Art Study Board

Several years ago, I started learning to paint. At that time, I felt I had lost touch with my creativity. I knew that as a child, I was always making things, but in adulthood, it hadn't been a consistent part of my life. I wanted to learn new art forms, exercise my creative mind, and find satisfaction simply in "doing" rather "being good." I began with watercolors and gouache, painting scenes and objects from my home and garden. The process of building this new skill has brought joy, self-confidence, and inspiration to my life ever since, and I continue to expand into new materials and techniques.

This art study board lays out the process I follow to learn: whether it's a new art form, technique, or subject matter. Most recently, I've been learning to paint with oil pastels so I've used that to fill the template, although you can replace the content with any material or process you want to learn. By making a board for each study, I'm able to keep a record of my approach, keep track of references, and document my progress. It's incredibly satisfying to add to it as I continue my study and to look back on how far I've come. This board is meant to me limitless, so take all the allotted spaces as starting points and edit for your needs.

Here's how it works:

1. Begin by making a plan, and check off steps as you go

2. Make a materials shopping list and drop in links or notes of choices you make along the way

3. House all your reading in one place to learn more about artists, materials, and techniques

4. Keep a record of the tutorials and lessons you're learning from

5. Collect your reference images and inspiration

6. Make art and start documenting your progress

7. Take notes along the way to keep track of your thoughts

Note:

• This has been a model that works for me, but it's highly flexible! Adjust the spacing of your areas, add detail to your plan, and give your self as much room as you need create a study board that suits your needs. For example, you could build out a detailed planning section with milestones and calendar if that's your style.

• I tend to move between desktop and mobile. I use my desktop to make the board, but reference most often on my phone while I'm working. One of the most significant benefits of the board is my ability to reference it from anywhere. Looking back at my progress all in one place is such a confidence booster.

👩🏻‍🎨 Happy creating,

Eleanor, Miro Head of Community