{"id":13560,"date":"2022-07-28T15:11:11","date_gmt":"2022-07-28T22:11:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/us\/?p=13560"},"modified":"2026-06-05T13:42:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T20:42:00","slug":"slow-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/slow-down\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to draw better, faster? Slow down"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"et_pb_section_0 et_pb_section et_section_regular et_block_section\"><div class=\"et_pb_row_0 et_pb_row et_block_row\"><div class=\"et_pb_column_0 et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et-last-child et_block_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_0 et_pb_text et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_module et_block_module\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><b>The fastest artists are slow and methodical, and you can learn to replicate their approach.<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In today\u2019s world, it can seem that if you don\u2019t start investing in your future while you\u2019re still in the womb, you\u2019re behind the curve. Your only option is to move smarter and faster than your competition. However, moving faster doesn\u2019t mean quite what you think. You need to<strong> slow down<\/strong> to <strong>speed up.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slowing down feels like a trap. The problem you create in moving fast is focusing on the result. If you\u2019re attempting to become a professional artist or finish an illustration, you think that the faster you achieve the result \u2013 the goal \u2013 the more progress you\u2019ll make. But the result is not the prize you imagine it to be. Your desire to get ahead quickly tricks you into thinking that it is. Only slow growth will teach you the truth \u2013 it\u2019s in the process where you win the most.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_video_0 et_pb_video et_pb_module et_block_module\"><div class=\"et_pb_video_box\"><iframe title=\"Want To Draw Better, Faster? Slow Down\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JDnpvyglobQ?feature=oembed\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_text_1 et_pb_text et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_module et_block_module\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3><b>The surprising truth about growth<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>The way you grow should be looked at as a lifestyle, not a phase you end when you meet your goals. Treating the way you grow as a phase is not only a terrible mindset, but it sets you up for failure.<\/p>\n<p>Think back to how many times you set a goal for yourself and actually followed through with it, and achieved that goal. I\u2019ll use myself as an example. I set a goal to break a 5-minute mile when I was in High School. I got really close at 5:14! But never quite made it under five minutes. I wanted to learn how to shuffle dance but I only ever got as far as learning the basic steps. I want to become a professional artist and though I\u2019ve practiced a lot over the years and have had lots of improvement, I\u2019m still not quite there yet.<\/p>\n<p>I imagine that your story is quite similar \u2013 you\u2019ve had a lot of goals but few, if any, ever came to fruition. The sad part is, if you didn\u2019t meet your goals, even when you showed incredible improvement, you still look at those experiences as failures. There is an inverse relationship between setting goals and accomplishment. You look back on your progress as a disappointment when, given the right mindset, you could have flourished. Not to mention all the progress you made even if you didn\u2019t meet your goal.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_text_2 et_pb_text et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_module et_block_module\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><div id=\"attachment_14534\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14534\" class=\"wp-image-14534 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/07\/kevin-ku-aiyBwbrWWlo-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Busy is not productive\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/07\/kevin-ku-aiyBwbrWWlo-unsplash.jpg 800w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/07\/kevin-ku-aiyBwbrWWlo-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/07\/kevin-ku-aiyBwbrWWlo-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/07\/kevin-ku-aiyBwbrWWlo-unsplash-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/07\/kevin-ku-aiyBwbrWWlo-unsplash-480x320.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-14534\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@ikukevk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kevin Ku<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Unsplash<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><b>Being busy doesn't necessarily mean being productive<br \/><\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Working like a madman to achieve your goals is not a badge of honor. Just because you\u2019re busy doesn\u2019t mean your achieving deep learning or creating quality work. In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/amyblaschka\/2019\/07\/23\/the-fastest-way-to-be-more-productive-is-to-slow-down\/?sh=c0d88d851a07\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rushing through your work is physically and mentally exhausting.<\/a> Slowing things down helps you focus your experience to get the most out of it.<\/p>\n<p>Have you ever written a paper or done a project at the last minute? You have a book report due in two weeks and you already read the book so it should be a breeze. You could settle down every couple of days and make some progress but instead you wait till the last day and write it all at once. I didn\u2019t really care about book reports back in high school, but I do care about my artwork. I imagine you do too.<\/p>\n<p>If you did this same thing with your character design assignment, I doubt you would produce anything of quality or learn much through the process. It\u2019s not a badge of honor to rush through things and work through the night till the sun rises the next day. It makes the quality of your work suffer, it ruins your ability to make insights and learn the information you need to get better, and it impacts your physical and mental health (both of which you need to keep healthy as a lifelong artist).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_text_3 et_pb_text et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_module et_block_module\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><div id=\"attachment_14536\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14536\" class=\"wp-image-14536 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/07\/greg-rakozy-oMpAz-DN-9I-unsplash-1.jpg\" alt=\"Love The Process\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" title=\"\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-14536\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@grakozy?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Greg Rakozy<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/s\/photos\/love-work?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Unsplash<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><b>Learn to love the process<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Slowing down is your badge of honor. Learn to love the process and you won\u2019t rush to the end so quickly. There\u2019s nothing wrong with being excited about seeing the finished product, whether it be a completed illustration or your skills rising to the level of a professional artist. The problem only comes when it impacts your progress.<\/p>\n<p>Slowing down will keep you relaxed and allow you to think more clearly. You\u2019ll make less mistakes and accomplish your tasks in a more thorough manner. When we make mistakes we tend to <a title=\"Slow down as a cautionary measure\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0022249612000454\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">slow down as a cautionary measure.<\/a> As an artist, if you can overcome failure and view it as a learning opportunity \u2013 part of the process \u2013 you\u2019re less likely to let mistakes slow you down if they do arise.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s be honest, in making art, 99.9% of the work is the process. The result is just what happens when your done with the process. If you can\u2019t learn to enjoy it, creating art will feel like hell. Slowing down, being methodical, and letting yourself embrace the process (failures and all) will be your surest path to a professional artist.<\/p>\n<p>When you cut out the fast approach that <a title=\"leaves you with mistakes and burnout\" href=\"https:\/\/hive.com\/blog\/slowing-down-benefits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">leaves you with mistakes and burnout,<\/a> that\u2019s when you\u2019ll draw better, faster.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_text_4 et_pb_text et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_module et_block_module\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><div id=\"attachment_800470\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-800470\" class=\"wp-image-800470 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/07\/tania-mousinho-mjjM5DFEGaY-unsplash-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"695\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/07\/tania-mousinho-mjjM5DFEGaY-unsplash-scaled-1-980x665.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/07\/tania-mousinho-mjjM5DFEGaY-unsplash-scaled-1-480x326.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-800470\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/es\/@taniamousinho\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">T\u00e2nia Mousinho<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Unsplash<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><b>A simple tip to slow down<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Not trying to rush the process is one thing. Finding ways to slow it down is another. You can learn to love the process and still need ways to bask in the present moment. Do you ever get ideas for your current project in the shower or just before you fall asleep in bed? That\u2019s you slowing down the process with percolation.<\/p>\n<p>Percolation is almost like using procrastination in your favor. When you are engrossed in a process over time, you get momentum, and your brain starts scanning your knowledge and environment for clues. If you\u2019re studying how to draw the face it starts looking at people\u2019s faces and solving the problems that you are having with the cheekbone. It starts seeing how the light falls from a \u00be angle. It\u2019s doing this work in the background and it\u2019s absolutely essential for learning.<\/p>\n<p>Slowing down allows you to incubate your ideas and deliver the creative leaps you wouldn\u2019t get otherwise. You stay relaxed, you\u2019re learning is deeper, and in time you will draw better and faster.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row_1 et_pb_row et_block_row\"><div class=\"et_pb_column_1 et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et-last-child et_block_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\"><div class=\"et_pb_team_member_0 et_pb_team_member et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_module et_flex_module author-bio\"><div class=\"et_pb_team_member_image et-waypoint et_pb_animation_off\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/02\/james-cartoon.png\" alt=\"James Joyce\" title=\"\"><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_team_member_description\"><h4 class=\"et_pb_module_header\">James Joyce<\/h4><div class=\"et_pb_team_member_description_content\"><p>James is an artist from Maine and resides in California. He\u2019s been drawing for over 10 years and knows that learning to draw feels like a long and hard journey. That\u2019s why he created\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.zephyer.co\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Zephyer<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 to give artists a healthy creative process that nurtures their growth. He aims to create a new educational framework designed to help you discover the best ways to learn to draw. James uses traditional tools along with his\u00a0<a title=\"Wacom Cintiq\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wacom.com\/en-gb\/products\/pen-displays\/wacom-cintiq\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Wacom Cintiq 16<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wacom.com\/en-gb\/products\/pen-tablets\/wacom-intuos-pro\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Wacom<\/a><a title=\"Wacom drawing tablet\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wacom.com\/en-gb\/products\/pen-tablets\/wacom-intuos-pro\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\u00a0Intuos Pro<\/a>\u00a0to improve and create his designs.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Check out his work:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zephyer.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Website<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCVNaVjaM2ioiJPCLjFNjsuA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@arczephyer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":13048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2318,2317,2338],"tags":[278,86,1492,148],"class_list":["post-13560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-creative-inspiration","category-digital-drawing-painting","category-how-to","tag-drawing-tips","tag-how-to-draw","tag-illustration-tips","tag-james-joyce"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13560"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13560\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}