Simple Tips to Beginning Art

As someone who has been practicing art since they were 10 years old, I think I can safely say that I've explored plenty of the ins and outs of trying to make a career out of the arts that I practice.

Now, I know for a fact that as a barely 21-year old, I cannot say that I have experienced every hardship that comes with being an artist. So far I've only dipped my toes into the water and boy oh boy could I use a few more tips than just the ones I'm about to give you.

Let's start from the beginning. (Well, what I can remember of it anyway.)

At the ripe age of 10 years old I remember very distinctly the way I would sit on one of the couches at my dad's house and stare at one of the enormous paintings that hung on the wall. I remember someone telling me that it was made by a family member but, to be honest with you I don't remember those details. Sometimes I would imagine myself sitting in front of a canvas and painting something that was just as beautiful as my 10-year old brain thought that painting was.

Of course, I knew that I wouldn't just be able to get the supplies that I needed and whip up a mind-blowing painting out of nowhere. Keep that in mind. Don't let your mind wander to the future that might be filled with paintings worth a lot of money. Just start simple.

My dad, though I haven't seen any of them, used to do oil paintings. You know the ones that Bob Ross used to give tutorials on. I've heard that he did pretty mind-blowing paintings using those tutorials. When I was younger and just beginning to get interested in art, my dad would sometimes explain to me different techniques that he used and how his favorite thing to paint was snow.

When I think back on those conversations I laugh because personally, I hate painting snow.

If you are interested in painting with oil paints you should look up who Bob Ross is. You can even use his techniques when painting with acrylic.

Not too long after that, I began to start doodling on the edge of my school assignments, just little things to begin but they slowly got to the point where I was covering every blank part of the paper. I knew that going from doodles to drawing something in detail would be difficult and I tried my hardest to prepare myself for that. Eventually, I moved on to printer paper and that is where I drew my first eye. Of course, I watched a tutorial that I had to pause every twenty seconds and rewind fifty times to actually follow correctly.

But, I did it.

The feeling I got after finishing that drawing was indescribable.

It was like I had finally shoved open the door that was blocking my way. I had broken a damn. It didn't stop after that. After that night I was watching as many tutorials as I could and I was asking for art supplies and those step-by-step books on how to draw animals and such.

Eventually, I got used to drawing eyes without the tutorials and I decided that I wanted to draw a full face.

That was way easier said than done.

Which brings me to my first piece of advice;

Take art classes.

YouTube videos and books from your local library are good places for beginners to start, but if you're looking for something more than just drawing a few animals or eyes take a class.

I am completely self-taught. While I am immensely proud of the progress that I have made over the years as a self-taught artist, I know for a fact that had I taken even just one class when I was younger and just beginning I probably wouldn't have struggled as much as I did. I have huge respect for every other artist that I've had the pleasure of meeting that were also completely self-taught and there is nothing wrong with it.

I'm just saying if you have the resources and the money I would recommend taking a beginners class.

Back to my first drawing of a face. It was rough. Looking at that drawing now I can see so many flaws in it, because yes I still have that drawing, but I always try to remember how impressed all of my friends were and I tell myself that it was a good drawing for my age and my level.

Some more advice;

Give yourself the credit.

That drawing or painting might not be the greatest thing ever made but remember that is the greatest thing you have created so far. They aren't kidding when they say practice makes perfect. It takes a lot of time to learn these things but everything you do in between is amazing because it's the best you can do at that moment.

I didn't get the chance to join an art class until I was in eighth grade. That's five years. I spent five years teaching myself how to draw and sometimes painting that when I finally did join that art class I was ahead of everyone.

That was also around the same time that I started to sell some of the art I did.

It was usually only small amounts, 15 dollars for a drawing.

Being fifteen at the time meant that I was eager to make any extra money that I could, mainly because at that time I was literally addicted to coffee, so it motivated me to take that first step. One day I got onto Facebook and I asked if anyone wanted what I discovered was called a commission. I added pictures of previous art pieces that I had done and explained my very simple pricing. Of course, since my Facebook at the time only consisted of my family members I got a few responses from them and sold my first paintings.

Unfortunately, at the beginning of my high school career, things started looking down for me. I had gone from an eager learner to someone who barely wanted to pick up a pencil or a paintbrush.

Without going into too much detail about that time in my life, I was sad all the time. I had no energy to do anything. I looked at the art that I had proudly put on my walls for whomever to see and just saw things that I used to do.

It was a hard time of my life but after I pulled myself out of that hole I learned to appreciate the ability that I had taught myself to do. I moved to a different school, reconnected with my best friend, made new friends, and eventually, I found myself drawing on my school papers again.

With the new happiness that I had found, I also found my love for art again. That's when I really began to sell my art. Not enough to be called a business yet, but maybe a side hustle. I never sold very many art pieces but I had commissions every now and then and it was enough for me to decide that it was something that I wouldn't have minded doing for the rest of my life.

Fast forward a few years, I've tried the whole college thing and simply decided that it wasn't for me. It didn't come as that much of a surprise because I had never been the biggest fan of school. I got good enough grades but I just didn't really want to do it.

I am still doing art today, still selling it, and still convinced there is nothing else I want to do for the remainder of my career.

The only difference between now and then is that now I am finally beginning to make that dream become reality. I've spent the last few months talking to the artists that I know who have already made small businesses and I have learned the best places to begin.

More advice; If you have friends that are also artists but have more experience than you, ask them some questions, share experiences. It'll be worth it in the long run.

I've just begun setting up a real website where people can go to browse and buy my art. It's not completely set up but it's the step in the right direction that I've always needed.

This is a journey that I am more than excited to begin. I have a feeling it'll be a great one.