From Good to Great: 5 More Tips for Excelling in Realistic Art
Over time I am improving my art and making it look more realistic. Note the change in how I rendered the fur of foxes by comparing these two images. I also wrote a blog on how to draw realistic fur using colored pencils. You can check that out here.
My last blog was part 1 of this series, and it included 5 practical techniques I have used to improve my realistic art. In that article, I mentioned that those tips were more immediate ways to improve your artwork.
If you missed that one catch up here: Drawing the Line: 5 Practical Tips to Master Realistic Art
Today I will delve into 5 more for part 2. These tips are for long-term improvement and are more slow-burning, but they are highly effective. If you stick to them you will get better!
First up-
Follow A Tutorial Or Take A Lesson
This one has been instrumental in my improvement. I make it a point to learn from someone whose artwork I admire at least twice a year, or more often if I can manage. I believe it has helped me to shave off learning time. While I still need to practice, hearing tips from experts is invaluable.
My strategy with this tip is to hop around and learn from different artists while practicing on my own in between. I do that for a couple of reasons:
Every artist has different techniques. When you learn from different people you can take what you like and leave what you don’t from each of them. For example, I learned how to burnish using colored pencils by following Jasmina Susak. She also creates amazing people portraits, but I wanted to learn to draw animals with a different technique. So then I learned from Kristy Patridge, who taught me how to layer more, which I think helps with rendering animals more effectively. I also enjoyed learning to improve my colored pencil animal drawing skills from Leontine Van Vliet (colored pencils, graphite, and pastels) and Bonny Snowdon (colored pencils).
The second reason I hop around is to develop my style. I would worry if I were to only learn from one person I would become a carbon copy of that artist.
If this strategy interests you, it’s easy to find people to learn from online. Most teaching artists have a YouTube account where they post snippets of tutorials. Search them out by typing in whatever media you want to become better at, for example, type in “colored pencil animal tutorial”. Once you see someone who interests you, peruse their page to see if you like their artwork and teaching personality.
Then you have some options for purchasing based on what the artist is offering. Here are the most common ways to learn online:
Patreon- Many artists used to run Patreon pages, and some still do. This is my favorite way of learning because you can sign up for one month or as long as you want and there is no commitment, as there is with a membership. Most of the fees are very cheap, coming in at around $10 a month. I currently follow Emma Colbert on here, but I have popped in and out on all of the artists I have mentioned so far, plus Jason Morgan (pastels).
Memberships- Some artists I listed above started with Patreon but moved to a membership model, such as Bonny and Leontine. They do this because Patreon isn’t the best platform (according to what they say). They can have better ownership of their material and customer service by running a membership website.
For memberships, the artist will release new content every month in the form of x number of tutorials that they will specify before you sign up. The price is higher than that of a Patreon subscription. For example, Bonny’s Academy is at least $40 a month. Leontine is cheaper, maybe around $18, but Bonny does Q&A’s and all sorts of other stuff. I don’t know how she sleeps… lol. You will also be able to access older tutorials if you pay for a monthly membership.
Courses- Some artists create courses you can navigate at your own pace. I bought an Alain Piccard portrait course, for example. It was quite expensive and is only on sale once a year. I think I paid $400, but it is so worth it. The amount of instruction he has included is fantastic. I will own it forever and can repeat it as many times as I want. Make sure you understand the fine print when you sign up for a course. Some courses are only available for a specified amount of time and others are lifetime access.
As another example of a course instructor, Kristy Partridge moved to a course option. She currently offers 2, which cost $297 apiece.
Courses are typically more costly, but it’s a one-and-done purchase. There are also cheaper courses out there, but they won’t be as comprehensive.
That brings me to a warning- be sure you read reviews on the course you are considering before you buy it. I bought a Color Theory course for $90 that I wish I hadn’t. I can honestly say that I didn’t learn much if anything. I won’t say who made the course because I feel that wouldn’t be right, but just be careful. I’d hate for you to waste your money.
Books- This is my least favorite option, but I’ve followed tutorials in two books I bought from Amazon. One was by Leontine, and it was on how to draw the winter fox pictured above on the left in 2021. Another was on drawing a horse by Meg Merry.
The thing I like about the books is that you don’t have to watch and pause a video to learn. You read a blurb about what to do, look at a picture of what the artist did, and try to repeat that. I don’t know about you, but when I’m following an artist on a video I have to watch and then rewind, and then pause to do it myself. Sometimes it’s nice to remove the video aspect.
The downside is you don’t get to hear the little tips they usually will tell you as they draw on video. However, I was still able to get some insight into their techniques from the books. Both of those books were $20 a piece.
Ann Kullberg has tons of books on sale on her website, but you can also find tutorial books on Amazon. Just type in whatever media you want and “tutorial book”, and you should see some to choose from.
Slow Down
This is something I have to remind myself all the time.
I usually fall into two pitfalls when I’m drawing something realistically:
Number 1- I am overwhelmed by something hard. I don’t know how to replicate what I see on the reference photo with my media. I get frustrated and want to gloss over it.
Number 2- I get impatient and want to be finished with something.
However, I have learned that when I rush through, I notice that whatever I’m rendering doesn’t look very good. I have to stop and remind myself to slow down.
It took a long time for me to be at peace with the fact that it takes me hours and hours to draw in the realism style, and that’s okay. I believe that it is common for most if not all, realism artists to spend a lot of time on each piece. Understanding that I am not alone in moving along at a snail's pace is the first step to accepting it.
For my current piece, a landscape, it took me a while to figure out how to render the mountains. Then it took me a while to figure out how to render the trees. And now the grass, and so on… For each part of the landscape, I actively think about slowing down or else I will speed through. There are a few things that I do to help me to do this.
Here are a few techniques to try to help you slow down:
Remind yourself to slow down. You can write a Post-it note and put it near your drawing to act as a visual reminder to be the turtle, not the rabbit.
Or if you find yourself feeling frustrated, remind yourself that it will probably be better if you take a break and take it slow.
Set an alarm on your phone to go off every 1/2 hour or hour. Force breaks before you begin to get impatient.
Give yourself lots of breaks, and be okay with that. I am taking plenty of breaks to look at IG reels (a bad habit I don’t recommend), walk around, or take the dogs out. Otherwise, I will rush because I get impatient.
Promise yourself you will draw for 1/2 hour or an hour. If something is hard, I don’t want to work on it. To combat this I tell myself I’ll work on the drawing for an hour and then permit myself to stop. Sometimes it’s hard on my brain to draw, and I can’t keep at it for hours. That’s fine. I am happy to give myself a pat on the back for an hour of drawing. Eventually, I will finish the piece!
Focus on completing one small area at a time. If I am working on a larger piece, I may be tempted to complete huge swaths. This means that large areas will remain in development for longer periods. It can be more mentally effective when I complete one smaller area of the piece before moving on. It’s more motivating to see a portion completed rather than have the whole piece in the ugly stage. If I’m happy about how a small portion looks, I will stick to the grind.
Read An Art Book
I love to read. I read both fiction and nonfiction books. I read fiction as a way to unwind. I read nonfiction books as a way to learn. I also listen to them as audiobooks, which is a great way to learn when you are walking, cleaning, or driving.
Reading books about art is inspiring. There are many types of nonfiction art books that I have found to help improve my artwork. I’ll clump them together into two categories (art history and art self-help) and list my recommendations. I’ll provide links to Amazon if you want more information on each book. Amazon is great because you can search for a used version or buy an audiobook if that suits your fancy. Alternatively, don’t forget to see if your local library has a copy. Free is always better!
Art History Books-
Reading art history books can help you to get inspiration from other artists’ stories, understand the trends in art, discover people whose art you never knew existed, and help you to find your artistic voice.
There are so many great books on art history. Some focus on one specific person, some focus on art movements, and some on art history as a whole. Here are just a few books that I have enjoyed relating to art history:
The Painted Word, by Tom Wolfe, 1975.
This book humorously critiques the modern art world, claiming that it's become more about what critics and theorists say than the art itself. Wolfe argues that the real experience of art is getting lost in all the fancy words and theories. He uses a witty style to show how the art scene has shifted focus from the visual to the verbal. It’s hilarious, and I learned about the politics of the art world by reading it. I highly recommend it and suspect that his thoughts on the art world are still true to this day.
What Are You Looking At? The Surprising, Shocking, and Sometimes Strange Story of 150 Years of Modern Art, by Will Gompertz, 2013
This book offers a lively and accessible journey through the history of modern art. Gompertz breaks down the major movements and artists in a way that's easy to understand, revealing the stories and ideas behind the art. The book makes the complex world of modern art approachable and fun, highlighting its evolution over the past 150 years. He is more positive about modern art than Tom Wolfe, and I learned many interesting tidbits about the impressionists and post-impressionists in this book which alone made it a fantastic read. He delves into the personalities of the artists and I found that to be fascinating.
History of Art, by H.W. Janson
I have this book from my Art History class in college. It’s fantastic! It is a classic, comprehensive guide that covers the development of art from ancient times to the modern era. If you are interested in post-Gothic through modern art, I’d recommend Part 2 of the book, which is the one that I have.
Janson's book provides an in-depth look at major art movements, influential artists, and significant works, making it a foundational resource for understanding art history. It's a thorough and informative overview that helps you appreciate the evolution and cultural significance of art throughout history. I read this book a few pages at a time. Much like my slow drawing process, I know I will complete it before I know it!
Artist Self-Help Books
These are great if you are in a slump and need inspiration to keep creating. I highly recommend both of these books, and I’m sure you could find many more if you searched them out.
Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking, by David Bayles and Ted Orland, 1994
This is a great book. it explores the challenges artists face in the creative process, such as self-doubt and the fear of failure. The authors offer insights and practical advice to help artists understand and overcome these obstacles, emphasizing that these struggles are a natural part of making art. The book is a comforting and encouraging guide for artists at all levels, reminding them that persistence and self-awareness are key to artistic growth.
I wrote a blog with more insight on this book that you can check out here.
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, 1992
This book is designed to help people unlock their creativity and overcome creative blocks. Through a 12-week program of exercises and tools, including morning pages and artist dates, Cameron encourages readers to reconnect with their artistic selves. The book is a practical and inspirational guide for anyone looking to nurture their creativity and explore their artistic potential.
As part of the exercises, Julia has you free-write every day. I will admit I did this exercise maybe twice. To be honest, I have a pretty full morning of walking the dogs, reading my bible, and exercising. Ain’t nothing else getting into my before-work routine, but I understand how it would be valuable. This exercise is supposed to help you unlock your creativity. Overall, I thought the book was great. She talks about how it’s your calling to unleash your artistic side. She encourages you to take yourself to museums and things like that. It’s a good read.
Learn About Color Theory
If you have been following my blog, then you know I’ve been diving deep into color theory! I get it- it can be confusing and there is a mountain of color theory information out there. I keep in mind that art learning is a lifelong journey. I learn as I go and apply what I can in the hopes of improving my art. I will never reach a final destination where I don’t need to learn anything new.
So don’t be overwhelmed. Understand that if you just learn the basics of color theory, you can use that to improve.
I have written three blogs so far on the topic, and I plan to write more. Check these out if you need some color theory knowledge:
Mastering the Palette: A Beginner's Guide to Color Theory
Color Theory Part 2: Exploring the Harmony of Complementary Colors
Goethe's Color Theory: Where Rainbows Meet Philosophy (and Maybe a Few Unicorns)
There are tons of other blogs and books out there on the subject as well. Or search for color theory videos on YouTube if you learn better that way. Just learning about it can help you think differently when you select colors. This can help make your pieces more cohesive, aesthetically pleasing, and infuse them with meaning.
Don’t Be A Perfectionist
This may be easier said than done if you are a realistic artist. Chances are if you are a realist you take pride in making things look perfectly real. But my last tip is to concentrate on producing more art rather than creating perfect art.
Not being a perfectionist when creating art can be incredibly beneficial, as it allows for greater freedom and experimentation. Embracing imperfections encourages you to produce more work, which is essential for growth and improvement. Each piece becomes an opportunity to learn, refine skills, and discover new techniques. By focusing less on achieving perfection and more on the process of creation, you can develop a more authentic style and enjoy the journey of artistic exploration.
So stop looking at Instagram and comparing yourself to other artists (and possibly beating yourself up over it) and go and create something :) Practicing art is the best way to improve.
Conclusion
The journey to mastering realistic art is a blend of persistence, learning, and patience. By following tutorials, embracing the process, reading and studying art, deepening your understanding of color theory, and letting go of perfectionism, you can steadily improve your craft. Remember, progress takes time, but each piece you create brings you one step closer to achieving your artistic goals. Keep practicing, stay inspired, and most importantly, enjoy the creative process. Your dedication will undoubtedly lead to remarkable growth in your art. Leave me a comment if this resonates with you or if you found it helpful.
