Learning to paint

There’s something beautiful about a newly stretched canvas — especially if you’ve done it yourself. Sturdy, straight stretchers. Taut, pristine surface. Smooth, white gesso.

It takes a few hours of careful work to prepare a canvas in this way.

When an artist is just learning how to paint, however, this is a problem.

• The perfect surface

• The anticipation

• The sunk cost of the prep work

• The expectation of a painting worthy of the canvas

A useful technique for new students is to paint on cheap newsprint or cardboard. To paint on something disposable, which requires no preparation. To not be precious with it.

Not to aim for failure, or to try painting poorly, but to be willing to accept what happens. To get beyond the high expectations that sow fear and anxiety. To move past the worrying, and to get to the doing.

It’s the same with many new creative endeavors. Our best learning happens by making work that can be discarded, and then doing it again. And again. And again.