(...including a few I wish I knew sooner!)
So you want to start creating art. AMAZING. I love that and wholeheartedly encourage it! But getting started with something new - art included - can feel incredibly overwhelming. It's especially difficult if you're trying to teach yourself the skills or if you're picking it up as a full fledged adult. There's that pressure to be good right away that comes with doing anything later in adulthood. And then there's the endless questions about what kind of art to do - do I want to draw? Sculpt? Paint? Crochet? And once you narrow down what you want to do, what about the supplies? What do I need? What can wait? Do I need the high quality stuff or is the cheap dollar store kind okay?
And then of course, there's that fear that everyone out there somehow already knows what they're doing, and you're so far behind what everyone else can do. Trust me, I know. I've been there, and every time I start learning something new, I'm back there again. But here's the good news - you don't NEED to be an expert to begin, spend a ton of money to start, or even know what direction you want to go. You just need a desire to create and the push to start.
Here are 10 tips that can help push you in the right direction...including a few I wish I had known when I first started out.
- Don't wait to feel "ready," just begin! If you have an idea in your mind, I want you to act on it as soon as you can. The longer you wait or procrastinate on starting your creative time, the less that desire will show up later. I know you can't always drop what you're doing and start drawing (we're adults with jobs, I get it), but what I mean here is instead of saying "I really want to start painting, but oh I don't have the time for that, and I've never done it before and I'm not ready because I know I won't be any good..." which is already admitting defeat before you start, I want you to say "I really want to start painting - this weekend I'm going to stop at the art store and pick up a set of basic watercolor paints, a few brushes and some paper and give it a shot." Just do the thing. once you start, you're already doing more than most.
- Start with what you already have (or the most basic you can find in the stores). You don't need professional materials to learn to create art. Let me say that again: you DO NOT need professional materials to learn to create art. I taught myself to draw with a #2 pencil and printer paper. I taught myself to paint with one of those big, cheap art kits you get as a kid. Even now, I don't drop massive dollars on professional materials, because I know it's not the materials that make the art, it's the creativity and desire. So if you're ready to learn to draw but don't have "supplies," go into your junk drawer (I know you have one), pull out a pencil or a pen, grab a piece of paper (the back of your kid's old homework assignments work just fine) and start drawing. Want to learn to paint with acrylics? Get to your local art store and pick up a pad of acrylic paper and a small starter kit of paints. Learn the basics and then worry about picking up more materials.
- Read books, watch videos, digest content. There are SO MANY resources out there - both free and paid - that will help you learn and grow in your art practice. YouTube is incredible. If you want to learn about it, you can probably find someone teaching it on YouTube, and it's usually free. Your local library is FULL of resources - books, videos, workshops, classes, it's all at your library, so get in there. And if you want a more structured learning method, try picking up a class on platforms like MasterClass, Skillshare or my personal favorite, Udemy. Make a habit of checking out content from other artists to not only learn, but inspire.
- Learn the basics: color, composition, form, etc. If you truly don't know where to start and you're hesitant to jump in, these are the basics I suggest to start. In those free (or paid) resources I talked about, find information on things like color, composition, form, structure, anatomy - all of those basic elements of art. While you don't need to have an understanding of these to create amazing art, having this foundation can definitely help you grow. Learn the basics and then build on them as you improve.
- Try out different styles and mediums until something clicks. It's okay to try out something and realize you don't enjoy it. That doesn't mean you "aren't good at art" or "shouldn't keep creating," it just might mean that specific subject isn't for you. Do you know how many subjects, mediums and methods I've tried and rejected over the years? I have boxes of supplies and unfinished pieces that I set aside because they weren't "for me." Pastels, oil paints, heck - jewelry making supplies and other stuff I tried and didn't feel connected to. This is one of the reasons I say to skip the expensive supplies at first - if you picked up the professional supplies for every project you try, you'd be spending your life savings on projects that remain unfinished. Try new things - you won't like them all. But by giving them a shot, you'll end up finding what speaks to your soul.
- Make creating a habit, not a performance. Treat your art practice as something special and sacred. Something regular and personal instead of something that has to be completed, polished, shared, judged and "performed" every time. The goal in developing your skills as an artist (both at the beginning and as you evolve) isn't to impress others or produce huge masterpieces on a rigid schedule (that comes later in your art career if that's what you choose!), it's showing up consistently and with enthusiasm, even if your results are messy, experimental, slow going and totally private. Performance mindset says: "This needs to be good. It has to look like real art or else I have failed. People are going to see this and I must make it perfect." A habit mindset says: "I am showing up today and every day and I am ready to see what happens. I have let go of the pressure and I am here to create."
- Get inspired by other artists - but don't copy! I love following other artists on social media, and one of the things I love to do most is try out their tutorials. That's copying with the intention of learning. But what I mean here is: if you follow an artist on Instagram and love their work, find a way to take what they do, and translate it into your own style. If you follow one of their tutorials step for step and stroke for stroke, cool - now maybe tomorrow, take that tutorial, and ask yourself, "how can I put my own style into this idea? How can I make this my own?" So for example, you watched a Bob Ross video, and you painted along with him, and your piece turned out great - almost identical to his. Great, now let's take those skills you just learned and make it your own. Create a landscape that has those same elements - those mountains, those trees, that big fluffy cloud and that stream full of tiny waterfalls - and paint the paradise in your mind. Move the stream to the left. Make the mountain bigger. Make the forest of trees seem endless. Make the banks of the stream have some colorful florals. Make it yours!
- Make a portfolio for your art - physically and digitally. Here's one I wish I had done from the start. As it stands now, my art is all over the place. In recent years, I've developed a system for organizing and archiving my art, but ask me where my old pieces are...I have no idea. They're somewhere though! So yes, this is a big one. This is a great way to see the progression of your art from where you are now to where you are six months or six years from now. If you have a physical space to keep your sketches, that's the best. But also, scan or photograph your art (using your phone is fine) and create a folder on your computer, on your phone, in the cloud, etc. It's so cool to look back and see where you've come from.
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Speaking of early work...KEEP IT ALL! Yes, even the ones you hated or the ones that weren't any good. Don't just keep the masterpieces. Seriously, I wish I had all of my older art. I had sketchbooks and loose pieces of paper with old art on them, and at some point in my journey, they made me cringe so hard that I tossed them. And now, oh I wish I had all of that. It doesn't just remind me how far I've come (though that's a big reason why I wish I had it), it helps me remember where I typically struggle. It inspires me to keep going. And what few old pieces I still have are SUCH fun pieces to share on my social media - and they tend to really get people talking!
- And finally, share your art - unapologetically and authentically. I don't care if your goal isn't to create a social media presence or just share it with your friends - I want you to share your art. Share it any time you can. If this is something you enjoy, something that makes you happy and something that you think might inspire someone else to bring a little creative joy into their lives...share your art. The world needs art, and sharing yours with the world (whether your own small world or the entire planet) spreads joy and happiness. Plus, who doesn't enjoy sharing and talking about something they love? Share and talk about your art with the same enthusiasm as that guy at the office who can't stop talking about college basketball.
When it comes to starting out with art...the beginning is the hardest part, but it’s also the most exciting. You’re laying the groundwork for something personal, meaningful, and uniquely yours. Starting out with art doesn't require a degree, it doesn't require specialized supplies, and it doesn't require an intensive study period. You just need to have the desire to create and make the space in your life to put it into action. Show up regularly, even for 10 minutes. If you're showing up, you're making progress.
If this is you - if you are just starting out with art, what's one small step you can take today? Pick one tip from this list and give it a try. Then, come back and let me know how it went!