Beginner Artist guide
Art Tips from One Beginner to Another: What's Working for Me
Hey there, fellow art explorer!
I'll be completely honest with you – I'm still figuring this whole art thing out myself. Six months ago, I couldn't draw a decent stick figure, and now... well, I can draw a slightly better stick figure. But here's the thing: I've learned so much in this short time, and I want to share what's actually been working for me as someone who's right there in the trenches with you.
Why I Started This Blog
I kept searching for art advice online and found tons of content from amazing professional artists. While their work is inspiring, sometimes their tips felt a bit... intimidating? Like telling someone who's learning to ride a bike about advanced racing techniques. I wanted to find advice from someone who was still struggling with the basics, someone who remembered what it felt like to hold a pencil and think "Now what?"
That's where this blog comes in. I'm documenting my journey – the good, the messy, and the "did I really just spend three hours on that wonky circle?" moments.
What I've Learned So Far (The Real Stuff)
Start With What You Have
My biggest mistake early on? Thinking I needed expensive supplies before I could even begin. I spent weeks researching the "perfect" beginner art kit instead of just... drawing.
What actually worked: I started with regular printer paper and whatever pens and pencils I had lying around. Turns out, you can learn a lot about line quality with a basic ballpoint pen. Who knew?
Embrace the Ugly Phase
Nobody talks about this enough – your first drawings are going to look rough. Mine definitely did. I have a sketchbook from month one that's honestly painful to look at, but you know what? I'm keeping it because it shows me how far I've come.
What's helping me: I give myself permission to create terrible art. It sounds silly, but once I stopped pressuring myself to make something "good," I actually started improving faster.
The 15-Minute Rule
I used to think I needed hours of free time to practice art. Wrong! Some of my best learning has happened in tiny 15-minute sessions.
My current routine: Every morning with my coffee, I do a quick sketch. Sometimes it's just practicing circles and lines. Sometimes I try to draw my coffee mug. It's not about creating masterpieces – it's about building the habit and training my hand-eye coordination.
YouTube University is Real
Free tutorials are everywhere, and some are genuinely fantastic. I've been following along with basic drawing exercises, and it's like having a patient teacher who doesn't mind if you pause them seventeen times.
Channels that have helped me: I won't overwhelm you with a huge list, but look for tutorials specifically labeled "absolute beginner" or "complete beginner." Trust me on this one.
My Current Struggles (Because Honesty)
I'm still terrible at proportions. Seriously, I drew a portrait last week where the person's eyes were roughly the size of dinner plates. I also can't seem to draw anything without turning the paper 47 different directions – apparently this is normal, but it feels ridiculous.
Shading is another mystery I'm slowly unraveling. Right now, my shadows look more like I took a pencil and scribbled randomly, but I'm getting tiny bits better each week.
What's Next for Me (And Maybe You?)
I'm planning to focus on basic shapes and forms for the next month. I know it sounds boring, but I'm starting to see how everything – faces, objects, landscapes – breaks down into simple shapes. It's like learning the alphabet before writing novels.
I'm also going to start sharing more of my actual attempts here – the good, the questionable, and the "what was I even trying to do here?" pieces. Maybe seeing someone else's learning process in real-time will be helpful, or at least entertaining.
Let's Learn Together
If you're starting your art journey too, I'd love to hear what's working (or not working) for you. Are you struggling with the same things? Have you found any game-changing tips?
This whole blog is really just me thinking out loud about art, but maybe we can figure it out together. After all, everyone starts somewhere, and there's something pretty cool about being beginners together.
Happy sketching!
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