Practice beats talent!

Became a painter by only painting horses for 16 years

 ​Practice beats talent!

This is a lovely phrase presented on the site of one colored pencil portrait painter. The hero of this phrase, Leontine van Vliet, is a wonderful woman who is not disappointed in her own artistic talent and has been painting steadily for 16 years, finally making it to the ranks of a painter.

  ​Comparison of her Instagram pictures below shows just how important patience and practice are to a painter.

  We know how important patience, persistence and passion are. However, there are not that many people who consistently practice this and eventually bear fruit.

 ​So, what is the driving force behind this persistence? Everyone wants to do that, but why can't they? If you think about this point, you can know that there is a way right away.

  First of all, it's because we don't even try it the first time. I really like the Korean proverb that well begun is half done. The story goes that once you start, you're halfway there. In other words, there are so many cases where we end up dreaming without even starting what we planned.

  To make these fantasies a reality, it's time to start right now. In particular, I think the courage to start is very important to become an artist.

 ​As French artist Henri Matisse said, "Another word for creativity is courage." It takes courage to express what you are passionate about and to push the limits of your comfort zone or irrational fears.

 Another reason is that we keep comparing ourselves and easily become discouraged. First of all, if you say you started with a big heart, you need to put a blindfold around your eyes like a horse and only look forward and run. Because if you are going to do or say you will do something, the reaction around you will not automatically be filled with cheering.

  ​This was also the case with Leontine Van Vliet, the pencil artist introduced earlier. She says that when she was practicing hard to draw a horse, focusing all her life on her drawing, people around her saw her drawing of a horse and laughed at her as a donkey. Like this, the moment you say you're going to paint, people who see your painting will criticize you one by one and ask you to find another way. You may even be told from the beginning that artificial intelligence is better than you and that the profession of painter will eventually disappear.

  ​Can you stand up to these criticisms?
I think that persistence requires the strength to endure. It is a heart that will not be shaken no matter what anyone says.

  ​To do so, you need your own hypnosis method that strongly believes in your own judgment. 'I've always made the right decisions'. You have to walk steadily with this kind of heart.

  ​However, this kind of mind can be maintained even when running through the early and mid-season. There are people who, by temperament, are exceptionally stubborn in their resolutions. Sometimes you just have to move forward because you are afraid that your efforts will be in vain.

  However, even in this case, it is rather a green light. Because you can go forward. If you don't give up and go forward, at least you can grab the doorknob that opens.

 What would you do if you came to the door with all your strength and grabbed the handle with all your might, but the handle won't turn? There are cases like this. You have to hold on though. By this time, you will probably be sensitive to success stories around you. Others open the door and cheer, but you seem to be the only one standing in front of it. Maybe that was the case with the painter I introduced? For example, the 15th year must have been the hardest to Leontime Van Vlie.

​ People despair when they can't afford to do anything anymore and when it seems that there is no income anymore.

  No matter how good it is, you start off excitedly, endure all criticism, and hold the doorknob with all your might, but if the door does not open, you will think again about the path you have walked. However, if you really want to continue doing something, you shouldn't be disappointed even in this case. If the door doesn't open, you'll have to break through the window.

 ​Fortunately, now with the development of the Internet, many such windows can be created. And you can show and talk about your passion, perseverance, and love for your work.

  ​And so that the steady running road is not boring, we can look around from the horse we are riding, and we can get off and take a break. In this sense, we must be strong again. I pray that the goddess of luck greets you at the end of the road running with your passion.