Starting Out

This is my second  level 1 course with the OCA. I have recently completed Drawing 1 and I am currently enrolled to work towards a BA Degree in fine art (painting). 

It is a very long time since I last painted on a regular basis - back in the 1980s when I was studying for my A-Levels is the last time I was regularly engaged in this activity and even then I mainly used gouache rather than oils or acrylics. Consequently I have a great deal to learn.

I have read through the introductory notes about paints, solvents, oils, grounds and palettes. I have followed the advice and armed myself with the basic equipment and range of paints suggested. I'm approaching this with some trepidation and am especially daunted by a quick flick through one of the suggested course books "The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques' by Ralph Meyer (5th Edition revised ad expanded by Steven Sheehan) 1991 Faber and Faber. It's a weighty and technical tome full of pigment spectral curves and the like.There is a lot more to painting than meets the eye. I am tempted to run for the hills and ask for a refund on the course.

There's nothing else to do - reading the book will put me off - far better at this stage I think just to take a deep breath and plunge on in. What could possibly go wrong?!?