Top 5 Tips to Become a Better Artist

So you’ve always had a desire to have a creative outlet for all the emotions, stress, and day-to-day worries that go on in your world. But it seems like when you sit down with that old sketchpad you may have had since your school days, you immediately start down a path of judging yourself for your imperfect art skills. You may lack the confidence to even get started or feel lost as to where to start on your sketch. Maybe you get going and then feel immediately unhappy with the result and want to tear it up. All of these feelings do little to offer an outlet from the previous stressors and actually put more pressure on the budding artist in you. This is why we believe so strongly in this key statement:

“There is no such thing as perfect and the imperfect is art within itself.”

Once you realize that you are on a journey to understand your own individual self-expression and are learning and “practicing” technique and process every time you sit down, you will find more satisfaction in actually working on art and your attitude towards it will change. So once you have accepted your journey, what are the best ways to improve your artistic abilities including your drawing skills, sketching skills, and painting skills.

1. Take a class. Whether you find a studio near you or an online class - getting back to basics, even if you’ve learned them before, is a great way to build your confidence and help you with the process as well as improve your techniques.
   

2. Practice every day. Even if it’s just a small sketch or a doodle while you are doing something else. Be sure to take the time to hold your pencil or brush or pastel, put it to paper or canvas, and create something.
   

3. Get out of your comfort zone. Draw or paint everything. If you really know how to paint nature, try objects or animals. Even if you are less satisfied with the end result you are continuing to develop and practice “seeing” new things to paint.
   

4. Invest in higher quality supplies. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg, but having supplies that work well every time will help your confidence. Cheap paints, pastels, pencils, and tools will only cause you to be frustrated as they don't perform as well as good quality ones.
   

5. Compare yourself to yourself. Never compare your art or your skills to anyone else. Art is individual and a way of self-expression. While it may be helpful to imitate others to learn new techniques - your version should be your own. As you grow, compare your current skills to your previous skills and know that this will only help you grow further. Find support in groups or schools that offer non-judgment, simply feedback, and surround yourself with people who help you grow rather than make you feel like you need to compete.

There are things in this world that you do and know inside and out. You are the expert and have utmost confidence in - you got there through learning and practice - art is no different. If you are just starting your journey with art, definitely consider learning some beginner techniques. You may also consider this path as a way to refresh your memory if you are looking to improve your skills after a hiatus in practicing art.

There is a world of both lessons, videos, classes, and tutorials out there whether it is online from the comfort of your home or in-person at a studio near you. We highly recommend finding a good fit for you and pursuing “art therapy” as a creative outlet for all the pressures in our lives. Allow yourself to use art as a tool for release rather than adding more stress.