In a broad definition, painting is the application of oils and other materials brushed onto a canvas or other surface with a paintbrush to create a visual illustration. In fact, a person can paint onto a wide variety of surfaces like canvas, paper, leather, and wood using a variety of painting materials, like oil sticks, tempera, fresco, and watercolor.

Painting can come in different forms. A painter can create an art piece in a realistic form, or another might make an abstract painting. Painting can also be accomplished by using a sponge or knife to apply to the surface. In today's digital era, graphic designers use online forms of painting that are created by software to emulate a realistic natural painting.‎

Painting is important to learn because it's a valuable creative outlet for a person. The act of painting can provide hours of pleasure in an artistic way. If you paint every day, you can improve your painting skills, much like how you might improve your musical abilities by practicing a musical instrument every day.

When you paint, you can create different types of subjects. One day, you might try a landscape painting, and on the next day, you could attempt a still-life painting, and so on. Painters can also depict a visual illustration of a certain personal scene or memory on a canvas, which can evoke feelings of nostalgia in the painter's life.‎

When you learn painting, you can work on your own to be a painter and create your own works. You could also apply your skills in painting to graphic design, illustration, set designing, and other careers in visual arts.

If you like to teach, you can also use your painting knowledge to teach painting to others. Some people do this by opening their own business and inviting groups of people in to paint specific types of art pieces.‎