2 Draw, draw, draw!
My number one tip for my students is to make a mark on paper. This may seem obvious, but many believe they need inspiration to begin drawing. Waiting for inspiration is one of the great art myths. Draw first and inspiration will find you. Here’s one of many sketches scribbled down for a major fantasy painting. From this small seed a large 48x36-inch oil painting will sprout! With such a commitment ahead it’s no big deal to draw lots of little comps to find the best idea. It’s the nicest part of the job.