Painting, Drawing

Is painting the same as drawing?

Both painting and drawing are predominantly two-dimensional forms of art. Of course, you can paint or draw onto a three-dimensional structure, but this tends to be referred to as a finishing process in sculpture when fine art is being discussed. Instead, drawing will often involve making marks onto a sheet of paper or card while painting usually means daubing paints onto other sorts of surfaces, commonly canvas. Of course, the lines are sometimes blurred between these two traditional distinctions. Artists have often used drawing and painting techniques on the same work of art to create some fine effects. The earliest forms of such art date back to prehistoric times when people decorated the inside of caves or made marks on stones.

As mentioned, the distinctions between painting and drawing are not always clear. In the main, however, painting involves the use of paint, but drawing does not. All sorts of surfaces can be used to create such art on – anything from formal stretched canvases to cardboard that has been retrieved from the bin is suitable. Graffiti art, which can be drawn or painted, means making public art on a pre-existing surface, commonly a wall. The key distinction is the material that is being used to make the marks themselves. When In drawing, you can use pencils, pens, crayons, charcoal, chalk, styluses and even software. With painting, however, paints – oils, acrylics and water-based pigments – are used. That said, many people consider the use of paints with other materials, such as sand or straw, to in no way detract from an artwork's status as a painting. Like all things in art, there is a lot of room for interpretation.

Yes, you can. Other than a career as a fine artist, many people obtain work painting and drawing in engineering, architecture and by drafting technical plans. Illustration and graphic design are two other career paths that involve the same sort of skills. In addition, some people make a lifelong career writing graphic novels or working in two-dimensional animation studios.

As a creative release, painting or drawing for a pastime can have a huge mental health benefit. By immersing yourself in something creative where nothing is wrong, it can be extremely liberating. Simply by concentrating on creating art, so a sense of flow can be achieved, something that is known to help relax the mind and steer us away from conditions like anxiety. Also, of course, there is a sense of achievement when the work has been completed.

The first thing to do is to use whatever you can to create art. You don't need expensive oils and canvases. A pencil and a scrap of paper will do to begin. Start with bold marks and be prepared to abandon your work and start again if you feel that is the right thing to do. Don't expect a masterpiece the first time. Work at a pace that suits you until you have found your style.