How Old Is Too Old To Learn How To Draw

Can y'all ever be "too old" to outset to larn how to draw?

Too One-time?

Well, you should already know the answer to this question. No, of grade you tin can't be "too sometime" to learn how to depict, or to draw portraits.

You're never too onetime to outset.

I take witnessed "older" people ("older" is always a relative term, of class!) introduce themselves to drawing and fine art, with neat results. They loved art, they were passionate and defended, and it showed in all their efforts.

Many art classes (particularly community or night classes) are full of "older" people. Some take up art later they retire. Some discover the time subsequently their kids are a little older, or have moved out. There'southward goose egg unusual about people who are well into adulthood introducing themselves to art. No ane thinks anything of it. It'southward done all the time.

And many of these "older" people take no trouble being active in the artistic customs. They are getting in local art shows, perhaps getting in galleries. They accept a blast with it! It happens all the fourth dimension.

Don't allow pride get in your fashion.

However, some people let their false pride keep them dorsum. A prime example of this happened in an illustration grade I took some years ago.

Some people must have causeless that an "illustration" grade meant that no freehand drawing would be required. But the teacher brought a live model in one calendar week for us to draw, much to the surprise of one student. He was rather successful illustrator, who created lovely, colorful artwork. But, he was mortified by the prospect of drawing. He didn't know how to describe. He e'er traced photographs to create his illustrations. Needless to say, his efforts that night were less than satisfactory. He felt terrible about it.

The rest of the course clustered effectually him later, to offer him encouragement. We all respected him, we all knew how much potential he had. We told him, "You can learn how to draw! It's no large bargain!" Just he would hear none of it. He said, "I'thou besides old, it'southward too late." He couldn't accept been more 26.

Information technology was cool. Of course 26 isn't "likewise old." It was nonsense. But not to this guy. His pride prevented him from facing the fact that he needed to learn how to depict. But, he seemed like a defended and sensible guy—and so I am going to assume that he got over his inappropriate pride, and eventually started drawing.

There's no reason to limit what you think you should exercise because of your age. It'due south your pride that keeps you back. Who says it's "as well late"? Where's the cutoff point? According to my illustrator friend, age 26 is "as well belatedly" to develop a vital artistic skill. Would everyone concur with him?

What have you got to lose by trying?

Years ago, one of my dad'southward friends started to take art classes. This guy was a swain worker at the Post Role. He had a nice stable job. He was in his tardily 20s or early 30s. He wasn't so sure that he wanted to upturn everything and get into art. He had a nice job, after all. And he was at such an avant-garde historic period!

Merely, information technology turned out very well for him. He was Ben Abril, who turned out to be a well-known and very successful Los Angeles creative person. I'grand sure he was very happy that he chose to take that risk with art. He didn't give up his Post Function job right abroad, but he did eventually, because he was having and then much success with his painting.

There are plenty of other inspirational tales every bit well. Many "Grandma Moses" and "Beatrice Woods" types started their artistic lives when they were past middle age. Their lives were total of their dearest of art. Would their quality of life have been better if they had not taken upward art? What did they lose, other than the potential of a fulfilling and rewarding pastime, or possibly a new profession?

You lot accept nothing to lose. You are not likewise old. Don't be afraid to get started!

The cliché of living with regrets

When I was growing up, I knew that my dad loved trains, cable cars, streetcars, all of these things. He was a train fanboy, only we didn't telephone call it that dorsum then. Simply somehow, he never got one of those train sets that these guys set up up in their basements, yous know the ones with all the minature houses, bushes, cows, and so forth? I never thought much of it, until one time he said he kept on asking for a train set when he was a child, but never got ane. And then he got older, served in the military, started a family, and obviously—obviously—he couldn't become a train set then, could he? (I would insert one of those "rolling my eyes" icons here if I could.)

I thought that was the saddest affair. I don't know why he thought this way. Or why he waited so long, particularly when in that location are so many guys of all ages that take a toy train hobby that gets pretty intense and expensive. So soon after that, I got him a petty train set for Christmas and located a "Train Geek Store" (equally I called information technology—it was a store for train prepare aficionados) and dragged him there. Information technology was a revalation. His eyes lit up! There in this shop were all these other guys—some middle-aged like him, all playing with trains! He got some very geeky books on trains and other very geeky train fanboy accessories, and he was happy.

Why, oh why didn't he exercise that sooner? Why did he waste all those years? But at least he finally did it. Information technology's never too late. But don't desire until later on. Do information technology sooner! This applies to trains, art, annihilation you want to exercise. Don't look back with regret.

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