Daily Art Habit: Crafting a Consistent Routine
- Lynsay Green
Struggling to establish a daily painting practice? While “practice makes perfect” might sound cliché, consistency is the real key. I don’t believe in achieving "perfect," but I do believe in getting better with regular practice.
Consistency helps you discover your art style, refine your skills, and enjoy the fulfilment that comes with improvement. Setting up good routines and habits is essential for success. In this post, we'll explore how consistency can transform your mixed media painting practice and provide five actionable steps to build a daily habit that you can adjust to fit into your life. Let’s dive in!
1. Set Up Your Creative Space
Creating a dedicated workspace is crucial for building a daily painting routine. Whether it’s a corner of your living room or a separate studio, having a space just for your art helps minimize distractions and fosters focus. Here’s how to help make it work:
Lighting and Comfort: Ensure good lighting ( a lamp with a daylight bulb will work well if you don’t have natural light) and a comfortable chair to enjoy your creative process.
Organized Layout: Keep your paints, brushes, and other supplies easily accessible and organized. This will save you time and keep you from getting frustrated when you can’t find your favourite brush!
End-of-Day Routine: Clear up at the end of each painting session. Be your tomorrow's best friend by setting up for the next day with clean brushes and a tidy studio.
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Efficiency Tip: Consider using a stay-wet palette to keep your paints fresh, saving you time each day, a stay wet palette was a game changer for me!
2. Forming the Habit
Building a daily painting habit requires a bit of planning. Here are some ideas to make it easier:
Daily Prompts: Create a month’s worth of mini painting prompts to keep things interesting.
30-Day Challenge: Join a fun 30-day challenge to keep you motivated.
Timer Technique: Set a timer for 15 minutes and paint loosely from a reference photo.
Simplify: Choose a colour palette at the beginning of each week to reduce procrastination.
Making these small adjustments can make your practice feel more manageable and enjoyable.
3. Set Realistic Goals
To stay consistent, setting achievable goals is essential. Goals give you direction and motivation, helping you track your progress and celebrate small victories. Here’s how I set effective goals:
Start Small: Begin with manageable goal, like completing one painting a week or trying a new technique each day.
Be Specific: Make sure your goals are clear and attainable, especially when starting out.
Build Habits: Set small, achievable goals to create a sense of reward and build your habit.
This approach helps you stay motivated and helps get that habit locked in!.
4. Prioritize Your Painting Time
Making painting a priority in your daily routine is so important. Painting makes me so happy to me it’s a form of self-care as it relieves stress and fills me with joy so I make it a priority, heres how I fit it into my schedule:
Dedicated Time: Set specific times for painting and treat these as non-negotiable appointments!
Find Your Moment: Whether it’s early morning or evening, choose a time that consistently works for you.
Balance: Managing painting with other responsibilities can be tricky, so consider an accountability partner to keep you on track and remind you that painting is good for you and makes you happy and deserves to have time in your schedule
Finding and protecting your painting time will help you stay committed.
5.Find an Accountability Partner
An accountability partner can significantly boost your consistency and motivation. Look for someone who shares your passion for art and understands your goals. This could be a fellow artist, a friend, or even an online community…If you have taken one of my art courses you can join ‘The Art Hub’ community, where you can share your art daily. Having someone to share your journey with can make the process more enjoyable and help keep you committed to your daily practice.
Final Thoughts
Consistency is key to developing a successful mixed media painting routine. By creating a dedicated workspace, choosing the right materials, setting realistic goals, prioritizing your painting time, and finding an accountability partner, you’ll establish a daily habit that works for you. Start today and watch your skills flourish. Happy painting!
