In making art, good skills and techniques may be important but so are creativity and imagination! Sometimes, you may run out of ideas or perhaps you are not sure how to improve your art piece. Fret not, it happens to all of us! When you are feeling a little stuck, try some of these tips to improve your art-making process and to keep the creativity going.

1. Keep a sketchbook You could use any book – a school notebook, a diary, or even a file of loose papers! The purpose of the sketchbook is to document the process of creating art. The sketchbook could contain quick doodles while you are on the school bus, experiments with a new art medium (for example, watercolour paint), or briefly written notes when inspiration strikes. By documenting your experiences and thoughts day by day, a little at a time, you can eventually build an impressive resource to jolt your mind when you feel low on ideas!
2. Train your observation skills For many artists, the sense of sight plays a big role in their art-making process. Having an observant eye helps to improve your ability to achieve realism and details. When you’re in school, in a park, or even at home, observe the features of the things around you. How do the light and shadows fall on the cup? How does the surface of the fruit look? How many shades of green are there in the tree? Use a keen eye to scrutinise your surroundings. You could even exercise your imagination to form a creative combination of the observed objects!
3. Get inspiration from a variety of sources
   Did you know?

   A team of SOTA students known as ‘Wonder CAS’ has specially prepared a series of four exciting art tutorial videos! Click here to watch.
   Inspiration is everywhere! Resources are abundant and easily accessible nowadays. Check out books in your school library or public libraries, surf the web for online materials, or even watch art-making videos on YouTube! Talk to your friends, family and teachers and listen to their feedback and opinions. By keeping an open mind and looking at things from another perspective, you may find inspiration and new ideas. P.S. Your parents or a teacher might be able to help you with searching for suitable information and videos online. Remember to ask them for permission and advice when surfing the web and using platforms such as YouTube!
   Did you know?

   A team of SOTA students known as ‘Wonder CAS’ has specially prepared a series of four exciting art tutorial videos! Click here to watch.
4. Experiment with different mediums If you have been using a pencil for 2D drawings, why not try using crayons or markers? Instead of using polymer clay for 3D art pieces, have you tried found objects or wire? Through using and experimenting with different mediums, you discover and become familiar with the characteristics of each medium. With this knowledge and experience, you can then select the most suitable medium or use a variety of mediums creatively for your artwork.
5. Don't give up! Practice makes perfect! If you are drawing something for the first time, chances are that it is not going to be perfect and that is absolutely normal. Don’t be discouraged, try again and again. You could use some of the tips we’ve shared earlier, such as keeping a record of your progress, making detailed observations, or watching tutorial videos to improve. Take one step at a time and you will reach your goal one day!

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Try out these tips in the next school assignment or for your personal art projects during the holidays!

The SOTA Primary 6 Art Competition 2023 is open from 25 October 2022 to 27 January 2023. If you will be in Primary 6 in 2023 (based in Singapore), we invite you to participate in this drawing and painting competition! Find out more here. ❖