7 New Year’s Resolutions For Artists

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Sure, you’ve made New Year’s resolutions that have lasted maybe a week or two.

But those resolutions weren’t fun. They involved sweating or depriving yourself or doing something else that really wasn’t natural to you.

But making a New Year’s resolution to advance your art certainly isn’t in that category.

Art is something you love. Creative expression is something that’s in your soul. You just need to incorporate art into your daily life. You don’t need to add all of these resolutions to your already busy schedule, but choosing one or two will add a fresh outlook to your life and take you a step closer to becoming the artist you know is lurking inside.

1. Make Time For Art

Saying it and doing it are two different things. You don’t need a big block of time to start with. Just a half hour a day adds up to 182.5 hours, or roughly 7-1/2 days devoted to art per year.

Don’t vaguely say you’re going to do this, but set definite times and goals. Mark your calendar or day planner and list specific things you plan to do. You may even want to sign up for a class. This solidifies your plan and makes it an important part of your weekly schedule.

2. Keep A Daily Sketchbook/Journal

Let’s face it – you just can’t remember every great idea you have. Keep a sketchbook handy to capture those fleeting inspirations before they fly out of your brain.

Have a small travel sketchbook and pencil or markers for your purse, briefcase or to keep in your car. Keep a sketchbook at work, and have a nice journal at home. Get in the habit of grabbing your sketchbook while you’re having lunch, waiting for an appointment or other hurry-up-and-wait activities. You never know when your daydreaming may bring up a great composition or new subject, so keep your sketchpad handy – and use it!

3. Turn Sketchbook Ideas Into Completed Works

If you use your sketchbook but never get around to taking any of those ideas and transform them into paintings, you’re missing the boat. Your journal isn’t the end result. It’s a stepping stone to your completed masterpiece.

Take those artistic inspirations and develop them into paintings. Your sketch may lead to a series of related paintings or a springboard for another piece.

4. Study A New Technique Or Subject Matter

If you’re a devout landscape artist, learn how to draw and paint the human figure. If your attempts at painting a portrait look like a caricature, study how to render a likeness.

If you’re a detail-oriented painter, loosen it up and paint in an impressionistic manner or start flinging paint to create abstract works of art. Treat yourself to a set of paints that you’ve never used before. Try encaustics, egg tempera or learn to block print. The worst thing that can happen is you find you really don’t like it, and at best you’re adding a new facet to your artistic self.

5. Draw From Life

Copying subjects from print work may be easy, but it doesn’t come close to using the actual objects while drawing and painting. You can see the subject from all angles and get a better perspective on the intricacies of the individual components. You can examine more clearly how shadows fall, adjust your lighting to suit your ideas and change the positions for a stronger composition.

You’ll find it’s a learning experience to shift from recreating two dimensional objects on paper to creating your own interpretation of the subject, but with a little practice, you’ll get the hang of it.

6. Study The Works Of The Old Masters

There’s much to be said for studying the techniques of the Old Masters. Whether you’re self-taught, work strictly in abstract methods or wouldn’t dream of painting a floral still life to save your soul, the principles and concepts developed and practiced by the Old Master artists are as valid today as they were when they were first used.

Artists like Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali may have made their mark in the art world by creating over-the-top paintings, but their art began learning the techniques of the finest artists in history. Until you know the rules, you won’t understand how to successfully break them.

7. Create A Portfolio

If you ever expect to be a professional artist, you need to develop a portfolio. Your portfolio is an expression of who you are as an artist.

Your portfolio should be well rounded. Include a variety of subject matter, techniques and materials, even if you generally focus on a single one.

Include supporting materials where appropriate. You may wish to include journal entries, sketchbook designs and layouts or other supplemental work that adds to your artistic credibility.

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