So You wanna be an Artist?

10 tips for beginning artists

• Practice. Get yourself a sketchbook or a stack of printer paper, carry it with you wherever you go, and make a point to draw something as often as you can.
• Challenge yourself. If you think you suck at something, you should be drawing it more. If you only draw the same thing over and over again, you won't get good with anything else.
• Study from life. And I mean REALLY study it. Don't just say "Oh, I know what a dog looks like." Study photos of dogs, examine how their muscles work, and watch how they move. Just looking at something is not the same as SEEING what's there.
• Lots of practice. And then, after that, practice some more.
• Break complicated forms into simpler parts. Start from base structures and forms and build from that. Don't start with the details and try to figure the rest out later. A house begins with the frame and foundation, not the paint and windows.
• Develop a critical eye. You have to be able to see errors in your own work in order to be able to fix it. While outside critique is very important, you can't only rely on the input of others to tell you what you need to improve.
• Practice every day. Seriously.
• Be patient, and understand there is no magic secret to being able to draw well. No special paper or pen or photoshop trick will turn an unskilled artist into a master overnight. There are no short-cuts to true skill.
• Learn the difference between useful critiques and background noise. Treat both "You 100% completely suck at everything" and "You 100% are perfect in everything you do" with a grain of salt. One is confidence destroying, and the other is ego inflating. Neither is very helpful when trying to learn and improve.
• Did I mention PRACTICE?

It took 10 years to make the skill jump from left to right. Don't be discouraged if you don't see visible improvement in a couple weeks, or even a few months; it often takes years. Save your old artwork and look back on it from time to time. You might be surprised!