4 habits that make me a better artist
#39 or how to create art smoothly
Hey my demon 👋,
Welcome to the edition #38 of the Art Missive! We are 4,746 😈 in this newsletter. Whether you have been here from the beginning or you have just arrived, thank you so much for reading ❤.
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In this Art Missive
1/ Introduction: power of habits.
2/ Prep.
3/ Inner dialogue.
4/ Warm-up routine.
5/ Sketchbook and observational drawing.
6/ Conclusion.
1/ Introduction.
Being an artist is a unique way of life, which is why many give up.
Contrary to common belief, art isn't all about inspiration. As Chuck Close put it, 'Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work.' Art thrives on practice and good habits.
When I stopped relying solely on inspiration and adopted better habits, my art took a giant leap forward, becoming more meaningful.
Welcome to edition #39 of the Art Missive, where I'm sharing 4 game-changing habits to become a prolific artist.
2/ Prep
Does it sound like you?
You spent the day telling yourself that you were going to draw tonight. You finally cleared some time and space to focus on your pencils that you haven't touched in days. After a day of fantasizing about the drawings you'd create, you're finally in front of your paper... But there's nothing coming out. You don't know what to do. No inspiration... But still, you start anyway! But nothing goes as planned. Your process is messy, and the result doesn't please you.
That used to happen to me all the time. And it happened because I came unprepared. So when it was time to draw, my mind was too busy answering several questions at once: When to draw? What to draw? How to draw it?
So, I decided to plan my practice in advance. This way, not only am I having much more fun, but my drawings have improved significantly.
💡 Your Takeaways:
Prepare your practice in advance:
👉 Every Sunday, I set aside time slots in my schedule for drawing. My drawing slots range from 10 minutes to 3 hours. If possible, keep the same slots each week to build a habit. This way, practicing will become second nature.
👉 I also prepare my drawing project in advance. I write the storyline, collect references, and make some sketches the weekend before the practice. When it's time to draw, everything becomes easier.Over the past few weeks, there's been a massive controversy on my Instagram account. A topic of the utmost importance...
3/ Inner dialogue.
Sometimes, your struggles in drawing won't come from your skills but from your mindset.
When we draw, we engage in an internal dialogue. It's like having a conversation with ourselves. If we control this inner voice well, it can immerse us in "the zone" (a reference to Kuroko no Basket for those in the know), an intense state of concentration and artistic flow that allows us to create.
However, when we don't control our internal dialogue, it can sound more like this: "What's my problem?" "What am I doing?" "I'll never be as good as them" "my drawings suck."
During years of practice, my internal dialogue fueled my fear of failure and experimentation. Drawing became scary. That’s why controlling your internal dialogue is game-chaging for your art journey.
💡Your takeaways:
👉 Fill your inner dialogue with constructive questions like "why does this seem off?" and "how can I improve this?"
👉 Suppress all non-constructive thoughts like "I'm no good."
👉 Practice positive affirmations such as "art is a journey," "I can become the artist I aspire to be," and "I am worthy and legitimate."
👉 Cultivate a growth mindset. Read books and consume content on the growth mindset. You'll learn to view art as a journey and appreciate the value of mistakes and taking risks.
4/ Warm-up routine
We would all be shocked to see athletes begin a competition, a match, or a training session without warming up. So why do artists skip warm-ups so often?
I'm a big fan of warm-ups.
Firstly, because it warms up my wrist, elbow, and shoulder. As a result, when it's time to draw, my lines are more precise.
But, most importantly, warm-up is a true psychological boost. Taking the time to sharpen my pencils and do a few warm-up exercises before drawing calms me down!
It gives me the time to visualize what I'm going to draw and allows me to gradually enter the zone.
💡Your takeaways:
👉Allocate 10 minutes for warm-up before each practice.
👉Sharpen your pencils, prepare your materials, and organize your workspace.
👉Perform some warm-up exercises such as swatches or quick studies.
5/ Sketchbook and observational drawing.
Sketchbooks are quite the trend these days, and with good reason—they're possibly the best tool for artists.
In the drawing course I'm creating, I emphasize the importance of maintaining a sketchbook and filling it regularly. These sketchbooks serve as your personal treasure troves, safe spaces where you can capture all your ideas, no matter how simple or unusual.
Within my sketchbooks, I predominantly focus on observational drawing, so I explain in the course why artists who specialize in stylized portraits should also embrace observational drawing. I also share my 4-step process for creating observational portrait drawings. I'm a firm believer that observational practice should be demystified and made accessible to all artists looking to improve their skills.
💡Your takeaways:
👉 Draw in your sketchbook every damn day, even if it's just doodles that took you 1 minute to make!
👉 Practice observational drawing to work on your fundamentals and build a unique and appealing style. Your observational sketches can be of any objects! They can last 2 minutes or 3 hours.
👉 Value drawing from life! You'll progress much faster. You can draw objects on your desk, invite a friend and draw them, or go outside and draw what you see.
6/ Conclusion.
In conclusion, I have one final piece of advice for you:
You might currently be feeling frustrated, as if you can't reach your full potential as an artist.
If that's the case, you may be one of those artists who rely on inspiration and chance. And that's good news!
It means that with the right habits, you can make tremendous progress. You are just one decision away from becoming the artist you'll be proud of.
That's all for me. See you next Monday!
Léa, Mama demon for those in the know.
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