Here are 5 Things I wish Knew as a Beginner Artist. ✏️
1. You Don’t Need to Have Everything Figured Out.
2. Passion is Overrated.
3. Keep moving when lost.
4. Comparison is the killer.
5. Expectation Kills Creativity.
Let me explain…
1. You Don’t Need to Have Everything Figured Out
As a beginner, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the pressure to have a solid plan for your artistic journey. 😩
You might feel like you need a five-year plan or to know exactly where you’re headed.
I wish someone had told me “Buddy, It’s okay to not have it all figured out. it’s okay to feel lost”.
It’s good to have a vision. But what matters more is your willingness to take small, consistent steps. 👣
As you progress, your direction becomes clearer. So, relax, enjoy the process, and give yourself time to grow.
2. Passion is Overrated
We’ve all heard the advice to “follow your passion.”
But what if you don’t know what your passion is? 🤔
Passion isn’t something you discover overnight; it’s something you build over time through experience.
Find something that you remotely like and focus on it hard for the next 3-12 Months. 🗓️
As you improve your skills, the things that seemed frustrating at first become more rewarding, and that’s where passion is built.
Rather than chasing passion, focus on mastering the skills you enjoy. Passion will follow.
3. Keep moving when lost
Just like the great philosopher Dory from ‘Finding Nemo’ said,
“Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming” 🐟
One of the most critical lessons I’ve learned is to keep moving forward, even when you’re unsure of the outcome.
Take up Projects and do something useful when you don’t know what your passion is yet.
The Work you do will reveal the thing you wanna find. 🔨
4. Comparison is the killer
Stop comparing yourself to all those Instagram Artists and people you find on the internet.
What you see online is often a curated highlight reel of reality. 📱
Instead of comparing yourself to that unrealistic picture of others, compare yourself to where you were yesterday.
It’s good to have inspirations and look up to other artists, but by focusing on your own progress and growth, you can develop your skills without falling for unrealistic expectations.
5. Expectation Kills Creativity
“We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our standards” – Archilochus
Many times we think that expecting something will make the thing come true, but you need to put in the work to make it happen.
Having expectations in my experience has always killed creativity. 🚫
Rather, just take your sketchbook, pens and pencils and make the art you wanna make and put the best effort you can put in that moment.
When you do that, the best work you can create in that point will emerge.
You do that the next day. Then the day after. And at some point all that practice will add up and come to your assistance. 💪
Those are 5 Things I wish I knew as a Beginner Artist.
If you are at a stage in your journey where you want to;
📚 Learn How to Draw and Tell Stories with your Art
🌎 Make your Own Characters and Worlds
⌛ Low on Time but want a Daily Drawing Practice,
Check out My 100 Day Program ‘Drawing Camp’.
It focuses on creatives who wants to Create Characters and Make Comics.
For those who wants to take the first step, this is the ultimate resource. 👇
Best,
Kesh.