6 Reasons why you can’t draw and how to improve

Ever hear the phrase “I can’t even draw a stick figure”? Of course you have! You may have even used it yourself. I know I have (Nicole). People think they simply weren’t born to draw well. They admire other’s work but never actually pick up the pencil themselves for fear of failure. It’s all an excuse! Yes, drawing is difficult but it’s not impossible. If you keep telling yourself that you can’t draw, we’ll tell you WHY you can’t and also give you ways on how you can improve.

1.    You aren’t practicing
How do you expect to get better at any skill if you aren’t practicing? Even if you have a natural talent in a certain area, you’ll never improve if you don’t practice it. Drawing isn’t something that you either can or can’t do. Anything is possible if you practice. And we recommend practicing DAILY if you’re serious about improving your skill.

2.    You aren’t used to the media
The way you handle charcoal, a graphite pencil, and pastels vary greatly. If you’re unfamiliar with these, there’s going to be a learning curve until you get the hang of it. Again, we’re going to tell you to practice. It really is the key to getting better in any area of your life.

3.    You don’t take it seriously
Things come naturally to some people and other people struggle with it. Don’t expect drawing to just flow from your hands like magic without putting the work into it. Take the time and really work on your skill. You’ll mess up and get frustrated but that’s perfectly normal. Keep at it and take it seriously if you really want to succeed.

4.    You don’t believe in yourself
If you don’t honestly believe you can accomplish something (like drawing), you won’t ever achieve it. You have as equal an opportunity as everyone else. Anyone can draw well if they practice and put forth the effort. You’d be amazed at what you can do when you start cheering yourself on.

5.    You aren’t focused
It may sound silly but talking can greatly effect your drawing and not in a good way. Since language uses the left side of your brain and identifying images uses the right side, trying to do the two at once can cause a brain freeze. Don’t use your drawing time as a social hour. Instead, get focused on your drawing.

6.    You aren’t seeing the world as it really is
If you’re struggling to draw your object how it looks, you might not be seeing it clearly. Here’s what we mean. Things can appear larger for example if they’re closer to you. Again, we’re going to tell you to keep practicing! If a drawing looks off to you, examine it and figure out where you went wrong and how to correct it. Sometimes looking at your artwork upside down or in a mirror can help you pinpoint where the mistake lies. You also may not know where to begin. If you’re having trouble getting your “artist eye”, we recommend taking a workshop to learn the basics.

What it really boils down to is your belief. If you don’t think you’ll ever be able to draw like a pro, you need to change your mindset. This applies to any area of your life. Believing that you can do something is always the very first step. Next you want to practice, practice, practice! It is so important to keep working on your art in order to improve. Get focused, take it seriously, and never give up. Even if you think you don’t have the drawing skill in your blood, you can learn it.

How to Tell Good Abstract Art from Bad

By Nicole Tinkham

When looking at a famous abstract painting do you ever think “I could do that”? If you’re wondering how something so simple can be considered a masterpiece, you’re not alone. Is it really as easy as we think or is there true artistic talent behind these works of art? Believe it or not, there’s science proving that there is in fact a difference between a painting done by a professional and random splatters on a canvas. Before trying to re-create a masterpiece hoping to make millions, pay attention to this blog and see what the experts have to say as well as what to look for in a professionally done piece.

The Research

A study done by two psychologists shows that statistically people CAN tell an abstract painting done by a professional artist vs a child, chimp, gorilla, elephant, or monkey. Which is surprising considering those monkeys aren’t half bad 🙂 In the study, 72 undergrads (40 psychology and 32 art majors) were asked to determine which painting (shown side by side) was done by an adult artist. Paintings were grouped together by similar attributes such as color and medium. Non-art majors chose the professional painting 65.5% of the time and art majors chose them 67.5% of the time. Researchers concluded, “ people can recognize that a work is good, but still not like it.”

What to look for in “good” abstract art

Just because this research tells us we can distinguish an abstract painting done by a professional vs a non-artist, that doesn’t mean it’s easier for us pick out certain paintings from others. Here’s how to tell good abstract art from bad.

1. Consistency
This refers to the consistency within a painting as well as the consistency of an artist’s portfolio. If a portfolio is all over the place with a few stunning pieces mixed with low quality work, the artist is either still developing or doesn’t quite know what they’re doing. Same goes for within a single painting. The flow must be consistent from one side of the painting to the other with planned and precise strokes.

2. Color
Colors that don’t mesh well together are a dead giveaway that the artist isn’t a professional unless of course it’s done deliberately in which case it has to be obvious.

3. Texture
Most of the time, good abstract art is compiled of layers. There’s typically and underpainting and these layers often create texture.

4. Meaning
All great art has some sort of meaning behind it. Some type of emotion, whether positive or negative gets thrown onto the canvas. There’s thought and planning put into it. You’ll know when an abstract piece is done at random. It lacks personality.

5. Complexity
As an artist completes more and more pieces, they grow and learn new techniques, which is evident in their work. In contrast to what you may think about abstract art, the techniques used in this style (by a professional) cannot be easily replicated.

6. Comfort
Uncomfortable paint strokes will tell you right away that the artist is an amateur. Experienced artists are confident and produce every mark with intention. Paint splatters may look random but they’re put there for a reason.

There are so many different feelings toward abstract art. There are many people that simply don’t understand it, others that think they can replicate it, and of course the abstract artists themselves who put much more time and thought into it than many non-artists realize. Tell us, what do YOU think? Does this research and qualities of good abstract art change your mind about it?

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