Welcome! Make yourself comfortable. I’d like to present the best of the best that this blog has to offer. If you’re not feelin’ any of these posts then, simply put, you’ve come to the wrong place.
. . . It's all part of the discovery stage of learning art, so for this reason, I have no regrets—not over purchasing the first sets of each mediums, at least. The second, third, and/or fourth watercolor/gouache/colored pencil/etc. set, however? Yes, there's plenty of guilt there. Art supplies are meant to be used. They're not doing their job if they're just collecting dust. That doesn't spark joy for either party—not the user nor the item. . .
There are times when I love art my art. But these moments are rare. More often than not, I find myself fighting with my art. Frustrated because it doesn’t want to do what I tell it to. My hues repel one another. My inkwork is off beyond recovery. . .
Before diving into my lake pigment exploits, I'd like to give credit where it's due. What kickstarted this whole DIY journey was a YouTube video posted by Arleebean on paint making. She filmed the process of creating a watercolor binder and mulling store-bought pigments into them. I was in complete awe. . .
Deciding to dive into the world of art can be a very intimidating venture. As with learning any new skill, it's difficult to know where to start in terms of supplies and materials.
When I started to learn how to draw back in 2016, I remember feeling so overwhelmed. So, I've taken the liberty of crafting this ultimate guide to art supplies for beginner artists. Note that I'm still in the process of learning myself, so this post will be a living document. I'm beyond open to feedback if you have anything to add to this. . .
What are your goals for developing as an artist? Which mediums would you like to explore/improve at? Which drawing skills would you like to develop? Where do you stand right now in your art development? Are you happy with the progress you've been making lately? What do plan to do to level up in your artistry? What ways are you hoping to challenge yourself for the rest of this year? What are some of the most recent art projects you've completed? Which projects are currently in progress? What projects do you have planned for the future? . . .
Let's be real for a second here.
What is it like to learn art as an adult?
When you ask people how long they've been drawing for, they typically answer with "for as long as I can remember". And don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful thing to pick up on your creativity at a young age. . .
But this world is littered with imperfection. It's a shame that it takes a global pandemic for us to realize this. I've been reaching out to a wide range of people. Some I'm in contact with on a regular basis, and others I haven spoken with in a while. Tense times bring about social unity—even during a time of social isolation.
. . . I didn't feel 100% about my love for art, and was afraid to fully come to terms with what this experience meant. So before deciding to jump back into creativity, after what I labelled a moment of "artist block", I purchased a Parisian paint-by-numbers set and slowly chipped away at it. Note, that it's been about 3 months and I'm less than a quarter of the way through. . .
. . . but unlike last year, this year my art development is climbing on my priority list. Hence why I've participated in Sketchtember, and currently partaking in Inktober, and will also hang in there until the bitter end of Huevember.
My art has improved since the year prior, and for that I am insanely proud. Hard work most definitely pays off so long as you focus your energy on the things that you care about.
Rather than posting from the first 3 days of #Inktober2019, I will share videos from my Inktober series on my YouTube channel . . .
When the stresses of the day-to-day get to you, it's difficult to channel your "feeling down" into making meaningful art. But it's especially difficult for someone of the beginner-artist status to do so. Art can be meditative. . . when you know what you're doing. But if you're still struggling to get the fundamentals down, art can feel more like a chore when in an uninspired state. It takes a lot of energy to create. And even more mental and emotional energy to face the fact that you're not very good at art. So, from this perspective, skipping out on a drawing session when you're "in a mood" might just be the most practical thing to do.
