Invest in high-quality art supplies

If you want to learn how to do visual art like Sarah Shakily, chances are you already have some basic supplies. Keep in mind that just because your supplies look or feel cheap doesn’t mean they aren’t high-quality. Look for brands like Windsor, & Newton (for paints), Prism color (for colored pencils), and Windsor, & Newton Cotman (for brushes). Even if these seem expensive, remember that good materials will last longer and be easier to use than bargain-basement versions. They can even help with improving your skills! And while it may not seem like much money upfront, especially when compared with college tuition, high-quality materials will pay off over time.

 Set your desk up with everything you need before starting

Many artists are hesitant to reference images, fearing that they will become copycats. However, referencing is actually an important step in creating your own style of art. When you can see what other artists have done in your specific field, it will make it easier for you to find your unique artistic voice and style—and copying that's part of learning how visual art is created. References can also be more broadly useful. It doesn't hurt when someone else has done much of your work for you; referencing images from galleries or anybody of artwork that’s related to yours means you won’t spend as much time drawing things from scratch. This can allow for higher quality projects overall with less time spent on each individual piece.

 Use reference images

Every artist is different and has his or her own quirks and preferences, but there are some general tips for becoming more skilled at visual art. Most artists agree that reference images—photographs or pictures that give you a better idea of what you're trying to recreate—are incredibly helpful. For example, if you're drawing a person in profile, it's easy to get confused about which features are facing forward or backward; likewise, it can be tricky remembering how people hold their faces when they sit down versus when they stand up. Reference images can help solve those problems. Over time, you'll develop your own techniques and preferences, but getting into the habit of referencing images early on will ensure that even your first drawings look great.

 Change your perspective while drawing

One of my favorite artists, Wayne Thiebaud, always said he drew best when he was lying on his back. He was looking down at his work and seeing it in three dimensions. That doesn’t mean you should view everything upside down (although Thiebaud often did), but viewing your subject from different angles can help you make all sorts of discoveries about how your subject appears in three dimensions. Draw from life if possible; there’s nothing quite like drawing or painting from nature, though life drawing classes are hard to find now that we live in an age of digital creation.

 Study YouTube tutorials

There are millions of people on YouTube sharing their skills and techniques in every imaginable artistic medium. These tutorials can help you break down barriers to learning new techniques or refine your skills in something you already know how to do. Just type any skill into YouTube’s search bar, and explore videos from people who are more advanced than you at that skill. If you have trouble getting started or even figuring out what techniques apply most directly to your own project, there are tutorial channels like Sketch Club TV where an artist gives step-by-step instructions on how they create specific works of art. You can also learn about composition, shading and blending through some of these video tutorials.

 Challenge yourself daily

As an artist, it’s easy to become complacent with your skills. And while challenges don’t have to be professional (for example, drawing on a regular basis or making art every day), they can help improve your work. Challenge yourself by creating art in new media. Sketch in watercolor pencils or design print materials in pastels instead of ink. This will get you out of your comfort zone and help you hone different skills that will come in handy later on when working on larger projects. Challenge yourself to simplify: If you’re trying to capture an emotion or create strong storytelling, simplicity is key—but simplifying isn’t as easy as it sounds.