DNA Painting is confusing to me. I want to try it, but the tutorial I've seen is kinda confusing.

Question

Some people are breaking through brick walls and I don't know the first stroke of what to paint where on the site. I really want to learn! I'm a visual learner too.

Answer 1

I wish I knew how to explain it, just how to use it. I'l try anyway.

Basically, you want to use your matches from GEDMatch first who you know for certain you are related to and on which ancestor, and shove the matches into DNAPainter by copying the table from One-to-One compare and filling out the information. Make sure you do this for your X Chromosome too, which has a separate compare tool, but it's easiest to add that information into DNAPainter at the same time as the autosomal information. Make sure you put whether the match is on your mother's (maternal) or father's (paternal) side.

You keep doing this with your matches that you know and can confirm, and you'll start to see the chromosomes get filled in. It shows you which DNA you got from which ancestor. Then you can look at people who you are not sure you are related to and add them into DNA painter as unknowns, and you'll be able to guesstimate which ancestors you might be related to them through just by looking at the DNA painting.

Comments

I think that was a great way of explaining G.! :) Although haven't done anything with the X-Chrom. Where and how do I get that part?

---

This is brilliant! Only did the top 4 so far from gedmatch and already seeing patterns. Pedigree collapse makes it hard for me to tell which side sometimes, I believe this could help greatly.

---

Thanks guys, I was worried and still am with my lack of sleep (4 hours and doing grad work, oof) that I might not have come off too clearly.

As for seeing how you match on the X Chromosome... if you know what kits you want to compare right off the bat, you'll want to use One-to-One X, which is here, highlighted in lime green:

Otherwise, do One-to-Many and click on one of the X hyperlinks to get the one-to-one X Comparison form for a particular kit.

It will give a similar table to the one for autosomal matches (the A link you might have clicked before). X inheritance is very particular, however, and the list of recent ancestors you received your X DNA from is far smaller than that for your autosomal DNA.

---

Thanks!! I think it a lot clearer now. I'm glad I asked this question. Will maybe give it a go this week!!

---

I was so excited to use this I didnt really even look at X. I actually went back and made a new one with just my 0 x-matches and can now see with a XDna match chart  where they all fall. So much to look at. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

---

I am a lot more encouraged to take the first step now!!

---

Nice job G at giving visual examples while keeping all the DNA matches' information private. Thanks! :-)

Answer 2

If you use GedMatch.

 

1) Do a One to many match

2)Click on the "A" link on any match you want to compare to bring up 1-1 match and hit submit.

3)Copy the whole box,all the lines that show.

4) Goto DNA Painter and click on "Paint a match".fill in appropriateinfo,paste and save.

Answer 3

Debbie,

Since you're a visual learner, you might want to take a look at the video by Blaine Bettinger that explains the process step-by-step in detail.  It's quite long, but probably worth it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyjcJxywTZI

When I first looked at DNA Painter, I thought it seemed hopelessly complex.  Now it seems pretty straightforward.  You need to have figured out your relationship to quite a few DNA matches first, otherwise there's not much data to enter.

You're not restricted to GEDmatch data.  DNA Painter also works great with FTDNA, 23andMe, and MyHeritage, just NOT Ancestry.com.

Also make sure that you look at How do you use DNA Painter?

Comments

Thanks, Kerry! I actually watched it all the way through last night. I may watch it one more time before I try it. I am excited now though and less intimidated...Thanks again!!