Often I rush through my day with no time left for painting.  How do I improve my painting skills in today's hectic schedule?  By taking it to bed with me!

 

I cut or print out copies of artwork I find inspiring and keep them in a file folder by my bed.  I especially look for paintings similar to ideas I'm currently working on.  (How did another artist paint distance in his landscape...)  Once my teeth are brushed and my head is on my pillow, I pull out my file and peruse my images.  I try to clear my mind of all the day's concerns and just soak in the artwork.  This is also the time to think about how you want to approach your paintings.  Imagine yourself, step by step, working on one painting.

 

Believe it or not, in a short study, olympic athletes who imagined practicing improved as much as athletes who physically did practice.   Mind over matter. 

 

Looking at artwork helps me relax and makes a nice transition away from my busy days.  I often dream about painting and sometimes wake up with new solutions to on going problems.

 

This works in so many ways and costs nothing!  Not to mention it's a great use for those old art magazines you can't bear to throw away.