Have you ever been told you have a “natural talent” for art? I get it-- I’ve been told that, too.
You’ve probably thought it was a benefit….but natural talent can also be one of the largest obstacles to improvement.
The “talent myth” can make you feel like you can sit back and not worry about improving, thinking you will just naturally get better.
You might think, I’ve never really learned what I’m doing now and it seems to be working. So you reject learning anything new that may offer some artistic insight.
Some artists are even afraid of demystifying the process. They’re worried that they may not be able to intuitively engage in their craft anymore--and that’s definitely a scary thought!
Sometimes you have to “unlearn” before you can improve!
Believe it or not, there is a methodical approach to what you’re doing when you draw or paint. If you’re open to discovering it, it can help you blow past your current limitations. Talent can only get you so far.
So what kind of improvement can you expect when you break down the process? You will:
- Develop more control of your craft when you know how it all works.
- Know how to make any necessary corrections.
- Learn how to approach a drawing in the same way every time.
- Know why you tackle the hair first (or last) on a portrait.
- Learn to focus on shadows first and increase their value slowly as you build up the drawing.
…..and that’s just the beginning!
You can learn the building blocks that will take it to the next level-- and the first way to begin this process is to not let talent hold you back.
You want to level up your art--and that means you and I are a lot alike! Tune in next time where I’ll keep sharing what I’ve learned on my journey.