Getting Started with Acrylic Painting

For months I wanted to paint something with acrylics but felt too amateur to even start. This was a silly obstacle to place in front of myself. The ONLY way to get started with doing an acrylic painting is to just start.
Here's what I did:

I grabbed a spare canvas from my son's room. He wasn't going to be using it as he moved away temporarily.

I grabbed his paints too. And his brushes. I'm sure he won't mind.

I sat down one night, feeling in a certain down mood, and just started putting paint on the canvas. I was sure what I was going to paint, which is what prevented me from getting started in the first place. I just started. I felt my way through it.

After a couple of hours, I had created something I'm quite proud of from a beginner's view point. The important thing is that I got started. I got the feel of what it's like to create with acrylic paints. They dry very quickly and the colors can be mixed easily.

Just do it. The feeling I got from accomplishing something I've been wanting to do for so long was very satisfying. My mood was elevated. When you're done, do another one. There's nothing like it.

Truth is, you won't know if what you create will be any good. That isn't the point of painting.
Starting to paint, for me, meant suspending all judgment about whether the piece would turn out any good or not, and getting into the process of painting. I focused on the way the paint-filled brush glided over the canvas; the way the different colors looked beside each other; how relaxed I actually felt painting.

When the little kindergartners are in school, does their teacher only let certain students paint? Hopefully not. They are learners and need to be given the chance to try different things. You're the same. Just try it. Do it for yourself. Create.