"Best Way to Improve Your Painting Skills (Round 1A)" Topic

The only reliable way to get to be a better painter is to practice. Most of the other ideas can help a bit but not all (copying a style is bad – develop your own, much better).

People want quick answers to any 'problem' these days but, in this case, there really aren't any.

I'd agree that setting a standard that you can live with is a better idea than looking at the 'best' and trying to emulate those. Few amateur picture painters get to equal Leonardo so why should you expect that – be realistic.

For me good brushes are essential but plenty of painters use cheap bushes and get better results than I do so obviously they help some of use but not others.

I'm with Gildas Facit in that my first instinct was to look for "Practice", then find four other things to select.

After looking at the list, several of them include practice implicitly. In order to do a few of them, you have to actually paint more stuff.

I'm assuming that practice is in part B. The biggest improvement I've seen in my painting came after I bought a large magnifier with built in daylight ring light. A good range of quality brushes also helps, but in the end the more you practice, like any skill, the better you get.

Practice, good brushes, paints, lighting, learning techniques top my list.

However, I had to assess my own time constraints and gaming goals, and accept the fact I needed to aim for 'decent table top standard'. Competition or museum quality is beyond my reach/inclination. The top five then serve that goal and I sidestepped frustration by setting realistic expectations.

I would go with practice and at first go with craft paint and inexpensive brushes. As you get better you'll able to use fine paints and brushes.

Practice, but also not on the list – watch You Tube painting tutorials. I have found that very helpful for special painting technics like weathering vehicles.

Totally agree.

The best way to improve is paint and paint and paint some more.

I agree, practice, practice and more practice.

Practice, but with a catch. You have to actually pay attention to what you're doing. Even the famous 10,000 hour rule won't get you anywhere if you don't notice and learn.

If you can , paint with several other painters once or twice a month.