If you’re trying to learn how to draw, paint, or sculpt in a new style, you’ve probably already spent time studying some of the standard materials available to students. But learning a new art form involves much more than reading a textbook and applying what you’ve been taught. Artists need to improve their skills from several directions at once to see the fastest and most meaningful progress.
With that in mind, here are 10 ways to simplify the process of learning a new art form:
1. Practice frequently
The old saying “practice makes perfect” applies to any artist trying to pick up a new art form quickly. The more you create, the faster you’ll become familiar with the little techniques and features that make up the discipline you’re studying. Building hands-on experience also increases your proficiency and speed, which helps when you’re doing live portraits or other kinds of live art. Frequent practice reduces the number of mistakes you make, so your abilities improve gradually but surely.
2. Use digital tools
Even if you don’t plan on using digital tools to create your art, learning how to use them will sharpen how you develop and shape your ideas. Some of the best tools to become familiar with are Photoshop, ArtRage, Procreate, Affinity Designer, Artweaver 6, and CorelDRAW. The best approach, though, is to ask for recommendations from artists who already work in the art form you’re trying to learn. That way you’ll find out which programs are most useful for that particular style and which features get you the effects you want.
3. Use the services of a tutor
An art tutor who already works in the style you want to learn can help a great deal, because you’ll be taking advice from someone who has real proficiency in it. You can use Superprof to find a tutor from the comfort of your own home, and often they’ll be more affordable and effective than in-person tutors in your area. With an online tutoring service you have access to art professionals from around the world, which widens your options considerably.
4. Join forums
Joining an art forum is a great way to be exposed to new styles and to reach communities of other artists who can give you detailed advice. It also gives you an easy way to share your practice works with like-minded people who can offer useful feedback and constructive criticism. Check out a list of the most popular art forums and sign up for a few in your spare time. Once you’ve joined, focus on building a good-looking profile that explains who you are as an artist and what you’re trying to learn. If you’re active on the forums regularly, chances are you’ll meet a few peers and mentors who help you reach your goals faster.
5. Share your works
If you’re not showing other people your practice works, you won’t advance as fast, because you’ll be relying only on your own opinion to improve. If you followed the previous tip, you should already be sharing your work with other artists. Sometimes an untrained eye gives you the best advice, pointing out flaws that hurt the realism or appeal of your art.
6. Watch instructional videos
YouTube is full of art videos that teach techniques and inspire you with time lapses of incredible work. The site also has countless tutorials you can use to gain specialised experience in nearly every art discipline there is. Try to spend at least 30 minutes to an hour a day watching and following along with instructional videos from well-known artists and teachers.
7. Focus on dexterity and hand skills
Understanding the technical side of a certain look matters, but your skills as an artist ultimately come down to dexterity and hand-eye coordination, especially when you’re building speed and accuracy. Try dexterity exercises that help you hold your hand steady and complete smooth motions without error. With more control over your hands, you’ll be able to bring your imagination to life like never before.
8. Be your own critic
When you finish a piece, step away from it for a day or two, then come back with a fresh mind and ask yourself what you could have done to make it better. Seeking advice from others helps, but sometimes you’re your own best critic, because you know exactly which areas gave you trouble during the work, so you’re in the best position to analyse those flaws honestly. Others will often be afraid to give you negative feedback, so it’s easier to be honest with yourself than to find someone else who’ll tell you the truth about what you’re doing wrong.
9. Try to replicate great works
You shouldn’t expect to make an exact replica of a famous piece, good enough to pass off as a forgery, but making the effort to come as close as you can will help you learn to think like the greats. You might even come back to the same piece and attempt it several times, and you’ll notice you get closer to the original with each try.
10. Document your progress on social media
In the past, people kept personal diaries and art books filled with their practice works, and they had to dig out those materials any time they wanted to look back at their progress. Today it’s much easier to take a photo of every piece when you finish it and put it in a gallery on your social media profile. That way you’ll always have a convenient way to revisit your old works and share them with others.
Accelerate your learning by combining all of the tips above
Versatility is a trait every artist should work on, so it can’t hurt to use all of the tips above in a well-rounded learning strategy. The more sources of inspiration, instruction, and criticism you can pull from, the faster you’ll become proficient in a new art form. If you take a purely self-guided approach instead, your progress will be much slower because you’ll be working inside a creative bubble. So take your time at becoming a better student, and you’ll grow into a better artist along the way.
