Step-by-Step Guide on How to Start Practicing Art (My Efficient Way)

Struggling to start your art practice? As a Patreon creator, I've seen many artists join without a clear routine. This step-by-step guide answers key questions to get you on track efficiently.

How to Start?

Define one subject you would like to become a pro. I like to split subjects into these categories:

• Shapes (humans, animals)

• Tools or food

• Costume (mostly cloth related)

• Environment

Why these categories? I find they cover enough for any kind of art medium skill, comic, concept art, animation, etc, anything that requires understanding of anatomy, gesture, cloth, props, perspective, composition, etc. You will find references about each on my Raindrop folders.

Save enough references depending on how long you plan to be practicing the subject, like if you will be doing 1 to 3 references for a week, save 7 to 21. That way you can save some time the next day by opening your folders and start, without endless scrolling on the search for references you might like. I have fallen into this trap till this day.

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Once you choose the subject of your practice, choose one technical level. I like to split my process this way

• Shapes through line art first

• Colors

• Values (shadows and highlights)

• Details

I do not used to study "colors" or "details" alone, as I tend to mix them with line art and values often, but I did spend quite some time focusing on line art only and values only, especially line art. Why one level and not the four of them every time? Because it is hard to spot what is off in your practice if you have too much going on. Instead, if you focus your attention on the line art you cannot get distracted about making mistakes on the number of shadows you have, or the hue of the colors you are choosing. You will see a limited number of mistakes that can be described and then addressed, at least in theory.

What topic to create art for?

Within the categories I mentioned, you might find plenty of options, and this might be overwhelming. Whatever category you choose, judge by technique you aim to master. Here are some examples

• If it is line art, pay attention to things like body or structure silhouette contours. The more complex the shapes are the more challenging this will be.

• If it is values (shadows and light), pay attention to pictures with contrasted illumination, where you clearly can distinguish where the light comes from, the shadow silhouette and details like highlights, rim light, bounce light and so on. The more the amount of shadows and lights in the reference, the more difficult will be to understand.

• If it is colors, pay attention to the light as well, the color of the surface and how the light alters where it hits and where it does not (shadow). The more subjects with different colors are affected by the light, the more complex would be as you will have a great amount of information to understand.

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How to do art?

Focus on progression: Break any subject or technique into core elements, isolate one, and build from simple to complex. Common steps for all:

- Assess and simplify: Identify the fundamental challenge in your reference (e.g., basic form for shapes, single light source for values). Strip away extras like multiple perspectives or gestures unless they are your target skill. Start with frontal views or geometric equivalents.

- Target a focal point: Select one small area (e.g., an eye in a face, a fold in cloth) to replicate precisely. Ignore the rest initially to build accuracy without overwhelm.

- Execute with limits: Use only tools for your chosen level (e.g., lines for silhouettes, no gradients; values for depth, no color). Time yourself to match your session goal.

- Expand gradually: Once comfortable, enlarge the focal point or add one layer of complexity (e.g., rotate view, add subtle gesture). Repeat until the full reference feels manageable.

This method scales to any subject: Start minimal, master incrementally, adapt to your pace.

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How much time to practice?

30 min to 1 h daily. I think that is achievable regardless of your routine. Of course the more time invested the quicker you might find improvement, but the key is consistency across time, not intensity in one hour/day and then stop practicing for a whole week.

When is the right time to increase the level of difficulty?

First of all, pay attention to the time you often finish one reference/practice. If you find yourself finishing the practices quicker than the usual time, at least three times in a row, then that is a good rule of thumb to move forward with a more complex goal. Nevertheless since every person is different, feel free to DM me here on Patreon or on Discord and I will help you.

Remember, you can watch my full-length process videos from start to finish, plus access files from all my recent practices, simply by upgrading your subscription. This unlocks a deeper understanding of everything I'm sharing here.

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Remember you can now pre-order my book Life in Every Sketch on the 3DTotal shop.

https://rebrand.ly/The-Art-of-RamonN90

Please let me know if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to help with art advice or book details.