So often I have found myself with the problem of ‘spinning wheels’, a time where you may work hard on improving but nothing seems to really stick. You go back and practice the basics, you read tutorials, you practice and practice, but nothing really seems to get you out of that rut. Like a car stuck in the mud, wheels spin but it never moves.
I was thinking that I really hated that feeling. I was working hard, making art, learning, studying, struggling, but gaining no traction, never moving forward.
But then I was in a class with Chris Oatley, on painting trees, something I knew I needed to learn, but honestly didn’t excite me. But then at the end of the class, (where I really DID learn a heck of a lot!) Chris said if any of us could, paint some trees. Do 6 painting. 2 different trees in 3 different styles. I was not too thrilled about it, but I knew full well, doing these would help me, so I decided I would do them along with some of the other students.
The first one was about what I thought it would be, Very ehh. But the next one was a stylized version. I found I really liked it. You can see it here.
I really liked painting it. Now, it’s not very good, but it was fun, and it got my gears turning and thinking about painting and art and what I could do besides what I was just always doing. Then I did my second tree in that style.
I liked it even more. Still, not a great painting by any measure, but it was fun and got me thinking. And I found myself growing and stepping out of what I normally do. Different start, different process, different style, everything was outside of my normal routine. And I had a bit of insight.
We get stuck, not because we are not good enough, not because we don’t have the ability, the talent, not because we are not giving it the time and practice we need, (though if you don’t give all these things you can’t grow, but if you DO give all these things…) it is because we drive around in the same stretch of ground and dig out ruts that will eventually get us stuck.
Sure, it’s comforting to do things we know how to do and there is growth there, but you never really see anything new if you stay in the same section. Sometimes we fall into a comfort level where we can create good art and never challenge ourselves to step out and explore what else is out there. When I did paintings of things I was not excited about and in styles I was not sold on really made me drive out of my usual ground. And there was fresh new ground to explore. Does it mean I will always paint trees now? No, but I know when I need to paint them I have a section I can go to because I explored it. Now I don’t need to stay in the same section and try to make it work!
So if you find yourself stuck, get out of your comfort zone and paint/draw something you normally never do and do it in styles you never do. You need never even share it, but really give yourself over to exploring and you will see real growth! And when you go back to the normal ground, you have new ground to add, so fewer ruts exist there now!
So go out there and do something you never do in a way you never have! Believe me, it’s worth it, and fun!
Dwayne
Art Of Dwayne 