Ever wondered what it would be like if you made your own painting? You might have a talent that may otherwise be left undiscovered if you don't at least try. You just never know what artfulness you will unleash if you don't get started on your own ideas about painting.

A great technique to try out is painting with oil. It is actually quite simple and all you really need is a great idea, paint materials, and a whole lot of time to try out your hand with different techniques that you can learn from the greats. So where do you start? Here are a few steps.

• Find a place – The first thing you want to do is find a place that is aired really well. Find a place where you can open a door or crack a window from time to time. Great ventilation is the key to making your masterpiece. If you choose to paint outside, that is a whole different story. You may have to contend with strong winds and dirt or insects getting stuck to your paint.

• Set your easel – When you buy an easel, make sure it's one that you can adjust from time to time to suit your level. Before you start any painting, make sure that you have the easel set at a level that you are comfortable with. It should be easily reached without you straining.

Remember that you will either be standing or sitting for a long time as you paint so make sure you are at least at arm's length from your canvas. It's more advisable to stand as it will be easier for you to work and you also won't cut off any circulation of blood in your body.

• Secure your canvas – There are many chances that your canvas will fall. You might mistakenly knock it over or a sudden breeze can send it flying to the floor, therefore ruining everything. What you want to do is tape your canvas down to the easel. So get some tape and secure the edges of the canvas as much as you can.

• Cover your area – Chances are that you are going to have one of the messiest experiences you have ever had if it's your first time to paint. In fact, it gets worse than that especially when you are inspired to splatter even more and more paint on the canvas. So to keep things clean and tidy, cover up the immediate area of your work area.

You can place the easel on top of large cloth so that any paint that drips will be caught immediately. If you have any furniture around that you don't want to mess up, make sure that you cover those items as well.

• Set up your paints and brushes – Now that you are almost ready, the last thing to do is to set up all your paints and brushes. Set a jar up to hold all your brushes or you can separate the thin brushes from the thick ones. Your paints should also be in a place that won't be difficult to reach or knock over. Prepare some water for the brushes that you use so that these won't harden once you put them down.