What level should I consider myself at?

Novice ?

                    Beginner ?

                                                 Intermediate ?

                                                                                    Advanced ?

Novice: You have never painted before or have only taken a few basic classes in the past and have not painted since.

Beginner: You know the basic techniques and are relatively comfortable with them. These techniques are side-loading (floating), dry-brushing, stippling and basic stroke work.

Intermediate: You must be very comfortable with the above techniques AND know the basics of working with retarder, working wet on wet and double-loading.

Advanced: All of the above, plus a basic knowledge of more advanced techniques such as dry stroking, smooshing and faux finishing. Also, the understanding of color values and color mixing is required to achieve the best results for this category.