The REAL reason your art skill has plateaued…

Transcript:

There IS a formula to improve your art skills. Are you using it?

When people tell me they are bad at art, THIS is what they are talking about. What they really mean is “I can’t draw realistically.”

It’s also this feeling that if people ask you to draw on command in public, well, your ability to do so (and accurately no less) is a full measure of your ability.

What if I told you there is research based evidence that drawing can be a skill you develop and that you need no talent to improve your skills at art?! 

Much of western culture has no training or education that promotes art skills or art theory or even art history in our curriculum. I’m not surprised so many people think you have to be “naturally” inclined in the subject matter for you to become skillful in the arts. Unfortunately, this holds many people back from their curiosity and interest in the arts. AND THIS IS COMPLETELY FALSE!

I have three examples for you to debunk this myth today.

My first example comes from a book I know, have used, and recommend to students and art teachers. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is a classic art book by Betty Edwards that has amazing before and after drawings of adult students with no art experience after a year of training with her. This is great evidence that we can all improve our skills with the right kind of learning AND that it’s never too late to start. You don’t have to pick up a pencil or paintbrush before the age of 15 to be  skillful or successful at art.

My second example comes from personal experience as a teacher at an international school. When I taught high school art overseas I was exposed to students of many cultures. And I noticed a trend: any of my students who had elementary level studies in Korea were “good” at drawing. Why? Because curriculum in Korean schools requires all students to develop skills in draftsmanship. These kids are taught to draw as part of their education. It’s not something they are naturally good at, or is because of their ethnicity (sometimes a stereotype people share about Asian cultures and art). EDUCATION. This is the key word here. We can learn if we are taught the right skills.

With my first two examples, I still had some of my own doubts. I didn’t feel I had all the evidence I needed to support my argument that talent is something we don’t need to be successful at art. Then I read the book Peak, by Anders Ericsson. And I finally had the research based evidence (as well as a formula) that shows how people, across ALL kinds of disciplines, become experts in their fields. Not only does he share a formula we can apply to our art, he is very clear in his messaging: even if you don’t want to become “expert” because of all the time involved, EVERYONE can still improve their skills in any discipline using the formula.

Do I have your interest peaked? (Hehe pun intended). I’ve used my resources and experience as an art teacher, artist and the research conducted by Ericsson to design my own formula artists can use to consciously build their drawing skill. I’ve outlined it in a free 7 day challenge for you called Drawing Drills. To get stARTED, click on the button below.

What has been one of the biggest concerns/fears/obstacles you’ve had around improving your drawing skills? Let’s start that conversation in the comments below.

And remember: your dream to draw faster, or confidently from your imagination, is possible. You can become fully confident to express your ideas as an artist and proudly share your work with others. Make that choice starting today. Sign up and start Day one of Drawing Drills 7 Day Art Challenge.