A Person Drawing A Picture

Drawing vs Painting

Drawing and Painting are two types of fine arts with many differences between them. Drawing is the basis of painting, and the converse is not true. You should be a good at drawing if you want to excel as a painter. This is the main difference between the two. This article attempts to emphasize the differences between drawing and painting while elaborating on each word.

What is Drawing?

It is important to know that drawing is characterized by lines and shades. Drawing is of different types such as line drawing, shade drawing and object drawing. A person who draws is called an artist. Drawing needs no turpentine oil, unlike painting. Pencil, crayons, and charcoal can be used in the art of drawing. You need not use a palette while drawing an object or a human figure.

Drawing needs no time to dry. Pencil drawings can be rubbed and redone quite easily because graphite can be easily erased. You need not use brushes in the case of drawing. As a matter of fact, scale and other measuring equipment are used in the case of drawing.

Difference Between Drawing and Painting

What is Painting?

Painting is characterized by colors and designs. Painting is of different types such as painting on canvas, oil painting on canvas, watercolor painting, acrylic painting and the like. You make use of turpentine oil in the case of painting. You need to have a palette while painting on canvas using oil colors. Oil colors, acrylic and types of pigments are used in the art of painting.

Painting needs sufficient time to dry. Oil painting and acrylic cannot be very easily erased or altered. You need to have different kinds of brushes with different bristles in the case of painting.

A person who paints is called either an artist or a painter. It is also interesting to note that there is a market value for both drawing and painting works. Works of painting have a greater market value than the works of pencil and charcoal drawing. This is one of the reasons why painting is considered a very expensive hobby. The painting equipment is expensive to buy when compared to drawing equipment. It is interesting to note that any art exhibition would hold both the types of artworks, namely drawings and paintings. This explains that there is a clear difference between drawing and painting. Now let us summarize the difference as follows.

Drawing vs Painting

What is the Difference Between Drawing and Painting?

Definitions of Drawing and Painting:

Drawing: Drawing refers to producing a picture by making lines on paper.

Painting: Painting refers to applying a liquid to a surface with a brush.

Characteristics of Drawing and Painting:

Nature:

Drawing: Drawing is characterized by lines and shades.

Painting: Painting is characterized by colors and designs.

Types:

Drawing: Drawing is of different types such as line drawing, shade drawing and object drawing.

Painting: Painting is of different types such as painting on canvas, oil painting on canvas, watercolor painting, acrylic painting, etc.

Use of turpentine oil:

Drawing: Drawing needs no turpentine oil.

Painting: You make use of turpentine oil in the case of painting.

Usage of a palette:

Drawing: You need not use a palette while drawing an object or a human figure.

Painting: You need to have a palette while painting on canvas using oil colors.

Use of equipment:

Drawing: We can use crayons, pencils and charcoal for drawing.

Painting: Oil colors, acrylic and types of pigments are used in the art of painting.

Alteration:

Drawing: Pencil drawings can be rubbed and redone quite easily because graphite can be easily erased.

Painting: Oil painting and acrylic cannot be very easily erased or altered.

Individual:

Drawing: A person who draws is called an artist.

Painting: A person who paints is called either an artist or a painter.

Image Courtesy:

1. Drawing of a rabbit By Matt Sissel (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

2. Birds Painting By Jean-Jacques Bachelier [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons