The Most Effective Way to Improve (for artists)

Summary

This video explores the process of becoming a skilled artist, emphasizing the importance of efficient learning strategies over mere talent. The creator reflects on their art journey, offering tips on overcoming fear, uncertainty, and plateaus in growth. They stress the balance between practice (output) and learning (input), advocating for targeted practice to address weaknesses and unlock new skills. By embracing challenges, developing self-confidence, and maintaining a positive mindset, artists can continuously improve. The creator encourages viewers to push themselves, break down daunting tasks, and find joy in the ongoing learning process.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Embrace action over overthinking: Starting the learning process, even if it feels intimidating, is crucial for improvement.
• 🚀 Mileage is important but not everything: Putting in hours of practice works at first, but to avoid plateauing, a more targeted approach is needed.
• 🔍 Identify and target weaknesses: After learning the basics, focus on specific areas of improvement rather than continuing to practice the same things.
• 🧠 Balance input (learning) and output (doing): Both studying and applying the knowledge are equally important for consistent progress.
• ⏳ Be patient with yourself: Improvement takes time, and it’s important not to rush or compare yourself to others with more experience.
• 💡 Confidence through challenges: Overcoming reasonable challenges builds confidence and fuels positive momentum for further growth.
• 🤔 Avoid analysis paralysis: Don’t get stuck on tutorials or overanalyzing perfect approaches—start and adjust as you go.
• 🔄 Positive reinforcement cycle: Success leads to confidence, which enables taking on more challenges and maintaining growth.
• 🎯 Avoid burnout: If you’re feeling stuck or unmotivated, switch between study and full illustrations to refresh your approach.
• 🙏 Trust the process: Even when facing self-doubt, believe that you’ll either find a solution or learn something valuable for the future.

Q & A

What is the key difference between artists who improve quickly and those who take longer?

Artists who improve quickly often have better learning systems and strategies in place, which allow them to compound their growth more efficiently over time.

What was the turning point in the speaker's art journey?

The turning point came when the speaker watched a YouTube video of an artist who switched careers from coding to art, inspiring them to take art more seriously.

Why does the speaker advise against overthinking before starting to learn art?

Overthinking can cause paralysis and delay progress. The speaker advocates for starting immediately and figuring things out along the way, as doing so helps overcome initial challenges.

What problem did the speaker face after putting in significant mileage in drawing studies?

The speaker found that after an initial period of rapid improvement, progress slowed significantly, indicating that pure mileage alone is not enough to ensure continuous growth.

What is the concept of 'targeted practice' mentioned in the script?

Targeted practice involves identifying specific weaknesses and focusing on improving those areas, rather than mindlessly repeating tasks, which can lead to plateaus.

How does balancing input and output help improve as an artist?

Balancing input (learning art theory) and output (practicing full illustrations) helps artists grow consistently by avoiding over-reliance on either studies or practical work alone.

What does the speaker mean by 'having faith in yourself' when facing artistic challenges?

Having faith in yourself means trusting that you will eventually find a solution, or at least learn from the experience, even when facing uncertainty or fear of failure.

How can artists build positive momentum in their art journey?

Artists can build positive momentum by setting reasonable challenges, overcoming them, and gradually increasing the difficulty of their tasks. This builds confidence and encourages further growth.

What is the speaker's advice for dealing with burnout or slowing progress?

When experiencing burnout or slowed progress, the speaker advises switching between input and output. If you've been focusing too much on one, it may be time to focus on the other to reignite improvement.

How does the speaker propose artists handle the fear of not meeting their own expectations?

The speaker suggests pushing through the fear by trusting in the process and allowing yourself to make mistakes, as they are part of the learning experience and will lead to improvement in the long term.