I Was a Beginner Once
Let Me Give Myself Some Advice
There was a time when every aspect of what I thought defined me as an artist was new, kind of scary and exciting. I would take the same route every day to my 9 to 5 and think what would life be like if I could get up every morning and paint all day. When I finally stepped into that role, I had no idea what was in store or how to even navigate this new life - this new journey.
Some of my old landscape paintings
When I first started painting, I had no idea what I was doing. I wanted to paint landscapes and traveled extensively with my camera in hand to find unlimited reference material to paint. Even then, I thought every brushstroke had to be perfect. I mean, shouldn’t an artist just know how to make something beautiful right away? I would watch more experienced artists perform demonstrations and it seemed so easy for them. It was always perfect right from the start. Or so I thought it was. Shouldn’t my first attempt look like a masterpiece? (Spoiler alert: It did not.)
My Face Stencil Portraits (before I knew how to draw a face)
As I matured as an artist, I challenged myself towards portraits. What? Painting faces??? I had no idea what I was doing. I even started by using a face stencil (which I loved). Even then, I spent way too much time hesitating before I even touched the canvas, overthinking every little detail, afraid to ‘mess up.’ What I didn’t realize back then was that mistakes aren’t just inevitable—they’re necessary. Every smudged line, every wonky proportion, every color that didn’t mix quite right? Those were all lessons in disguise. I didn’t want to believe any of this back then though. I just wanted to be able to stack up to those amazing artists hanging on the walls of all of those galleries.
Experimenting with a more abstract portrait (because again, I had no idea how to draw a face)
If I could go back and give my beginner self a pep talk, I’d tell Me to relax a bit. I remember putting so much pressure on myself. So many unfinished paintings. So many mistakes. So many failures. Why did I not see what this really meant?
So let’s start over. Let me take myself back in time. The time when I was naive, new, and uncertain. Let me tell myself what I should focus on:
Start messy. Perfectionism is the enemy of creativity. Give yourself permission to make ugly art, because that’s how you learn what works (and what definitely doesn’t).
Progress is not linear. One day, you’ll paint something you love. The next, you’ll feel like you forgot how to hold a brush. That’s normal. Keep going.
Mistakes = growth. Some of my favorite techniques were discovered by accident. That weird brushstroke? That accidental texture? Those can become your signature style.
Play first, perfect later. Instead of worrying about making something “good,” focus on experimenting. Try different brushes, mix unexpected colors, and let yourself explore.
Your inner critic is a liar. That voice telling you that you’re not good enough? Ignore it. The only way to improve is to keep painting, keep learning, and keep showing up.
If you’re just starting out, my best advice is this: Just start. Don’t wait until you feel ‘ready’ because that day may never come. Paint something, anything. Let it be messy, let it be imperfect, and most importantly—let it be fun.
Now I want to hear from you! If you could give your beginner artist self one piece of advice, what would it be? Drop it in the comments!
