Many people love to make New Year’s resolutions, with the idea that they need to begin the new year with a set of goals to keep them on track towards their 5 or 10-year plans, or maybe just as a shot of motivation after the hubbub of the holidays is over.
Some people would rather just wing it, and have no use for resolutions; however, they also may have a feeling of wanting to try new things or improve themselves in some way. Sometimes both of these sets of people are creatives who love to make art. Whether it’s making a precise list of resolutions for the New Year or keeping in mind a few new things to try over the coming 12 months, we have you covered for ideas for 2021.
New Year, New Medium
Maybe now it’s time to find a new medium like you’ve been meaning to do. Have you been telling yourself for years that you’d like to try working with oils in addition to acrylics?
Perhaps watercolors have been on your mind but you just haven’t taken the leap. Resolving to pick up a new medium and learn some new techniques in 2021 could be just the thing to get your passion for painting heated up again.
Back to Basics
Tried all of the usual mediums? What about getting back to basics and picking up a new sketchpad and a medium like markers or pastels that you haven’t used before or simply haven’t touched for years?
Getting back to something you used to love doing in this New Year could be key to freshening up your artistic repertoire. Less usual mediums like gouache or something like paper collage or papier-mache can be a fun exercise in stepping out of your comfort zone.
Switch Up Your Surface
Resolving to switch up a component as seemingly minor as what type of surface you apply your chosen medium to can make all the difference. Consider linen instead of cotton canvas, or wood panels, even custom panel shapes as a way to get a fresh start to your art in 2021.
Change Your Environment
If you’re accustomed to always painting indoors in a studio or other interior setting, why not change things up by taking your setup outdoors instead? Maybe Plein air painting is something you would love--now’s the time to try it. Yes, we’re heading into chillier weather but that doesn’t mean you can’t add painting outdoors to your list of resolutions. After all, you have an entire year!
New (to you) Artists
Seek out some new artists, either up-and-coming or those you haven’t heard of or studied for inspiration. Just like your Spotify playlist suggestions, sometimes it’s helpful to find those artists to whom you don’t typically give your attention. Resolving to find new sounds, new artistic styles, new faces, and new themes will get you feeling brand new in 2021. If you haven't checked out our Pro Team artists and they're new to you, take a look at some of their work below -
Pro Team Artist: Natalia Fabia
Pro Team Artist: The Obanoth
Maybe you only paint something like bird decoys or only work with oil paints or typically paint on a certain type of surface.
Little changes or big changes can get you motivated again and inspired to create in a completely new way.
Even changing up 1-2 things can heighten your artistic experience. If you’ve become stuck in a rut or a one-trick pony, what better time of year to resolve to try some new things?
We at Trekell wish you a happy and prosperous New Year and look forward to assisting with all your artistic needs in 2021.