Repetition is a game-changer for any artist looking to take their craft to the next level. It's not just about mindless practice, it's about a deliberate approach to mastering your art form. In this blog post, we'll dive into the 4 key reasons why I believe repetition is so crucial to the artistic process and how it can fundamentally alter the way you create.
Repeating techniques
One of the most straightforward ways repetition helps to enhance your creativity is by repeating techniques. As you practice specific techniques repeatedly, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how they work and how you can use them to create different effects in your art. Repetition will also help you experiment with new approaches in your medium leading to new creative possibilities. Is there a technique you are struggling with? When I first began painting with watercolor I wrestled with wet on wet. I couldn't understand why my paint just looked like a blob of mess. But with increased repetition, simply working with wet-on-wet technique consistently, I began to understand the art of timing with layering and blending paints with one another.
Knowledge of Materials
As an artist, you may have heard the term "practice makes perfect" before. However, repetition is not just about perfecting a technique, it's about gaining understanding of the technique along with becoming familiar with your materials. Standing in front of your empty canvas, or watercolor paper lies the potential of what you can make. But what you WILL make depends on knowing how your canvas or paper respond to its medium, and also how your chosen mediums interact with each other. Art is about taking an idea to its completion. Knowledge of your materials is what stands between your starting point and the finish line. Repeated work with your materials is the vehicle to take you there.
Find and Develop your Focus
Repetition is also crucial in developing your artistic focus. By experimenting with various techniques, subject matters and styles repeatedly you can explore what resonates with you. If you find that painting a certain subject doesn't light you up, it may mean that the subject simply doesn't align with you. When I first began my journey with art, I knew that florals and nature would be my focus. I knew this because every time I worked with them it ignited a curiosity inside me to know more. So I encourage you to try different things over and over again. Pay attention to what you enjoy most and go with that feeling.
(~a photo I took while on a walk, so pretty!~)
Build Sustainable Artistic Habits
Repetition can help you establish sustainable habits for your artistic practice. By habits I don't only mean holding to a daily schedule around your art. Although a daily sketchbook practice is a terrific way to build and maintain a good routine. By habits, I am referring to repeating a technical style.
As you utilize repetition you begin to develop habitual gestures that are your own. You begin to understand what feels comfortable to you while continually working with your tools and mediums. Repetition allows you to acquire deep-seated reliable artistic habits.
Do you wonder why your art looks different or find yourself painting or drawing in a particular way? I used to question why, for example while painting leaves, my style of painting them looked different to what I was seeing in form and style. I began to notice, however that my gestural habits were especially my own. The way I am comfortable holding my paintbrush for example or how I tend to lay paint down on paper was specific to me. Some call it muscle memory or finding your artistic style. I tend to think of it simply as a building and strengthening sustainable artistic habits.
**Key Tip: embrace your artistic gestures. Realize that they are uniquely your style.
In conclusion artists, repetition is a sure way to increase your artistic skills. Repeating techniques, building knowledge on your materials, developing your focus and strengthening solid artistic habits helps you to fine tune a reliable practice. This helps to establish a strong foundation that will lead to long-term success and creative fulfillment. So, start repeating, keep practicing, and watch your artistic habits grow and thrive!
Happy Art Making!!
