Principles of painting

[Empuska]

Sorry about this odd rambling before, but I think it's best for all of us to know, what I'm after.

I have been studing comics about two years and since we studied mainly black and white comics, our studies were emphasised on line art. I'm not saying, that I'm skilled or mastered anywhere specific, all I say, I'm most familiar with drawing and different methods of using inks.
But that's just it. I have this massive black hole, what comes to painting (not to mention the color theories). I have been painting with watercolors and used ink washes, but since they feel quite medium from oils and acrylics.
I have been trying to study painting by doing daily speed paints (from 15 minutes to 3 hours) but I'm not getting anywhere (mainly because most of them are imaginary pictures). I have done one potrait from reference picture, and it turned quite well, so I don't think I'm a hopeless case. :B
So, I thought to ask a bit help to make some clear goals to study painting from you, since here is so many good painters.

Few questions popped on my mind:
1) Traditional or digital...or both?
What are the advantages to learn traditional painting methods?
Don't get me wrong, I like to use traditional mediums as much as possible. I' just curious that this digital era, does traditional painting provide something, what digital can't?
(Except the dashing good look of the real painting compared to a print. :B)

2) Useful things to study
Which is the efficient way to learn painting? Or to be more correct, WHAT to paint? I know that mindlessly painting things what comes to my mind hadn't lead anywhere, and making bust potraits after bust potrait is quite dull. So to learn to make structures and simplefying things for paintings, what kind of pictures or physical places are good to start?

3) The differences between drawing and painting principles
Is there differences between those two? I understand how much people emphasis on the perfect co-operation of hand and eye, what comes to drawing, but is there anything else, what should be considered when painting?

Sorry, if this seemed a bit "OMG! I'm insicure about my skills", because I really do have a nice black hole in my brains, when it comes to painting. I really would like to learn painting, or at least to understand the painting process a bit better. :B

[Dave_]

1) Traditonal gives you more direct feeling like drawing but it does have some downsides:
Takes longer (not neccereraly bad)
Gotta wait while it dries
More expensive in the long run
chance of running out of paint and being forced to stop
no quick fixes
no levels
no earaser

2) Study EVERYTHING, paint drawings, cubes, women, boobs, penises, pcs, ipods, tvs, buildings etc etc etc.

3) I think Drawing focusses more on the line, and with painting you focus more on patches of paint.

But then again, i'm still a complete newb with drawing and painting.

[Psypomp]

Personally, digital art is a little fleeting-- traditional has been around much longer. The basics of "painting" in digital also, of course, have roots in traditional art. That said, there are probably many threads dedicated to the subject, so I won't talk too much about it. They both have their advantages, as you probably know.
As for getting the hang of painting traditionally, definitely try some still lifes. Use different subjects with different values, textures, etc (reflective surfaces, liquids, fur). Still life is great for getting familiar with paint, especially if you can't get your hands on a human subject (or don't want to).

[rpace]

1) If you're uncomfortable and at the start of the learning process, I'd recommend traditional materials. Not having the ctrl+Z option means you'll have to think more as you work and get used to making actual decisions as you improve.

2) Start small; small paintings of fruit, eggs or found objects can already be challenging and can greatly help you develop a greater understanding of colour. Paintings of busts, portraits and landscapes are significantly more difficult and should be worked toward as a goal. Read Hawthorne On Painting and take a look at Aristides's Classical Painting Atelier. Richard Shmid's Alla Prima is also very highly recommended.

3) You need to draw well to paint well.

~R

[Flake]

What are the advantages to learn traditional painting methods?

Harder to undo, happy accidents, original work to sell, still works during powercuts, smells nice.


Or to be more correct, WHAT to paint?
Whatever you want. Keep the scale smallish though if you're going traditional. Which subjects are you most drawn to? Go with that. It might be that you'll get most benefit from still lives but if you hate doing them you won't continue with it.
Try and paint something that you'd want to hang on your own wall.

3) The differences between drawing and painting principles
Is there differences between those two? I understand how much people emphasis on the perfect co-operation of hand and eye, what comes to drawing, but is there anything else, what should be considered when painting?

Harry Speed has a hefty book for you to read.
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14264

[Dizon]

When it comes to drawing, I actually prefer traditional because you have more control with your lines and you feel a connection between you, the pencil, and the paper. There's a lot of contact involved. It can be a bit awkward at first when you start using a tablet and drawing on a computer.

[Noah Bradley]

Harry Speed has a hefty book for you to read.
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14264

And he's got a nice book on painting. (http://www.amazon.com/Painting-Techniques-Materials-Harold-Speed/dp/0486255069/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222093544&sr=8-1)

1) Both. Give 'em both a try, see what feels "right." Always be expanding mediums that you can use--no sense in getting stagnant.

2) Everything. Still lifes are great for starting out; fruit in particular. It's, frankly, not terribly hard to draw an apple, so your efforts are more focused on the unique complications with painting.

3) Depends on how you draw. Painting is all about mass. Drawing can be more about line, but at the same time you can do a great mass drawing. It depends.

Good luck! I'm learning right now, as well. :)