If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit. - Banksy
Art is Hard, So Why Not Make it Fun?
Why is it so hard to learn something new? For some reason, people think art is something you’re “born” with. You either have it or you don’t. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth - rather - it’s a skill that can be learned.
How often do you hear, “I can’t even draw a stick figure”? I hear it all the time, which I quickly respond with, “Sure you can!”. You see, art is a skill which can be learned. Sure, some folks do have innate ability to create and draw better than others; however, even those folks still need to learn the fundamentals to improve and become the best artists they can be.
My solution: Make Learning Art Fun!
Admittedly, I bought Duck and Bunny figurines from the Disney Store. Like many, I absolutely love Toy Story 4! It’s a masterpiece.
During a course I took on Schoolism titled, “Painting with Light & Color” by the incredible Tonko House Owners/Artists, Dice Tsutsumi and Robert Kondo, there’s an assignment in learning light and shadow by way of painting the same subject with both sunlight and neutral diffused light.
In order to have fun with this assignment, I instantly took Duck and Bunny off the shelf and began my studies.
The painting above is obviously lit with direct sunlight, whereas the painting below is neutral diffused lighting.
Making it Fun
When learning a new fundamental technique or something you’re struggling to learn (like perspective - ugh), try to make it fun! Find subject matter which brings you joy to paint and learn away!
In case you’re wondering, I highly recommend the course previously mentioned taught by Dice Tsutsumi and Robert Kondo. I mean, how often do you get a chance to learn from former Pixar Art Directors?!
There are many other excellent courses on Schoolism (not being sponsored, just highly recommended).
Book Recommendation
Speaking of Light and Shadows, I highly recommend you check out the masterpiece Picturebook, The Dark, by Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen. It’s incredible how Jon paints the darkness to fill negative spaces with absolutely perfect lighting to lead the eye as the story progresses. This is definitely one of my favorite Picturebooks.
That’s it for now folks. Thanks for reading JUST ONE THING!
Jeremy Ross
PS. Let me know if you’ve found making learning fun an effective method for learning any form of art (e.g., painting, music, crafts, wood working, etc.).