What conditions are necessary to become an artist?

Do you dream of becoming famous artist? It's not as difficult as it seems. You don't have to be super gifted to do this. Your name is destined to be remembered for centuries. Are you ready to become a famous artist? Follow our advice.

Part 1. Training and work
1. Constant practice. When an artist is visited by a muse, it's great, but without the technical skill and ability to realize your big ideas, nothing good will come of it. Regardless of the creative style you choose, you need to become an expert in every detail. This requires constant practice.
Every day, putting everything aside, set aside at least an hour for painting.
Focus on those areas in which you feel weak, but don’t forget to train yours too. strengths.
Take advantage of online communities and resources. You can find free literature, textbooks, and video materials with tips and methods for artistic improvement.
Art societies also offer training seminars and workshops where you can improve your skills and meet other artists.

2. Draw what you like. Choose one topic or subject that you want to learn how to draw well, for example, choose an image (photography) and draw (write) from it over and over again, using different methods (pencil, paint) and different styles (realism, abstraction) etc.).
Move from simple to complex. Start drawing from easy objects - a rubber ball or a rectangle to more complex ones - flowers, vases. Try to catch the details - the curves of the petals, the transparency of the glass.
Practice your technique. Choose a subject, set a timer for 2-3 minutes and start drawing when the timer stops and you stop even if you haven't finished yet. Repeat this exercise several times, 10 sets of 3 minutes of this schematic drawing will give you more mastery than 30 minutes of drawing in detail.

3. Diversify the tools you use. Start with pencil, then move on to charcoal, colored pencils, pastels, paints, anything you can draw with. Never be afraid to try new tools or methods. When choosing materials, try products from different manufacturers and decide which brand you like best.

4. Find out what friends and family think about your work. It is clear that you are only interested in an honest, unbiased opinion, however, if they like your work, then you are on the right track. If not, then you are still on the right path, you just need to pay more attention to studying and self-improvement. Don't confuse constructive criticism with personal rejection of your work, especially if the critic is a person who is not interested in you becoming an artist, for example, your mother wants you to become a lawyer.

6. Learn to accept praise correctly. When your friends and family praise you and your mother believes you are the next Picasso, it is relaxing and often leads to regression instead of support. Only constant improvement will allow you to achieve good results and people will recognize your talent.

7. Choose and develop a personal writing style. Every famous artist has his favorite themes and his own strong personal drawing style. The more you learn various techniques letters, this will make it easier for you to understand your preferences, and thereby develop your own style. Personal style is a combination of good technique, certain techniques and methods, and favorite topics. You will earn a name in the artistic community when you can easily produce consistent results without worrying about technique.

Part 2. Promoting yourself

You have achieved some success. Your skill has become impeccable, and your flight of imagination is limitless. It's time to become famous.

1. Fertility. To exhibit in galleries, you must have a rich portfolio with your best works. There should be several dozen main works, all of them should be united by something, be it a theme, style, size, level of skill. Visit all the galleries, exhibitions and museums in your city, meet managers and owners, communicate in the artist community

2. Publish your work. The best way to become famous is to become famous! Nowadays, it is important to use all information tools to show your pictures, make a name and reputation.
Start a personal blog in which you talk about your work, show the creation process and sketches of future projects and, of course, post illustrations of your finished works.
Create your community in in social networks, invite people to visit you and leave feedback on your work. Go out and participate in communities of other artists, this will allow you to go far beyond the borders of your city and country. Be active by commenting and discussing art topics. The more active you are, the more likely it is that you will be noticed and recognized.

3. Become a member art society your city. Participate in events held by him - exhibitions, competitions. Learn yourself, share your knowledge with others - teach at seminars, conduct master classes for beginners. This will help you become known both as an artist and as an expert in your field. Improve your skills and advance to major national and international competitions. Try to become a member of the jury yourself art exhibitions, this is already recognition of your merits.

4. Find a reliable agent. One person often does not have enough time for creativity, active work, and promotion of his work. Find yourself a good agent, ask your colleagues for their opinions about their agents, contact art agencies that specialize in promotion. For legal aspects your activity, cooperate with lawyers specializing in your field of activity.

5. Draw only what excites you. If you don't care about the subject of the painting, it will show in your work. Many artists are a little in love with their chosen subjects, even if it's a prosaic bowl of fruit. If you love nature, visit your favorite places often for inspiration. Don't be afraid to express your emotions in pictures, even if it's aggression and negative emotions Whatever your passions are, find a way to capture them on canvas.

6. Grow as an artist. To be a true artist is a lifelong endeavor. Once you've achieved the fame you've been striving for and earned a lot of money, you'll still need to keep learning and inventing new things. Your fans will expect this from you and only this will keep you at the height you have achieved. Over time, your themes, tastes, and style will change. But old paintings will acquire special value and will be of interest to collectors as the story of your life. Therefore, take care even of those drawings that your mother attached to the refrigerator - these are the seeds of your success.

Part 3. Note
Learn to enjoy and appreciate painting and the work of your favorite artists and you will realize that you can give the same joy to other people. You can become the creator of unique world treasures that will help someone and make the world a better place.
As you gain skill, you will see the world more fully, you will find wonder in the most ordinary, the reflection of light on the windows, the leaves on the road, the smiles and glances of passers-by - everything can become beautiful in the eyes of a trained artist. An artist's view of life differs from that of ordinary person and, as a rule, this difference is positive side. Make sure you want to be famous, being famous is big test for a person.

If you know, how to become a famous artist , please write about it in the comments.

1. Work hard and learn the basics of drawing(composition, perspective, anatomy/figure, color theory, volume/light, etc.). You can't call yourself knowledgeable artist until you actually become one. Ideally, you should not only know these basics, but master them perfectly. And when you master it, you will be not just a knowledgeable, but a confident and authoritative artist. This applies not only to beginners, but also to advanced and professional artists. Many experienced artists have weaknesses - for example, one can draw still lifes and landscapes perfectly, but in knowledge of anatomy and forms human body it may turn out to be zero. You can learn a lot by improving your basic knowledge and skills. I definitely have a weak spot that needs to be worked on.

2. Broaden your horizons. If you love anime/manga, superhero comics, photo-realism, or any other specific art style, and have not yet tried to apply or have not yet discovered other directions, styles, cultures and times artistic arts, then you should expand your horizons. A narrow vision is destructive and makes the artist a gray mass who is unable to go beyond established patterns. Mixing different styles and directions is much better and more interesting.

3. Don't be a mindless artist. Think about WHY you are creating. Is drawing “cool shit” and “hot girls” your only interest? Do you even have anything to say, as a representative of the human race, in this multi-layered society? Maybe everything you create is just meaningless garbage? If you work only to the lowest level of satisfaction, never thinking about more lofty concepts, both intellect and emotions, perhaps now is the time to dig deeper! You have a soul - so use it. It's not about just "digging" - it's about quality! For example, a movie masterpiece differs from a feature-length or short film from the science fiction/fantasy/horror genre in how much love and soul the author put into its script.

4. No need to copy reality– there’s a camera for that. As artists, we have the power to stylize, emphasize, simplify, selectively detail, idealize, create abstractions and surrealisms - it would be a shame not to use the power we have. I would be more pleased to look at the work of an artist who left his footprint on the canvas than at a painting that is almost no different from a photograph. I am much more interested in artists such as John Singer Sargent, Joaquin Sorolla, Richard Schmid, Gustav Klimt, Nikolai Fekhin, etc., than artists with such tight gloomy pictures, in which all life, expressiveness and naturalness are killed (if your work involves photo-realism, then work is work. But what is in your creativity?).

5. Polished finish is the last thing you should think about. Loose or clear brush lines, sketches or simple lines - your choice. Internal structure and basic knowledge are much more important. Bringing it to perfection is an endless process that is constantly changing and developing. A good artist must be able to use different types work with a drawing, and not take one and use only this method. Experiment with more often different methods and styles, as chefs experiment with ingredients in the kitchen. By following this advice, you will eventually be able to approach this matter intuitively, and you will then be able to determine for yourself which technique is best to use when drawing a particular drawing you are working on.

6. Naked practice is not enough– you need to practice wisely. Drawing doodles in a sketchbook is not smart. You must achieve what you cannot yet do, and not do what you can already do even with your eyes closed. Think of it like a science experiment with a clear plan that aims to achieve a specific goal. Analyze errors. Avoid wasting time on things that don't serve your purpose. Observe, analyze, and understand structures and patterns - the physical laws of our world (light, shadows, colors, textures of fabrics, etc.), or create methods that bring the best results (use of contrast in color, saturation, shapes with different edges, etc.).

7. Be realistic in your expectations. Rome was not built in a day. It takes years of hard training and smart training to become a pro at your craft. Painting an album or two won't take you one step higher - it takes a lot more. Artists don’t just train, drawing dozens of heads, and then get excellent results - they draw hundreds and thousands of heads for years, and do everything thoughtfully - they study the structure of the skeleton and muscles, facial expressions, lighting conditions, age, distinctive features each race, etc. And that's just the head. The road leading to becoming an artist is actually similar to the path creative search myself.

8. Learn to accept criticism. An artist who lives surrounded by people will always receive comments on his work, and if he cannot take criticism, he will be a pitiful semblance of an artist. Take criticism as a necessary part of your development and growth. If you receive both positive and negative comments, be grateful for them. A wounded ego must strive to become stronger and expand its views. If you can't see beyond your wounded ego, it will destroy you. While you are still a beginner, you may not hear more useful advice than “learn the basics!”, and this is all because of your level, no matter what you do, everything is wrong. Continue to study the basics hard and you will improve your level.

9. Be well-rounded. Study the world you live in - history, politics, religion, economics, science, literature, music, photography, cinema, etc. You will be surprised how everything in the world is interconnected. The more you understand about the world you live in, the better artist you will become. Support strong relationships, because family, friends and lovers form vivid emotions in us that we can use in our creativity. An intellectually and emotionally undeveloped person has little to offer the world as a creator of art. Think openly, be sociable and educated.

10. You may or may not be suitable for the role of an artist. People are different, and not everyone has the ability to become an artist. If you have no patience, are not diligent, quickly lose concentration, are easily irritated, are not motivated, are not ambitious, do not know how to take negative criticism, and just want to draw for fun and not owe anyone... etc., then you, Chances are you won't succeed in life as an artist. And this applies to all people – not just creative ones.

People are different, both physically and mentally, and we have different potentials and varying degrees of inclination towards certain activities. Just because you have a penchant for art does not mean that you will become good artist– it all depends on you, your willingness to learn and grow, and on how much you can filter out the unnecessary and concentrate on what is most important. And just as importantly, you should enjoy the process of learning and your own growth. But if you hate every step you have to take to get there, you may be wasting your time feeding yourself the idea that you want to be an artist, but you're not quite cut out for the role. Remember, wanting to become someone and being suitable for that role are not always the same thing.

It's like some people stand on the sidelines watching dancers tear up the dance floor and dream of doing the same - they also love to move their bodies to the music. But once they really appreciate the effort that needs to be put into this goal, they let go of this idea because it is too difficult for them. Simply put, they want it, but they are not ready for it. And there are those who enjoy the process of grueling training, and whose passion goes far beyond mere desire, and they inextricably associate these trainings with pain and fatigue, but know for sure that in the end they will win - these are those who live on stage. The road to becoming a good artist is much the same. You must go through a path full of disappointments, mistakes, puffy eyes and calluses on your fingers, long-term lack of progress, doubts in yourself and your strengths, overwhelming hatred and envy of the talent and achievements of others, in order to ultimately become someone I will look up to, and say “wonderful artist!”

You need to not just want something, but persistently move towards your goal. Or remain just a hobbyist, do one thing or another as a hobby, or choose something else that suits you better. This is not necessarily a bad thing, because you can just as easily find happiness by simply enjoying the work of an artist, rather than trying to become like him. Because being an amateur doesn't involve any sacrifices or years of agony and disappointment only to fail. No one can tell you whether you can handle it or not. And you won't know it yourself until you go all the way. Some people spend years trying to become worthy representatives of their business, but fall short and stop for one reason or another. For some, a week is enough to realize that everything is not as great as it seemed. Others came very close to becoming professionals in their field, but stopped, considering what they had achieved to be sufficient, and devoted themselves to other life goals (and no one said that drawing is the most attractive activity of art - there are many other interesting areas - music , directing, writing, cooking, fabric painting, etc.). There is no right or wrong choice here. You choose your own path, and as long as you feel like you're doing what's right for you, you're on the right path (as long as it doesn't harm others).

You have only 3 possible scenarios on the way to a full-fledged title and feeling of an artist

And of course it is obvious that as soon as the artist allows himself to think about sales and purchases, this is immediately reflected on his canvas

The first way. Creative activity in the system of professional organizations.

This is the most straightforward of the 3 paths under consideration. Its essence is to take on prominent roles in the artists' union. To understand the promotion strategy in this system from start to finish, it is necessary to understand the role of artist unions in our time and their importance in the art market. So, in fact, there are several unions now. 2 of them occupy leading roles and are high-quality organizations compared to other peers. These are the Ministry of Agriculture and MoCx. Russian Union of Artists and Moscow Union of Artists. These organizations are direct heirs of those organizations that existed in Soviet times and were in the system of state subsidies. Now things are certainly not like that. Now it's public organizations, transferred from the tutelage of the Ministry of Culture to self-sufficiency and living at the expense of sponsors and private investors. But the unions retained their main purpose. Namely, exhibitions of an all-Russian scale and elite venues. These exhibitions attract increased media attention, as well as the attention of amateurs, connoisseurs, critics, functionaries and the Ministry of Culture. We are, of course, not talking about ordinary exhibitions, but about top exhibitions held 1-2 times a year. The unions are also closely connected with the Russian Academy of Arts, which is a state organization and reports to the Ministry of Culture. They are connected by the fact that almost the same people are present in the leadership of both unions as in the Russian Academy of Arts.

Now the very concept of this path. It is known that in order to be successful and promote his art, an artist must always be in front of the viewer. This can be successfully implemented by being in the structure of the union, and by participating in all its exhibitions, the number of which can reach a dozen or more per year. In addition to exhibitions from the union, there are related exhibitions in which preference is given to union members. Such as the “Golden Brush” and exhibitions held by galleries, which were also at one time part of the Ministry of Culture, and subsequently freely floated. But they retained close ties.

How it works. Probably every organization, especially a state or public one, has its own clans and groups. In organizations such as the union of artists engaged in uniting creative forces, there cannot but be competition for the promotion of their idea in creativity as the dominant and only correct one. Generally, excluding local and individual views, the community is divided into 2 groups. Those who are for and those who are against. Pros and cons of the idea that dominates this moment in the community and, accordingly, the vector of its development. And as a rule, in the community these groups lead exhibition lives that are completely different from each other. For example, adherents of the traditional approach to art conduct their exhibitions through a union (there is also a division in the leadership, by definition), and innovators conduct theirs. But there is also general exhibitions. As a rule, they belong to the top ones, dedicated to some event or date within the country. And then the elite part, the leadership, receives places at this exhibition automatically, regardless of the division into groups, and since there are a limited number of places at the exhibition, and there are disproportionately more people willing to exhibit, the ordinary members of the union are eliminated on the principle of not belonging to the leading group. That is, among ordinary members, places at such exhibitions are given to those who not only adhere to the views and formally belong to the leading group of the community, but also stand closer to the leadership of this group, that is, take an active position in defending the interests of this group. Consequently, having chosen this path, the young artist makes a choice for himself which group to join. Here, choosing towards an individual view that does not recognize either one or the other does not lead to anything and does not in any way contribute to strengthening positions. So you have to choose. And if an artist has to make a choice towards any of the groups, then accordingly his work has to be adjusted according to the concept of the selected group. It’s good if initially the artist completely coincides in views with her. And the big minus of this first path under consideration is if he does not agree with the ideas of the dominant group. In principle, he can choose the second most important group. But this is justified if the second group can in the future replace the first at the top. The point of being in a group is an alternative to wandering alone. One person cannot do as much as two or more can.

What does this path look like in cross-section? A young artist, after his diploma, plunges into creativity. The first attempts to represent the union, the first failures. First acquaintances, communication. First connections. Joining the union. Exhibitions from the union. Active life in the community, helping the union. It can be completely different. Both exhibition installation and all kinds of assignments. Participation in activities. Friendship with leading people. Connections again. And now participation in major exhibitions. Participation in major exhibitions - printing in catalogues, mention in various sources. Then recommendations, promotion to the forefront at the initial level of the hierarchy. Close contacts in the system at the top. This requires diplomacy, persistence and communication skills. All this means constantly being in full view of the viewer. And the audience, especially at large exhibitions, can be collectors, gallery owners, and simply rich people who love painting.

Close contacts in the system at the top. This requires diplomacy, persistence and communication skills. All this means constantly being in full view of the viewer. And the spectators, especially at large exhibitions, can be collectors, gallery owners, and simply rich people who love painting

I have not yet indicated the journalists who write about these exhibitions, the functionaries who are looking for artists to participate in various projects, and the critics who write articles, and especially the respected critics who can make the artist’s name famous with one article. To do this, they may only need one evening. And of course, the most important thing is recommendations from recognized meters. In this case, of course, active activity in the system alone is not enough. Very talented work required. Although there are examples opposite to this statement.

With the necessary persistence, a young artist will be able to reach the desired level in a very short time. short term. 2-3 years. Quite enough. The advantages of this path, as well as the disadvantages, are visible to the naked eye.

The second way. Promotion through galleries and the Internet.

As I said above, the very first and most important rule successful sales- This is a division of functions. The artist who became hard way creativity cannot be a businessman. Artist producer. Let the seller do the sales. Nowadays there are all conditions for an artist. There are people whose profession is to sell paintings to other people. And these people sit in galleries and wait for the artist and the buyer. They act as intermediaries between the artist and the buyer. Of course not in classic version this model. Many galleries have their own concept and orientation. For example, there are galleries that take exclusively contemporary art. There are galleries that work only with realism. There are those who will not refuse either realism or conceptualism. We also have the Internet. The Internet is an endless opportunity for any business. Naturally, this also applies to the art market. I won’t say now what share the art market of paintings on the Internet has, but I think it’s very close to half. Yes, because now it’s no secret to anyone that online sales are quite comparable to direct sales, especially in small businesses. There are about 7-10 virtual galleries on the Internet where an artist can create his own page, exhibit and update his immortal paintings, and immediately receive a wide audience of viewers for his masterpieces. And potential buyers may also be among the spectators. In this case, the main task of attracting a buyer is solved. You are always visible, and people who search for paintings on the Internet also see your work. Of course, you also need internal optimization for your page in the online gallery. But this is a separate story. Now, as for sales through galleries, not virtual, but quite real. At first, when his creativity is barely emerging, when there are no major works that have taken place and arouse the approval of older colleagues, but there are successful things painted from life, or bold experiments in the studio, he should slowly, timidly, try wear these things to galleries. Bring and not really hope that they will be approved or even accepted for implementation. You need to be prepared for this, but not give up. Perseverance works wonders. Believe me, Levitan, Korovin, Monet, Picasso and other guys have already gone through this. After the first two or three refusals, gallery owners may become interested if the artist is persistent, and even offer to write something thematic in their gallery owner’s opinion. And little by little, the artist will grow, he will go to galleries. They will already know him by sight. He will work and wear, work and wear. There are about 70 galleries in Moscow that sell paintings and art objects. If at least one third of these galleries contain paintings by the artist, at least one at a time, this will mean that this artist can just do painting and not think about anything else. His financial side will be abundantly satisfied. This is the very cherished result - to be visible. If your work is in several galleries, you are already fashion artist and there is a demand for you.

In addition to all this, you are published in the catalogs of these galleries, and it is quite possible that you will emerge as a favorite, an artist who is given special attention and promoted as the face of the gallery.

The disadvantages of this path are mainly at the very beginning. You will have to endure a lot of misunderstanding and outright rejection of your creativity. There are also such examples, if you did not study in the three pillars of the educational segment, “Surka”, “Glazunovka” or “Stroganovka”, then they will look at you as if you were self-taught, and you may not even get to the point of viewing your work. Which is especially difficult for the artist’s vulnerable soul. The artist will also face interference in his creativity. Gallery owners love to teach the artist what to do and what not to do. But in the end, this is a completely justified path, which is what they mostly follow. modern painters, after graduating from universities.

Third way. Own name. Brand.

In every profession and every form of art, theory should never be neglected. A composer can never write a melody without learning the notes. So is the artist. No one has the right to call himself an artist if he does not have theoretical knowledge of composition, perspective, anatomy, and the theory of light. Of course, you need not only to know the rules, but also to be able to apply them correctly in practice.

Don't despair if things don't work out. Even among professional artists There are those who are strong, for example, in drawing still lifes and architecture, but are completely unable to draw the smooth and gentle curves of the human body. And vice versa, the artist can easily draw a portrait, but a landscape or still life in his execution will look clumsy and rough. Needed constantly work on your weak points. They won't disappear on their own.

Expanding your horizons

If you like a particular direction, anime or comics, realism or another specific style, you should not focus only on it. You definitely need to expand your horizons. Artists who work in only one direction sooner or later become hostage to established patterns.

By constantly drawing the same thing, an artist will never create anything new. When a person is familiar with different styles drawing, he can mix individual directions, creating original and unique drawing. This is much more interesting than redrawing the same characters dozens of times from different angles and perspectives.

Think about your work

The main question that should accompany each of your drawings is: why is it being created. Don't limit yourself to drawing "cool things" or cute half-naked girls. Your work should say something to this world. You have something to say, right?

Just don't touch on lowest level pleasure. Try to go deeper. Touch the viewer's intellect and emotions. The quality and originality of the work directly depends on how much of his emotions the author put into the painting, song or any other work of art.

Copying reality

IN creative drawing it is rarely welcomed. After all, to convey reality there is a camera. As an artist, you have a unique opportunity to control the world around you. Some things can be removed, others, on the contrary, can be emphasized. To detail something, add your own, remember abstraction and surrealism. It's a shame to have so much power and not use it at all.

Sometimes even an ordinary cast of your own leg in a picture will look much more original and pleasant than a hyper-realistic drawing that simply shows the world.

It is inappropriate to spend days, or even weeks, on a drawing, painstakingly working on details, when the same result can be obtained in a few minutes of working with a camera. Of course, if copying reality is your job, then that's fine. But still don't forget to leave room for creativity.

Polishing is not always appropriate

Of course, only you can decide how meticulous you should be in detailing the drawing. But remember: bringing to the ideal is essentially a meaningless process, since the ideal is impossible to achieve. Instead of focusing on one thing, it is better to spend more time looking for new solutions and ideas.

Just like a chef who is constantly experimenting with new ingredients, an artist must also constantly think about new styles and methods. This approach will significantly increase your creativity and will tell you when and which drawing method is more appropriate to use.

What should the practice be like?

Constant practice is the key to success, but thousands of sheets of identical scribbles won't get you the results you want. You also need to practice wisely. Draw what you don’t yet know how to draw, and don’t repeat hundreds of times a drawing that you can do well even with your eyes closed. Of course, you cannot avoid mistakes along this path. This is not bad, but on the contrary, good. It's just necessary analyze your mistakes.

This approach will help save you from repeating mistakes in the future. Explore the outside world. After all light, shadow, shape- all this obeys the physical laws of nature. Once you understand them, you can significantly improve your own drawing technique.

Moscow was not built in a day. Needed long years practice and training to become a true professional in your field. This also applies to drawing. After drawing several dozen paintings, you will, of course, improve your skills, but to achieve greater results we need hundreds, if not thousands of paintings. Moreover, they were drawn wisely, with a thorough analysis of all the shortcomings and errors.

Take, for example, a portrait close-up. In order to draw one head, you need to have sufficient knowledge about the skeleton, muscles, skin. About how exactly light falls on the surface, how the eyes reflect the world around them, how to convey the age and emotions of the person they are drawing. Drawing affects almost all branches of science: biology, physics, psychology.

An artist, like any other person, lives surrounded by people who will certainly express their impressions and comments. That's what creativity is for - evoke emotions in people. Anyone who cannot accept criticism cannot become a good artist, because criticism is an integral part of creative development and becoming.

At first, you shouldn’t count on objective and reasoned criticism. It is difficult to discern minor errors behind the general shortcomings. Therefore, most of the advice will be something like “Learn the basics!” Follow these tips, improve your theoretical knowledge, and learn to apply them in practice. When the basic rules are followed, it is easier to see and point out details where the author got it wrong.

General education

The world around us is not a collection of individual categories. Religion, culture, economics, sports, social relations - all this is connected by one large inextricable network. The more knowledge about outside world you have, the better artist you can become.

Personal experiences are rarely interesting to strangers. It is much more pleasant and interesting for them to watch how general trends and events in the world are reflected in the heads and creativity of artists. Learn form your opinion about major events in the world and convey this opinion through the canvas.

This role is for you. Or not?

Why does someone become an artist, someone a singer, and someone an acrobat. From birth we are all equal. It’s just that some people can spend hours doing one thing, while others can do something completely different. A person becomes an artist when he is interested in drawing; he can spend hours on one drawing. This means he has perseverance and patience. If these qualities are not inherent to you, think about whether it’s worth starting at all. After all, it is quite possible that at the first difficulties you will simply give up drawing and do something completely different.

Each of us has different potential, and due to our environment, upbringing and habits, each of us has an individual disposition to creativity. If you just want and enjoy drawing, you won’t necessarily become a good artist. Desire requires a lot of effort, patience and perseverance. Desire will only indirectly help you withstand all the tests that will stand in your way.

The main contribution to development will still come from regular practice, which will often be difficult and uninteresting. If you only have a desire, and every step is given to you with great difficulty, sooner or later you will simply begin to hate drawing. Remember wanting to achieve something and being suitable for this role are completely different things.

Imagine a dancer who literally "vomits" dance floor Everyone sees his success, everyone notices his ideal movements and dreams of dancing no worse in the future. It seems that this is not at all difficult, because the dancer’s movements are so easy and relaxed. But once you look deeper and see hours of daily training, worn-out shoes and calloused toes, the idea of ​​becoming a dancer immediately disappears.

It's the same with artists. Each master passed a long path of disappointments, mistakes, sleepless nights, lack of progress, hatred of one’s own occupation or oneself in general. Only after all the difficulties did they achieve what they are called "wonderful artists".

This post came about quite spontaneously. But in the end, after spending two hours on it, I’m glad that I said everything I’ve wanted to say for a long time. Even if this is a repetition of what has already been said, it is my own, carried out through my experience. And if at least someone after this post goes and draws even the smallest picture, that’s already a victory. Well, or he’ll make a cake =) After all, despite all our fears and inconveniences... Yes, they exist - but everything is not as scary and not as inconvenient as we scare ourselves. The main thing is to just start. It will be easier later. Is it true.

0. Laziness

No inspiration? You were going to draw an hour ago, but you had something to do? Don't want to force yourself? Has the unrealized idea been in your head for more than a week? Wrong conditions? Is someone interfering? Don't want to draw in front of strangers? Tired today? Not in the right mood? New beautiful materials won't they run away? Will you try tomorrow because it's too late today? “Something doesn’t show up”? Have you tried, but your hand doesn’t obey you today? Children, husband, cooking, important things to do? Do you want to sleep, do you want to get up early?

Congratulations. If you didn't draw for one of these reasons, your point is zero. You will remain at zero. So long until you overcome yourself and... Sleep half an hour less. Prepare one soup for two days. Take less walks with your child. Clenching your teeth, you will draw with force for an hour or two. Don't be afraid to try new materials. Stop being afraid of strangers and ashamed of your work. Overcome your tiredness.

Believe me, even half an hour taken from all these reasons is already a victory. Yes, progress doesn’t come easy. Yes, I understand, there are difficult situations in life, lack of time-money-energy. Yes. But in most of these situations - almost all - there is still some possibility. You can feel sorry for yourself, encourage the little whining girl or boy in you, but the price for this is... Lost time life. You lose it if you don't do what you want. And this applies to everything, including health problems or undone repairs. You need it? Do it. Decide, heal, draw, make repairs. Now. Yes, it will be uncomfortable. Yes, now is not the right time. There will be no suitable one. Miracles in this case are you yourself, overpowering yourself.

When I sit down to draw, I overpower myself. And only after an hour or two of work, I begin to get real pleasure. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later. But this pleasure is worth all the inconveniences I go through. And it applies to almost everything I do. I recently wrote a post about how I “hate” cooking. Many people didn't understand me. It's just that cooking has a little more obstacles for me than my other hobbies. But I love doing it. I love you no matter what I say. Because I come back to this again and again. So I need it; it means I will go through all the obstacles and achieve my goal. And that will make me happy. Successful cakes, a beautifully taken photograph, a finished drawing, order in the house, caring for a person dear to me, a learned violin etude - this is what makes me happy. And you? Think about it. If you have desires in your head that come again and again, they are worth fulfilling, despite the inconvenience. This means you need it, which means your happiness depends on it. Just try to overcome yourself. And then you will understand whether it is worth it or not.

1. Completely from scratch

It's very simple - the book by Betty Edwards, "Discover the artist within you."
Then, however, you will have to forget what they teach there and start over. But for those who don’t know how to draw anything at all, the book will help them take their first steps.

Draw from life. The bigger, the better. Carry a notebook with you, make clumsy quick sketches - collect visual information, remember, get used to drawing every day. You will have a serious advantage over those who draw only from photos. When drawing from life, you analyze information in a completely different way: you have practically no opportunity to sketch - you grab the very essence, try to understand the structure - as opposed to mindlessly copying spots on a photograph. If your nature moves, so much the better for you: look for difficulties, try to convey information with a minimum of means.

Study the sketches of other artists: see how they work with line, spot, composition; how they manage to convey the entire plot in just a few lines. Print them out as examples and carry them with you (for example, in your notepad pocket). Get inspired and convey what you love through your sketches and sketches. Try drawing in different styles, different instruments, in different formats.

2. Light, shadow, reflexes.. Blah blah blah.

All, the information needed in most cases is located.
Yes, it won’t be possible to understand and study everything the first time. But the information is right in front of you. The rest is a matter of your desire and practice. And don’t even think about making excuses again! Everything is right here.

3. Anatomy.

The method of working with literature is this: you print out spreads with the necessary diagrams/muscles/bones, put them in front of you and draw a living person, looking at the printouts. Feed your friends chocolates, ask your boyfriend to get up from the computer less often (yeah, let him be kind), draw on playgrounds, shopping centers- believe me, no one cares about you (you can say that you are a student - and then they will definitely leave you behind if they pestered you).

You can't study anatomy until you see for yourself on a living person all the muscles and bones hidden by skin, fat and clothing. Make sure that you yourself, as a teacher, can draw these diagrams, having only nature in front of you. Simply redrawing pictures from a textbook will bring little benefit (and only to beginners).

Here's Ryzhkin's video. To begin, draw everything that the teacher draws.
No, you won't learn anything if you don't draw it. Neither in this nor in any other case. You should always draw and copy.

4. “Oh, I need criticism and comments from the teacher, I can’t handle it myself..”
(-Oh, I won’t sleep!
Oh, put on a dress!
Uu-Uu-U!..)

Take it. My. Work. Open it. Mail. You write. Letter. To the one you liked. To the artist. Sending. (preferably several).
Someone will definitely answer. You can even speak English - a translator will help you. If you correct any errors, send them again. Asking for advice, etc. Those who are especially brave can even show up to the art department and ask for advice - either from teachers or from students. Make friends in this way and consult with them. You can do the same thing - but through VKontakte, in a group at some art school, to communicate. If you are embarrassed to show your work, you will not learn anything.

5. Where to start work (from sketch to finished illustration)

0. Draw everything around you live. Exaggerate, stylize, do anything - but from life. This way you can avoid many mistakes and speed up your development significantly.
1. Sketches “from your head” (any kind, squeeze out everything you remember and know, with sketchy people and crooked drawings - the main thing is that it’s clear to you)
2. View refs ( better photo, not other people's art)
3. Sketches based on refs (pass through all the information received, combine with the developments that already exist - think, think!)
4. Search for ideas
5. Natures, refs, sketches, search for ideas - repeat again and again until you think through all the work;
6. Details - even small frilly buckles - are invented in the same way as the main objects. Every little thing needs to be worked on; it won’t come on its own.
7. You can try to assemble a collage of future work from refs. But in the end, you will need to draw all this yourself: no daub on top of photos will look good, unless you are a professional matte-painter. Line art and detailed sketches require long and careful work. Negligence is permissible only in the very first stages.
8. Have you drawn it? Increase the resolution, scale, draw in more detail, clarify and make lines and strokes more accurately - it is precisely from accuracy and clarification, coupled with the addition of little things and “imperfections” that the detailing of the drawing consists. Enlarge and refine until you get bored. =)
9. Remember to look at the big picture. Make sure everything looks harmonious together. Don't be afraid to redraw what doesn't fit. Don't forget about the format you need in the end. Everything is usually drawn 2-3 times larger than the finished version.
10. Don't be afraid. And don't stop. Demoralization and criticism in the early stages are yours worst enemy. Work as long as possible. Hold on, be patient, and your diligence will definitely be rewarded good result and progress. The more difficult it is, the greater the progress. Simple ways No.

6. Working with living materials

Try everything. Be sure to use a pencil - this is a basic tool for learning: it disciplines and does not allow you to mess around. =) The rest is up to your taste. But I don’t advise you to get carried away with hoarding. materials and the search for “divine quality, with which I can do everything.” Nice pencils-koh-i-noor. In general, you can even draw with a Constructor - they are still produced, by the way. The eraser is the same koh-i-noor, with an elephant - an excellent option. Paper - for sketches and small sketches, a cheap printer's paper (or even a cheap "newspaper" paper, look for it in stationery stores will do; it is suitable for soft pencil). For long-term work, take whatman paper and Gosznak drawing paper. If you need something with texture, then fabriano or canson.

Try everything, but don't get too carried away with shopping. If you bought watercolors, learn how to paint for at least six months, then draw conclusions - is it worth developing further or trying something else. Again, go see some artists you know - don’t you know anyone? - get to know each other, go to the workshop, try a little bit of everything and decide which materials you want to master. Be prepared for the fact that everything is about 10 times more difficult than in tutorials and videos. Because you are new. This is fine. Don't give up, try, no matter what. And only when it works out, decide whether it suits you or not. There are, of course, exceptions - but in most cases it’s worth the trouble and trying out the material or technique properly.

7. Speed

First, you will draw very slowly at first. This cannot be avoided. Then you will draw at the same speed, but more complex things. And only after time (a year of regular training, for example), you will notice that the speed of work has increased significantly. But this is only with constant practice.

!important You can draw works of any complexity right now. But if prof. the artist drew something in 5 hours, you will do it in 10, 20 or 50 - depending on your level. But you will do it if you are persistent and diligent enough.

It's also worth understanding that drawing serious illustrations takes longer than you think - even for professional artists. So calm down. Calm down, I'm telling you. Take your time - just do it. You can even (when drawing on a computer) put TV series in a small window in the corner of the screen. If it doesn't distract you too much, of course. You can pin a window on top of others using the DeskPins program, for example. It's free and easy to use.

Think carefully about what is stopping you. Even about little things. Disable unnecessary buttons on your tablet. Change hotkeys. Study them if you don't know. Try other programs. For example, some find it more convenient to draw in Paint tool SAI or Painter rather than in Photoshop.

Action in Photoshop. It's simple. Come up with a name for the action, press the record action button, perform the actions, release the button. Now, instead of a series of actions, you have one button. You can also press file - batch - and there use the action for an entire folder of files at once. Try it, experiment, optimize your time. It's little things like these that add up to hours of work and days of missed deadlines.

8. Photoshop slows down
Settings, performance, uncheck OpenGL. You won't be able to rotate the picture, but there will be less hanging. I also advise you to reduce History states - say, to 30 - this is the number of possible cntr+z. It also frees up memory. Wasn't it enough? Then you will also have to uncheck the use graphics processor box in the Performance section. You won't be able to rotate the canvas, but there will be much less slowdown.
And if you reduce spacing to zero in the brush settings, you should leave it at least at eight: this also affects performance.

9. My arm hurts.
An elastic bandage helps. You can also use a wrist brace (sold in medical stores).

10. Back hurts

Charging, charging, and charging again. Even if you have any diseases of the spine, it’s all the same: gentle, with a gradual increase in loads, regular exercise will help you. Especially exercises recommended by your doctor. Well, watch how you work - put your feet under you/on a stool, place a pillow under your back/butt, do what is comfortable for you - so that your back is straight and nothing is overstrained. And let yourself rest - lie down, stretch, stretch. Listen to your feelings and do the exercises that your body wants.

10. Vision

Well, that's all for now. Then I will add to this post. I hope I didn't waste my time =) Hello everyone.

Many thanks to Alexey Samokhin for valuable knowledge, qualitatively selected and illustrated. Without him, it would have taken me much longer to grow up to all this.