*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :) Would you like to start giving your art the time it deserves, but find it difficult with everything you have going on? Are you frustrated because your day-to-day responsibilities don't allow the time for activities that bring you joy and fulfillment? Follow your passion, be prepared to work hard and sacrifice, and, above all, don't let anyone limit your dreams.
-Donovan Bailey
In today's post, I'll be sharing eight useful tips that will help you make time for your art, even while having a crazy, busy schedule. These are things I set in place myself that allowed me to advance my art skills while working overtime at my last full-time position. By putting these tips to use and staying consistent, you'll be able to make steady progress towards your artistic goals, too. For me, becoming a full-time artist and making a living from my art/art skills didn't even register as an option until I was around thirty years old and having had worked high-stress full-time jobs for over ten years. It was only after I had spent all that time building up personal and professional skills (as well as having saved up enough money) that I finally allowed myself to consider creative entrepreneurship. For the longest time, I let my fears and limiting beliefs stop me from diving head-first into those activities that made me happier than anything I'd ever experienced. Not to mention, those jobs left me tired and completely drained of creativity. The last thing I wanted to do in my free time was focus, yet again, on another task. However, as time went by, it dawned on me that life is too short not to prioritize my dreams and take action now. I had already wasted too much time! It was then that I began absorbing all I could from other artists that were making a living from their art and doing those things I wanted to be doing. I decided to make my artistic growth a priority, no matter how tired I was from adulting and doing those things I had to keep doing in order to pay the bills and put food on the table. In time, people started showing their interest and wanted to buy my work, which led to a huge increase in confidence. This helped me move on to larger, more complex projects which led to even more opportunities. It was after this that I finally planned out how I would be leaving all those years of working at "normal" jobs. It was extremely scary, as full-time work was all I knew. But something inside me told me it was now or never, so I decided to go for it full-steam. This is what I've been doing for the last year and, even though I've been working non-stop day-in-and-day-out, it's the happiest I've ever been! I talk more in depth about how I prepared to leave my last full-time job in my blog post/YouTube video titled How I Left My Job and Became an Artistpreneur. I'm very, very thankful for the job opportunities that I have had in the past, as they allowed me to grow personally and professionally in so many ways. Honestly, if it wasn't for those jobs and the experience they provided, I don't think I'd have the skills and confidence to be doing what I'm doing today.
If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*
8 Tips to Progress Artistically Even While Being Incredibly Busy
1. Acknowledge (and embrace) that you're an artist/creative at heartGetting to know yourself and learning to love who you are is absolutely essential for anyone to be happy. If your creative spirit and art-making is what distinguishes you from others, embrace it. What's more, actually believe that you have it in you to become an artist if that's what you want and decide to give your true passions the importance they deserve. My greatest fear in life is reaching old age and regretting not having pursued my dreams as best I could. I may be idealistic, but I believe every single one of us was born for a reason, and it's through growing in that area that we're then able to inspire those around us and make an impact in the world. You may be in the same situation I was in, working full-time jobs that don't fulfill you or that have nothing to do with art, but think of these jobs as stepping stones that are allowing you to grow in different ways and are giving you the resources to live and develop yourself artistically while not having to worry that you won't be able to pay the bills. Be thankful for these opportunities but always keep your end-goal in mind, no matter what. 2. Prioritize your artistic growth and rearrange your current routinesTo make significant improvements in any area of our lives, it's essential to prioritize our goals, create plans and stick with them. Accept the fact that this will involve having to make certain sacrifices, but always remember that a year from now you'll be incredibly happy that you started today. As busy people with "regular" jobs, families to take care of, and all the responsibilities that come with being adults, we have to accept the fact that things are going to pop up that we have to take care of. However, focus on the things that you are able to control. You may not be able to change the fact that you'll be busy working 8-10 hours a day at your job, but you can certainly reduce the amount of time you spend watching t.v. or scrolling on social media on your off time. By scheduling in your art time there is a much greater possibility you'll actually do it. Depending on your personal situation, this could mean setting aside one hour three times a week after work to follow a tutorial on your topic of choice or perhaps waking up 30 minutes earlier so that you can do a quick sketch before going to work. If you absolutely can't find time during the week, then schedule in time on weekend mornings. Another huge thing that goes hand-in-hand with using your time wisely is the ability to say 'no' to those activities that aren't going to get you closer to your goals. I know how hard this can be for people-pleasers like myself, but it's imperative to establish clear boundaries with others and to be able to discern between activities (and even people) that are helpful, from the ones that may be a waste of time and energy. Here's a helpful video in which I share my best productivity tips for artists. Remember that time is the most valuable thing we have. One question I always as myself whenever I'm feeling like I'm wasting too much time is: Is this activity helping me improve my work, my health or the relationships I have with my loved ones? 3. Establish deadlines and goalsIn my blog post Time Management for Artists: My Secrets for Staying Consistently Productive I explain how I go about setting yearly goals in personal, professional and interpersonal areas in order to then chunk them down into clear, doable monthly objectives. I then divide those smaller monthly goals into even smaller chunks that must get done each week. Three examples of how to go about applying this in regards to artistic growth: a) Large goal: Complete an online art course in three months. Depending on the amount of modules/classes/assignments included in the course of your choosing, divide them into three "chunks" to be completed by the end of each month. Then, divide those chunks once again into 4 (number of weeks in a month) and schedule your to-do's each week. b) Large goal: Fill 12 pages of your sketchbook in one month. Complete 3 pages each week so that by the end of the month you'll reach your goal. c) Large goal: Get really good at drawing portraits by the end of the year. Set incremental goals each month starting with the fundamental knowledge you should understand and progressing onwards until you get to month 12. Ex. Month 1: Understand basic facial proportions and locations of facial elements within the head shape, Month 2: Drawing eyes, Month 3: Drawing noses, Month 4: Drawing lips, Month 5: Drawing heads in angles, and so on. I'm aware that this process might sound too constrictive or boring for free-flowing creatives out there. While I totally agree that it's incredibly important to stay flexible, if we don't establish deadlines, most of us tend to push things back to the point they never get done. We're constantly bombarded with distractions and it's important to stay focused in order to ensure we're moving the needle forward consistently, even if it's a tiny bit at a time. Access my masterclass on Goal-Setting and Time Management for Artists here. 4. Connect with others that share your same love for artBeing an artist can be lonely and not having other people to talk to that share your same wavelength can make things even harder. If you're lucky to have friends you can chat with or even create art with in person, treasure them and make sure you're scheduling in time to hang out every so often. It's so important to maintain connections with other people we can learn from and who'll inspire us to keep going! The Internet is such an invaluable tool, as it not only enables us to learn and improve our artistic skills through articles and videos, but we're also able to connect with other people all over the world that share our same passion for art. Even if you're in a situation similar to mine, in which you don't have many artists around you that you can hang out with in person, you can very easily meet other artists through social media, groups and art communities. Whether you create and/or share art with others in person, online or a combination of both, make sure you make time for brainstorming new ideas with others, as well as obtaining (and providing) feedback. Learning from more seasoned artists and participating in online art communities has helped me stay accountable and consistent, which has allowed me to progress my skills significantly in shorter periods of time. 5. Keep your art supplies handy Get in the habit of bringing a small sketchbook and a couple of drawing tools of your choice with you wherever you go. This way, you'll be able to progress your drawing and observational skills in free pockets of time throughout the day. I talk about the importance of sketchbooks and tips to make the most of them in my post Why Sketchbooks are Essential Tools for Artists. Aside from this, also place your art supplies somewhere where they'll be visible for you at home. Don't keep them locked away in a closet or drawer! By having them on hand, there is a much greater chance you'll actually remember to use them. 6. Never underestimate the power of quicker studies
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Find a list of my favorite art supplies and books here.
I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something new, or got inspired to go and create something for yourself.
I wish you tons of progress and enjoyment in your artistic journey!
Find a list of my favorite art supplies and books here.
I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something new, or got inspired to go and create something for yourself.
I wish you tons of progress and enjoyment in your artistic journey!
*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)
Are you struggling with saving your whites when painting with watercolors? Have you been considering the use of masking fluid but are unsure about how to use it effectively and whether it's really necessary at all? Have you avoided using masking fluid in your work because it makes the process longer and more tedious?
One of the most difficult things to get used to when starting with watercolors, is planning where the lightest areas of our paintings will be and keeping them protected throughout the painting process.
Watercolors are quite different from other painting mediums due to the fact that they are translucent and require us to work from lightest to darkest values. As opposed to acrylics, oils or gouache, this painting medium doesn't allow us to simply cover up mistakes.
By doing a bit of planning beforehand and knowing what tools/techniques to use for each project individually, we can ensure that we're using watercolors to their full potential.
When used effectively, this artistic medium is able to create very striking paintings that have a lighter feel to them than those created with acrylics or oils, and also seem to glow from within.
Protecting our lightest areas is essential in order to achieve such qualities.
Are you struggling with saving your whites when painting with watercolors? Have you been considering the use of masking fluid but are unsure about how to use it effectively and whether it's really necessary at all? Have you avoided using masking fluid in your work because it makes the process longer and more tedious?
One of the most difficult things to get used to when starting with watercolors, is planning where the lightest areas of our paintings will be and keeping them protected throughout the painting process.
Watercolors are quite different from other painting mediums due to the fact that they are translucent and require us to work from lightest to darkest values. As opposed to acrylics, oils or gouache, this painting medium doesn't allow us to simply cover up mistakes.
By doing a bit of planning beforehand and knowing what tools/techniques to use for each project individually, we can ensure that we're using watercolors to their full potential.
When used effectively, this artistic medium is able to create very striking paintings that have a lighter feel to them than those created with acrylics or oils, and also seem to glow from within.
Protecting our lightest areas is essential in order to achieve such qualities.
In this blog post, I am sharing the steps I personally go through when using masking fluid in a watercolor painting. I will also provide some essential tips that will help you avoid accidents.
To illustrate each step, I have included a beginner-friendly masking fluid exercise. It's very important to do a few explorations with new tools before actually trying them out in a painting!
Even though many watercolor sets contain white paint, traditional watercolor artists avoid using it. There's no need because the watercolor paper itself IS the white and the areas left free of pigment will stand as the highlights of the painting.
Whether the artist decides to use masking fluid or not, he/she makes sure to protect those whites because, once pigment touches paper and is absorbed, there's no way to get that white back.
Traditional watercolor artists also avoid using black, but that is a story for a different day.
To learn about the ten most important things you should make sure to apply when painting with watercolors, read my blog post titled 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting with Watercolors.
Now-a-days, there are tons of amazing artists who use watercolors in combination with other types of mediums, creating beautiful mixed-media artworks. There are those who complete a watercolor painting without paying much mind to highlights until the end, when they add them in using white gouache, acrylic paint, paint pens, and/or other drawing mediums.
I'm all about exploring mediums and creating one's own artistic style!
However, I've found it invaluable to study each medium individually and challenge oneself to create desired effects using that medium alone. I noticed the biggest improvement in my painting quality when I pushed myself to complete a project using only one medium.
So, I recommend making time to explore each medium on its own once you're at a certain skill level, especially if you find that you're continuously reaching out for a second/third medium as a crutch because you were unable to create the effects you were intending to.
Once you've learned the characteristics of each medium and the general do's and don'ts, then go ahead and combine them, if you wish to.
But let it be because it's your stylistic choice, and not because you needed another medium as extra support. It's hard! But I promise you you, that it will help you improve a whole ton.
Masking fluid is absolutely not necessary in order to create a great watercolor painting, but it sure is a great tool to know about, especially when painting certain kinds of subjects that have shiny, reflective surfaces and/or tiny areas you want to block out.
If you don't have masking fluid or wish not to use it, you have the option of carefully working around your planned white highlights, but because watercolors are so fluid, it may be a challenge.
Here is an example of a painting I created by very carefully working around the areas I wanted completely white at the end (no masking fluid). See all those tiny white spaces? I consciously made an effort not to get any pigment in them!
If I had accidentally covered up those spaces, my painting would look flat and wouldn't have that "glow" to it.
If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*
So, what is masking fluid, exactly?
Masking fluid (also referred to as liquid frisket) is liquid latex that dries to a rubbery/waterproof film, allowing us to block out areas in our paintings that we want free of pigment. It contains ammonia, which makes the liquid very smelly and makes it necessary to work in a well-ventilated room.
Usually, we're presented with masking fluid options at art supply stores that look white while in the bottle and dry to a transparent/yellowish film. However, pigmented varieties are available, in case the artist requires a greater visibility throughout the placement process.
Though the use of masking fluid entails adding in a couple of extra steps and makes the painting process longer, it does make protecting the whites a lot easier and is a great tool to have when painting complex, detailed subjects!
How to Use Masking Fluid
You will need:
-Watercolor paper
-Masking fluid
-Watercolor paint
-Paintbrushes
-Pencil
-Eraser
-Paint-mixing palette
-Cup of water
-Old rag or paper towel
-Bar of soap or dishwashing liquid
-A tool for placing your masking fluid (old paintbrush, wooden skewer, paper clip, cotton swab, etc.)
*Optional:
-Masking tape
-Rubber cement pick up or soft eraser
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Instructions:
1. Create your initial sketch
As always, start with a good, light pencil drawing. Once you're done, map out where you want your highlights to be. Usually, this will entail having a good look at your reference picture and pinpointing lightest areas. Then, we would lightly outline these small shapes.
*Illustrative exercise (recommended for beginners):
For the purpose of this little abstract exercise, we will be blocking out lines. Create a simple design using straight or curved lines and keep them as light as possible (so you can erase them later)!
2. Select a tool to place your masking fluid with
Depending on the effect you're going for in your painting, this tool can range from a paintbrush, to a wooden skewer, to a cotton swab, or even a toothbrush (for splattering). If you do decide to use a paintbrush, make sure you use an older one that you don't mind damaging because it doesn't take much for masking fluid to kill those bristles!
Personally, I've already ruined at least a couple of paintbrushes and have gotten used to applying masking fluid with paper clips!
*For this exercise, you'll need a pointier tool so you're able to trace your pencil lines.
3. Take your time placing your masking fluid on desired areas
Do this carefully and take your time! Make sure your not scraping or otherwise damaging your paper, especially if you're using a sharp, pointy tool to place your masking fluid with.
If you're creating a finalized painting using a reference picture, try to look at it constantly so you make sure to block out all areas you want protected.
*Carefully trace your pencil lines. It's totally normal to have to re-dunk your paper clip into your masking fluid every few seconds! When you're done, allow it to dry completely (this can take up to 30 minutes depending on the thickness it was placed in. Make sure it's completely dry to the touch before continuing with the next step.
Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here.
4. Paint as per usual
Move on to the painting process, starting from lightest and most translucent values to darker values, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next. Don't be afraid of painting over the masking fluid. That's what it's there for!
If you're creating a finalized painting, take your time developing those values and get your painting as close to being done as possible before removing the masking fluid.
What I personally do, is to make sure I've arrived at a point at which I feel I can't advance any further until my masking fluid is out of the way. Once you're done, allow your painting to dry naturally and completely.
To see how I create striking paintings working in layers, visit my blog post Realistic Watercolor Sandwich Process
*For this beginner-friendly exercise, explore different colors and effects until you arrive at something you like.
4. Paint as per usual
Move on to the painting process, starting from lightest and most translucent values to darker values, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next. Don't be afraid of painting over the masking fluid. That's what it's there for!
If you're creating a finalized painting, take your time developing those values and get your painting as close to being done as possible before removing the masking fluid.
What I personally do, is to make sure I've arrived at a point at which I feel I can't advance any further until my masking fluid is out of the way. Once you're done, allow your painting to dry naturally and completely.
To see how I create striking paintings working in layers, visit my blog post Realistic Watercolor Sandwich Process
*For this beginner-friendly exercise, explore different colors and effects until you arrive at something you like.
5. Remove that masking fluid!
This is the time we've all been waiting for!
Once your painting is completely dry, carefully and gently remove that masking fluid with a rubber cement pick up, a soft eraser or using your fingers (I wouldn't recommend using your fingers if your hands are usually sweaty or greasy though!).
Rub gently until part of it lifts and then gently pull the rest off. Make sure you remove it completely and lightly dust your painting off so no pieces are left behind.
6. Soften hard edges and finish any last details
Once your masking fluid has been removed, you'll notice that you're left with very stark-looking, sharp white shapes. If you're creating a painting that's more on the realistic side (like in the car painting time lapse video I've included in this post), you'll probably want to soften at least some of these.
To do this, simply wet your paintbrush in clean water and do some gentle scrubbing on those sharp lines, moving the pigment around on your paper. However, be very careful not to cover up all of your white!
Now is also the time at which you can further deepen values in your painting if you need to, or carefully create any washes you feel would improve your painting.
Allow to dry completely before removing any masking tape.
*For the purpose of this abstract exercise, I left my white lines as they were after having removed my masking fluid because I liked the look of it. If you'd like to explore softening some of them or even adding in extra washes of color, go for it!
Once your masking fluid has been removed, you'll notice that you're left with very stark-looking, sharp white shapes. If you're creating a painting that's more on the realistic side (like in the car painting time lapse video I've included in this post), you'll probably want to soften at least some of these.
To do this, simply wet your paintbrush in clean water and do some gentle scrubbing on those sharp lines, moving the pigment around on your paper. However, be very careful not to cover up all of your white!
Now is also the time at which you can further deepen values in your painting if you need to, or carefully create any washes you feel would improve your painting.
Allow to dry completely before removing any masking tape.
*For the purpose of this abstract exercise, I left my white lines as they were after having removed my masking fluid because I liked the look of it. If you'd like to explore softening some of them or even adding in extra washes of color, go for it!
Masking Fluid Pro Tips!
1. If you want to use a paintbrush for masking fluid placement, soak its bristles in dishwashing soap (or rub them gently on a bar of soap) before dipping it into the masking fluid. This will make it easier to remove the masking fluid when you're done.
2. Never shake your masking fluid bottle before starting with its application. This creates air bubbles and may lead to coagulation, which may make it harder to place on desired areas and may affect the outcome of your work.
3. Only apply masking fluid on bone-dry paper and only remove it from bone-dry paper.
4. When using masking fluid, resist the urge to speed up drying times using a hairdryer or any sort of heat tool. Warm air can cause the already-hardened masking fluid to stick to your paper even more, which can later lead to rips and tears as you try to remove it!
5. Never allow hardened masking fluid to be on your paper for extended periods of time (over two days). Whether this is a problem or not will depend on a number of variables such as masking fluid and paper brands/types, environmental temperature, etc. However, be wary of leaving masking fluid on your paper for long periods of time because it can get to a point at which it may be impossible to remove!
6. Explore different ways you can apply and use masking fluid! There are so many ways to do it, from placing it carefully the way we did in today's exercise, to splattering, smearing, etc. Experimenting with different tools and techniques can definitely open up your horizons about what's possible with watercolors and will also allow you to have different tricks up your sleeve whenever you're painting complex subjects!
What method do you personally use to create highlights in your watercolor paintings? Do you have any negative experiences with masking fluid? I'd love to know in the comments section below!
Hey there, creative friends!
In this week's blog post, I'll be sharing some of my recent sketchbook entries and finished paintings (both watercolor and oils).
As far as sketchbook work, I continue challenging myself whenever I'm able to, focusing on subjects that are difficult for me. For these last entries, I practiced female figure studies and a male portrait (I rarely draw men!).
The oil paintings included here are two in my new landscape series. I have now completed three out of the five I will be selling. Very soon, I'll be sharing progress of the fourth one. So do follow me on Instagram if you wish to know how that goes!
Once I complete these five landscapes, I'm going to be working on five still lives. I currently sell my original artwork only in Mexico, but have plans of opening online shops to ship to other countries in the near future! So due stay tuned! :)
The watercolor paintings included here, are part of the group of illustrations I created for the June calendar design I will be sending over to my e-mail subscribers very soon! At the end of each month, I send them free printable calendars in both Letter and Tabloid size featuring my illustrations. :)
If you'd like to become part of my insider group and receive these exclusive freebies, as well as helpful art content and news about offerings that will help you progress artistically, subscribe here:
Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here.
Thanks so much for visiting and checking my work out! I really appreciate it!
If you're a beginner/intermediate artist looking to improve your work, do check out the posts below! I constantly produce helpful blog posts and YouTube videos with art tips, tutorials and encouragement!
Have a beautiful weekend!
Thanks so much for visiting and checking my work out! I really appreciate it!
If you're a beginner/intermediate artist looking to improve your work, do check out the posts below! I constantly produce helpful blog posts and YouTube videos with art tips, tutorials and encouragement!
Have a beautiful weekend!
Have you reached a point in your art journey at which you feel relatively confident about your skills but are anxious to find your own style and voice? Are you stuck with your art and feel that your own perfectionism and/or fear of failure is keeping you from moving forward?
"Create your own visual style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others."
-Orson Welles
There is a point in every artist's journey at which a substantial amount of time and effort has been dedicated to developing artistic skills, but the artist has yet to decide what ideas he/she wants to share with the world and what mediums, techniques and style will set him/her apart from others.
It takes an immense amount of work, exploration and introspection to push through this point, but it's important to keep on until the breakthrough happens.
In my opinion, it's exactly this desire to push through the initial phase that differentiates a hobbyist from a pro. It's a point at which perfect rendering and technique becomes just as important as (or may even take back seat to) having an artwork transmit the ideas or feelings we are striving to transmit.
In this blog post, I will be sharing five very useful tips that will help you loosen up and express more of yourself through your art. It's this exploration that will help you discover yourself as an artist. If you're at this point, it's time to experiment fearlessly and push your limits!
I wrote a blog post several months ago in which I share an excellent method that you can apply to start discovering your own art style using other artists' work as inspiration. This strategy will be very useful for you in this stage, so make sure to check it out after this post.
How to Effectively Use Other Artists' Work as Inspiration and a Great Method to Start Developing Your Own Artistic Style.
Currently, I'm doing a lot of exploratory work with oils on canvas. If you've been following my work for any amount of time, you probably already know that I love working on smaller-scale watercolor illustrations.
However, I've had the pleasure of creating larger decorative fine art for local clients and have really enjoyed it! I'm making time for oil painting as much as I can and am planning on selling my artwork internationally in the near future.
I'm working on a series of five large landscape oil paintings. I will be sharing these with you throughout the upcoming weeks so stay tuned!
If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*
5 Tips That Will Help You Become More Loose and Expressive When Creating Art
"Regularity, order, desire for perfection destroy art.
Irregularity is the basis of all art."
-Pierre-Auguste Renoir
1. Gain confidence in your skills by learning and practicing
Art Fundamentals
In order to draw or paint freely, you need to have a certain level of confidence in your skills and artistic knowledge. And the only way to truly gain confidence in anything, is by practicing first-handedly and delving deep into the fundamentals.
Knowing Art Fundamentals inside and out is going to help you immensely, and is the basis for everything else.
Topics like composition, harmony, proportion, color, perspective, texture, value, etc., have to be engrained in your head so that you can apply this knowledge naturally and organically as you are creating your artwork.
Over at my Patreon site, I have a library of classes that cover all the basic Art Fundamentals I learned about in school, in sequential order! All of my most helpful, exclusive content such as real-time drawing and watercolor painting tutorials with downloadables, weekly sketchbook prompts, feedback from me on your work, and much more can be accessed immediately upon joining.
Check out my Patreon site here!
Aside from knowing Art Fundamentals, it's also imperative for you to have some experience working with whatever medium and supplies you're thinking of using.
How are you going to paint or draw freely if you feel like you're constantly fighting with the medium, or have no idea how the substrate/medium/etc. is going to react throughout the process?
The saying "Learn the rules before you can break them" applies here!
In my blog post titled Why Sketchbooks Are Essential Tools for Artists and A Few Usage Tips I share how I personally use my sketchbooks on a daily basis to make sure I'm progressing continuously.
2. Prepare yourself mentally before you begin
It's absolutely essential to start a challenging piece in the right headspace. Once you have arrived at the idea of what you'll be creating, start with positivity and confidence. I've mentioned this before, but our minds are extremely powerful. Remember, if you think you're going to fail, you most likely will.
Now is the time to embrace experimentation and throw perfectionism out the window. Allow the magic to happen as you work with your medium and tools.
Do your best to give up some of your control and allow your medium to do some of the speaking for itself.
3. Paint with larger brushes and, if possible, on a larger substrate
Painting/drawing at a larger scale will not only encourage more arm movement (which in turn leads to more dynamic work), but allows you to focus on larger shapes.
Using a larger brush, or drawing tools like chalk or charcoal, also make it more difficult to obsess over tiny little details. This, in turn, challenges you to think about what is actually needed in your composition and what can be left out.
Not to mention, larger pieces are also (usually) meant to be viewed from farther away. At the moment of drawing or painting, step back and continuously remind yourself that the piece is meant to be appreciated from a distance.
If you're creating a painting, remember that your paintbrush is not meant to be held as a writing pencil or pen! Try holding it with your thumb and index finger, and keep the rest of your hand relaxed. Beginners have a tendency to hold brushes very close to the bristles to feel more in control.
Try holding your brush farther up the handle, anywhere from halfway up to the tip.
Explore the different types of brush strokes your brushes are able to create, and the shapes and textures their bristles naturally leave behind.
Load your paintbrushes with a good amount of paint so that there's more of a chance for interesting "natural" occurrences to happen.
Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here.
4. Use music
Music can have such a deep impact on our mood and inspiration levels! I love creating a good, long playlist for myself prior to starting with a painting. Music helps keep my creativity flowing and my energy high for hours.
Our taste in music will vary from person to person, of course. Perhaps an artist looking to create an extremely dynamic abstract painting would be inspired by music with a faster/upbeat tempo. Whereas, another artist might find more relaxing, classical music more helpful.
Regardless of your taste in music, create a playlist that will help you stay positive, inspired and motivated to continue.
5. Practice leaving your brushstrokes alone
Do your best to place your brushstrokes (or lines if your drawing) with intention and then leave them alone! Allow the organic occurrences to happen and think of how you can use these effects to your advantage instead of trying to correct them or blend them out.
Stop yourself from pushing forward with actions that are really not really necessary. Try to do more with less and don't obsess over every tiny little accident or irregularity.
Let go of the need to control everything!
4. Use music
Music can have such a deep impact on our mood and inspiration levels! I love creating a good, long playlist for myself prior to starting with a painting. Music helps keep my creativity flowing and my energy high for hours.
Our taste in music will vary from person to person, of course. Perhaps an artist looking to create an extremely dynamic abstract painting would be inspired by music with a faster/upbeat tempo. Whereas, another artist might find more relaxing, classical music more helpful.
Regardless of your taste in music, create a playlist that will help you stay positive, inspired and motivated to continue.
5. Practice leaving your brushstrokes alone
Do your best to place your brushstrokes (or lines if your drawing) with intention and then leave them alone! Allow the organic occurrences to happen and think of how you can use these effects to your advantage instead of trying to correct them or blend them out.
Stop yourself from pushing forward with actions that are really not really necessary. Try to do more with less and don't obsess over every tiny little accident or irregularity.
Let go of the need to control everything!
I hope that you found this post helpful and that it encouraged you to keep exploring and moving forward with your art. I wish you all the best and remember to enjoy the process!
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is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites
to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
www.erikalancaster.com
is a participant in the Shareasale.com Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Shareasale.com partner companies.