Building Painting Habits

Do you struggle with painting consistently?

I hear it time and time again, ‘I just don’t have time.’ And I get it. Even as a full time artist I struggle to paint consistently. But when I do, I notice HUGE improvements in both my work and my mood. Whether you want to paint more consistently or want to improve something like your wet-on-wet techniques, it's important to have habits in place that moves us closer to achieving our creative goals. .

I think an important thing to remember is to not treat this like a new years resolution. Where you go all in and end up quitting after a few days. I want to challenge you to take things slow and think about how to approach your painting practice sustainably.

Too often, we convince ourselves that massive success requires massive action. Meanwhile, improving 1 percent isn’t particularly notable – sometimes it isn’t even noticeable – but it can be far more meaningful, especially in the long run. The difference a tiny improvement can make over time is astounding.

I love the book ‘Daily Painting’ by Carol Marine. In it Carol talks about the benefits of painting small & often. She shares that she is ‘living proof that daily painting can turn your life and career around.’

Here are some benefits of creating small paintings consistently that Carol shares in her book:

• It fits into your busy schedule

• You are more inspired to experiment

• You’re less emotionally involved

• It facilitates quick growth

• You feel less fear

• You enjoy the process more

• You gain confidence

• It's less tedious

• There's more structure

• It helps your larger work

Want to work on creating a consistent painting habit? Download this exercise here, where you will set one painting goal and create a habit around it!