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how to become a better artiest?
How do i become a better arts. I have took classes and classes and yet i still can't draw well. i am starting to think drawing isn't for me does any one have any advice.
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Erin’s Answer
It can be frustrating at first, but you just have to keep going - keep at it. To fuel your drive you need a boatload of curiosity. Look everywhere for inspiration. You don’t need to be inspired by art to make art. Draw whatever interests you whether it's concrete things like people, objects, foliage, what-have-you, or perhaps it’s more abstract things like emotions and ideas. I would recommend exploring and studying art in galleries, actual physical art. Other works of art can provide clues and tips as to how to tackle visual challenges. Otherwise, draw whatever interests you. And copy drawings too. Find a drawing you like and simply copy it.
If you wanna become a better artist, you need to develop visual literacy and you need to draw a lot (you mentioned drawing so I will proceed with the assumption that drawing better is a goal). Once you develop confidence, you can then begin to define your style. Exhibiting grace and confidence within your work will be important if you want to draw people towards your work. Without practice, you will never achieve this. The artist must practice all the time. The art presented must appear natural. Effortless. That way the art is natural. If it looks stiff, or artificial, it lacks the beauty required to transport.
Starting out may be difficult and frustrating, and most of what you do will most likely end up in the garbage can. But you will broaden your knowledge through failure. And eventually, the mistakes you make will be engaging because your art will be executed with confidence.
Finishing a work of art is often a disappointment. Don’t let that disappointment fool you. Move onto the next project. Use the disappointment as fuel for the next work of art.
Art is sometimes like science. Through constant trial and error, you will discover “something”. Through exploration you may discover a feeling, an effect, and the art will relay the effect to others. The invention is through the delivery system. The tools, the media, the pencil, the paper.
There are some very good books available for becoming a better artist:
- Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain - Betty Edwards
- The Practice and Science of Drawing - Harold Speed
- Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters - Robert Beverly Hale
- Steal Like an Artist - Austin Kleon
- How to be an Arist - Jerry Saltz
In closing, to become better, you just need to make time for it. Squeeze it into your morning or late night routine. And have fun.
If you wanna become a better artist, you need to develop visual literacy and you need to draw a lot (you mentioned drawing so I will proceed with the assumption that drawing better is a goal). Once you develop confidence, you can then begin to define your style. Exhibiting grace and confidence within your work will be important if you want to draw people towards your work. Without practice, you will never achieve this. The artist must practice all the time. The art presented must appear natural. Effortless. That way the art is natural. If it looks stiff, or artificial, it lacks the beauty required to transport.
Starting out may be difficult and frustrating, and most of what you do will most likely end up in the garbage can. But you will broaden your knowledge through failure. And eventually, the mistakes you make will be engaging because your art will be executed with confidence.
Finishing a work of art is often a disappointment. Don’t let that disappointment fool you. Move onto the next project. Use the disappointment as fuel for the next work of art.
Art is sometimes like science. Through constant trial and error, you will discover “something”. Through exploration you may discover a feeling, an effect, and the art will relay the effect to others. The invention is through the delivery system. The tools, the media, the pencil, the paper.
There are some very good books available for becoming a better artist:
- Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain - Betty Edwards
- The Practice and Science of Drawing - Harold Speed
- Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters - Robert Beverly Hale
- Steal Like an Artist - Austin Kleon
- How to be an Arist - Jerry Saltz
In closing, to become better, you just need to make time for it. Squeeze it into your morning or late night routine. And have fun.
Updated
Ellen’s Answer
Hi Yairan
As an art teacher of young people, I often got this concern from my students. It seems that all my students wanted to draw like Leonardo da Vinci or an Old Master artist. Their main concern was that if they could not draw really really well and capture what they are looking at in a very realistic way, they should just give up trying to do art. Nooooo! Please do not fall into this trap. Drawing, either on paper or on the computer, has importance in art, but it is NOT EVERYTHING in art. Drawing is used in art in different ways , as a way for the artist to really see an object or a scene; to practice observation skills; or as a finished artwork expressing an idea. But mostly drawing is used to make rough sketches to work out ideas for all sorts of other artworks: graphic design, interior designs, sculptures, and so on. Here are some things to think about when you draw, and which might help you to put your drawing efforts in perspective.
The first thing is, drawing is a very personal art statement, think of it as like a signature, and no two signatures are alike. You will create drawings that are unique to you. Go to your school or local library, or go on the internet, and look at books which show drawings by famous artists, and you'll see a huge range of styles, everything from total realism to cartoony, and everything in between.
The second thing is, drawing is a skill, and it takes time and effort to improve. There are very few drawing prodigies in art, because it takes time to develop art skills, especially drawing skills. So, practice your drawing on a daily basis; get a small sketchbook and draw things you see, or ideas from you imagination, whatever you like. But stick to it! Think about how musicians and athletes practice every day to improve themselves, same thing with drawing. You could also look for online tutorials, or go to the library and look for some drawing books. You can always learn something from them. The "Draw a 100"_______" series of books are really good at the basics. If you are taking art, (and I hope you are!) talk to your art teacher and have them look at your drawings and then follow their suggestions. (Yes, art teachers love to see their students' drawing outside of class).
The third thing to know, and this is something that many young people often do not get, is that Leonardo da Vinci level of drawing is not always necessary to create wonderful artworks, or even to have a career in art. Although in creating a painting drawing is often the first step, it does not have to be realistic, and there are also other "elements and principles of art" to consider, such as the composition of the painting, the sense of color, the sense of light, and most of all, the idea behind the painting. I once had a student who was very unhappy with his drawing skills, but his design and color skills were amazing. I still remember an "animal eye" pastel drawing he created; a simple drawing, but spectacular color choices.
In terms of careers, art careers like graphic design, product and industrial design, interior design, photography, and so on, do not require a high level of realistic drawing skills. In many of these fields nowadays, computer programs aide in the sketches, and AI is becoming (and will be) more important in realizing finished projects.
I hope this helps. Be patient, keep practicing, have fun, and keep thinking about how you want to use drawing to express your art ideas.
As an art teacher of young people, I often got this concern from my students. It seems that all my students wanted to draw like Leonardo da Vinci or an Old Master artist. Their main concern was that if they could not draw really really well and capture what they are looking at in a very realistic way, they should just give up trying to do art. Nooooo! Please do not fall into this trap. Drawing, either on paper or on the computer, has importance in art, but it is NOT EVERYTHING in art. Drawing is used in art in different ways , as a way for the artist to really see an object or a scene; to practice observation skills; or as a finished artwork expressing an idea. But mostly drawing is used to make rough sketches to work out ideas for all sorts of other artworks: graphic design, interior designs, sculptures, and so on. Here are some things to think about when you draw, and which might help you to put your drawing efforts in perspective.
The first thing is, drawing is a very personal art statement, think of it as like a signature, and no two signatures are alike. You will create drawings that are unique to you. Go to your school or local library, or go on the internet, and look at books which show drawings by famous artists, and you'll see a huge range of styles, everything from total realism to cartoony, and everything in between.
The second thing is, drawing is a skill, and it takes time and effort to improve. There are very few drawing prodigies in art, because it takes time to develop art skills, especially drawing skills. So, practice your drawing on a daily basis; get a small sketchbook and draw things you see, or ideas from you imagination, whatever you like. But stick to it! Think about how musicians and athletes practice every day to improve themselves, same thing with drawing. You could also look for online tutorials, or go to the library and look for some drawing books. You can always learn something from them. The "Draw a 100"_______" series of books are really good at the basics. If you are taking art, (and I hope you are!) talk to your art teacher and have them look at your drawings and then follow their suggestions. (Yes, art teachers love to see their students' drawing outside of class).
The third thing to know, and this is something that many young people often do not get, is that Leonardo da Vinci level of drawing is not always necessary to create wonderful artworks, or even to have a career in art. Although in creating a painting drawing is often the first step, it does not have to be realistic, and there are also other "elements and principles of art" to consider, such as the composition of the painting, the sense of color, the sense of light, and most of all, the idea behind the painting. I once had a student who was very unhappy with his drawing skills, but his design and color skills were amazing. I still remember an "animal eye" pastel drawing he created; a simple drawing, but spectacular color choices.
In terms of careers, art careers like graphic design, product and industrial design, interior design, photography, and so on, do not require a high level of realistic drawing skills. In many of these fields nowadays, computer programs aide in the sketches, and AI is becoming (and will be) more important in realizing finished projects.
I hope this helps. Be patient, keep practicing, have fun, and keep thinking about how you want to use drawing to express your art ideas.
Sara Bertrand Baeza
Manager, Talent Acquisition
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Sara’s Answer
Nurture your true self and don't let different opinions bring you down. Trust in your talents and the strength you hold in making art. Some might believe that creating art is simple, but it's actually a precious and significant journey. If you're blessed with this talent, don't undervalue or waste it. Instead, feed your creativity and let it bloom beautifully.
Updated
Rossana’s Answer
Hey Yairan!
I think we've all been in the same boat and have heard the same frustrating advice: keep practicing!
But it's really the truth. For some people, it can take years and for others maybe months - we all improve at a different rate and that's absolutely normal. The most important thing is to never forget why you are pushing forward and to not compare yourself to others.
Depending on what kind of art you are doing, there's a load of things you can do to better yourself. Aside from practicing on your own, you can look online for communities where everyone shares their work and receives feedback (like discord channels!), mentorships, pre-college programs, artist workshops, etc.
While practice is the most important thing to improvement, I also believe feedback is a close second. Getting fresh eyes on your work is key to stepping outside the box and improving skills you didn't know needed improving or how!
You got this!
I think we've all been in the same boat and have heard the same frustrating advice: keep practicing!
But it's really the truth. For some people, it can take years and for others maybe months - we all improve at a different rate and that's absolutely normal. The most important thing is to never forget why you are pushing forward and to not compare yourself to others.
Depending on what kind of art you are doing, there's a load of things you can do to better yourself. Aside from practicing on your own, you can look online for communities where everyone shares their work and receives feedback (like discord channels!), mentorships, pre-college programs, artist workshops, etc.
While practice is the most important thing to improvement, I also believe feedback is a close second. Getting fresh eyes on your work is key to stepping outside the box and improving skills you didn't know needed improving or how!
You got this!
Updated
Janey’s Answer
Hello! I think with all things that we want to be good at, it takes a lot of time and practice to be good at them. It's important to ask yourself if you want to be an artist as a career, or as a hobby. The reason being is that while you are practicing your art you will need another type of job to support yourself.
I was never very good at statistics but like you, I took lots of classes to try and improve my skills. Taking lots of classes is great but at some point you will need to practice by yourself.
You could grab a sketch pad and whatever else you need and go outside or look out of your window and sketch something in the real world that captures your interest. You don't have to go far. It might be capturing a neighbour's cat sitting in the window, or you might spot some people talking on the street.
See if you can capture that moment, and if they move away that's fine. Make it your own, and make up your own rules.
With classes you learn lots of rules you need to follow (like capturing perspective!) but at some point it's fun to ignore the rules and just do what feels right to you. Play around with the perspective - change the rules!
I hope this helps you.
I was never very good at statistics but like you, I took lots of classes to try and improve my skills. Taking lots of classes is great but at some point you will need to practice by yourself.
You could grab a sketch pad and whatever else you need and go outside or look out of your window and sketch something in the real world that captures your interest. You don't have to go far. It might be capturing a neighbour's cat sitting in the window, or you might spot some people talking on the street.
See if you can capture that moment, and if they move away that's fine. Make it your own, and make up your own rules.
With classes you learn lots of rules you need to follow (like capturing perspective!) but at some point it's fun to ignore the rules and just do what feels right to you. Play around with the perspective - change the rules!
I hope this helps you.