“In order to move forward, you have to go back to the beginning.”

I don’t remember where I read this philosophy or who first said it, but I believe it to be true.

Comparing myself to the youth of today, I feel so old-school. Everything now is fast. Not that I feel out of place. I like fast. I can do so many things in less time than way back when I was kid. Responding to e-mails, being able to talk to a lot of people from different backgrounds, from different parts of the world without leaving the four walls that surrounds me.

But the things that we use now; the internet, the computer, cell phone, iPods etc., seem to produce a culture that has no patience. I see so many of the younger generation seem to want something, and they want it now. You go to a mall, you see an mp3 player you like, and you want it. Right there. Right now.

Patience.

I’ve been asked so many times ‘How do you draw so good, and how can I be like you?’

My answer is always the same; Practice. Practice. Practice.

I’m not trying to brag. I’ve been at this for decades. And I’m still learning. In any skill you want to be good at, you never stop learning new things.

Develop the foundation of skills necessary for whatever that is you wish to do. Whether it be drawing, sports, music, or whatever. But I have seen so many younger people, and I’ve spoken to some of them, that after just a few tries, they simply give up. One or two even told me that “why should [I] make myself go through all that hard work, when I can just do it in the computer and be exactly like you in less time?”.

I say good luck, then. Hope that works out for you. But to move forward, you have to go back to the beginning. A time when there was no internet to browse on tutorials on drawing. When there was no computer and programs like Adobe Photoshop or Corel Painter to help you ‘hide’ the fact that you lack a certain skill. A time when all you have is pen and paper. Make a mistake, use an eraser, or start over.

To move forward, go back to the beginning.