Painting & Creative Art

Painting Fundamentals: Acrylics and Oils from the Ground Up

Paint with Confidence — From First Stroke to Finished Canvas

12 lessons4 modules9h 19m durationbeginner level

Instructor: StretchLearn Faculty

About this course

This course teaches the real fundamentals of painting — not just what tools to buy, but how to see, mix, and apply paint with intention. You will learn through structured exercises designed to isolate and develop each skill: controlling value before adding color, building form through brushwork, and composing a painting that holds together. Both acrylic and oil paint are covered, with honest comparisons so you choose the medium that suits your practice.

Curriculum

Module 1: Materials, Setup, and First Marks3 lessons

The Essential Palette: What to Buy and What to SkipPreview40m
Acrylic vs. Oil: How Each Paint Actually Behaves🔒38m
Your First Marks: Holding a Brush and Moving Paint🔒42m

Module 2: Color Theory in Practice3 lessons

The Color Wheel in Paint, Not Theory🔒45m
Mixing Neutrals and Grays Without Black🔒48m
Color Relationships: Temperature, Saturation, and Harmony🔒50m

Module 3: Value, Form, and Composition3 lessons

Value Before Color: The Painter's Most Important Skill🔒45m
Painting Form: Spheres, Cubes, and the Logic of Light🔒52m
Composition: Thumbnails, Focal Points, and Visual Flow🔒47m

Module 4: Layering, Finishing, and the Complete Painting3 lessons

Underpainting: The Foundation Every Painting Needs🔒44m
Building Color in Layers: Transparent and Opaque🔒53m
Finishing a Painting: Glazing, Edge Work, and Knowing When to Stop🔒55m