polar bears in their own natural environment where they’re relaxing. It’s easier to take their pictures that way. 

“I’ve seen polar bears hunting, standing by the seal breathing holes, and taken pictures of them. It seemed like just a few minutes, but it turned out I took pictures for three hours.”

Iqalukjuak said he realized his images were able to convey narrative uniquely when he was once invited on a cruise ship to talk about his work alongside National Geographic photographers.

He says he hopes viewers at the Maine exhibition will have the same experience viewing the images.

 “The [National Geographic] photographers presented their photos and I did mine but it was a bit different,” Iqalukjuak said.

“It’s because I know about my land, and the wildlife and how they act. So when I’m showing my pictures, I’m telling a story at the same time.  I think that makes it more interesting for the people that are viewing the pictures.”

The Iñuit Qiñiġaaŋi: Contemporary Inuit Photography exhibition runs until May 26, 2024.

Comments, tips or story ideas? Contact Eilís at eilis.quinn(at)cbc.ca 

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Canada: Director hopes film on Hebron relocation can both educate and spark healing, Eye on the Arctic

Norway: Certification marks help both Sami artisans and consumers, says council, Eye on the Arctic

Russia: German project to house everything published in Siberian and Arctic languages to seek new funding, Eye on the Arctic

Sweden: 2022 Gollegiella Nordic Sami language prize awarded in Stockholm, Eye on the ArcticCan

United States: How Inuit culture helped unlock power of classical score for Inupiaq violinist, Eye on the Arctic