Your journey begins with a dream.

Mark Twain once said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and starting on the first one."  When embarking on a new creative journey, it's natural to feel overwhelmed by the road ahead. Your inner artist critic, (that voice of perfectionism) will emerge in various forms along the way, attempting to discourage your growth. Fear is a common denominator we all face. To overcome this, you'll need to be resourceful and develop a plan for making consistent progress. Return to this process of dreaming repeatedly to find inspiration in new and exciting ways.  

MILESTONES

When these milestones are accomplished, Aspiring Artists are ready to advance. These three P’s ensure that you are ready to progress to a new stage in your journey:

PURPOSE: You've gained clarity about your personal motivation for showing up as an artist. You are clear on your big “why,” giving you much needed resilience for the journey ahead. Your purpose is anchored.

PREPARE: You have prepared your creative space and gathered the materials you need to get to work.

PLAN: You have carved out a regular schedule to practice that will serve you well in the days ahead. Your creative routine has been planned intentionally to ensure that you are ready to show up regularly and do the work.

ACTIONS

Purpose Development

• Watch Embracing Your Artistic Identity Growth Strategy for mindset coaching.

• Watch Goal Setting for Artists Growth Strategy to define your creative dreams.
• Join our Private Facebook Community for feedback and encouragement.

Preparation & Setup

• Watch the Dakota Pastels Interview for a tour of their premier warehouse for pastel supplies.
• Visit the Resources Section for Studio Setup, Pastels, and Surfaces. 
• Prepare your creative space and gather your materials.

Planning & Practice

• Watch the Create Consistently Growth Strategy.
• Complete the Create Consistently Guide to clarify your creative goals.
• Schedule your creative time and protect it fiercely.

Painterly Course Review

• Watch Milestone 2, Lessons 1 and 2 in the Painterly Landscape Course to learn about tools, materials and organizing your pastel palette.
• Watch Milestone 1, Lesson 3 in the Painterly Portrait Course to learn about tools and materials for portrait work in pastel. 
• Watch Milestone 3, Lesson 1 of the Painterly Portrait Course to learn about setting up your studio for portrait work.