So, I've been seeing a lot of this Japanese pop art stuff around, you know? Bright colors, really bold lines, kind of cartoony but super cool. I thought, hey, I could probably give that a shot. Didn't really know where to start, to be honest, but I’m always up for trying to make something.
First thing, I just kinda scrolled through tons of images online. Just to get a feel for it. Some of it’s like, super detailed, and some is more simple. I figured simple was the way to go for a first timer. I had some old acrylic paints lying around from that time I tried to paint my sneakers – that was a disaster, by the way, paint cracked everywhere and they looked terrible. But yeah, I grabbed those, a few brushes I could find, and some cheap canvas board I found at the back of the closet. Nothing fancy, because if it went badly, I didn’t want to waste good stuff.
Okay, so getting paint on canvas. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. My first attempt looked like a five-year-old’s art project after too much sugar. The colors were muddy because I didn't wait for layers to dry. I tried to do a character, sort of like those anime eyes, but it just looked… sad and lopsided. I nearly gave up then and there, almost chucked the brush across the room. Not really, but I wanted to. Reminded me of when I tried to learn guitar from those online videos a few years back; spent weeks and could barely play a single chord cleanly. Some things just look way easier than they actually are, especially when you see pros do it.
Getting a Bit More Serious (Sort Of)
After calming down and making a cup of tea, I decided to actually think about what makes this style work. It’s definitely those bold black outlines. They make everything pop. And the colors, they’re not usually blended much, more like solid blocks of super bright, almost flat color. Think like, comic book colors but cranked up to eleven.
- Bright, flat colors were a must.
- Strong, clean black lines to define everything.
- Simple shapes, sometimes a bit exaggerated, nothing too realistic.
So, I got a thicker black permanent marker, one of those art ones. That was a game changer for the outlines, much cleaner than trying with a shaky hand and a thin brush. And I started to be less scared of using really vibrant colors right next to each other. Hot pink next to electric blue? Why not! It's supposed to be eye-catching.
My next few tries were… better. Still not amazing, but I could see something happening. I focused on a really simple subject first – I think it was a cartoonish-looking cloud with a face. I sketched it out lightly in pencil, then went over it with the black marker, trying to keep the lines smooth. Then I started filling in the colors, really trying to keep them flat and even. It was still a bit messy. My hand wasn’t super steady with the marker, so some lines were wobbly. And keeping the paint within the lines? Harder than it looks, especially with cheap brushes that splay out after a few uses. I really need to get better brushes if I do this more.
Getting Closer to What I Pictured
Eventually, I managed to do one piece that I didn’t totally hate. It was a kind of abstract portrait, big expressive eyes, bright yellow hair, set against a patterned background. The lines were mostly okay, and the colors were definitely pop-art vibrant. It’s not gonna win any awards, that’s for sure. It’s still a bit rough around the edges, a bit like my cooking – enthusiastic but lacks finesse. But, you know, it was fun to just mess around with paint and not worry too much about it being perfect. That's the main thing, I guess. I just wanted to try something new, get my hands dirty, and make something colorful.
It’s not like I’m going to open a gallery or anything. It was just a way to spend an afternoon and make something that didn’t exist before. Maybe I'll try it again if I'm bored. It's better than endlessly scrolling on my phone, which is what I usually do when I have free time, especially after a long day dealing with emails and spreadsheets. This art thing was a decent distraction.
I learned a few things, mostly that patience is key, especially waiting for paint to dry before adding another color or an outline. And good tools probably help a lot, but you can make do with what you’ve got if you’re just messing around and learning. And sometimes, just making a colorful mess is therapeutic. Definitely beats staring at a screen all day, I can tell you that much.
