80: How to Start Acrylic Painting (Even If You’ve Never Tried It Before)
If you’ve ever wanted to start painting but felt intimidated by where to begin—this episode will give you the creative nudge you need.
In this episode of the HobbyScool Podcast, I’m chatting with Jackie Partridge, a mom, artist, art educator, and creative entrepreneur based in Ontario, Canada. Jackie is passionate about helping beginner painters feel confident with acrylics, and she shares some super accessible advice on how anyone can dive into painting, even with minimal supplies.
Jackie also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her adorable "Crowned in Fall" floral cow painting workshop she created for our Craft and Create Club. From using just three brushes to customizing your own cow with seasonal flair, Jackie walks us through the freedom and joy of making art that’s playful, personal, and pressure-free.
🎧 What You’ll Learn:
The one thing Jackie recommends all beginner painters do first
How to start painting without fancy supplies or a canvas
Jackie’s go-to brushes for 99% of her artwork
Simple ways to customize any tutorial and make it your own
Creative inspiration behind her fall-themed cow painting
Ideas for adapting seasonal artwork to fit your personal style
Where to find Jackie’s free guide for beginner painters
If you’ve been looking for a relaxing, creative outlet—or a fun way to bring some art into your daily life—Jackie’s encouragement and easy tips are exactly what you need.
Give yourself permission to play, make mistakes, and enjoy the process. Hit play on this episode and let’s get painting together!
Mentioned in this episode:
Where to find Jackie: Website, YouTube
Jackie's free gift: Free acrylic painting guide for beginners
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Creative Confidence with a Paintbrush: A Beginner’s Guide to Acrylics
If you’ve ever felt that little tug to pick up a paintbrush but stopped yourself because you didn’t know where to begin, this episode is for you. I sat down with artist and art educator Jackie Partridge, who has a beautiful way of making acrylic painting feel approachable, fun, and totally doable for beginners.
Jackie recently led a workshop in our Craft and Create Club called Crowned in Fall — a sweet floral-crowned cow painting that was equal parts playful and relaxing. Her approach is simple: start small, give yourself permission to experiment, and let the process be joyful. In this blog post, I’m sharing all of Jackie’s best tips and takeaways to help you get started with confidence.
Why Acrylic Painting is Perfect for Beginners
According to Jackie, acrylic painting is one of the most beginner-friendly creative hobbies out there. You don’t need fancy supplies or years of experience to enjoy it. In fact, Jackie encourages new artists to use what they already have at home—basic paints, a few brushes, and maybe even a sketchbook or watercolor paper instead of a canvas.
Acrylic paint dries quickly, is easy to layer, and best of all—you can paint over any mistakes. It’s forgiving, flexible, and ideal for people who want to ease into painting without pressure.
What You Really Need to Get Started
Jackie keeps her supplies minimal. Her go-to setup includes just:
Primary colors (red, yellow, blue) plus black and white
Three brushes: a small round detail brush, a medium round brush (size 6), and a flat 1-inch brush for backgrounds
Watercolor paper or a sketchbook
That’s it! With this small toolkit, you can mix a wide range of colors and explore painting without a big investment.
Make It Your Own: Customizing Tutorials
One of my favorite parts of Jackie’s approach is how she encourages personalization. In her Crowned in Fall workshop, she offered lots of ideas for changing things up: swap the type of cow, use your own color palette, or add fun fall elements like pumpkins, candles, or even spider webs to the floral crown.
It’s all about building creative confidence. Start by following a tutorial, and once you feel more comfortable, begin tweaking and adding your own flair. That’s where the magic happens.
Why Creative Hobbies Matter (Especially for Busy Moms)
Jackie gets it. As a mom of two and part-time teacher, she knows how important it is to carve out space for creativity. Painting can be therapeutic, grounding, and a way to reconnect with yourself. Especially during the colder months, having a cozy indoor project can do wonders for your mood.
Her biggest advice? Don’t wait until you feel "ready." Just begin. Paint something imperfect. Let go of the outcome. The joy is in the process.
Free Resources to Support Your Painting Journey
Jackie offers a free downloadable guide on her website that walks you through the 10 most common beginner mistakes—and how to avoid them. She also shares helpful blog posts and step-by-step painting videos on her YouTube channel. You can find her at jackiepartridgeart.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube under the same name.
Whether you're feeling creatively stuck or just curious about trying something new, this episode is your invitation to begin. Get inspired, grab some paint, and let yourself create something that brings you joy.
And if you want to paint along with Jackie’s floral cow, make sure to join us inside the Craft and Create Club!
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Transcript:
[00:00:00] Welcome to the HobbyScool Podcast. Whether you're a seasoned hobbyist or just getting started, HobbyScool is the perfect place to learn something new. My name is Dr. Destini Copp, and I'm your host of the podcast. But before we jump into our episode for today, the only thing I ask is if you enjoyed the episode, please share it with a friend and give us an honest review on your favorite podcast platform.
This helps us get the content out to more people. I also want to invite you to get on our waitlist for our next HobbyScool Online Learning Summit. These are free to attend, and you can find the link to join at hobbyscool.com, which is also in our podcast show notes. Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the episode.
[00:01:00] My special guest today is Jackie Partridge. Jackie is a mom of two boys, an artist, and an art teacher living in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada. She graduated with her Master of Fine Arts at Concordia University, where she specialized in fibers and papermaking.
Jackie, I am super excited to be chatting with you today, and I absolutely loved the workshop that you did for our Craft and Create Club. I have so many questions for you, but before we get into all of that, can you tell the audience just a little bit more about you and how you help people?
Yeah, so I did my undergrad at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, where I focused on acrylic painting and drawing. From there, I wanted to continue learning about art and explore my master's degree, which led me to learn more about papermaking and fibers. I also attended teachers college, so I work part-time as an art educator, primarily helping beginner artists—especially beginner painters.
[00:02:00] I run various art workshops on the side and support beginners through my YouTube channel, Jackie Partridge Art, and my website.
So I want to delve into this, and I know you work, like you said, with a bunch of beginner painters. What's your advice for someone who says, "You know what? I'd love to try this out, but I don't know where to begin." What would you say to them?
Yeah, I think it's really important to just start. Most beginner painters probably have some paints or brushes at home already and are just feeling a little nervous or hesitant. What I love about acrylic painting is that it's a really beginner-friendly hobby. You don't need a lot of supplies. Basic paint colors—red, yellow, blue—are your primary colors, and you can mix a variety of shades from them. Add black and white, and you're set.
[00:03:00] I typically use just three brushes for 99% of my work: a small fine-tip round detail brush, a medium-size number six round brush, and a flat one-inch brush for backgrounds and large areas.
A lot of people think you need a canvas to start, but you can absolutely begin on watercolor paper or even in a sketchbook. It's all about building confidence. There are so many tutorials online, and memberships like the Craft and Create Club make it really easy for people to participate. You can follow a tutorial, and then as your confidence grows, start adding your own elements and make each painting your own.
You did a workshop for our membership called "Crowned in Fall," where we created a floral-crowned cow acrylic painting. Can you tell us a bit about what inspired you to create that? And she was so cute—I loved her!
[00:04:00] Thank you! My family has a long farming heritage. I grew up on different farms—though not a dairy farm, ours was a beef farm. But I chose a little dairy cow for the workshop because they have that cute black-and-white contrast.
I wanted something that was cute, fall-themed, and easy for beginners, but also with enough flexibility for intermediate painters to personalize. Throughout the workshop, I encouraged participants to make their own decisions—whether that was changing the colors or adding different elements to the floral crown. It’s meant to be a fun seasonal piece—perfect for a kitchen, living room, or even as a handmade card.
In your workshop, you really emphasized personalizing the painting. What are some ways people can make the project their own?
[00:05:00] For starters, they could choose a different cow—maybe a Highland cow or a brown and white beef cow from a stock photo site. Change up the background color—blue or green instead of the one I used. They could add a field, a barn, or even different details in the floral crown.
They could go spooky and add a jack-o'-lantern, spiders, webs, or melted candles. Or change out the flowers for ones they love. In my crown, I included sunflowers, a pumpkin, hydrangeas, and wheat stems, but people can draw inspiration from their local area and season.
I love all the creative ways you’ve shared for making the painting your own. Jackie, where can people find you if they want to learn more or take one of your workshops?
[00:06:00] You can find me on Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook @JackiePartridgeArt, and my website is jackiepartridgeart.com. I share blog posts with acrylic painting tips and have a free downloadable guide on the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make—and how to avoid them. It includes a recommended video roadmap to help people level up their skills.
I'll be sure all of those links are in the show notes. Before we wrap up, any last-minute advice for someone who’s thinking about starting?
Yes—just have fun with it. Acrylic painting might seem daunting because it feels so permanent, but the great thing is you can always paint over mistakes. Give you