Tag: improve

You CAN Improve Your Art (more than you think is possible…) | Liron’s Podcast Episode 115

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In today’s podcast episode I want to demonstrate to you just HOW MUCH BETTER you can get in your art and craft – more than you even think is possible.

Pushing My Comfort Zone

Lately I’ve had multiple experiences that have led me to push my artistic comfort zone more and more. I’ve also been pushing my discipline further, and working really hard on my technical skills (mainly drawing people and faces).

This has led to exponential growth – and that surprised even myself!

In addition, I’ve gained some more nuanced watercolor insights, mostly in the context of wet-in-wet control.

The More You Learn…

The more you realize HOW MUCH MORE there is to learn. Every new thing opens up 3 new opportunities, and that’s how you continue growing exponentially.

When I Got Started…

Luckily for me and you, I’ve been documenting my artistic journey for many years now. You can actually go back, watch my old videos, look at old Instagram posts – and see for yourself…

When I got started – I sucked! In both drawing AND watercolor.

In fact, I can go even more back, and show you older drawings from over a decade ago to prove this. I wasn’t born with a specific talent. Perhaps I developed LOVE for drawing and sketching, meaning I naturally enjoyed it, was complemented for it and encouraged by some (but definitely NOT by many, haha!) to do it.

But it wasn’t like my first drawing was great. It wasn’t even good. They sucked!

But with time and effort, I improved.

And the good news is – you can too…

I hope you found this episode encouraging!

Below’s a list of ways to connect with me online.

TikTok – @Liron.Yan

YouTube – Liron Yanconsky Art

LinkedIn – Liron Yanconsky

Pinterest – Liron Yanconsky

Instagram – @LironYanIL

Twitter – @LironYan

How to Improve FASTER in Your Art | Conscious Effort & Focus | Liron’s Podcast Episode 108

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In this episode I wanted to share with you a way, an approach, for improving MUCH FASTER in your art.

Conscious Effort & Focus

The idea here is to go BEYOND the norm, when it comes to practicing your art and craft.

Some examples I provide:

  • Instead of directly drawing figures from reference – try reconstructing them from simple 3d shapes.
  • Try drawing the head from multiple angles using reference, and then drop the reference and try to rotate and draw the head from your imagination.
  • Rather than paint a scene once, how about painting it multiple times, with a different goal in mind each time? Once – focus on values, then – temperature. The try to add or remove elements from it, make stuff up.

The idea here is to take our practice sessions to the border of our comfort zone. Not too hard that you get frustrated fast. Not too easy.

Right on the border.

These ways of practicing really require CONSCIOUS EFFORT, and you will feel tired afterwards (that’s how you know you do it right!).

Repetition

I want to give you another good example for conscious effort and pushing through the comfort zone.

I recently sketched the exact same figure 4-5 times until I got it right.

In the past, I would have moved on to a different one after the first attempt. This is better than giving up completely. But how about trying again and again until you get it right? This will REALLY help you push through and learn something important, I find.

Time is Limited

Many people don’t have a lot of time to practice. You may have a day job, a family, responsibilities.

This way of practicing will make you far more effective.

So if you only have 15 minutes a day – why not make them work like 30 minutes?

I hope this makes sense, and I hope you’ll give it a try.

Sometimes it’s hard to figure out exactly what to do to practice this way. If you’re drawing and painting, I gave you some solid examples. But if not – do your proper research and figure it out.

You will not regret it.

Good luck!

— Liron

Here’s where to find me online

TikTok – @Liron.Yan

YouTube – Liron Yanconsky Art

LinkedIn – Liron Yanconsky

Pinterest – Liron Yanconsky

Instagram – @LironYanIL

Twitter – @LironYan

— Liron

The Learning Curve is Actually a SPIRAL | Liron’s Podcast Episode 107

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Art, creativity and the art business. In this episode I’m talking about the artistic skills learning curve, and how it functions as a SPIRAL. We learn and relearn things at varying levels of competence.

Feeling Like You’re Not Improving VS Actual Improvement

The gist of this episode is the idea of practicing consistently, but feeling sometimes like you’re not improving, or even going backwards.

I experience this occasionally, and often it’s a matter of your eyes and understanding improving.

You actually DO improve, which causes you to better recognize the faults in your own work. It also allows you to see more of the potential.

This makes it SEEM like your moving backwards, when in fact you ARE IMPROVING.

How to Recognize Improvement

My #1 tip for you to do that is to look at older artworks you’ve made!

Look at older paintings, drawings and sketches. Are you really moving backwards? Do you think the older work is better.

Often you’ll find they are of lesser quality. It’s just that your standards rose even more than your skills.

So the next time you feel that way, try revisiting old work and see for yourself.

And this is also why I HIGHLY RECOMMEND not throwing away anything. Everything you make – is worthy of keeping. Trust me.

And with that, we’ll wrap this one up. I hope you enjoyed it and perhaps gained a new perspective.

And here’s where to find me online!

TikTok – @Liron.Yan

YouTube – Liron Yanconsky Art

LinkedIn – Liron Yanconsky

Pinterest – Liron Yanconsky

Instagram – @LironYanIL

Twitter – @LironYan

— Liron

Don’t Listen to ANYONE but Yourself! Advice for Ambitious Artists | Liron’s Podcast Episode 77

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In today’s episode we talked about ignoring the noise, and learning who to listen to.

Here’s a summary of the episode, as well as the links mentioned.

What Selling at Fairs Taught Me

First I talk about how I came to think of this topic.

When I just started selling my art at the local fair, several artists made discouraging remarks about selling paintings there.

I then came to realize this happened all throughout my career. People seem to wonder whether there’s money in art, and be quite cynical towards the topic.

The Underlying Limiting Belief

These people basically communicate their own shortcomings and limiting beliefs (unless done maliciously).

They feel insecure about selling their art.

I have a lot of empathy for artists, but I have a strong aversion to the forcing of your own limiting beliefs upon others.

I think it’s important NOT to do that.

Which is why I also don’t think there are many people you should listen to.

Who Should Your Listen To?

I would say two things:

1. People who are actually succeeding at what you want to do.

These are great, and also perhaps more generally people who are positive and have a clear aim and vision for their future.

2. The market.

By the market I mean the whole sum of your potential customers. The average of all of them. Could be millions of people.

The market’s response to you will always speak the truth. If you aren’t successful as many paintings as you’d like – the market is telling you something.

Maybe your art isn’t good enough. Maybe it’s too expensive. Maybe it’s too CHEAP. Maybe it doesn’t fit the venue in which you try and sell it.

The good thing about the “market” is that it really is the average. It may be contentious, but I do believe this is one of the cleanest feedbacks you can get.

If a product fails, there’s a reason for it.

And that feedback is actually very valuable! It will help you sell more works, if you choose to listen to it.

Conclusion

So this is it for this one!

It takes time to learn who to listen to, so be open but stay on your path and believe in your own vision (another topic I have to cover in an upcoming episode.

And now, let us move into the Artist Corner!

Artist Corner – Alex Ross

Today I talked about Alex Ross, an American comic book writer and artist.

He worked with both Marvel and DC, and what really attracted me to his work is the one done in watercolor!

It’s fascinating for me to see watercolor used in a way I’m less used to. You can watch a REALLY AWESOME video of his here: Alex Ross Video

And check out his website here: Alex Ross’s Website

And Here’s where you can find me

Check out my YouTube Channel – Liron Yanconsky

Or ask me questions on Instagram – @LironYanIL or Snapchat – @LironYan3

I hope you enjoyed this one. Take care, and we’ll talk again really soon,

— Liron

How Long to Get Good in Art? Liron’s Podcast Episode 75

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In today’s episode I talk about how long it takes to get good at art, drawing, painting and so on.

You Get Back What You Put in

The gist of it is this – the more time, focus and attention you put on a skill, the faster you’ll grow and improve in it.

The rule of 10,000 hours (I forgot who’s the person who originally came to this conclusion), suggested that that’s the number of hours of practice it takes to achieve mastery in any give skill.

This “rule” was later disputed, but on a basis that makes a lot of sense. Aside from time, it’s also a matter of the QUALITY of how you practice.

A lot of it is about being deliberate in how you practice. It’s about actively challenging yourself, trying new things and striving for new heights.

Then, the 10,000 hours rule becomes more relevant.

My Calculation

I currently put about 1-2 hours a day into painting. Sometimes it’s even a little less than that.

That means a max of 10 hours a week (assuming I paint 5 days a week). This amounts to 40 hours a month, or 480 a year.

This means it will take me a total of 20 years to get to mastery. I already spent the last couple of 4-5 years painting, so perhaps 15 more? (:

(In the audio I mistakingly say 10 years, and then 5 left, that’s a calculation error).

Every Skill is Different

Regardless of time, some aspects are easier to improve than others.

I find that anything that has to do with technical, motor skill based technique is easier to improve at.

Brush work, pencil technique etc.

The harder aspects are learning to see through optical illusions, see colors and values accurately, as well as some of the basics – composition, color theory, mood and atmosphere, telling a story etc.

These are the REAL challenge!

And to wrap this up, my question to you is – how many hours a day / week do you practice your skill, whatever that may be?

And now – artist corner!

Artist Corner – Ken Karlic 

Today I featured Ken Karlic, a contemporary watercolor painter who also works in mixed media.

What I find the most fascinating about his work is the large sizes he’s working.

You can check out his artworks here: Ken Karlic Website

And his painting process in these videos: Ken Karlic Videos

 

And Here’s where you can find me

Check out my YouTube Channel – Liron Yanconsky

Or ask me questions on Instagram – @LironYanIL or Snapchat – @LironYan3

I hope you enjoyed this one. Take care, and we’ll talk again really soon,

— Liron