I am not sure any of us thought we would be rolling into 2021 with a pandemic still in place and living under a full time lockdown as normal. However here we are with a glimmer of hope on the horizon with a vaccine and hopefully some new hope for 2021. I believe most of us will be in lockdown until at least spring. The question now becomes what will you do in the new year that will help you make 2021 a success? For many that’s art.
Artists of all levels need to keep their skills up on a regular basis and those learning a new skill need to practice even more. So if 2021 is the year to learn a new skill whether in art or not how do you set up a program to do that? Once you’ve decided on what you want to learn you have to decide how you are going to learn it.
The lockdown may change the way you learn that skill but basically you want to break the process down into blocks that help you progress through the year.
Here is a sample schedule
- January – investigate materials and workspace options
- February – take a class on your skill in person or online
- March – practice one type of art or technique
- April- try another technique, etc
The idea is to build up new techniques on what you learned previously until you find the one you like. For me I learned watercolour, pencil, acrylic painting, and digital art before settling in on pen and ink and now digital work. Use the seasons to choose interesting topics and don’t be afraid to venture outdoors or to draw and paint live on location.
Art is about building on what you’ve learned and to keep perfecting your technique until it becomes second nature. There are many ways to learn new skills from your home so do some searching online to your local art establishments or your favourite video channel.
Whatever you do I would like to take this time to wish you a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year, may 2021 be a better year for you and your family.
Looking for art instruction, check out the classes at the Oakville Art Society by clicking here.
About the Artist
Bruce Outridge is an artist, cartoonist, and caricature artist from Burlington Ontario Canada. Although most of his work is cartooning he enjoys sketching on location especially when he travels to the Caribbean. To learn more about Bruce and his art visit www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com
Bruce Outridge Productions 