How to improve art skills

14^th March 2022

The editorial unit

The editorial unit

14 March 2022

Being an artist means having no single goal: there is always more one can do – different techniques to use and various styles to play with. What an artist can always do, though, is improve. Whether a novice or an experienced artist, there’s always room to grow.

For hundreds of years, people have been commissioning artists to create unique pieces that have special meaning for them, artworks so famous that are now reproduced even on prints and canvas such as those from London canvas art. Here are some ideas for developing and expanding on skills.

Get the right equipment 

For those who have spent too long using beginner’s equipment, this is the time to upgrade. One can do so much more with the right tools! New paintbrushes can bring about new strokes, while fresh paint colours or a whole new medium will help expand creative horizons. 

Tattoo artists looking to improve their craft could try eco-friendly tattoo supplies. There are various high-quality options, and it’s nice to know the planet isn’t under threat as a result of one’s art.

Attend an art class 

A simple but effective way to improve art skills is to attend a class. Those into embroidery, for example, can look around for an embroidery course and see how other people do it. It could be an opportunity to discover a technique never considered before! And there are endless classes to choose from.

For hobbyists who don’t have much time to spare, there are tons of excellent art classes online – it might even be possible to do one during lunch hour. Or, to invest a little more in pursuing art when there’s a bit more time available, going all-out with an art degree could be a possibility. Not only will it build skills, but it’ll also look great on a CV for those who wish to go into an art-focused career. 

Watch other people work 

Most people have likely gained a lot of skills from pursuing art by themselves. There is still a lot to learn, though, and one can learn it by watching others. Luckily, it’s easy to watch plenty of art being made online – there are tons of videos out there! One can watch masters of the craft paint landscapes, build models, sculpt sculptures and more. 

Practise, practise, practise 

Getting better at art is similar to many other skills in that it needs to be practised. Aspiring artists should practise as much as they can. Spare hour in the morning? That an opportunity to get out that paint set. Half an hour to kill at lunch? Time to pull out that sketchpad and draw. The quicker one get into the habit, the easier it is to become a master at the craft. 

Choose a direction 

Many accomplished artists often choose a single direction and become a master at it – or at least stick with one focus at a time. It’s worth thinking about what one is particularly good at. Do oil paintings come naturally, for example? Or maybe cartoons, printmaking or line drawings. It’s a good idea to choose a direction and focus on it, and before long, it will improve. 

Anyone working at any level should remember that improving means not giving up. Everybody messes up from time to time, and that’s fine! Every mistake is a doorway to getting better. As long as one keeps practising, learning from the best and pursuing an art style that one loves, there’s a surefire route to honing skills and becoming an even better artist.

The editorial unit