If I Were Starting Over: How I Would Learn Art as a Complete Beginner

If I were starting over with art today, truly from scratch, this is not the path I would take.

I would not start by trying to make “good” art.
I would not chase a style.
I would not assume confidence comes after skill.

Instead, I would build art the way I now know it actually works. I would start from the inside out.

Hey there! 👋 I’m Carrie.

I am here to remind you of something important. You are already an artist.

Here on Artist Strong, I help creatives stop feeling like copyists or hobbyists and start creating their first real series of artwork, work that reflects who they are and what they care about.

If you are ready to move beyond DIY learning and want the support and structure to finally draw and paint with your unique voice, I am here to help.

You can sign up for my free workshop How to Transform Your Ideas Into Artwork That Is Uniquely Yours. Thousands of artists have already joined the community and the workshop is completely free. You will find the link below.

What follows is the curriculum I wish I had as a beginner. It is shaped by everything I teach inside Artist Strong, by years of watching self-taught artists struggle in the same predictable ways, and by my own long road toward creative confidence.

This is not a list of supplies. It is not a rigid syllabus. It is a framework for becoming an artist, not just learning how to draw.

Phase 1: Becoming an Artist (Before Making “Good” Art)

Most beginners think the goal is skill.
It is not.
The real goal at the beginning is identity.

Before you ever worry about proportions or shading, you need to answer one question honestly:

Do I see myself as an artist or as someone trying to earn that title?

If you do not claim the identity first, every drawing becomes a test you are afraid to fail.

Claiming the Identity of Artist

If I were starting over, I would immediately stop waiting for permission.
I would stop measuring myself against people who have been practicing for decades.
I would stop treating “beginner” as a flaw.

An artist is not someone who produces perfect work.
An artist is someone who practices seeing, making, and responding to the world visually.

That identity has nothing to do with talent. It has everything to do with commitment.

The first practice would not be drawing. It would be language:

“I make art,” not “I am trying to learn.”
“This is practice,” not “This is bad.”

Confidence is not a personality trait. It is a habit. Habits can be built.

Learning How to Practice

The next thing I would learn before skills is how practice actually works.

Most beginners burn out because they believe practice should feel inspiring, progress should be obvious, and every drawing should matter.

None of that is true.

I would learn to separate studying, practicing, and making. Studying is learning concepts. Practicing is repeating skills. Making is expressing something personal.

I would keep my practice small. Ten or twenty minutes at a time. Often imperfect. Done consistently.

Phase 2: Learning to See (Before Learning to Draw Well)

Drawing is not a hand problem. It is a seeing problem.

If I were starting over, I would stop trying to draw what I think things look like and learn how to actually observe.

Learning to See Like an Artist

Seeing means slowing down.
It means noticing relationships instead of details.
It means accepting that bad drawings are information, not evidence you should quit.

I would do: blind contour drawing. Tracing to understand structure. Simple observational sketches without polish.

Not to make finished art, but to train my eyes.

Shapes Before Details

Everything complex is built from simple shapes. Hands. Faces. Interiors. Figures.

If I were starting over, I would reduce everything down before adding detail.
Abstraction is not the opposite of realism. It is the foundation of it.

Phase 3: Foundational Skills (Without Overwhelm)

This is where most beginners either rush or freeze.

If I were starting over, I would learn skills one layer at a time instead of trying to master everything at once.

Line, Shape, and Control

I would focus on line confidence, not line perfection.
Shaky lines are not a failure. They are part of learning. (And they can often be beautiful!)
Repetition builds comfort. Comfort builds confidence.

Value Before Color

If there is one thing I would do differently, it is this. I would study value long before worrying about color.

Light and shadow are what make drawings feel solid. Color only works when value is doing its job.

I would work in black and white. I would simplify values. I would let things look flat before trying to make them beautiful.

Learning Form

Shapes become forms when light hits them.
I would draw simple objects. I would practice turning circles into spheres. I would focus less on accuracy and more on volume.

Phase 4: Studying Other Artists (Without Losing Yourself)

If I were starting over, I would absolutely study other artists. But I would stop copying styles blindly.

How to Study an Artist’s Style

Instead of asking, “How do I draw like them?” I would ask what subjects they return to, how they use materials, and what constraints shape their work.

Style is not an aesthetic. It is a collection of decisions.
By studying many artists, I would give myself permission to be influenced without disappearing.

Paying Attention to What Pulls You

Your taste is data. What you are drawn to matters.
Even before your skills catch up, your preferences are already pointing you toward your voice.

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On to…

Phase 5: Making Art on Purpose

I would not wait years to make personal work. I would start sooner, smaller, with less pressure. Practice does not need to end before art begins.

From Exercises to Meaningful Work

I would give myself prompts that mattered emotionally, not technically. I would let meaning emerge instead of forcing it.

Working in Small Series

If I were starting over, I would think in series immediately. Not masterpieces. Not portfolios. Three to five related pieces.

Series build momentum. Momentum builds confidence.

Phase 6: Building Confidence That Lasts

Self-doubt is not a sign you are doing it wrong. It is a sign you are doing something that matters.

I would normalize plateaus. I would expect comparison. I would learn how to keep working anyway. I would work through my perfectionism.

Confidence is not the absence of doubt. It is the ability to keep going alongside it.

Phase 7: The Long Game of Being an Artist

If I were starting over, I would stop treating art like a phase. I would build it to coexist with real life. With work. With caregiving. With limited time.

Success does not mean constant output. It means returning again and again.

What I Know Now

If you are a beginner, you do not need more pressure. You do not need more rules. You do not need to be told to just practice without support.

You need a path that builds trust, skill, and identity, in that order.

This is the path I teach inside Artist Strong. Not because it is fast, but because it lasts.

If you are starting over or starting for the first time, know this. You do not become an artist after you are confident. You become confident by practicing being an artist.

Thank you so much for watching. I’m curious: what would you add to today’s conversation? Tell me more in the comments below.

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