How to Paint a Painting
A How-To Guide
This visual how-to guide gives step-by-step instructions on the artistic process of beginning a painting. As the illustrative guide progresses, however, the advice given to the reader becomes less practical and more abstract, jokingly suggesting that the viewer contemplate the value of their work and procrastinate finishing their piece. The guide closes with reassurance that, however the viewer’s work of art turns out, the value is in the making of the piece and artistic expression, not the content itself.
The inspiration for this guide comes from the frustration many creators may feel while working on their craft. Artists and designers in particular may relate to feelings of inadequacy and laziness when they can not produce works that they feel meets their own expectations. The colorful and childlike illustrations in this guide are meant to remind creators to enjoy the process of creating, which includes making mistakes and nonlinear improvement.
