For a lot of people, practice is frustrating.
After all, you know where you want to be; you want to be drawing and painting really well. At least, better than you do now.
You might even have particular artists in mind whose level of accomplishment you’d like to be able to emulate.
It’s just that boring part of doing all the practice you could do without. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just skip to where you want to be without having to go round the houses first?
So if you’re anything like me, your practice sessions can be fraught with frustration and impatience, and lurking behind them and feeding them, self-judgement and self-doubt.
We judge ourselves against our ideal and find ourselves wanting. We doubt whether we’ll ever be able to reach our goal.
The cost of impatience
If this sounds like you, there are two big prices you’re paying:
- Firstly, you’re not enjoying making art. So really, why do it?
- Secondly, you’re not making as much progress as you might. We learn much faster when we’re enjoying ourselves.
What causes Practice Frustration?
If working with impatience and frustration is such a negative and ineffective way to approach our practice, why do we put up with it?
The truth is that we’re driven to this ineffective way to practice by our culture; a culture based – even obsessed with – the achievement of goals. More than that, with the obvious achievement of goals.
After all, what use would being a highly accomplished artist be if no-one ever recognised it?
The uncomfortable truth about our goals
Let’s try to be honest with ourselves.
When we’re enmeshed in that mindset of yearning for artistic achievement, what we’re really yearning for is recognition of our artistic achievement. That’s a rather different thing than simply wanting to be able to draw better, but no more fulfilling in the long run.
Besides, when you reach the artistic goal you have in mind right now, it will seem empty and you will immediately provide yourself with a new one. You’ll be back to the same frustration.
It’s a pretty desperate state of affairs, but a very common one, and one I’ve lived with myself for a long time.
I do think there’s a better way though.
A better approach to practice
First, begin to accept that goal achievement isn’t the answer to your frustration. If you’re frustrated by your current level of drawing skill, drawing better won’t make you happier.
Second, accept that you won’t change overnight. It takes time to be able to let go of the obsession with goals and concentrate on the present moment instead. This is probably the most difficult aspect of changing your approach to practice. Because it takes patience to develop patience. Catch 22. The best way round this particular problem is to start small.
Practise being in the moment
Here’s an interesting test for you: The next time you’re walking somewhere, try walking there slowly. Really, really slowly. Instead of thinking about where you’re going, what you’re going to do when you get there, or any other random thoughts that might pop up, concentrate completely on each, individual step.
You’ll find that frustrating at first. Because we’re used to rushing everywhere, to trying to pack the maximum into every minute of every day.
Unfortunately, that mindset is certain death for practice.
A simple exercise for drawing more mindfully
After you’ve tried the walking game, try this simple exercise. It’s basically the same thing, but with lines instead of steps:
- Take a sheet of empty paper. Take a few calming breaths. Take a moment to remind yourself that you’re not going to rush.
- Now take whatever implement you’re happiest drawing with, and, starting at the top left of the paper (top right if you’re a lefty) draw a line vertically downwards until you reach the bottom of the paper.
- Draw the line really slowly. As your line moves down the page, try to keep your breathing even and calm.
- Now proceed across the sheet with more vertical lines.
Here’s a few notes about the general approach you need to take for this exercise to work:
- Don’t worry about wobbles, but try to keep the direction of your lines as straight as you can.
- Try to keep completely focused on the line as you draw. If your mind starts to wander, gently bring it back to the line.
- Try to keep the distance between the lines the same.
- Try to keep them parallel.
- Try not to rush! Forget everything else, but don’t forget this.
- Concentrate completely on each line as you draw it. Try not to think about how much paper you have to cover.
Here’s a video demo of this exercise (I call it “breathing lines”).
I like to do this exercise early in the morning with a Chinese brush and ink on sized Xuan paper. It’s outrageously hard at first. It’s not the drawing of the straight line that’s hard. It’s keeping your mind completely focused on each line for the complete duration of the line. Master that, and your lines will take care of themselves.
This exercise is a microcosm of the most effective way to approach all our practice. Focus completely on the moment, on the step we’re currently taking, and we’ll take it calmly, peacefully, and much more effectively.
It’s also an extremely effective way to approach everyday life.
Do this exercise regularly, and you’ll find that you’ll become more calm. Try approaching washing the dishes with the same mindset, or tidying up, or making the bed.
The real secret is that this exercise is not so much a drawing exercise as a meditation exercise.
But here’s the surprising thing: It will also bring you into more intimate contact with the lines you make than you’ve ever had before. That will, with time, bring you closer to your artistic goals.
And done right, it’s a cure for practice frustration.
Thanks for reading,
Paul
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Wonderful idea. I will definitely do this. One question. Are you standing to do this?
very sound advice.
Paul, thank you for this post and I have been thinking about these lines. I look at all my paintings and drawings as practice simply I just love doing it. The meditative aspect of it is fantastic.
I have to admit that when I first started I was rushing because of our inherited make up in our culture to complete things. Thanks to your instructions I have slowed down a lot.
I have a mantra:
“Der Weg ist das Ziel” loosely translated ” the journey is the destiny.”
Happy practice
Helga
I love this! I am learning to draw but am more of a writer … thinking about how I could apply this way of practicing to writing. Lovely. Thank you!
Paul, thank you for sharing this exercise. As well as being a good drawing practice I think it would be a good way to start the day. A type of meditation.
Thanks Eleanor. You can do it pretty much any way you like, the main thing is comfort.
For myself though, I do it sitting cross legged on the floor with a desk easel in front of me. It feels even more like meditation, although I’m sure it makes no difference 🙂
Great to hear fr you Helga! I love that quote. I’ll have to practice my German pronunciation to avoid making a complete mess of it though…
Hi Trish. I’m sure you can apply this to writing. I’m certainly no authority on mindful writing practice (not having tried it) but here’s a few broad ideas that might serve as a starting point:
First, I would recommend switching off all distractions – music, facebook, everything. Try to write more slowly, considering each word, with complete concentration. Start small – do it for only a few minutes at first, then increase over time.
Thanks Darlene. That’s exactly how I see it. The real benefit of the exercise is that is *is* a meditation, and has benefits beyond drawing practice I think.
Please feel free to email me if you give it a go, I’d love to know what you think.
Yes. It is all about getting into the flow of the process. I hate it though. Every time I start to draw I am all jittery and I hate this state, because while in it I want to go do something else.
But after some time I usually find myself starting to enjoy the process, but getting to this process isn’t always easy and that’s what I hate about my drawing practice.
I mean getting to this state isn’t always easy.
Thank you. I have felt the lines were good practice and your post is the catalyst for me to use up my supplies and make progress in drawing. And painting.
Thanks Paul, good advice.
Ah, yes, very Zen like, Paul, and so valuable. Thank you making it accessible for us to try your suggestion. I have also found that drawing with the brush is practice I enjoy. I’ll load up the brush with say a mix of burnt sienna and ultramarine blue, then use a #8 round to draw animals, or flowers, trees or other shapes…just shapes. I may or may not use the white of the paper for highlights. I’ll fill a page in my “workbook”, then consider what I’m going to paint on that morning. Got this out of a book by Trevor Waugh, so the two of you think alike here.
I heartily endorse your coaching on how we need to make practice something we enjoy. One behavior that sets championship athletes apart from others is their relationship to practice.
Thanks again.
Max, I think that’s really common. Actually I think it’s something of a disease of the modern world.
I use the Breathing Lines exercise mostly as a warm up, as the start of my practice sessions. I find it allows to to approach the rest of my practice session with a calmer mind. Try it. It takes a little while to get used to it, and you may feel the same frustration at first. But stick with it.
Thanks Hank, I’m glad you found it useful.
Thanks Maria-Vitoria – always great to hear from you, I hope you’re well and enjoying hosting the world cup 🙂
Thanks for the comment Mike, I completely agree with you. Our relationship to our practice is often overlooked but perhaps one of the most important things to look at seriously if we really want to make progress.
I’ve had such a bad relationship to practice over the years, thinking that brute force is the only way to approach it. In fact, it’s a very counter-productive way to approach it.
Thanks also for mentioning Trevor Waugh. I haven’t come across him before, his watercolours are beautiful. You’ve made my morning 🙂
Hi!
Long time, no see 🙂
This article pooped in to my mailbox exactly at the moment I needed an answer to my frustration.
First I wanted to shout out on Twitter how frustrated I am, but then I calmed down DOING SOME BREATHING LINES 😉 they help me to calm before exercises and I use them even when I need calming down and relaxation in or after a stressful situation.
They help to focus when I have something difficult to do or to think about something hard.
Then I started to look for some helpful answers what am I doing wrong.
And then I read this post.
It helped. A lot.
Thank you Paul.
Great to hear from you Marcin, and to hear that you’re still at it 🙂
Really wonderful too, to her that the exercise helps you. Thanks so much for popping in and letting me know.
Oops, sorry!
Now I’ve noticed my mistake that – unfortunately – I cannot edit :/
Must have auto edit by phone (dumbphone;) T9 translator :/
*”popped” of course 🙂
Your post help me to understand, that art doesn’t need to be rushed-it’s with me for life.
What I needed instead was clean my thoughts, speak with myself and clarify my path and create a… homework plan that won’t rush me and I won’t rush it-adjusted to my current needs, clear of deadlines and milestones, simply set everything in order.
It frees me from wanting to do everything at once and from expectations to become self thought creative artist or brilliant illustrator in impossibly short amount of time.
We, artists, need to deal with chaos in our right side of the brain and settle it down using the left one 😉
So tender and sentimental!
Love this ! how relaxing. I need to slow down. Made me feel rested. Thank you.
Hehe, no problem Marcin – actually I thought it was quite funny.I have a bad habit of pooping in people’s in-boxes 🙂
> that art doesn’t need to be rushed-it’s with me for life.
Very true. An the ironic thing is, the more we accept that, the more progress we make and the more our path becomes clear to us. All that psychic clutter that self doubt and self judgement creates is just dried mud caking up our walking shoes!
Thanks Tammy, I’m glad you found it relaxing. Try that exercise every day for a while, even for a few minutes. I think you might be surprised by the effect it will have.
Thanks Paul for your posts!
Your thoughts about studying bring back the joy and my youthfull way of working by seeing things as a game and a process in which I learn everytime I do something instead of trying to make a product that no one likes, together with studying this: http://www.archive.org/stream/lightshadewithch00cros#page/47/mode/1up (I bet you will love the books of this author)
On the moment,instead of making a product I am looking at the drawing again and make my own choices and using ‘nature’ as an inspiration instead of a copy or exact representation.
here is a drawing of the time I like to discover through drawing when I was 10 years old: https://scontent-b-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t1.0-9/540012_4119109619886_13265389_n.jpg
hope you keep putting up these kind of posts. They are fun to read 🙂
Thanks Laurens. The book by Ansen Cross is fascinating. Value is one of my pet subjects and you’re right, that book is right up my street 🙂
I love your childhood drawing too.
Very Well written, Paul! I really miss everyone at Creative Triggers! I still enjoy this exercise for improving control!!
Thanks Helen, and nice to hear from you. Do drop me a line when you have a chance, it would be good to catch up.
Thanks Paul for your reaction
I have to tell my finding, so: on the way back home from the baker a few minutes ago, I did some hopping on the tiles of the street looking at the tiles and surroundings. When I came back home I imagened my key was an airplane that was flying in the lock of the back door. Made me forget about time and reminded me of the time everything was more of a game. Everything was somewhat more intense you know!
Love it Laurens 🙂
I have read your post with great attention and it has seemed to me very interesting and seductive. I’m going to try it. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Mercedes. Please let me know how you get on with it, I’d be very interested to hear what you think.
This is great. Exactly what I needed to get back into the moment and have fun drawing.
A must-read for any aspiring artist, digital or traditional, young or old!
The younger generation today has access to a plethora of resources. Not just art books, but videos and older artists, and best (or worst!) of all, live streams of both digital and traditional art. What I see too common in comments sections or live chats are young people saying “How are you so good at art?!” or “I wish I was that talented!” While both are not hostile comments, they often disregard the amount of raw time and effort put into practice. The obsession with achievement is all too obvious among various audiences, and as with most skills in life, they take time to learn and hone. People forget that even the old masters once began like any of us – drawing stick figures or unrecognisable shapes as a child (or for some of us, an adult!), but all of them put in countless hours developing their trade. To say otherwise is to discredit the hard work of the old masters, as well as the new ones we can enjoy today (like Paul!)
I love this, I’m applying it to almost everything: drawing, writing, guitar, driving etc.
It can be difficult, but it’s all down to letting go and being purely in the moment, without expectation. I’m working on it.
Yes, it’s certainly not easy! I’m still working on it constantly myself, I think it’s probably a lifetimes study on its own! But it does get easier with practice 🙂