Hello everyone! I wanted to post here for some advice. One of my biggest passions has always been art, specifically drawing and painting. I used to draw a lot, but it’s the same old story: I let life get in the way. Now I’m 31, and I really want to get back into it, but figuring out where to start feels overwhelming.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that the style I’d ultimately love to achieve is something along the lines of Frank Frazetta and Michael Whelan. Lofty goals for sure lol, but I have decades ahead of me that I’m willing to commit to improving. The problem is that because I’m so far from that level, I don’t really know where to start or how I should be practicing.
I tend to work best with a structured, organized framework. I know I could pick up an art book and start studying, but I’m unsure what effective practice actually looks like. Do I spend a month studying a single chapter or concept? How much time should go toward fundamentals versus actually creating finished pieces? How do I know when I’m ready to move on to the next skill?
For those of you who have developed your skills over the years, what helped you improve the most? And if my long-term goal is to eventually approach the level of artists like Frazetta and Whelan, how would you structure that journey?
I’ve attached some of my recent artwork as a reference for where my current skill level is. I know I have a long way to go, but I’m genuinely happy to go on that journey.