Perhaps yesterday you glanced at a lovely picture of yet another pretty piece of artwork and a little piece inside of you was just a little …sad. You’ve dreamed of picking up the pencil, pen or brush and creating pretty things. You’ve longed to have your journal look as lovely as the person on your favorite blog or social media channel and you feel a little discouraged when you try to copy and it turns out …stiff, not-quite-right, or a little out-of-place.

Something’s wrong and you want to fix it.

But there’s a big giant standing in the way, summed up in a four letter word: time.

Did you know, this giant doesn’t have to stand in the way of growth?

You can still grow your skills with what you have! One day, you may find yourself surprised at how much you’ve grown. Little by little progress can add up to beautiful things. 

TIP 1: PRAY Share your heart with God. Tell Him about your wish–no matter how inconsequential or deep it may be, tell Him about it. Ask Him to help, to grow and to guide you. To give you wisdom and insight, to help you as you seek to grow your skills, even if it’s little by little. 

TIP 2: EMBRACE FIVE I think most who are reading this post can safely say you have at the very least five minutes of free time each day! :) I’d highly recommend picking your five minute space of time right next to something you do everyday. For example, perhaps it’s right before you turn out the light at night. Place a sketchbook and pencil by your bed and commit to using it everyday for five minutes. It may seem trivial or small, but I challenge you, think big–in little steps. Little by little adds up.

TIP 3: WORK FROM LIFE This is something that is valuable for any artist to pursue, whether an artist is just beginning in developing their skills or are well accomplished in their career. It doesn’t matter. Working from life is very important and can support your growth as an artist. Try placing an apple, a cup or a book on top of your sketchbook and sketch the same thing each day of the week from different angles. Aim for accuracy and do whatever you can within those five minutes. It may not seem glamorous or exciting …but I encourage you, try it. Try it faithfully for a month and compare your first sketches to your last. :) Little by little progress can add up.

And lastly, even though it’s not on the list, please reach out! :) Need some encouragement, want some insight on how best to increase your current skills? I’m here! Send me a note! :)