Learning to Be an Artist

Today’s Image

Growing

A sample photo from Microsoft

Today’s Image is a bright photo of growing and glowing flowers, and is the perfect visual for today's blog on learning to be an artist.

If you’re an aspiring artist you may want to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible so that you can use what you learn immediately. I say this not to lessen in any way the importance a classical art education provides. However, for many, enrolling in a fine arts curriculum is just not possible. The answer may be to acquire and supplement your art knowledge through your own volition of study, lessons, and, for lack of a better word, STICK-TO-IT-IVE-NESS.

This allows you to focus your effort and learnings on the type of art and/or the medium that most interests you. You will achieve your art goals if you are fully ENGAGED and INTERESTED.

Be selective in your interests, and you can either jump-start or even immediately improve your artistic skills. If you have any inclination to pursue art as a career, a vocation, an avocation (or hobby), or whatever your motivation is, be DETERMINED.

Compare becoming an artisit to learning how to drive a car. First you learn some of the basic rules of the road before you get behind the wheel. Then you get behind the wheel and actually learn to drive by doing it, as there is no substitute other than the experience itself. Next, you practice, practice, practice, and your skills greatly improve. Finally you are zipping along a freeway, expressway, autobahn, or whatever they call them in your part of the world.

You may currently be anywhere along your journey as an artist, from the absolute novice to a professional . It doesn't matter where. To keep the learning-to-drive analogy going, you can enter, change lanes, pass, and exit anywhere along the way. Just DON'T LOOK BACK.

As a novice, the whole art experience awaits you, and that’s an exciting place to be. If you’re already a professional, then you know it’s never too late to learn a new technique or take up a new medium.

The secret to growing as an artist is to always KEEP LEARNING.

You have already taken the very first step, which is acknowledging your desire to create artwork. You have taken the second step by doing something about it--you’re reading this art blog aren’t you? You may have even moved to the next steps of actually drawing or painting something that interests you.

Some piece of artwork interested you, caught your eye, got your creative juices flowing. That became your inspiration and motivation.

There will be times in your creative journey when you’ll want to give up or give in. During those times, which will occur in the middle of your creative effort, REMEMBER WHAT INSPIRED YOU initially, and that will MOTIVATE YOU to complete your work of art.

Whenever you start and whatever you try, BE PATIENT and give yourself a chance to succeed before moving on. You must PERSERVERE and FOLLOW THROUGH.

The old cliche, “10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration“ rings true when you finally complete your work of art.

Never forget, in art ONLY YOU HAVE TO BE SATISFIED.

Cheers!