What Is the Artist Equivalent of Musical Scales?

Imagine the not-so-sweet sounds of a beginner flautist testing their instrument. Or a violinist squeaking their way through a practice session. Lovely, right?

I started playing flute in second grade, and something became clear immediately: musicians warm up. Scales, arpeggios, long tones… you do them fast, slow, at tempo… it doesn’t matter whether you’re a world-class soloist playing in front of the New York Philharmonic or a second grader learning your first few notes.

Warm-ups are part of improving. 30-years of research by Anders Ericsson into the art of expertise found that small focused chunks of practice is the difference between that Philharmonic player and my 2nd-grade flute skills.

So what are the artist equivalents of musical scales?
What are the warm-up activities that help YOU build skill and confidence in your art?

Hey there! 👋 I’m Carrie and I’m here to remind you: you’re already an artist.

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Today, I’m sharing three powerful art warm-ups you can use before diving into your studio work. Commit to even five minutes of these before each session, and you’ll start noticing a real shift in your drawing accuracy, observational skill, and confidence.

But before I jump in, let me address the eye-roll I know some of you are fighting right now.

You’ve probably heard of these activities before… but maybe no one explained how to do them purposefully. Without the two key ingredients I’ll discuss at the end of this article, these warm-ups can feel boring, tedious, or even pointless, and it’s why so many artists never see results from them.

Let’s change that.

Warm-Up 1: Contour Drawings

Contour drawing is the practice of looking at your reference and drawing only the edges, without lifting your pen or pencil.

There are two types:

Blind Contour

You look only at your subject, not your paper, while you draw the edges.
It will be wonky. It will be weird. That’s the point.

Modified Contour

You can look back and forth between your reference and your paper, and you may lift your pencil as needed.

Why Contours Work

Contour drawings train some of the most fundamental skills artists need:

• Eye–hand coordination
• Dexterity
• Accurate observation
• Slowing down enough to actually see what’s in front of you

These exercises make even advanced artists uncomfortable because the results are rarely pretty. But remember: contours are reps, like weightlifting. It’s not about one perfect drawing: it’s about the long-term benefits.

Warm-Up 2: Value Studies

Value = how light or dark something is.
Value studies train your ability to judge and match tone, which is foundational for realistic drawing and painting.

Some ways to warm up with values:

• Draw a simple black-and-white photo reference
• Make small thumbnail sketches breaking a composition into 3–5 value groups
• Arrange colored objects and sketch them by value, not by hue
• Squint your eyes and try to replicate what you see using only light/mid/dark tones

Value studies sharpen your ability to see contrast, simplify compositions, and avoid one of the most common beginner issues: drawing everything the same midtone.

Have questions about value studies? Drop them in the comments below.

Warm-Up 3: Negative Space Drawing

Negative space refers to the shapes formed by the space around and between your subject, instead of the subject itself.

This warm-up was a game-changer for me.
Negative space studies help you:

• Place objects accurately in a composition
• Catch proportion mistakes
• Improve overall drawing accuracy
• See your subject in a new and more objective way

If you struggle with proportions or composition, this is the warm-up I recommend most.

I also have a separate lesson on negative space for you here.

(Please note: demonstrations for all three warmups are included in the video above.)

The Two Ingredients Most Artists Miss

Here’s where warm-ups go from “meh” to transformative.

1. Mindfulness & Focus

Doing your warm-up while thinking about DoorDash or your to-do list won’t do much for you.

Skill-building happens when you are:

• Present
• Observant
• Focused on the task at hand

I sometimes feel as if I talk about this endlessly, but research by Anders Ericsson confirms these qualities were shared across disciplines by those thriving in their respective fields. (This included musicians, athletes, singers, and more). I highly recommend his book Peak and talk more about his research in this article here.

Your brain forms new synapses when you’re paying attention. That’s why even 5–15 minutes of intentional practice can create noticeable change. You are strengthening the connections of your mind.

2. Warm-Ups That Match Your Personal Goals

Any warm-up can help you improve your skill, but warm-ups chosen with intention can accelerate your growth.

For example, a student inside Artist Strong Studio wanted to improve her portraits. Together, we crafted warm-ups specifically around measuring and comparing angles. Within weeks, she observed more accurately. 

That isn’t to say it’s been easy. Learning and refining our skills is hard and uncomfortable work. And sometimes it takes months for that learning to materialize. But that makes it even more important to choose warm-ups that support the type of art you want to create.

Because when you finally see those results, it feels pretty amazing. And it helps buoy you through the next challenge you will inevitably face.

Your 7-Day Warm-Up Plan

For the next seven days, choose one or two warm-ups to practice:

• Contour drawings
• Value studies
• Negative space drawings

Use a small sketchbook you can carry anywhere. Keep it simple and short. The goal is consistency, not perfection. Keep it short and mindful. 

What warm-up will you start with today?
Tell me in the comments!

Thank you so much for watching. As always please like and subscribe to my work to never miss an episode. And tell me what you’d like to learn about next in the community tab: your ideas determine the content I create!

Remember: proudly call yourself an artist.
Together, we are Artist Strong