How to Improve Your Drawing and Painting

Follow

​

Talent is a pursued interest. Anything that you’re willing to practice, you can do.

-Bob Ross


Throughout the time I've been sharing helpful sketching and watercolor content online, one of my most frequently asked questions is:

"How can I improve my art?"

I don't believe in providing specific advice to anyone unless I know at least a bit about their background with art, their current skill level, and their personal goals.

This said, there are 5 keys that apply to anyone looking to make significant improvements with their art.
​
I thought I'd share these things with you today.




1. Stop insisting on perfection with everything 

Growth is messy.

You'll need to step out of your comfort zone, face your deepest insecurities, and embrace that you'll be making lots of mistakes as you're developing new skills.

Remember though, not only were all those artists you admire beginners once as well, but they also have bad art days and go through periods of self-doubt just like you.

They just pushed through to get to where they’re at now.

Perfectionism hinders us, as creatives.

It not only keeps us from producing the amount of work required to make significant progress, but it also fills us with unnecessary stress, which doesn’t allow us to enjoy our journeys.

Creating lots of work and staying consistent are both way more important than striving for perfection with every piece.

As you continue growing, you learn that the process is just as important, if not more, than the end result.



2. Understand the difference between art principles, concepts, and techniques 

Something I see so many beginner artists struggling with, especially those who are self-taught, is understanding the difference between principles, concepts and techniques. 

These are all essential pillars to continue gaining knowledge on and hands-on practice with if you're looking for deeper growth.

I see lots of people devote all their time and effort to only one or two of these pillars, and completely ignore the other(s).

This is a huge mistake that will make you constantly hit walls and leave you confused as to why you can't seem to break away from copying other artists' work. 

In the video below, I explain the difference between these three pillars, why they are all so important and how they complement each other so that you can create amazing original art. 

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*


If you need a clear, step-by-step learning path that provides exactly which topics to cover as you move forward in your learning journey, check out my 10 Phase Roadmap for Incredible Artistic Growth masterclass. 





3. Stop giving into Shiny Object Syndrome and/or comparisonitis 

Nowadays, we're constantly bombarded with other people’s wins and perfect #artlife snapshots.

This makes a lot of us feel behind or like we lack essential characteristics that “successful” artists have.

But remember, this is your journey... no one else's.

It’s essential to decide what success means to you so that you can set goals that are meaningful to you, and begin working toward them.

We also often come across new art projects that distract us when we’ve already started something else.

It’s okay to shift gears if we’ve spent some time working on a subject/medium/technique and we’re just not vibing with it, but constantly changing directions leads to very slow growth.  

Training ourselves to finish what we start, or at least giving things (as well as ourselves) a proper chance before giving up, is very important.

​


4. Don’t try to do it all alone and/or for free 

If you're serious about your progress, one of the best things you can do is invest in yourself. It'll speed up your process and help you feel less alone along the way. 

Get clear on what type of learning resources work best for you and your learning style.

Is it books? In-person workshops? Online courses or memberships that allow you to work at your own pace? One-on-one classes or mentorships?

Whatever it is for you, these resources will help you stay on track and will often provide the motivation you need to stay consistent.

Being part of a community of artists, whether online or offline, or investing in classes where you have an instructor to provide prompt feedback on your work is often the catalyst for an artist's growth. 

If you're looking to improve your sketching and/or watercolor skills, I want to invite you to join my innermost art community over on Patreon. When you join, you not only get immediate access to resources and classes I create exclusively for my membership, but you also have direct contact with me if you ever have any questions.

You can learn more about everything I'm making available over on my Patreon here. 

An artist’s development requires long-term commitment and is made up of many, ever-evolving, parts.
​
You can certainly try to do it all alone and piece together a bunch of free resources you come across online.

That’s what I was personally doing in the beginning, until I realized my progress was coming very slowly and I was making things even more challenging for myself.

We often try to look for the answers we need in one video or blog post, and are left with even more questions than we initially had.

We also waste tons of time going down rabbit holes and don't know what we should be focusing on.

I've learned that by investing in my growth in the form of thought-out courses, thorough tutorials, and conversations with artists who are farther ahead than I am, I grow much faster.

Not to mention, I can trust that I'm doing what actually works.

​
​

5. Narrow it down and create goals that work for you 

Most of us understand the importance of scheduling things like work assignment due dates, doctor's appointments, and even meetings with friends into our calendars.
​
And yet, we don't seem to give personal projects or goals the same level of importance.

We're somehow okay with just doing these things when we have the time.

Continuing to develop our skills in the areas we’re passionate about leads to a more joyful/fulfilling life, and also fills us up so that we can be a better version of ourselves for those around us.

In this masterclass, I share how I set goals and manage my time to stay productive and consistently reach my goals as a working artist. 

It's time to prioritize the activities/interests that light you up and that you want to grow in, for yourself and your wellbeing.

​

I hope these 5 tips were helpful and wish you tons of progress moving forward in your art journey.

​Thanks for reading! ​

​

---