Last week, I discussed the evolution of my one-off course into something much bigger. The experience of teaching Sketchbook to Style Boot Camp has taught me more about art, artists, and art education than all my previous years combined. This led to three major realizations: I’m not teaching people how to make art, I’m teaching them how to be artists; I’m not a teacher; and online art classes don’t work (in the traditional sense). Let’s explore that first realization: how to truly learn art.
Beyond Techniques: Cultivating the Artist Within
Student feedback from Sketchbook to Style revealed a key difference: this course fosters artistry, not just art creation. Many classes teach their way to draw or paint, potentially hindering a budding artist’s unique voice.
The Pitfalls of a Purely Logical Approach
Traditional art education often emphasizes the logical side: perspective, shading, anatomy—rules and linear processes. These cater to a desire for quick fixes, but original art rarely emerges from rigid formulas. Logical learning is valuable for foundational skills, but it can stifle a budding artist’s exploration and development of personal style.
This logical approach won’t help you navigate the tumultuous journey of self-discovery as an artist. It’s about tapping into your creative side, embracing imagination over rote knowledge, as Einstein wisely said. You deserve to create art that reflects your unique vision.
Sketchbook to Style guides students to discover their own way of drawing, fostering the development of their individual artistic identity. This process transcends mere technique; it cultivates the essence of being an artist.
It’s about shifting from the logical to the creative mind: embracing play, experimentation, ambiguity, and pushing beyond the safe and predictable to create truly original art.
Navigating the Universal Challenges of Artistic Growth
While each artistic journey is unique, common challenges and qualities emerge. There’s no magic formula, but focusing on these shared experiences can unlock artistic discovery. These qualities lie dormant within us, often hindered by internal obstacles.
Overcoming the Hurdle of Early Judgment
Budding artists often succumb to premature self-criticism, comparing their early work to seasoned professionals. Harsh critiques can be debilitating. Learning to embrace mistakes and imperfection as essential steps in the process is crucial. Patience and self-compassion are paramount.
Early work should be celebrated for its potential, not dissected for flaws. Budding artists need encouragement and audacious exploration, not fear of failure.
Instead of prescriptive advice, they need “why not?” and “go try it!”—a supportive environment that fosters experimentation.
Nurturing the Budding Artist: The Power of Support
Budding artists thrive on encouragement and belief in their potential. Celebrating effort over perceived “success” allows them to define their own artistic standards. They need nurturing, not unsolicited advice. Someone who believes in them, empowering self-belief.
Without this early support, many remain “wannabe” or “aspiring” artists, their potential unrealized.
Essential Qualities of an Artist
Overcoming common obstacles allows budding artists to cultivate essential qualities: open-mindedness, bravery, presence, playfulness, compassion, self-awareness, experimentation, discipline, creativity, knowledge, confidence, observation, focus, and trust.
Learning anatomical drawing or perspective is valuable, but it’s not the same as learning to be an artist. It’s about fostering these inherent qualities.
This brings me to my next point: I am not a teacher (in the conventional sense). More on that next week!
