Discover the artist within you

The world becomes more brilliant each moment any of us dares to explore and express ideas, feelings and perceptions through creative activities. Your creative essence is whatever makes you feel alive and brings out your passion and excitement. Feeling awe or childlike wonder are good clues as they are sparks of inspiration.

Artists create art to communicate ideas, thoughts, or feelings. They use a variety of methods like painting, sculpting, or illustration and an assortment of materials, including oils, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, pencils, pen and ink, plaster, clay, and computers. Artists’ works may be realistic, stylized, or abstract and may depict objects, people, nature, or events.

Drawing is an important part of art, but art also includes photography, painting, fashion design, film-making, music, new media and sculpture. Drawing, like all art, requires practice and dedication, you may simply need to spend more time more drawing, and draw things you are really interested in, people you know or things you see around you, even on TV.

Never picked up a paintbrush? Don't think you can draw a straight line? Haven't been creative since those old high school days? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, try attending an art class. There are many art classes out there for you to get a taste of working with various art mediums including charcoal, pastels, ink, and acrylic paints. Using a wide variety of artistic techniques and materials, you can create your own unique artwork, both through drawing, painting, and multi-media expression while learning about color, composition, texture, shape and more. Working from still life as well as abstraction, you will learn to create from observation combined with personal expression.

A good drawing instruction book can be a wonderful resource for the beginner. Many authors have years of teaching and art-making experience that you can benefit from. Different styles will suit different people. Consider whether you are an active learner who likes to experiment and pick out the good bits, or whether you prefer a steady, step-by-step program that will guide you all the way.

The value of your art does not have to depend on the opinions of others. If you create something, and you love it, why let the opinions of others take that joy away? You don't have to earn a penny from your art to be an artist. You don't have to have your work hanging in a gallery or a museum. It doesn't matter if no one apparently likes your art. You are the only one who needs to like it.

Pablo Picasso, a celebrated name in the world of art said: "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." If you believe that there is no hope for the artist within you, think again. Pick up a pencil and create your own expression of art. It is time to rediscover the artist within you.