Sometimes an idea just hits me, the planets align and all of the sudden magic happens. I know this sounds like stereotypical artist in action junk but it’s really true, you just have to pay attention. Andrew Wyath, an artist who painted amazing realistic tempera paintings of everyday scenes used to be so embarrassed by his art supplies that he would take back roads to avoid meeting anyone. He would only paint images that he couldn’t forget after months or years. (Which makes me wonder, where did he get all that talent if not practice?)

It’s like there are little idea bugs flitting around and if your ready for them they latch onto you and never let go. Some people only get one or two at a time, but some people, like Leonardo Davin chi or Benjamin Franklin, are a variable cloud of them. (me)

A few of my works have been like this. (A little Princess) An idea comes that will not let me completely rest until I work it out, even if it looks terrible you just have to do it. This seems to be how a lot of people get into art. Sometimes after a while, when your skills have improved, the idea will come back and you will want to re-work it. But the first thing you have to do is just get it on paper.

Most of the time you don’t get that magic moment though. Not every work comes flying out of the shy or crashing like a meteor, for some you just have to do the simple work of composition.

Basically you sit down and say “what do I want?” or “what looks cool” or find a picture, prompt, or contest to work from (check out https://www.theartlist.com/ or for young artists http://www.studentartguide.com/resources/high-school-art-competitions-list)

Scetch! Something, anything, triangles or wiggly lines or whatever, until you get something you like. Then finalize that, one of the main reasons a project can die is if you don’t know what you want. But move on before you get bored or you will never want to start a project again. Some projects require a lot of planning and some just kind of happen so You Know You just get something out there and you are likely to feel inspired sooner than later.

In general, people outside some very demanding field don’t realize the extent to which success depends on constant (though often unconscious) effort. For example, most people seem to consider the ability to draw as some kind of innate quality, like being tall. In fact, most people who “can draw” like drawing, and have spent many hours doing it; that’s why they’re good at it. (www.paulgraham.com)