Can 20 Minutes a Day Help You Become a Better Painter?
I remember when I started painting again, there were artists I admired so much. I would look at their work and think, I wish I could paint like that.
They seemed so far ahead of me that I honestly wasn’t sure I could ever reach that level.
And then, at some point, I started asking myself a different question:
Why couldn’t I?
Why couldn’t I become really good at painting—with time?
Nothing was going to change if I sat around wishing I could paint better. If I wanted to grow, I had to pick up a brush and actually do it.
So that’s what I did.
I took classes. I experimented. I figured out what resonated with me and what didn’t. I borrowed little bits of knowledge from one experience and combined them with things I learned somewhere else.
Slowly, my own way of painting began to develop.
I’m still learning
All these years later, I’m still doing exactly the same thing.
I’m still learning. Still experimenting. Still taking what speaks to me and leaving behind what doesn’t. Still figuring out where I want my art to go next.
But there is one thing that has made all the difference:
I keep picking up the brush.
That doesn’t mean I spend hours and hours in my studio every day. I don’t.
Some days I paint for 30 minutes. Some days I get a couple of hours, usually broken into smaller chunks between everything else I need to do. Very rarely do I spend an entire day painting.
Some days, I only want to paint for a few minutes. Other days, I could happily paint all day.
It comes in ebbs and flows, and I’ve learned that’s okay. That’s life. We don’t have to do something perfectly—or devote an entire day to it—for those small efforts to add up.
What could 20 minutes a day become?
If you want to become a better painter, especially when it comes to portraits or figures, what if you gave yourself just 20 minutes a day?
You might:
- wake up 20 minutes earlier and sketch before the day begins;
- make marks while you drink your coffee;
- practice drawing one feature, such as an eye, nose, or mouth;
- watch part of an art lesson today and try what you learned tomorrow;
- experiment with a color combination without expecting a finished painting;
- spend a few minutes gathering references for your next piece.
Twenty minutes may not feel like much in the moment. But imagine where all of those little pockets of time could take you over the next year.
That time doesn’t always have to produce finished work, either. A quick sketch, a small experiment, or one new idea can become part of something much larger later.
Give yourself time to discover what feels like you
There are so many wonderful ways to learn now. You can find classes that fit into smaller pockets of time and explore different artists, techniques, and approaches until you begin discovering what feels like you.
That is one of the things I have always loved most about LET’S FACE IT. There isn’t just one teacher, one style, or one way to create a portrait. You get to explore many different approaches and take the pieces that resonate with you.
You don’t need to rush through the lessons or work at someone else’s pace. With lifetime access, you can learn in a way that fits your own life—even if that means working in 20-minute stretches.
You simply have to begin
You do not have to wait until you have more time, a perfect studio, or an entire free afternoon.
You can begin with the time you have today.
Twenty minutes of painting. Twenty minutes of drawing. Twenty minutes of learning something new.
Then, when you can, pick up the brush again.
Those minutes matter. Over time, they become practice, experience, confidence, and a body of work that could only have come from you.
Maybe this will be the year you stop wondering whether you could become the portrait artist you want to be…
And simply begin.
Create Art You Love,
Kara
LET’S FACE IT 2027 will be available soon!!!!
Explore the LET’S FACE IT portrait program and discover a year of artists, approaches, and encouragement designed to help you keep learning and creating.
Kara’s Studio Favorites
What I’m Using in the Studio
I’ve gathered some of the art supplies and tools I return to most often in my Amazon shop if you would like to see what I’m currently using.
As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Continue Your Creative Journey
Explore online art classes designed to help you keep learning, experimenting and creating art you love.
More From Kara’s Studio
-
I cried when I got the invitation
It’s November, and I have so many things happening in my little creative world that I am excited to share with you! This week, I am starting two new paintings. One is another little bow girl, and the other is a new birdwatcher for my Orangeville series. I am especially excited about this birdwatcher! I…
-
Not Every Day Has to Be a Painting Day: Why Rest Is Part of the Creative Process
Not every day has to be a painting day. Kara shares why rest, planning and gathering inspiration are all meaningful parts of the creative process—and why taking a break doesn’t mean you’re falling behind.
-
Is Using a Projector for Art Cheating? Why There Is No Right Way to Create
Is using a projector cheating? Kara shares why she uses one in her painting process and why the tools an artist chooses do not determine whether they are a “real artist.”
-
WELCOME TO ORANGEVILLE
Step inside Orangeville, Kara’s newest world of bright color, retro inspiration, unusual characters, and stories that are only beginning to unfold.
-
Meet Dylan Sara: The Watercolor Portrait Artist Who Teaches You to Truly See
When I bring a guest instructor into the Kara Bullock Art School community, it is always because something about their work stopped me in my tracks. Dylan Sara stopped me in my tracks. Dylan is an Australian-born illustrator and artist who now lives in Göttingen, Germany with his wife and three children. He has spent…
-
PAINT GOUACHE PORTRAITS WITH MISTY
I have wanted to tell you about Misty Segura-Bowers for a long time. I first found her in our free artist community on Facebook. She had shared a painting shortly after Ruth’s passing, and I was completely blown away. The skill was obvious. But so was something else: a real emotional depth that is hard…
