A Lesson In Art, Patience, and Discipline
Lessons in creativity:
I drew every day for a year – this is what I learned
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad,
whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”
- Andy Warhol
If you've ever wished you were better at your creative craft, you're not alone. However, what separates those who dream and those who achieve is action and persistence.
This week, we highlight Kristin Taravella and her fascinating experiment: I Drew Every Day For a Year - This Is What I Learned. Taravella wished she was a better artist, but realized she wasn't doing anything to move towards that goal. In that moment she decided to make a change. By committing at least 10 minutes everyday to drawing, she learned not only about her craft, but about herself.
In doing this experiment, Taravella set realistic expectations, "I never promised I would do a ‘good’ drawing every day. I just said I would do a drawing every day."
The first lesson she learned is "it doesn't matter if a drawing is 'good' or 'bad', people will like what they like. Certain drawings she thought were dismal were applauded by her social media audience and inversely, pieces she was most proud of made little impact. She reminded herself that her job was not to self-critique, but rather "to draw every day and leave it at that."
Taravella discovered that her self-imposed limitations – such as removing the option to rectify mistakes –actually created more freedom. "Switching from pencil to Ink was completely liberating. I found myself confidently drawing with a ‘don’t look back’ attitude. She also found that boredom was a useful tool that often lead to discovery. For example after many line drawings she switched to watercolour and explored the unfamiliar creative ground that the new medium offered.
Perhaps what is most inspiring about this experiment is that lessons were learned, positive habits were formed, goals were achieved and a modest body of work was created – and it only cost the artist 10 minutes a day.
A fun and highly recommended read for anyone working or playing in the creative space.