Every upcoming artist wants to get better, but the truth is just wanting to become better is not really enough. You need to be intentional and wise in choosing a method that makes you become a master.
Most master artists would say that the first thing you need to do is to change your mindset. It sounds a little bit cheesy, but it is very correct. To become a master, you need to see yourself becoming one.
You might not be a good artist now, talkless of becoming a master, but the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. You need to start small. No one was born a master, except you’ve always been good at it and love to draw. If you have just recently developed an interest in it, you’d need to build up yourself gradually.
Don’t pressure yourself into starting big projects; it would become more difficult for you to remain focused or motivated. Start small, and you gradually build yourself to become a master in drawing. Here are some hacks you might find helpful.
1. Try the Jasin Method
To become good at drawing, you need to practice new techniques over and over again. Repetition can be annoying, but it’s important for growth. You need to practice the basics and perform small experiments within short periods alongside each other. Don’t let it overwhelm you, rather embrace spontaneity. That way, you would learn quickly, and if that happens, you will find the repetition enjoyable.
According to Sycra Jasin, a freelance illustrator and YouTube art instructor, this repetitive drawing is a fast way to get better. He found out that by engaging in tiny experiments, he was able to identify what method worked for him and what didn’t. Hence, he could capitalize on that experience. Simply put, learn how to draw by continuous practice. In support of this notion, a John Hopkin study has shown people tend to learn faster when they introduce variability into their routine.
2. Copy Great Artists
If you want to become great at anything, one of the best ways is to practice by copying great artists. You might be an exceptional artist, but sometimes drawing inspirations might go for summer holidays and not return until after two years. Even though drawings that come from the inspiration are original works, they may not be able to meet demands as often as the market wants.
Rather than always focusing inwardly for inspiration to draw, intentionally look outward for inspiration like art books, paintings, natural phenomena, movies, music, tech, or family.
Various artists advise upcoming professionals to draw inspiration from artists they look up to or study the legendary masters. You’re free to steal or copy whatever picks your interest, ensure you play around it and create something unique from it you can call your own. You can easily improve by learning from what you see.
3. Tap into Your Emotions
The emotional anchor technique is a great way to carve out your brand or uniqueness when drawing. When you’re able to tap into an emotion you have, you get to focus more when drawing. It can be any emotion from when you’re angry, sad, happy, stressed, or even depressed. Emotions are a strong part of you to draw inspiration from. If you’ve ever done anything when you’re emotional, take a look at it again, it would be exceptional.
Use your emotions to your advantage, paint or draw things you’re passionate about repeatedly.
Research by Harvard University has also confirmed how important emotions are in decision-making, and there have been more studies in that niche than ever before.
4. Apply the Ghost Technique
This drawing technique is based on the idea that people are able to push themselves and compete against a ghost version of themselves.
It’s basically you beating feats you consider to be impossible. Never undermine your potential and how quickly you might arrive at what you want. For instance, draw something you think is difficult repeatedly and at decreasing time limits. So, if you start with 30 min, repeat the drawing in 20 mins, then 15 down to 5. You get to build your precision and accuracy.
5. Before Sleeping, Practice
Make it your habit to practice every day before you go to bed. You’d be shocked how quickly it would improve your drawing. Your last act before you sleep usually registers in your subconscious, and it’s a great way to finetune your drawing skills.
6. Find a Mentor
Much like the second hack, find an expert who can mentor you. Someone who has made enough mistakes and can guide on how to not make another. Following a mentor’s guidance would save you a whole deal of stress and set you on the path of mastery.
When you combine the hacks listed above, you would become a master in no time. Keep in mind that everything good and lasting takes time. It would happen gradually, masters are forged over time.