Why Practicing Art Everyday Helps Your Skills!

When we do art, of any kind, and it's been a while since you’ve done so, sometimes it doesn't end up great. And that's okay! It happens to the best of us. It's typically because you haven't drawn in a while, and you just need to warm up again. So here are some tips and explanations as to why you should practice your art every day!

Improved Learning

When you practice every day—how to draw, or even just drawing at all—you slowly but surely start improving your skills without even realizing it! By drawing daily, your brain is practicing and memorizing shapes and forms to better your skills, allowing you to understand things like anatomy! (Which, from a biased standpoint, is very hard to do.)

Recognizing Patterns

After drawing for as long as I have, I know this from my heart. After days and days of drawing, you learn patterns in what you see and draw. And your brain is then able to apply them when you draw. Or even when you're just doodling and need something to draw, your brain looks at the reference photos and sees the circles, triangles, squares, and rectangles, and forms it in your mind on how to draw it. It's simple, really—and drawing every day can help improve those skills.

Art Block (It Sucks)

Sometimes when you draw too much, you can get something called an art block. It’s when you have no idea what to draw, and you feel like what you are drawing isn't at the level it should be. There are a few ways you can get past this, like giving yourself a small break—reading or writing, trying a new style, or just working through it. Even if it seems impossible to make anything you're proud of. Art is experimental, so have fun! Not every piece needs to be museum quality! As long as you're happy and had fun making it—even just a bit—it means you've improved.

Increased Love for Art

Personally, after drawing for my whole life, the more I draw every day, the more I love art! I get to create what I want, when I want, and the way I want to. When you draw every day, you get to make anything your mind can think of, and that's the fun part! Want to make a dragon flying over your home with you riding it? Do it! It's your art! Want to make a wolf howling into the night next to a warrior in a medieval setting? Do it! It's your art! There is no one stopping you—so have fun!

How to Improve

Some ways I make sure I draw every day is by bringing an art pad everywhere—and I mean everywhere! Bring your sketchbooks to school, bring a pad of sticky notes to your meetings, doodle on the bottom or sides of your papers (just make sure they aren't too important), or even bring it to the dinner table! (Ask your parents about that one, and be careful—I don’t think I’d want spaghetti sauce on my sketchbook.) But seriously, bring your sketchbook, a pad of paper, sticky notes, or even an app on your phone, and just draw whatever, wherever you're at. Do studies of the objects and people around you (if they consent to it). Now, bring your sketch pad to your favorite spot, and draw away, my friend!