Why you don't need another art tutorial to make better art
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- Опубліковано 28 чер 2024
- I‘ve been thinking a lot lately about creativity and overwhelm and how learning works, and so today I want to talk about why you, and I, for that matter, don‘t need another art course, or tutorial, or more inspiration to make better art.
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I‘m guilty of both - watching too many videos and acquiring everything needed - and then I get totally overwhelmed before ever starting.
I thought I was the only one who did everything you said! Thank you for making me not feel alone in this "overwhelm, scrolling, buying classes or products that I haven't touched", etc. I like your suggestion of focusing on one aspect of what to learn (at a time) and practicing that. I definitely have the "perfection" problem...
I am guilty of spending a very large amount of time watching tutorials over the years and didn't bother to actually do any of it. I feel like I need all the info before I can start. I'm going to throw that idea out. Obviously, it didn't get my anywhere. It takes the fun out of it. When we are children and playing, we don't feel like we need to learn how to play before doing so,. Art should be a way to connect with ourselves, learn as we go, release and gain at the same time.
Very well put, thanks for sharing this! I often try to remember this playfulness and the fun and enjoyment that doodling brought to me as a kid.
I couldn’t agree more😀 I’ve been watching, saving and purchasing lessons and haven’t done any apart from Julia’s Foundations course. I started doing s watercolour today and as soon as I got to the painting part I felt great resistance. ☹️maybe Zi should just draw. 🙏❤️🦆🦉🐇🐈🐈🐈⬛🕊️
@kstari, I totally get that. I actually take it a step further by not only watching everything in order to know everything, but every video seems to suggest different supplies, so not only do I have to know everything, but I have to have all of the supplies before starting. And then when I have everything, I get totally overwhelmed.
I do believe my jaw actually dropped as I listened to you speak on this subject. It almost felt like you had me under surveillance! I binge watch tutorials anywhere I can find them, I barely touch my watercolours, despite having enough of them, along with expensive cotton paper and a huge amount of those ‘must haves’ you spoke about, to open my own art store. I have already sent a huge amount to a friend in Italy, and am about to do likewise to a friend in Germany. The problem is, that even doing that, it hasn’t made a dent. It all began in lockdown. Having to shield due to ill health through most of an 18 month period, being disabled, living alone, and feeling very isolated started my road to ruin because the only person I would glimpse each day was the postman or a courier. So, I bought more and more, read various books, leading to a ‘need’ for yet more of the ‘correct’ supplies and obviously watched tutorials, both free and paid for. I have very little income, and although avoiding debt of any kind, I have somehow put art supplies ahead of all else. I am afraid to sketch, afraid to paint, and lie to the somewhat nosy carers I have to have enter my home twice a day, as they keep asking me to show them what I have done with all these supplies. Listening to you speak, shone a massive light upon my habitual behaviour, but I am as yet unsure how I can break the cycle. I love art, and used to paint and draw with my late husband, but when he died 19 years ago, I put my paints away. Now I am afraid to start at the beginning again, as that was as far as I got way back when. I am unsure whether I should press the send button. Too much information? Attention seeking? Bragging? …
Congratulations. I think what you have written, in a very open way, is the beginning of the journey out of your dilemma. I am on the journey out of this trap; I found that writing everything down, on a regular basis is helping me a lot. Writing my feelings down frees up my mind for new and often constructive thoughts. It seems you understand yourself very well which is a great place to go on from. I had to ask myself why am I afraid. The mind is very complicated so this is not an easy question to answer. So many times on UA-cam I found artists telling us to just put paint on the paper. This suggests to not have any expectations and just to enjoy colour. The other thing I found helpful from UA-cam was to 'fill up sketchbooks'. That took me a while to feel comfortable with, but I realised that all those trials all together look so fantastic when I flip through the book. I have not quite finished one sketchbook yet : ) but nearly there. And yes, it is good paper. So brave : )
I want to recommend Julia's classes which can be purchased at a very reasonable price and downloaded. I don't think Julia will mind if I suggest some other people on UA-cam. There is Helen Wells. Also Marley Pfeiffer, who does nature journaling and sometimes shows this in a very basic way. Seeing Marley's process helped me a lot. Also, I have just discovered Shannon Green, 'Journaling by 5s'. I have only watched one video in this series. This quick method has taken me to another dimension on my journey. And there is Joy Ting who has a monthly get-together. I have purchased many of Julia's beautiful classes, the drawing one helped me a lot. So I am a person who needs variety in my approach to art to reduce the fear. I go back and forth between abstract and realism, and everything in between, so I don't become obsessed or worry over one technique or approach...actually doing the art myself, I mean : ) I hope some tiny bit of this is helpful. Keep your supplies and start using them. All the very best.
Anita, please don't feel bad for sharing this, and for collecting and binge watching so much art stuff. I want to thank you for being so open!
We all have been under very much stress during the pandemic, and feelings of loneliness and isolation can disappear for a moment when you're watching someone else doing something. You must miss your husband and the time you spent with him together making art. I don't know if anything can truly replace that, but maybe there is a way to find a small art community again, or a way for you to enjoy picking up a pen or brush again. I think Sandra had some wonderful ideas in her comment, maybe something like a personal art journal would be a start.
I really hope you will find a way to tap into your creativity again, and that you can overcome your fears. All the best for you!
Sandra, thank you so much for sharing this and for the wonderful ideas. Of course it's okay to mention other teachers - share all the amazing other people! :)
@@sandraworrall-hart3840 Thank you so very much for your kind words, and for the very practical ideas you gave. I know I must make changes to my life, even if it happens slowly. I am moved by you well grounded advice and non judgemental information regarding artists you feel may have much to offer. You are a delightful lady, thank you. I wish you much success on your own journey😻👍🏻
@@NatureSketchbook Thank you Julia, for not only your personally encouraging words, but also for helping to pull a veil from my eyes. Both this, and your video on Skillshare in particular gave me the nudge to open up. The shame I have been under has been vast, but you, and Sandra each in your own ways have given me a nudge hard enough to physically move my direction. You are an artist with so much to give the art community. Please continue on your path and pull me along with you, at least until I feel my supplies begin to call my name again. ❤️
You hit it right on the head😊! This is what I’ve been doing for months. Looking and saving countless video tutorials. The only work I did was yourfundamentals course which I didn’t complete but must get
back to. I feel quite in a rut or trench maybe.🙃🙏❤️🦆🐇🐕
It's so easy to fall (back) into binge watching videos, so recognizing it is a good step forward. :) And I really hope you find the course useful for building your drawing practice! Happy sketching. ❤️
Thank you for this video. I have been exploring art for many years and am guilty of everything you say. I saw your video today on a ink and wash nuthatch. This is my current binge watching subject. I am going to try my hand explore. Thanks again.
You absolutely said it all so well! Thank you so much for your words of wisdom that have come at the perfect time for me. I am going through a phase of wanting to expand my creative expression and am looking at exploring nature journalling and story mapping. I have been trolling Pinterest almost obsessively in the pursuit of yet another perfect journal page that I would love to be able to recreate, yet know that I am not nearly ready to do so. I have quickly become saturated with ideas, which has lead me to come to almost a complete standstill. I have noticed that I have become so very overwhelmed and almost against the idea of even starting to create something of my own for fear of not being able to do anything 'Pinterest-worthy', lol. It's a very self-destructive and self-sabotaging practice to indulge in, and I welcome your advice to 'switch off' and start practicing, with open arms! :)
Many thanks!:)
Guilty of everything you have covered here Julia I have a whole body of work I'm proud of and I would love to put on ETSY hasn't done this. It's like we trust other's and not replying on ourselvesxx
Thanks for that Julia. I’m definitely guilty of all that you said! I think watching the videos is inspiring and to some extent enjoyable, however I do need more practice time. I also have far more materials than I’ll probably ever use. I joined an art class, (physical not virtual), where I’m given advice if I want it. It’s certainly enjoyable and gets me painting and drawing with like-minded people. We have choice, but also are taken through warm up exercises at the start. Then in addition to this I belong to a weekly group which meet in our local library. There, we can do our own thing which is really helpful because often , at home, I don’t get the paints out because there are so many other jobs to do. But even after all this, I still don’t paint enough at home and am drawn to the videos. Like you, I’m trying to keep a journal. I think that is a really good way of practicing regularly, also it gets me out in nature for a few hours a week.
That sounds like a good mix of having an art community (which is great!), a bit of tuition and some alone-time with your art materials. Thank you for sharing this, Pauline.
Yes, journaling has been what made a huge difference for me, and it's also something I can always return to.
You are so right! I am definitely guilty of over-buying art supplies but with classes I realised that I cannot binge them to do them justice. That's what I have Netflix for! 😅 A subscription model is out of the question for me, which is why I bought some classes (bundle on Domestika) and have only completed one which I am still processing (slowly). I have to get stuff done in my work-life so I have stopped being rushed with posting videos, IG-posts and consuming - although I still feel bad about it sometimes. 😅
So true. I just went to a bookshop and although we don't really have art teaching books here in Romania I did find a couple, browsed through them and told myself exactly that: that I do not need another book, I just need to practice more. But you realize that you advertised your own courses in the same video where you told us we didn't need another tutorial. 😁 That being said, sometimes is nice just to binge watch.
Yes, of course I'm aware of that. :)
I think that because Julia is a thoughtful teacher she is extremely aware of the need for her students to also be on their own and do a lot of practice. It is not to say we don't need tutorials at all, but that we need to be discerning and balance the tutorials with time spent practicing away from the screen. If there is one thing I have learnt from the cultural studies I have done it is that it's valuable to recognise that we are all contradictory beings. Recognising contradictions, as you have done @MedaHalmaciu, helps us to keep an open mind and work towards balance in our lives...balancing the binge watching with the practice : ) as you have suggested. Thank you for the chat.
You are spot on.
I have been taking Courses in domestika, which I think are really good quality and usually are ‘substantial’. I left skillshare because I didn’t think their courses were any substantial. I am definitely guilty of looking at courses instead of actually making progress and working… 😅 I’m glad to know I’m not the only one. Thank you so much for this video…
Thank you!
Yeah, Domestika at least seem to go for higher quality courses, although I have no idea how they pay their teachers.
This. Skillshare is yet another "I put my stroke here" without explanation, while I experienced Domestika to give you much more of a formular rather than "do it like i do on this specific picture". The course I took on Domestika definitely gave me some knowledge I didn't have.
Lately I've started watching the same instructional video (or interview etc) multiple times. That way I remember way more than if I watch a whole bunch of different videos once. Just for fun I started a channel but bought nothing - used my old pencil crayons from 30 years ago, 13 year old computer, other old equipment. Ok, I buy paper when I run out and maybe some cheap brushes. These "limitations" force creativity and reduce distractions. It's just for fun and the well being effects that come with making art, but yes the challenge to consume less content out there always persists. I like your content Julia - it leaves something to reflect on and doesn't make me feel that I need to scroll and watch another thing right after - cheers!
That is a great strategy!
Miss Julia, I agree with you…I’m finally at the place in my art journey where I need time to paint, sketch and experiment to find my groove, personal style, perhaps my joy in creativity. Thanks for sharing and take care.
That sounds really good, Michele, I wish you all the best for your art journey!
Great practical advice to actually progress your art practice vs Art entertainment/ art marketing and product pitches
Great insights into the intersections between art and technology. Such an enjoyable watch.
After watching a video I usually want to try what I have learned.
Thanks, I needed a little direction in re-starting my art journey. I’m scatterbrained and find these platforms so distracting and also so so inspiring. My number one question after seeing your landscapes for example is, “how?”….I can replicate your steps somewhat and come out with a version on your landscape but what I really wanna how to do is look at a landscape in my world and paint it, similarly to your style. Whole to part learning I guess….not in reverse as I lose myself in details. So I waist all this time trying to find the right teacher with the right teaching style for me…that fits my budget and this searching and waiting for a teacher that matches my soul, I’m aging and wasting away. I should just keep practicing. Thanks for the pep talk!
Hey Brenda, I think you've already given yourself the best advice there is - just keep practicing. By continuously observing the world and then deciding how you can put it onto paper in different ways you'll learn a lot more than if you just copy a tutorial, and hopefully the teacher has some sort of underlying structure or method that they base their process on. You can take that process and adapt it for yourself.
For landscapes this might look something like: focus on one aspect of the landscape for your painting, block in the big masses first, think about value rather than color when you decide on a composition, go from big to small, add color and detail and texture in a way that helps the part of the landscape you want to accentuate. We all have to unlearn focusing on details, especially for landscapes.
I hope this helps a bit. All the best for your creative journey!
This video was so convicting and wonderful! Wholeheartedly agree with the ideas and am definitely guilty!
Thank you! :)
To be frank, consuming arts and craft tutorials is one of my favorite procrastination strategies :-(
To be aware of this is the first step to change it - if it makes you unhappy, that is. :)
Thank you so much, Julia, this is exactly what I needed to hear as I am am guilty of all you say.
I use art tutorials to wind down at the end of the day. Right now my pet peeve is the "Natasha Newton" effect: an artist reviews hundreds of dollars of worth of supplies, posts affiliate links, and receives hundreds or thousands of dollars to buy another massive art haul. The unending cycle of gross consumerism makes new artists think they need expensive pro supplies just to start. I'm glad I learned to draw and paint years ago when we started with student supplies and earned our artist quality materials by using up our student supplies!
Very true, thanks for bringing it up.
very helpful advice...rings so true! no substitute for practice! thank u!
wonderful advise thank you so much. We all fall for it😊
Thank you for this Julia.
I highly appriciate your words - your very wise thoughts in this video!
What you said really applies to every kind of learning! Thank you so much!!
Yes, I suppose it does. :)
Well said!
Thank you so much !!
Just discovered you and your art and thoughts. I agree with what you said here for sure, and identify with basically everything here! Thanks for sharing! 😘
Thank you!
yeah were all guilty of info overload. good call out today. nice.
Thank you! :)
Yes, I would binge watch you tube video. By the time I was done, I was overwhelmed. Your video has great advice. What products are you using in this video? Looks very nice. Thank you very much. I'm getting my sketchbook out.🙂
Yes, open that sketchbook! :)
Maybe I should delete my playlists to make binge watching harder. ;) Anyway, I'm using a Saji dip nib and some (I think) Liquitex acrylic ink. It can be thinned with water for painting and will dry waterproof.
Hi Julia, On your brush I noticed the words I Love Art. The fact is art loves us as well. It’s a two way relationship so long as we play our part. The belief is we are the creators of something. It’s another story but thats what ends up in creative block as they call it. The right way I feel is to let the art show us and it will if we are patient, consistent, disciplined, unwavering and many other qualities. Actually qualities of love. This brings the skill and good craftsmanship and creativity we desire. Having the best material and so on thinking they will make us good artist, no its first the right mental attitude that moulds and forms our art. Thank you for your video today it just triggered my thoughts on art. Thank you.
Thank you John for putting it so beautifully.
lovely ink work 😀I watch art tuts on programs I havent used before, just to get an idea of how the UI works so i am no completely lost when making something. with traditional media, i just run in and make a mess to figure things out 😀
Same for me!
❤️
BRILLIANT!!! 🙏🙏🙏🍕
Thank you for this inspiration - agree 100%. Can you tell me which dip pen/nib you’re using? It appears to be very smooth and hold a lot of ink. I’d like to try a dip pen. What ink do you recommend? Thank you.
It's a Japanese Saji nib and it holds a lot of ink indeed. You can use any kind of ink with these dip nibs, I like waterproof ink so that I can add layers on top. In this case I use acrylic ink - it's available from many brands.
Hallo Julia, Deine Reflexionen zu dem Thema kommen gerade sehr passend für mich, danke dafür, ganz unironisch 🙈! Kommt mir sehr bekannt vor. Für mich sieht es so aus, dass man durch die Suche nach und Beschäftigung mit Tutorials natürlich die unangenehme Situation vermeidet, sich dem Papier (oder anderem Malgrund) und dem kreativen Akt zu widmen. Was kann dabei alles passieren: es könnte hässlich aussehen, den eigenen Ansprüchen nicht genügen, man würde seiner eigenen Unfähigkeit begegnen. Klar, man kann das alles anders sehen, als Herausforderung und Lernprozess, bei dem man nur gewinnen kann. Diese Interpretation muss ich mir aber immer wieder erarbeiten😅 Deswegen war DIESES Video doch wichtig und gut 😄🙏🏻
Danke dir, ebenfalls ganz unironisch! :) Ja, Stift in die Hand nehmen kann unangenehme Gefühle machen, wobei ich bei mir bemerkt habe, dass die meistens schnell verschwinden, wenn man erstmal drin ist. Aber man hat halt auch nicht jeden Tag Lust auf Herausforderung und Lernen (grad jetzt nach drei Jahren Dauerstress), auch wenn es im Nachhinein dann doch gut war. Ich kenn das jedenfalls auch sehr gut. ;)
This is so, so, so true and on point!
Thank you
You may want to start a Mighty networks group and offer coaching there?
Thanks for the idea, I quickly researched this. Mighty networks is just another commercial service that takes a lot of money and still grabs data from people. No-one should use a platform like this, it's essentially a paid Facebook group. I think there must be better alternatives for building communities out there.
You said, "It's easier to consume than create." This is the trap into which do many fall.
I play videos WHILE I'm creating 😊 Sometimes. 90% of the time I create in silence. I know a lot of people like to create while playing music, but I find that too distracting. Give me sweet silence. The 10% of the time that I play videos while I create is for a bit of camaraderie infusion.
Yeah, I do that too sometimes, and it actually helps me focus to have something on while I'm working. :)
The thing about practice is that if I don't know if I am doing practice fundamentally "correctly" I don't know if I am reinforcing bad painting (or drawing) habits that in the future will be hard to break. That is why I search, and search some more (seemingly endlessly) for a teacher who teaches fundamentals in a way that I can understand. Does anyone share my thoughts on this and if so what is the solution really? Practice perhaps incorrect methods or continue on the search for a true art teacher who can actually teach. just sayin....
Absolutely, you'll have to find an art teacher who you can connect with - I find that's always the challenge with learning new skills (I often feel this too). But that's why I also think it's fine that there are so many different people out there teaching the same thing, everyone's teaching style is a bit different, and students might just look for different aspects - but it also makes it harder to just find someone to learn from. What has been helpful for me is to watch/read a lot of the free material that a specific artist offers to see if I like their style and their teaching methods, and then if possible get tuition/courses with direct feedback from them, or if that's not possible with very detailed and granular lessons.
i certainly notice (and now actively avoid) tutorials that include any negative statements as their "pitch". i'm sure you've seen them... "stop: youre doing it wrong", and "don't make this mistake" or "this the real way to do it" along with anything that uses a 'breadcrumbs' approach to giving advice. afterall, the business of these tutorials is to sell the knowledge of the creators, hawk a product or generally undermine your confidence to think for yourself. I'm quite an experienced musician and i definitely see this happening as quite poisonous to anyone unaware that it is happening. Tutorials i DO watch tend to be really specific thesedays and largely one offs and technical in nature... as a check to save some wasted effort. However... a huge part of working on Art for me is the DOING of the art. Beholden to no-one and unrelated to any one elses practices. Keep those nagging self doubts at bay and stop yourself from buying into the subservient/dependent mindset especially when it comes to expressing yourself!
Yeah, these are clickbait-y titles, I don't like them either. Though I have to say the title for this video ("Why you don't need...") could also be considered mild clickbait, too. I try to keep a balance.
They're doing very well, I guess that's why creators use them. It's definitely harder to find non-marketing-streamlined videos these days that are simply useful for the viewer.
I definitely agree that the point of making art is actually doing the art, it's the same for me. Yet we can see all kinds of related activities and hobbies and businesses around art that do not include actually honing your skills: collecting art materials, product videos, hauls, unpacking videos, videos about streamlining hobby activities for efficiency...consumerism and meritocratic thinking have left their mark.