Sketching Hair Tutorials in watercolour and ink

Are you getting lost in the mire of the information super highway?

Information Overload

There’s no better way to get inspired than scrolling through social media to see how other artists are creating art, but millions of them are sharing their content online. And the more time you’re scrolling and coveting skills, means the less time you’re actually creating.

There were a myriad of online tutorials and courses being offered at discounted prices, especially around Black Friday week! And of course, the well-organised artists are publishing books to help us improve our skills. And don’t even get me started on the rabbit hole called Youtube. Everywhere you turn, there’s opportunities to learn. If you want to improve your art skills there’s no excuse. New free and paid opportunities pop up every day. Learning is all around us.

Whether your learning style is visual or auditory, there are plenty of options available. But that’s the problem. Information overload.

Frantically Learning

I’ve been on a frantic learning curve for a couple of decades. I used to have to squeeze learning into my free time, so made the most of Adult Learning Centre classes in Los Angeles. I tried most major mediums – oil, acrylic, ink and watercolour, pastels, and charcoal, and a variety of subjects.

But over the years I’ve identified my preferred medium. That’s not to say that I don’t still play around with other mediums, but my primary focus is Ink and Watercolour. I’ve always gravitated towards sketching people. I used to attend life drawing classes in LA, and also took portrait classes at the adult learning centre.

Just recently I’ve got distracted by painting buildings and boats. But I feel I’ve lost my way. I’ve wandered off my preferred path, and need to be back to my passion of sketching people.

I’m not interested in doing studio portraits that have a high level of photo realism. I don’t have the patience for that level of perfectionism. I’d rather focus on quick sketches, done from life, which is why I’m drawn to urban sketching.

Focus on your Core Interests

I had an ah-ha moment today. I wrote a list of all the tutorials and classes I have signed up for, and realised that many of them did support my core interest. I’ve been going off in a tangent, and need to get back to what I love and what inspires me the most.

When it comes to your artistic endeavours – if you’re a jack-of-all-trades and a master of non, it is very easy to get distracted. Whether you want to draw people, buildings, landscapes, cityscapes, or seascapes, you can get back on track with your creative passions and learning, by starting a focused daily sketching session of just 10 minutes.

Look out for my 10 Minute Habit blog series, where I share my inspirations, and some ideas of how to kick-start a new sketching habit in the new year.