Share to XI have been painting for many years now, but I still get nervous about making the first stroke!
With this Elora painting, I spent a few hours today procrastinating and thinking about how to make the perfect start. What color? What brush? What technique? Maybe I’ll study the reference photo more?
Then, after all that, I made the wrong stroke anyway! But now I’m finding my groove. I won’t share anything yet as it’s in that messy middle phase and it won’t look right at all. I just thought I’d send this email in case you’re struggling with the same thing.
Let this be a reminder that those first few strokes don’t need to be perfect. They don’t even need to be close, really. Their purpose is simply to build momentum and to give you something to judge against. So get them out of the way and get on with it!
You’ll find that those first strokes will inspire more strokes, and before you know it, most of the surface is covered.
Happy painting!
Dan Scott
Draw Paint Academy
—
Most of what I put out is completely free, but if you ever want to dive deeper, check out the following:
21 Easy Ways to Improve Your Paintings Ebook: Simple and effective tips to apply to your very next painting.
Sunrises and Sunsets Workshop: Learn how to paint striking sunrises and sunsets. This is also a great workshop on light and color.
Landscape Painting Masterclass: A deep dive into landscape painting and how to capture nature’s beauty in a painting.
What I’m reading: Vilppu Drawing Manual: How to Draw Figures With Gesture, Form, and Feeling
