HOW I GOT BETTER AT ART? BEING SURROUNDED BY BEAUTY DID NOT HURT BUT....

 While I was applying acrylic varnish to my commissioned painting, I realized that I will actually miss having it around. Pondering about why is that so made me think about my art journey. Sure, living in two absolutely gorgeous countries helped  feed my artistic soul, but there were some steps I needed to take to step from observing beauty to creating beauty. Today I'll share three things with you that have helped me improve my art skills significantly. I shared my art tips before, but today I want to share some basic things that really made a difference for me both in developing my art skills and my confidence.  



1. I TOOK ART COURSES (SEVEN OF THEM UP TO DATE)

Taking an art course was definitely a turning point that made me take art more seriously. I've taken seven courses up to date and I plan to take more. Learning from people who teach art for living and are often accomplished artists themselves is something anyone can benefit from (no matter your skill level). Not only did taking art courses helped me become a better artist, it was also a great motivation. It was always so satisfying graduating those art courses and participating in the joint amateur artist exhibitions afterwards. That little 'diploma' ceremony and exhibition we had at the end of every art course at Michelangelo gallery was so satisfying and uplifting. 



2. I USED DIFFERENT REFERENCES (PHOTOGRAPHS AND ART FROM THE MASTERS)

Painting from imagination is and can be a great practice, but using a reference is important skill as well. There are different references you can use, from nature itself (en plain air), to live models, photographs and artworks of old masters. We can all learn a lot from the old masters!






3. I INVESTED  A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT

I used to make art periodically and while sometimes I would invest effort, I was neither systematic nor consistent in developed my art skills.  On overall, the time and effort invest simply wasn't cutting it. For most of my life, I tried to make art without making that initial huge investment of time and effort that needed just to get the basics right. I would sometimes spend a lot of time on creating art but not in a systematic way. It simply wasn't enough. My art skills at my twenties were probably the same as when I was ten. Sure, I had some artistic talent as a kid, but I never developed my skills to any significant level. That's the case with most people. If you don't work on your art skills, they will forever stay on the level you achieved as a ten year old.  Looking back, I can see several milestones I have made and guess what? They all came after investing a lot of time and effort. Yes, you just have to invest a lot of time and effort just to start on your art journey. It does get easier when you reach a certain point and then you can get more creative and relax. Art is worth the time and effort!



Everything I'm wearing is shopped from my closet. The photographs were taken at Bunica recreational site near Mostar today.

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I wish you all the best in 2023!



Comments

  1. J.P. Alexander2 January 2023 at 16:27

    Me encantan tus pinturas. Te deseo una buena semana. Te mando un beso.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mica2 January 2023 at 21:47

    I like your cosy winter outfit and your art is beautiful! It's definitely something that takes practice but you have nailed it and your hard work has paid off.

    Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and you have a great start to the new year!

    www.awayfromtheblue.blogspot.com.au

    ReplyDelete
  3. Vix2 January 2023 at 23:55

    Looking glam in your fabulous Winter outfit, Ivana.
    My friend Liz quit full-time employment to make her living as an artist during the pandemic and has never looked back. Like you, she's always learning and regularly enrols in online courses as well as attending real-life classes - and often hold her own workshops. She said the best thing she did was joining a local artist society, you learn so much from like-minded people even if their style isn't yours. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivana Split5 January 2023 at 01:13

      Thank you Vix. It's really true. One learns so much from fellow artists!

      Delete
  4. ellie3 January 2023 at 03:58

    Awesome inspiration! Thanks for the post. So glad you have been so creative and that you keep going. All the best to all the beauty you see. All the best with your fashion, too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Polyester Princess3 January 2023 at 10:01

    I'm loving that final picture of you, Ivana, you're looking so elegant and the landscape is truly dreamy. I am in awe of your incredible talent and all the time and effort you are putting into getting even better! xxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Joni James3 January 2023 at 13:47

    Beautiful outfit you're wearing today! I agree on all your points about art. Whenever I take a class whether it's on line or in person, I always feel more myself then any other time.

    ReplyDelete

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All your comments mean a lot to me, even the criticism. Naravno da mi puno znači što ste uzeli vrijeme da nešto napišete, pa makar to bila i kritika. Per me le vostre parole sono sempre preziose anche quando si tratta di critiche.

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