My experiences as a teacher and artist have consistently shown me that lack of thorough training and ongoing practice are the major impediments to success.
Yes, we feel compelled to put in details. After all, we want to make it look like something we recognize! And, we often unfavorably compare ourselves to others.
When we are beginning, we are often not certain about our personal style and pictorial content. The more successful you are at mentally separating personal style from pictorial content the better you will be able to draw and paint. This fresh thinking will remove significant barriers to your development. Not to worry - We all have these barriers and are naturally protective of anything personal.
It may help you to think of your classes as training for a big and long race - a race you have never done before. But, if you try and run the race before you're ready, you'll most likely give up out of frustration. No one gives up the race because they don't want to finish. They give up because they can't or won't.
Concentrate on what we have talked about in class and attempt to fully master these concepts and precepts through practice. Mastery means the concepts and precepts are fully digested within you and are visible in your drawings and paintings.
Your beginning requires full participation and commitment. Be curious and passionate about what you do. You must remain committed, give yourself time, and train daily to build up for the event! Think back in time. How long did it take you to learn to write and write really well? Good writing is a lifelong process. Good painting is a lifelong process, too.
After several months as you begin to master this new language your personal expressions will emerge more forcefully than ever before. You'll start to understand and see the results of your commitments.
Edgar Degas said, "Painting is easy when you don't know how, and very difficult when you do."
