{"id":885,"date":"2020-10-12T16:32:27","date_gmt":"2020-10-12T16:32:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urbansketchingworld.com\/?p=885"},"modified":"2023-06-12T16:24:11","modified_gmt":"2023-06-12T16:24:11","slug":"is-it-too-late-to-start-urban-sketching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/urbansketchingworld.com\/is-it-too-late-to-start-urban-sketching\/","title":{"rendered":"Is It Too Late To Start Urban Sketching?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When considering taking up a new interest, hobby or even career a lot of people will think to themselves, \u201cis it too late\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have even heard people in their late-twenties utter this question when considering taking on something new. Unfortunately, we automatically seem to think we are too old to learn new tricks no matter our age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it really isn\u2019t true, it is just \u201cresistance\u201d, as Steven Pressfield calls it in his book The War of Art<\/a><\/strong> (an amazing read, you can check it out on Amazon), raising its ugly head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever noticed how many people take up a new hobby in retirement? Or have rekindled a passion from their younger years?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My dad hadn\u2019t painted since he was at school but once he retired and the winter months hit he needed something to do while indoors and he re-discovered his love of painting again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is It Too Late To Learn To Draw?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you really think it\u2019s too late to learn to draw? Or is your mind just playing tricks on you? What if you could overcome your \u201cresistance\u201d and pick up a pencil to start learning. Think of where you could be in 1 year, 2 years, or even 6 months?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people say \u201coh, I wish I could draw like that\u201d or \u201coh, I wish I could do that but I can\u2019t draw anything, not even a straight line\u201d or (most infuriatingly I find) \u201coh you\u2019re so lucky\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luck has zero to do with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I decided I wanted to learn to draw. I bought a book and I did the exercises. Then I bought another book and did the exercises in there. Then I watched some Youtube videos. I drew regularly and I practised consistently and eventually, I was drawing things my worst critic (me) found acceptable or (god forbid) even liked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No one (probably) can play the piano immediately, the same applies to drawing. You just need to learn and practice, there is literally nothing else to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I think people like to think there is some sort of magic bullet or innate talent but for 99% of people who can draw reasonably well, the secret is effort and dedication. Some people pick things up quicker than others but without regular practice, this initial \u201cheadstart\u201d will not amount to much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I distinctly remember having the thought \u201cis it too late to start?\u201d in my mid-twenties, when I really wanted to learn to draw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wanted to throw everything into learning art but wondered how to do so or if I would even be taken seriously because I had not been to art school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thing I tend to forget is that we can just do these things for fun and just because we want to learn a new skill, doesn\u2019t mean we automatically want to make it more than a hobby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take the pressure off and just start exploring with a paper and pencil. Ultimately that\u2019s all we need. Sure, we can get sidetracked by getting all the gear but let\u2019s have fun learning how to use the basics and make as much with them as we can before delving further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does It Take To Learn To Draw?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you have been stuck wondering it\u2019s too late to start drawing or making, whatever you age, then I really hope this post will show you that it is absolutely never too late and as long as you have time and you commit to learning then anyone can draw or paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drawing and painting are the same as learning how to play a musical instrument, how to play a sport or how to cook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You just need to learn and implement what you learn consistently. That\u2019s it. That is the magic bullet. It takes time and dedication. That\u2019s why you also need to have lots of fun doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, some people do have an innate talent but many others do not. You need to work hard and consistently to get good at any hobby or interest you wish to pursue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What If I Don\u2019t Enjoy Learning to Draw?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Learning anything can have its moments of frustration but if you are not having fun at any stage of the process then maybe that\u2019s a sign its not for you and that\u2019s ok. Try something else!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now more than ever we have the privilege of being able to learn practically anything at all for free with the power of platforms like Youtube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check out my ebooks with hundreds of ink & watercolour travel sketches from all over the world. Get some inspiration for your next trip…
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All (ok, not all but quite a few) Of The Reasons Why Its Never Too Late To Learn To Draw (or Start Urban Sketching)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

#1<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Learning new things when we are older does seem to be harder than when we were kids but there is a logical reason for it, and it\u2019s not got anything to do with age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we were kids we went to school every day. We learned new things every single day, whether it was at school or just through life experience. We were flexing our learning muscles day in and day out. Progressively the subject matters became more complicated and more involved and our knowledge and comprehension grew. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We need to start to flex our learning and drawing muscles slowly at first, for short amounts of time. We can then ramp this up as we become used to the practice. In this way, we will grow and improve steadily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lack of time can be a major barrier for someone in their adult years who has a full-time job, a family, friends, other hobbies, pets etc to learning a new skill such as drawing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As adults though, we also have superior time management to when we were a kid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you need some practical tips on how to make time for urban sketching, check out my post here<\/a>. <\/strong>The same advice applies for finding time to learn how to draw or applying your drawing and painting skills to stepping into urban sketching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Learning to draw develops other important skills and qualities such as decision making, patience, focus and discipline. We take our time a lot more seriously as we get older. Focus and discipline are our weapons with which to battle time constraints. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#4<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It takes some time to get good at drawing but it does not take an entire lifetime. Evidence of this statement is found when looking at incredibly talented young artists. As mentioned above, sure, some people do have an innate talent to pick certain things up quicker than others but the only way to become really great at something is hard work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Some of my favourite online classes
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