I was thinking the other day about something my Mom told me. I was probably saying something like, “I can’t draw stick people” as a way of saying I could never be an artist. She said, “anyone can become an artist, you just have to work at it”. What she meant was this: the majority of artists have to paint (or sculpt, draw etc) almost everyday for years to get to a place where they feel good about their art. You know we’ve all been led to believe that there are these crazy-talented people who are born to be an artist….and there probably are a few. But even the ‘Masters” were apprenticed from a young age by other artists and probably worked almost every day at making art.
So my title for this blog is slightly off, but hopefully not misleading, considering what I just said about all the work and practice it can take to get to a place where you feel like an artist. But here’s one definition I found (Wikipedia):
“An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art.”
Okay, okay where’s the 3 easy steps you say! They are coming. I’m hoping to encourage those who feel they could never-be-an-artist-but-wish-they-were to just jump in and start. Remembering that being an artist does not mean you have to sell your art or exhibit it. These are my top three things that have helped me over the last couple of years.
#1. You must let go of perfectionism. Most artists churn out a lot of bad art before they get a good one. Understanding that every piece will not be great is so important. In fact some instructors encourage us to practice making ugly art. This is an exercise in letting go and freeing your creative juices. Don’t worry about making mistakes (that holdover from school where it was considered good to stay within the lines).
#2 Take at least a small amount of time as many days a week as you can to just play with art materials. 15 minutes a day can be enough but I challenge you to stop at 15 because most times once you start, time flies by! Have sketchbooks or cheaper paper to just feel free to practice, put on some great music, make a cup of tea and start. Try lots of different styles and supplies. Don’t get stuck on the idea that you have to be able to draw perfectly or paint a masterpiece.
#3 Take a couple of free courses (and check out great how-to books). Nowadays there are so many artists offering on-line or in-person classes. Many offer free courses. Here’s a couple that I loved and helped me believe I could be an artist:
- https://www.louisefletcherart.com/free-course
- https://www.judywoodsart.work/courses
- /https://artofgabriel.com/store/
Here’s a few of my favourite how-to books:
So that’s it! And most of all, the most important thing is….IT SHOULD BE FUN!
Finally, if you haven’t visited my website, check it out. I’ve started a ‘featured artwork’ on the home page. And of course, its the place you can buy my art or art cards if you like. Or just email me or message me.
email: elaines@elainesspace.com
