Art 101: Origins of Painting

Art 101: Origins of Painting

We are always talking about why people should paint and the benefits of painting for everyone, but do you know the origins of painting? Read on to know more about the origins of one of our favorite pastimes. 


We specialize in paint-by-number kits and we love to let everyone know why they should try them out and their benefits when they’re going through stress. However, before we get into why painting is good for you, we want to go over the origins of painting

A lot of historians would tell you that art started as soon as the age of cavemen, as evidenced by their paintings on the wall. However, when did painting originally start? History may not have been your favorite subject, but some people like it because they think that knowing more about how things began would make them understand and learn the skill faster.

Painting like all skills takes time to learn and understand, which is why having some information on how the techniques were formed may help you learn more about them, and help you pick up on the skill. 

Some people may not have too much interest in painting, but if you want to get into painting but don’t want to learn more about its origin, you can just invest in a paint-by-numbers kit to start your journey.

Let us know what you think of these paint-by-number kits and their original stories.

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Why Do We Suggest Painting?


Before we get into the origins of painting, let’s talk about why we suggest painting for everyone. We have more in-depth lists of why painting is beneficial but here’s why we highly recommend painting for everyone to try: 

  1. The materials are easy to acquire:  Unlike clay sculpture or pottery, painting materials are relatively easier to find in stores near you. Aside from that, we also have the convenience of online stores making it easier for you to get paint delivered to your home.

  2. You can learn how to paint on your own: Another reason we recommend painting is that it’s relatively easy to learn how to paint on your own. All you need to do is to have an idea of shapes and the colors you want to use to fill them in. You can access color theory lessons online.

  3. It’s a calming activity: A lot of hobbies online are relatively relaxing, but we think that painting is an activity that is very good at letting you relax and calm yourself from your current stress. 

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Origins of Painting


Now that we’ve discussed some reasons why we think you should paint, let’s get into the origins of painting. The first people to paint are the cavemen, with the first paintings being the images on the wall that they produced with charcoal. 

It is said that the first paintings are located in the caves of Nerja, south of Andalusia. While archeologists initially thought that the oldest art was first produced in the Aurignician period. However, these paintings are said to be 32,000 years old. 

The first painting was said to be the Rock Painting, it featured three colors and various shapes that made it seem more complex than what they expected. 

It’s said that the Rock painting could be used as a form of protection to scare away predators or fellow men that could cause problems or try to take their caves. This painting also proved that the early men were thinkers and capable of greater thinking. With that, we see that the early man has passed creativity. 

Key Takeaways

Art has a very profound influence in our lives, which is why staying connected to it and creating things is a great way to honor the people that came before us. Painting has developed and stood its ground in remaining relevant, which is why knowing the origins of painting will help you understand more about the activity. 

We hope that with paint-by-number kits, we can continue to honor the artists that came before us. Let us know if you like these paintings and if you want to get into these kits to try out as a hobby or a project.

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