Ever since the summer started, I have had more time to go to the gym and workout. Even on busy days and holidays, I live by the saying “no days off.” With that being said, I think that saying can go towards all things in life, including art. Just because it is the summer doesn’t mean you should take off of drawing, painting, or designing just because you are not being graded for something. You should try to do something everyday that will improve your skills.

I know with summer we sometimes get carried away with other priorities, but doing something artistic is just as important as getting that tan by the pool. It could be anything that helps you keep an open mind, like going on a hike, reading a book, planting flowers, or even just getting up and doing something other than watching Netflix. My drawing teacher, Mark Webber, taught me that all it takes is 5 minutes to sketch something and you can improve tremendously. Whatever you sketch, it doesn’t have to be perfect, it could be a roughly sketched composition, that might as well turn into one of your best pieces in the future.

Maybe you can’t think of something to sketch, but have a couple minutes before work that you can use to look up some famous pieces and artists. I think it is also important to know who and what inspires you to be the artist you want to be. Even with our busy summer minds, a little bit of art a day keeps the doctor away. Remember: no days off.