I paint every day. Period. Some days are productive; others end in vain. Painting daily is like brushing my teeth.

This wasn’t the case until a few years ago. I was inconsistent. I would paint for days and then forget about it for weeks. Long gaps often left me frustrated, demotivated and rusty. The white sheet of paper became intimidating. Most artists like me have faced this at some point in their journeys. During these inactive phases my work was sluggish, lifeless and amateur. Every rebound towards my work would take up a lot of my will power and drain me. I often questioned myself if I liked to paint anymore. But the small hope and desire to paint like the masters and be recognized would reignite the fire. I wondered, “How did the masters do it?” How did they get there?

“Keep your brushes wet and paint every day.”

Once while on daily trip with my son at the local library I stumbled upon a book, ‘The Power of Habit’. Even though I am not much of a reader, I checked out the book.

I learned about the power of habit, and how consistency is the key to change things. Instead of blaming and fixing my behavior, I started focusing on my habits. Adopting new habits helped improve my skills and brought clarity for future projects. The quality of my work spiked tremendously.

The hardest part is to show up every day. This initially uses some of your will power and then eventually becomes a habit. Pick a time of the day that works for you. As a professional watercolor artist, I prefer starting my day with painting. This is in lieu of chores like replying to email. I wake up excited to dip my brush. For people with other full-time jobs, a small midday painting break can be relaxing. Perhaps you are a night owl – that could also work great, when it is quiet with fewer distractions. With a set routine I just jump and don’t let any thoughts intervene my schedule.

Make a list of things you enjoy. Inspiration is everywhere – look in your refrigerator, your backyard, take stock of your keepsakes, flush your garage, leaf through magazines and your phone. Crop photos, edit them and get going. You can make a series. For example, painting the same subject or scene with different colors. Or changing the mood. You could play around with different textures, styles and techniques. When nothing excites me, I borrow antique stuff from my friends and neighbors and paint them. They are always happy to share them and wait to see how it turns out. On very tiring and busy days I sharpen my skills by revisiting my basic techniques.

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Out of sight, out of mind. Create your trigger zones and cues

Having a small nook/area/table in your home, where you can see your paints, conditions your brain to remember to paint. When I lived in a small apartment, I would often paint in my kitchen. What you do every day becomes a part of your life and eventually a habit. Find your own triggers that work for you. For me, a small piece of paper taped to my toothbrush asking ‘Painted yet?’ acts as my cue. Taping a Post-it note to a mirror works great too.

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How to maintain consistency? Stick to small commitments

Painting, like any other craft, should be honed. Even Picasso, with his prodigious talent, painted every day. I use the Pomodoro Technique (a time-management technique that helps you stay focused on just one task) to remain focused. Simple steps to follow this technique:

Pick a painting or task you want to focus on
Set a timer for 25 minutes, and forget the world. Be present and connect with your art. (Beginners can start with just 10 min)
When the buzzer sounds, take a five-minute break
Repeat

Try this for 3, 5, 7, 15, 30 days and so on. Put a proud X for each day you nail.

I use the Forest app to stay focused on the important things in the moment. The tree grows while I stay focused, and dies if I leave it midway. I also earn credits for staying focused, which can be used to plant real trees around the world. What a great way to contribute to the environment while you paint.

Don’t throw your work. Save them to measure your progress. An art journal is a low stress commitment to begin, instead of a large intimidating painting project. With smaller project the procrastination tends to diminishes too.

My journal for me is my expressive space to break rules, paint with utmost honesty without trying to impress anyone. This is my space to be bold and loose. It’s also low maintenance and easy to travel with. Don’t forget to date your work. I invest in low cost journals or build my own by tearing watercolor sheets to keep it fun. Some of journals and painting kits are tiny that fit perfectly in my purse to go.

Learning together can help you come out of your comfort zone faster with greater results. The energy from the community amplifies the effect. Engaging with like-minded people can uplift your spirits. Share your progress on social media. Stay connected. Give and receive constructive feedback to each other. I once got a text message from a highly accomplished artist asking for some feedback for her recent work. This made me feel that we all get stuck and need some interaction and feedback. Believe me, people love seeing each other grow. Being involved in a growing community has also given me to opportunities building connection with my students and buyers.

We are only human. Life gets in the way. If you miss a day, don’t beat yourself up. Start again and regain the momentum. Showering some kindness to myself has been a game changer for me. I give myself permission to make mistakes and move on. No good work will come out of a bad attitude towards my own self. To keep it positive I celebrate with small rewards. I like to treat myself with new paints or art tools 😊

Painting daily instilled a passion for my work. It streamlined my thoughts. The materialistic rewards didn’t matter anymore. My work spread its wings and I got more recognition in the art world. As my work improved I got selected and won many competitions. I was content with my work. I challenged myself. I hope these tips reignite your passion for art or give birth to a new one.

I’ll leave you with the same advice that I once received, “Keep your brushes wet and paint every day.”

Happy painting!