Ed: Lucy Wyndam often sends comments about our Weekly Digest. Today, we welcome her guest post and look forward to more.
Do names such as Vincent Van Gogh, Grandma Moses, or Claude Monet ring a bell? Besides being world famous artists, they also have another thing in common: they all started their artistic journeys well into their lives. These artists disprove the the saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” It is never too late to start new artistic pursuits, especially with the abundance of resources available. From online courses available for learning about art history, to buying art supplies and watching video tutorials from artists, the best way to start learning is to get inspired to create without a thought to age or ability. If you are a budding artist, you can learn all you need to express your creativity at any age or skill level.
Online Oasis
Taking art courses in a classroom is a great way to dive into learning how to draw. However, there are alternatives that are less expensive and build confidence when you are ready to learn, but may not be ready for people to see your efforts. One alternative is learning how to draw through art tutorials online. From the comfort of your home you can learn pretty much on your own schedule without worrying about how others view your beginning attempts. There are classes in video format, as well as websites that give image and text instructions; they are easy to follow at your own pace and offer a variety of tutorials at different skill ranges. A step-by-step drawing tutorial offers a chance to master basic skills and progress at your own rate. All you need is the desire to meet a new challenge. By working with basic shapes —circles, squares, lines and curves — they break down what seem to be complicated images into easy steps.
Vast Outdoors
Another alternative is looking towards nature. This requires no internet or book. Rather, all that is required is to focus on the details that create what you see in reality. It is a great way to get fresh air and inspiration. With a sketchbook and drawing utensils, a trip to the park or beach can serve as a great reference to learn how to draw away from your computer screen. Start off with smaller objects, such as a flower or rock, and work your way to a tree, waves or a whole landscape. Sketches can be transformed into paintings, pottery, or sculpture with vision and effort. Drawing is the perfect place to start, and nature offers an abundance of visual opportunities.
Discard Discouragement
When you start drawing, remember not to have any expectations. Try to think back to childhood. Hopefully it brings back fond memories of drawing for fun. Our expectations were much lower as children. High expectations can be disheartening at first, as your skills may not match your dreams. Thus, it is best to have fun with art. Do not feel ashamed of your initial drawings; you have to start somewhere. Sometimes it takes many awful drawings to get to the point where you are happy with your work. But a drawing you don’t like is not a failure: it is one step closer to success.
Art, like any other skill, takes practice. By using the options available on the internet, you can learn any medium of art no matter what your skill level. Age does not matter; only patience and time are necessary to polish your skills. Have no fear, and pursue your interest in art at your own pace. You can learn new skills and express your creativity with online videos and classes. There are no age limits for a budding artist with the drive to succeed.
