BASIC PAINTING TIPS & TECHNIQUES | PAINT BY NUMBERS PBNs Q&A for “Non-Artists” & Beginners

[@angelinasoto6939]

I wished I watched this video first🤦🏻‍♀️😊 my first PBN canvas is a challenge. Thank you for the detail explanation, you’re truly a natural 🙏🏼

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

I honestly feel like I’ve had some wonderful jobs in my life, but I think I’ve finally found “my calling”! You just confirmed that I am doing what I’m supposed to do! 🥰🥰🥰

[@louradelaney8074]

Just received my first canvas from Paint Plot. I’ve been watching your videos before I start and thank goodness I have. I’m feeling so much more confident about starting now.

[@annekitching6669]

Going to start my first painting this week

[@danielk.2298]

My way to manage starting to paint, to climb the mountain, and not getting overwhelmed and losing motivation, is just "painting by hours". My motifs are often extremely detailed (Schipper). After working a few times, the image is getting structure and my motivation is growing more and more. As you read, I'm no native speaker. Greets from Frankfurt, Deutschland. :-)

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

Some paintings are so tedious, but those are the ones that look amazing when they’re complete. 😍

[@barbarawest1205]

This is just what I needed Melanie! It was especially helpful to gauge the degree of creaminess/liquidity you want in the paint, and in knowing how much paint to load onto the brush. I'm so glad I could watch this before opening my new set of brushes. Thank you!

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

Barbara West oh, that makes my day! I’m so happy this is helpful! 🥰

[@emiliodelrio3615]

You are Awesome Melanie !! Thank you for your videos

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

I am so happy to hear that! 🥰🥰🥰

[@AfhamFamily]

Thanks for sharing 👍 best Ideas 👌👍

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

Thank you so much! 🥰

[@jadenewallace2607]

Hi Melanie this video was so helpful thank u , u mentioned that u have some videos about paint brushes and which ones r best for which sections, what videos r they ? I can’t find them .

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

Hi! Here is my Paint by Number Playlist on KZbin where you can find all of my PBN videos 😊: kzbin.infoplaylists

[@Cheri94]

Thank you Melanie ❤️

[@agreennet5213]

What do you do with the grey areas of the painting that has no number?

[@apcall]

Hello Melanie.....thank you for the videos....I have learned a lot....but I have a question, I use flow aid for the acrylics but what do you Use for thinning the open oil paints?

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

We don’t use oil paints with PBN, so I don’t have any tips for those. Most Chinese PBN companies will advertise their kits as “oil”, but the paints are all acrylics...unless you are planning to replace your paints with oils?

[@curtgottler9961]

This may be a stupid question, but are the paints numbered the same from painting kit to kit or from company to company? In other words, will black always be no. 36, etc.

[@claudianajera6114]

Loved your explanations. I am about to start my first PBN. New subscriber from Mexico. Saludos!

[@emilyc6755]

Thank you so much for these videos! I just got my first painting and I'm so excited to start but I don't have flow aid so I was wondering if you could use a drop of water instead? I saw in your newbies video that you kept a little extra water on the brush when you rinsed it and then mixed that into paint in the lid of the paint pot to get a less thick consistency before you started painting an opening. Should you do that instead of adding a drop of water to the whole pot in case the paint gets too thin? If so, should you do it consistently or just in certain situations? Thank you again!

[@timothybuchanan1611]

Melanie, thank you so much for this lesson for beginning non-painters like me.

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

You’re welcome!

[@ziggy33399]

Me too.

[@brigittetabart1407]

Thank you so much Melanie for sharing your knowledge with us. It's so precious. I am French and have difficulties sometimes to understand your talk but a do my best. Do you know equivalent in French please.

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

I’m not sure how to translate to French through the subtitles feature, but I will look into that for you. I appreciate you trying to watch even through the language difficulties. 🥰

[@jendionneespression4865]

What do you call the foam organizer for your containers? Im trying to look for one 😬

[@florencemckeon4827]

Hi Melanie. How often do you need to add flow aid to the paint pot once you initially add it? In other words, if you use a color with flow aid and then dont use that color again for a few days, will the paint still have the effects of the flow aid? how long does flow aid stay in the paint once its added? thank you!

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

Hi! I usually add a drop or two more after the initial drops once the paint has set up a little. You could also drop 1-2 drops of diluted Flow-Aid the subsequent times if you really need better consistency. 😊

[@alexgrant5204]

@@MelanieBsCreativeStudio l

[@cathrenriddler45]

Watching other videos. You do use baby wipes at some points :-) do you not use them anymore? Also do you remember what painting came with those cool black trays your pots are in in this video?

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

Yes, I used to use baby wipes, but one of my group members told me about the cosmetic wipes and how amazing they are at conditioning the brush bristles. AH-MAZING! Every time I am painting, and I rinse my brush between colors, I always slide the bristles across the cosmetic wipe, and it keeps them in a perfect point. I’ve been using the same brushes for 4 months now! Unbelievable, right!? Here is a video of what I do now: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2KXXq2Zapisarc

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

I originally got the foam trays from Victoria’s Moon and then Aanabanana. I actually sell them at my online store, but they are impossible to get right now. The materials got “re-purposed” and used for something Covid-19 related, so there is a shortage of materials, and the price went up exponentially. I’ve been waiting for a shipment for months now. 😔

[@cathrenriddler45]

@@MelanieBsCreativeStudio Thanks for the great info! I think so many of the things we hobbiests use have been hard to get since Covid. Hopefully we will all get through this and life wont be as hectic. Thank you so much for all your videos!

[@Cjwingert37]

Hello in a previous post there was mention of dry mount at micheals for $10-15 they were going to charge me $35 for stretching could you explain the difference also how I get the low price at micheals thank you

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

I have two videos for you...one on dry mounting & one on stretching your own canvas. These should explain the differences better than I can type it. Plus it will be more thorough. 😊 kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmWkep5_dqijq9k kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2bdqoSmgZxgfM0

[@marydoige4444]

How much does flowaid. Cost, if you can give me a close guess, we have a hobby lobby where I I've. Thanks Mary

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

It retails for around $10.99. Use your Hobby Lobby coupon and save 40% if they have it.

[@ertfgghhhh]

Where do we get the black paint pot holder from?

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

I sell them at my online store: www.melaniegilstrap.com, but I’m sold out right now. I’m waiting on a shipment to arrive.

[@ertfgghhhh]

@@MelanieBsCreativeStudio i want some. Whats ur email address?

[@ekramabouloghd3680]

I found Liquitex medium,is it same as flow-aid

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

That is a different product, but you can also search for “Flow Medium”. It isn’t the same thing as pouring medium either. The FlowAid has a watery consistency, whereas the other mediums are more “gel” in nature.

[@ekramabouloghd3680]

@@MelanieBsCreativeStudio thanks for replying

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

@@ekramabouloghd3680 sure thing!!

[@aprilons]

I've learned so much from your videos Melanie! I've always loved PBN but the tools you recommended (gesso, flow aid, etc.) makes me enjoy doing PBN even more :D I do have a question: what do you think about the painting you are showing in the video? Are the colors transparent? I want to get it but want to hear what you think first. Thank you!

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

I swatched all of these paints (I haven’t published that video yet), and I have loved them. I thinned out the blues on the sky a little, because I am going to blend them later for a video, but the paints, in my opinion, are fantastic! Use my promo code: MELANIE if you decide to get it!

[@aprilons]

@@MelanieBsCreativeStudio Awesome, thank you so much Melanie! Will definitely use your promo code when I get it later today :)

[@jessiewyer801]

What is the tool metal tool you used to stir your paunts called please?

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

It is a metal paint stirrer...here is my link for it. I forgot to add it in the description 🤦🏻‍♀️: amzn.to/2RZhFcN

[@maddmunkee2]

I am a new subscriber and I’m also new a painting I really really like it. In fact, I just retired out of doing hair, im a color correctionest. I really like doing the Marie Antoinette portraits or the portraits of her like in a salon but I’m having a really hard time blending the face I’ve been using zigzag techniques, sometimes that works but not good enough, and it still looks like a preschooler did it one of the paintings the face color was like a light gray it was horrible. There was not any dimension. There was not anything for the facial features. it looks nothing like the picture, but I at least wanted to blend it in so it would look somewhat decent at a far away distance, but to no avail. I end up not finishing some of the pictures sometimes because I get so frustrated and I don’t want to be that way because I just love doing it and sometimes I have a little fun and I use my color instinct and mix my own colors and I have been doing that as well and that’s been turning out good but skin color tones or just blending the facial features is so difficult especially when the face is super tiny. Could you show a video on that I would really appreciate it please and thank you in advance.

[@maddmunkee2]

And also I bought detail brushes so I have all of the things to do it but I just don’t know how to do it

[@brucelevin5401]

What is Floyd? Is it paint thinner?

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

Flow-Aid is a paint flow improver. Here is a video that I did exclusively on that product, because I wanted to explain it better. This may help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGbQkoyrmb5_rZo

[@noraszabo206]

I have just started my first yesterday! And already spent 10 hours. LOL Thank you so much for the good typs! You are super nice. Do you have video about the best Paint by Numbers companies? (title)

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

Oh, you are welcome! 🥰 I should put disclaimers on my videos to let people know how addictive this hobby is! 😂 I haven’t tried that company yet, but if you do order, be sure to use PayPal or another source that can get your money back if you don’t receive the product.

[@glorianb]

Your videos are great! Thank you. What body posture do you recommend for PBN? I keep getting back strain.

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

I finally got a tiltable (not an actual word 😂) desk that I love. Before that I used a sketch board or dry mounted my canvases on foam board so that it will be lightweight, and I can hold it in my lap. I used to paint at my kitchen table, but if the position isn’t just right, it can limit my painting time. Bending over is a killer!

[@glorianb]

Thank you sooooooo much for your, as usual, quick response!

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

You are so welcome! 🥰

[@ronnyrussell7]

I’m expecting my first paintings from MasterPiece PBN and trying to discern what backing I should use for same to paint on. Michael’s charges approx. $55 to Canvas Dry Mount on Foam board and approx. $35 for Stretch Board, or should I just use a firm ??? as an alternate backer board? Which would you recommend? Thank you.

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

I thought I had responded to your comment, so I hope I’m not posting this twice. Apparently the person at the framing counter at Michael’s did NOT add the FrameExpress discount. It should only be between $10-15 to dry mount. I love having mine dry mounted, but since the pandemic, I’ve been simply attaching mine to a sketchboard like one of these: Vertical 18 x 24 HDF Clipboard: amzn.to/3eRxmM7 OR Alvin Artist Sketch/Drawing Board (23x26”): amzn.to/2RHwMrf

[@rebeccamoore4177]

Who doesn’t love tools? Or gear? Or collecting pbn canvases... 😜

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

I KNOW IT! I enjoy that as much as painting! 🤣

[@farajaraf]

No offense but I don’t recall ever thinning paint in art class. The paint is made to be used as is- pick a bit up with one side of the brush and paint with the other only allowing the amount of paint you want to adhere to the painting.

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

This is paint by number…it isn’t painted like other acrylic projects. This is for a completely different use than what you learned in class or what I learned when I got my art degrees. That’s why I started doing the videos, because I realized that what I thought I knew wasn’t the same for what I needed for this hobby.

[@victoriafaas4745]

It’s like getting a tattoo one is never enough

[@MelanieBsCreativeStudio]

I only have one tattoo, but I have about 100 PBNs. 😂

[@whatzup911]

Maybe I'm blind, but I'm not seeing a link to your Paetron here. Could you please share it and/or add it? Thanks!! =-)

[@barbarawest1205]

If you click on "Show More" and scroll down, it's under the Follow me: header right before the comments start.

[@MaryRebeccamedunic]

Photos

[@timothybuchanan1611]

Melanie, thank you so much for this lesson for beginning non-painters like me.