Here are 10 effective tips to become a better artist.

As we start 2022 most of us have new things we want to do. We start off on the right track with resolutions, but as time passes what we resolve to do diminishes. For artists it’s especially important to make resolutions that will keep you on the track to creating more art which will increase your skills as an artist.

First, let’s dispel any myths that there are quick and easy ways to become a good artist. Developing art skills is an investment in time, observation and resolve.

1. Improve Time Management Skills
If you don’t have time to work on your craft, how can you get better? How efficiently you spend your working hours directly affects how much time you have to spend doing the activities you enjoy. Write to-do lists every day, tune into your most productive and energetic times of the day. Work to stay focused by avoiding the distractions that you’re prone to. Turn your phone off!

2. Appreciate More
Obviously, creating art comes from a place within. Taking time to tune into the good (and the bad) in your life is important. Observe the small things. Practice mindfulness in the moment. When you slow your critical thinking down you can tune into the fleeting moments.  Moments that you can capture what you see, feel and express on a deeper level. Everyday demands can make it a challenge to see in ‘slow motion’, however as you practice doing this you will notice the things around you in a new way.

3. Get Organized

Organization can be a challenge for a visual person. As a visual person, I like to see all the stuff on my desk that I have to work with. Reducing clutter helps with clarity. Each day I resolve to organize small sections of my workstations. We’ll see how it goes!

4. Put Time for Art on the Calendar
We only get better with practice and sometimes making the time to practice art is a challenge. Make it a priority to create new art and work on current art in 2022. Even if it’s just a few hours a week you will make progress. And don’t forget about the therapeutic benefits of lowering anxiety and stress!

5. Draw, Sketch… Draw, Sketch… Repeat!
Drawing is the foundation to all art and a skill that is based on practice and observation. As you learn how to draw, work on increasing your skills with sketching and exploration. Basic shapes, line, values, expressive lines and capturing ‘feeling’ of what you are expressing. Even the best of artists continue to draw and sketch. Take your sketchbook to work, in between meetings or wherever; get out your sketchbook and express your thoughts.

6. Take Time to Share & Encourage
As art can be a solitary activity it may be time to reach out and social media is a perfect avenue.  Visit other artists fan pages to show support and encouragement. Plan social media into your calendar and share the progress of your work.

7. Be prepared – always be ready to capture your ideas!
While out and about and inspiration strikes, be sure and capture it! Keep the sketchbook with you. Or at the very least, snap pictures of what catches your eye. Keeping an ongoing source of inspiring images that you can refer back to when needed. As your image files increase consider Dropbox or Google Drive which are great tools for storage and can be accessed at any time.

8. Practice, Practice… Practice!
As we mentioned earlier, there is not a quick and easy fix to becoming a better artist. Besides, if there was, would that be fun? The reward of being a good artist is that you have achieved a level of skill that you have worked for.

Even if it comes ‘easy’ to you, the gift of being an artist is one that never gets old or tiring. You can keep working on it and enjoying the personal satisfaction that comes from your creativity, skill and experience.

9. Teach Others
Stepping out of your comfort zone as you become a better artist to teach others can be unnerving. After all, perhaps you are your own worse critic. Does this fear of teaching hold you back? If you’ve attained any level of art skill it might be time for you to show others how you got good at your craft! YouTube videos and even in person workshops can be very rewarding. As you get better, consider teaching and encouraging other artists! Share the art love!

10. Your Mindset – Don’t Compare
As artists we are sometimes critical of our work. Comparison as it is said, “…is the thief of joy.” As you develop your own style and trust your vision your work becomes more meaningful.

In 2022, may you enjoy more time and inspiration as you create art!
– Christina Rosepapa

The post New Year’s Resolution – Become a Better Artist appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.

Artists tend to think visually and daydream. Do you look at random shapes and see faces? You’re not alone. Do you stare too long at something analyzing the light and shapes. Yep.

You might also find some of the following true.

1. When you have money for expensive brushes… it’s not for makeup brushes.

2. You occasionally (or not so occasionally) use your pastels for eye makeup.

3. You describe colors in terms of Vermillion, Sienna, Prussian… for starters.

4. You keep old calendars for inspiration and ‘just in case you need an idea.’

5. You’d rather draw/paint then talk.

6. You stare too long at something because your caught up in the negative spaces.

7. You ask for extra napkins at the restaurant, just because you might need something to capture your immediate thoughts on.

8. You love to smell ink and markers.

9. When you dig at the bottom of your purse, your fingers end up with color on them.

10. When your cat really needs attention it knows to lay down on your drawing.

11. You don’t think twice about spending money on pencils, but balk at $5 for a coffee.

12.You find yourself staring too long at someone because your figuring out their proportions
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13. Your in a meeting smiling because you just had a interesting visual that has nothing to do with anything that is being said.

14. You go to a restaurant and want to save the packaging or menu for future reference.

15. You can’t help but follow the shadows objects make.

16. Getting a perfectly sharp pencil is pure perfection.

17. The idea of having a day all to yourself is bliss.

18. You fantasize about your coworker… but on how to capture their likeness.

19. Watching clouds and the shapes is much more interesting than a movie.

20. You’ve eaten blades of grass to see what the color green taste like.

21. You collect random objects for inspiration.

22. You can’t stand to throw away blank paper.

23. You love to touch a blank canvas… and open a new tube of paint!

24. Time stands still when your in the zone…. hours pass and your surprised.

25. You enjoy observing crowds from the sidelines.

26. Wherever you go you have a sketchbook.

27. You never know when you’ll have a smudge of paint or graphite on your clothes, face or elbows.

28. When you meet another artist it’s like meeting a long lost family member.

29. Your still fascinated with a box of crayons.

30. You would choose to work on art rather than sleep.

What about you? What’s your giveaway?

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Some say artists have their head in the clouds.

Do artists have their heads in the clouds? Yes, and it’s a world that never gets boring. However to the outsider, artists may not seem to be paying attention, but artists are very aware (hyper aware in fact) of everything – innuendos, and how things look, taste, sound, feel and smell. Often analyzing or noticing shapes, patterns, colors, expressions and more, artists have a strong appreciate for aesthetics and heightened senses and intuition.

High Expectations

The artist personality types have strong feelings about ‘what’s right’, personal values and strive to consistently meet the expectations they set for ourselves; often these expectations are high and unattainable which can make artists frustrated or depressed.

Personal and Creative Space

Artist types need more personal space than other types. They can often be seen as reserved and difficult to know, however at heart they are very sensitive and loyal to those they let in. Not only is personal needed, an inspiring creative space for creating work is essential. Even if the space is a small corner in a room, it can be motivating. Take a look at our article on how to create the ideal art space.

Because they absorb so much of the world around them, they may appear standoffish. But they are not, they are just somewhere else.

The challenge for the artist is to have ‘thinking and creating’ space. When artists don’t get enough personal space they become scattered, unproductive and moody.

Meaning Seekers

Artists tend to take life very seriously. Sure there are carefree and lighthearted days but overall life is serious business. They seek meaning in even the most mundane tasks. If an artist can’t find meaning or inspiration in anything in their life, sometimes this can result in depression.

Artists are like explorers, constantly gathering specific information and shifting it through their value systems, in search for clarification and underlying meaning.

Critical

The Achille’s heel of the artist is personal criticism. The artists worst enemy is himself. Their strong value systems can lead them to be intensely perfectionist, and cause them to judge themselves with unnecessary harshness. This personal criticism leads to more anxiety, more criticism and it becomes a vicious circle. They don’t give themselves enough credit for what they do well.

The artist type can find more peace and fulfillment if they can come to the understanding and acceptance that not everything they create has to be perfect. To take on the motto “good enough” can be freeing.

Challenges

Life is not likely to be extremely easy for the artist types of people in the world. Because they can tend to take life seriously and they deal with personal criticism and insecurities. Some artist types struggle with depression, anxiety, addictions and more.

Strengths

As thinkers and vision seekers with visionary and intuition gifts, artists can solve problems in creative ways. Though they might not be the most vocal one on a work related team, they will be the doer on the team. Most artistic people are highly disciplined and gifted with superior powers of concentration – almost to the point of obsessiveness. Because of this level of concentration they are capable of producing great quantities of high quality work; however they also enjoy frequent periods of recreation and inactivity. To those they care deeply about they are loyal to the end and also generous. They are also very sympathetic and can be idealists on one hand trying to fix the woes of the world. They have a strong desire to please and show their love through actions rather than words.

Artists are interested in contributing to people’s sense of well-being and happiness, and will put a great deal of effort and energy into tasks which they believe in.

Wired differently?

A study has found that artists have structurally different brains compared with non-artists. Participants’ brain scans revealed that artists had increased neural matter in areas relating to fine motor movements and visual imagery. This study* suggests that structural brain differences in relation to expertise have been demonstrated in visual perception, spatial navigation, complex motor skills and musical ability. Bottom line, practice makes perfect and changes the structure of your brain.

Understanding Artists

Out of all the personality types, most artists are not people manipulators and are not the sales type of people and they don’t like superficial things. In their world there is a drive to create and express non-verbally, find daily meaning, have independence and personal space and contribute to the things they believe deeply in.

Sources
Artists have different brains compared with non-artists according to this study.

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