Establishing your career as an artist takes hard work and determination. But having to meet deadlines for work can zap your creativity. Here are some artistic exercises to try that will help keep your creative juices flowing.
Being creative brings a lot of benefits to our lives. But finding a way to channel that creativity in an efficient way can be difficult.
Artistic practice exercises are one of the best ways to do this. Whether you’re a beginning artist learning how to hold a pencil or a veteran looking for new inspiration, practice does a world of good.
If you’re wondering how to improve in art, try out some of these exercises we’ve collected for you.
Go Outside Your Comfort Zone
Once you’ve fallen into a comfortable groove, it’s easy to stay there. You know your medium, you know how to approach a project, it’s easy and comfortable.
But in order to improve, you need to push past that. Throw yourself in the deep end and see what comes out on the other side. It can be scary at first, but chances are good that you’ll end up surprising yourself.
Timed Doodle
Sometimes the best way to boost your creativity is to lose yourself in a doodle. Doodles are great for having a fun time with your art.
Doodling is like the art equivalent of journaling. You let all of your random thoughts and ideas come out on the paper without overthinking the process. If you feel stuck on a project, give yourself a timed break and doodle away the stress.
You may find that spark of inspiration again.
Test Different Styles
There are so many different art styles in the world. You could try a new one every day for years in your artistic exercise schedule.
Looking at another person’s style in detail lets you break down the art you’re interacting with. It gives you a whole new perspective and lets you try out new things in your art.
Even if you’re comfortable with your own style, introducing something new into the mix can be refreshing. You’ll find new ways to do a certain thing, such as shading, that you might not have tested without this kind of prompt.
Coloring Books
Coloring books have grown in popularity a lot these past years. They’re fun, relaxing, and pretty to look at. While it’s not good to let coloring books get in the way of your other projects, they work great as a way to practice.
You can test out different color palettes or practice at a certain medium, such as colored pencils. They’re also a great way to warm up for the day before taking out your current art project.
Use Art Practice Exercises Every Day
In order to get the most out of your practice, you’ll need to use them every day. It won’t be enough to do a handful of art practice exercises one day and then never touch them again.
Instead, it’s better to continue practicing over an extended period of time. This way, you build up your improvement as the days go by.But most of all, let yourself have fun. Practicing is a fun activity that helps you grow as an artist.
Share with us some of your favorite art exercises in the comments down below!