What is a Painter?

A painter is an artist or craftsman that creates works made using paint. Some are formally trained through art school or an apprenticeship, while others choose to train themselves. Painters, like any artists, have a chance at becoming famous or wealthy through their work, but most painters do their work out of a love and passion for it, rather than for the possibility of lucrative returns.

As far as experts can discover, painting is one of the world's oldest art forms. Examples of paintings in French cave-dwelling societies date back to around 30,000 BCE. Not much is known about these earliest painters, who used natural pigments to create murals of animals, abstract geometric figures, and human beings. Historians are not even sure what the paintings commemorate, or why they were made. The painters of Lascaux and Chauvet do serve as an ultimate reminder of the vast history and culture of painting, and may even provide inspiration for painters today.

There are many famous painters throughout history, each beloved by fans for their unique perspective, prodigious skill, or vision. There is not one quality that makes a great painter, because the styles brought to the medium are so diverse. Luckily, the ongoing human fascination with the arts has allowed many famous paintings to be preserved, studied, and used to influence new generations of painters and art lovers alike.

To become a painter, a few basic tools are required. Paint comes in several different varieties, including acrylic, oil, and watercolor versions. When just beginning, it may be important to experiment with different types of paint, brushes and canvas material to determine personal preferences. Even if a new painter has a desire to be mostly self-taught, some experts suggest taking one basic class in each major painting medium in order to better understand the qualities and use of each paint type.

A painter may like to have a completed pencil or ink sketch of the finished work before actually painting it on a surface, but others prefer to work without a plan. Basic drawing skills may be helpful in creating drafts of a painting, especially if a painter wishes to have an element of realism in the drawing. For a painter that wishes to create at least semi-realistic art, an understanding of light, color, figure drawing, and shading is important. An artist who prefers to create abstract art may choose to eschew all formal ideas of an art education so as to better express his or her personal viewpoint.

Painters can choose to sell or display their work in many different ways. Some hold shows or art exhibitions, offering their work for sale. Others reproduce their finished paintings to create other objects, such as greeting cards, stationary, mugs, or even clothing. Some painters become muralists, creating large scale paintings on walls, ceilings, or even skyscrapers. For many artists, painting is a passion and hobby rather than a salable skill; they may choose to keep paintings or give them as gifts rather than try to sell them.