I’m not big on new year resolutions per se but I am big on keeping a track record of your progress.
I try to keep a general vision or idea of where I want things to go so I know what direction to work in at all times. While this post isn’t about new year resolutions it is about having some idea of what your art goals and ambitions are.
It is about taking a moment from time to time to reflect on what you have been doing and evaluate the results you have been getting. Then ask yourself what you might be able to do going forward to get better results?
Reflections of 2019
Perhaps because it is a big round number, or maybe because of what I have been doing this past year, I have been reflecting a lot in the past few days on what I was able to get done in 2019.
After launching this website and submerging myself even deeper into art studies my obsession to create has grown even further.
From creating content for this site that might help or inspire you, to creating art that helps accel my own art skills. I feel like my creative powers have grown.
So in reflection, and to keep a more public track record to refer back to on later, what did I accomplish in 2019?
- I started this website and started building my audience. Originally registering the domain name in March, making my first two posts in April and then not touching it for months until October. Ending the year with a total of 22 pages and posts, clocking 500 page views in the last 30 days, and currently averaging about 30 visitors a day. Not a bad start.
- I decided I wanted to have a total of 100 paintings in my collection before I attempt to sell any. I currently have 32 complete pieces with 12 more that need to be finished. Yes, 12! I know I’m terrible…
- I went from the simple ambitions of learning to be a great painter to wanting to learn to be a great artist. I expanded my mediums from just acrylic painting to digital artwork in procreate and keeping a regular sketchbook as well. Filled 2 sketchbooks in my first year sketching with two more started. Most recently picking up the art of animation as well.
I have definitely learned a lot in this past year which was my first full year taking my art studies from merely a side hobby to a much more serious pursuit. Which really was a growth process over the year as art gradually began to consume my mind.
It is really a bit surprising looking back on all of the artwork I have done in the past year and realizing how much I actually created and how much progress was made.
If you took a few minutes to consider your art-related accomplishments for this past year what would you include on your list? Are you surprised by how much you got done? Are you disappointed in what you didn’t get done?
2020 Art Goals
For me, my 2020 goals will be building off this momentum I have gained in the past year. I’m just going to keep it pretty broad as when thinking about goals it is easy to bogged down in the details.
- Add 15 to 20 pages of content per month. 20 pages in 3 months is not good enough. You may be wondering why I include this as an art goal. I see working on content for this site as building my art skills because it requires a ton of effort and thought about art. Sometimes about art history, sometimes about techniques, sometimes about art supplies. It all builds up my expertise and understanding as an artist.
- If I can accomplish the 1st goal this second one should be easy, continue to double my traffic growth and page views every month. Get to 100k page views a month within the year.
- Start a youtube channel. Get to 10,000 subscribers by the end of the year.
- Start an Instagram.
- Complete my first 100 canvas paintings. Current Status: 32/100
- Fill at least 3 sketchbooks.
- Study animation.
- Study figure drawing.
- Study logo design and come up with a logo.
- Draw something, paint something, animate something, create a digital artwork every single day. I need to have some completed art creations every day.
- Start a podcast.
- Write and publish my first book. Record it as an audiobook as well. Study book cover designs and create my own book cover.
- Turn this all into a revenue-generating business.
In the grand scheme of things, this is pretty broad as every one of these can be widdled down into micro-goals. As an example, learning to figure draw will involve learning quick sketches as well as anatomy study.
Starting a YouTube channel will require some study of video editing and the dynamics of YouTube these days.
Probably the only one on the list that isn’t really all that complicated is starting an Instagram. I can do that right now! Haha
With that in mind, I’m going to go pick that low hanging fruit right now!
What are your major 2020 art goals? How do you envision your future? What skills do you wish you had? If you’re here and you’re still reading this I would love to hear what your goals are in the comments below!