How to Start Making Art
Something that many new artists ask themselves is, “How do I even start?” Whether you want to build a career as an artist, or just want to learn how to make art as a hobby, it can feel elusive to know what steps to take when you’re first starting out. In this post, I’ll share a few of my top tips for how to begin.
Easy steps for true art beginners to take
If you’re brand new to creating art and wondering where to start, try looking for inspiration to kickstart your creativity. Whether it’s a piece of art, a film, or a spot in nature, find something that truly moves you and use that to inspire your first foray into creating art. Take that spark of inspiration and turn it into something.
Sometimes, I see art that I love so much that I want to study it and be as close to it as possible. So I’ll recreate it as a master copy. A master copy or master study is simply when you recreate a version of a piece of art you love by copying what they did exactly. This is a great way to learn from your favorite artists without the pressure of having to come up with the composition all on your own. Though it’s important to note that copies like this are just for learning purposes and shouldn’t be shared or sold for profit.
Here are three easy ways to get started as a beginner:
Follow a paint-along video from someone who inspires you on YouTube
Recreate a piece of art that you love by doing a master copy
Take a class from a teacher you admire on Skillshare
How I began learning how to paint
I took my first real painting class as a senior in high school and I studied oil painting with a teacher in my neighborhood. I started painting from inspiration photos in National Geographic magazines or copied works by master painters that inspired me. It was a really low-pressure class and I learned so much just from copying master paintings with gentle guidance from my teacher.
The biggest takeaway for new artists is that you don’t have to paint masterpieces when you’re first starting out. It’s important to take the time to learn and grow!
Also, when I was learning how to paint online learning was not as widespread. There weren’t Skillshare tutorials or YouTube videos to follow like there are today. So if you’re starting out, you don’t have to go seek out an in-person class. You can start dipping your toes in with awesome low-cost resources online!
The best supplies for a beginner
I get asked all the time about what supplies are best for a beginner artist. And my opinion is to go for quality over quantity. You’ll make better art with better supplies, so it’s better to have fewer high-quality supplies than a lot of low-quality ones. I have an entire video about the art supplies I use here!
How beginners can get started without investing in so many supplies
A lot of beginners feel overwhelmed when it comes to all the different mediums and options for starting an art practice. So if you’re worried about investing in lots of expensive art supplies, I’d recommend starting with drawing. It’s so easy and accessible, and it’s the foundational skill for any other art medium. In fact, you can learn how to draw with some cheap printer paper and a ballpoint pen. It’s such a low barrier to entry and such a valuable skill to learn!
How to get back into art if you have stepped away for a while
If you haven’t created art for a while, but are feeling like you want to get started again, start by examining why you’re feeling called to start creating again. Find that inspiration and follow it. When you’re inspired by something, you’ll be more excited about bringing it to life with your art.
You can also try meditating and working through an art-based mindset book like The Artist’s Way to help you build your creative habits again.
Beginning can be scary. Whether you’re beginning again or beginning for the first time. But I hope these tips will help remind you that everyone is a beginner at some point and that taking small steps will help you make big progress in the long-run.
Want more art tips and inspiration? Check out my YouTube channel where I share weekly videos of cozy paint-with-me’s, art tips, and Q&As for artists!
