My Art Then Vs. Now – 3 Years of Progress

I started painting 3 years ago this month. It’s hard to believe how much time has passed but when I look back on my journey up to this point, it is fun to see the progress I have made.

I thought I would share with you a few paintings to show my progression from day 1 to now.

I started painting with the cheapest paints and paintbrushes I could find at Michaels Craft Store. I looked up some videos on YouTube, and my painting career started as simple as that.

Here is my first painting:

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I was learning how to do some basic blending and mixing. It was fun so I did a few others in this fashion. Even though they were so simple, I was captivated by the creation process of the whole thing.

After learning a few of the basics and following more YouTube videos, I decided to just try to imitate other artists by trying to replicate their work. I found this fun and challenging. With each painting, I learned new techniques that would then serve me well in my future works. I moved from landscapes to animals to architecture trying to find my style and favorite thing to paint. Up to this point, I have certain subjects I enjoy painting more, but overall I love both cityscapes and landscapes.

Here are a few of my works after a year to a year and a half.

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My work was getting slightly more detailed and I was finding out what worked and what didn’t work for me personally as an artist. I continued (and continue today) to observe other artists. I have noted that each artist has their own style that is beautiful. I try to take from each of them what I can to then create my own personal style. I dream, as I’m sure many artists do, that one day people with know what a “Brian Sloan” painting looks like!

I got up enough courage last summer to put some pieces in a competition and to my surprise, one of my paintings won 2nd place in the acrylic section. I was ecstatic and knew my work was developing.

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Since then I have continued to learn new techniques and refine my skills as an artist. I have continued doing many architectural paintings, as many people have had me do paintings for them of places they have been, but just recently I was able to find the time to paint some more landscapes again. I come from Southern Alberta where the grasslands turn into rolling hills and then the Rocky Mountains. We have beautiful scenery and majestic wildlife. I have been desiring to paint more scenes like this and finally got the chance. In this painting, I was able to put almost all of what I have learned so far to the test. It was a wonderful challenge. here is the outcome.

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From my early paintings of just simple colors and silhouettes to a majestic mule deer in the Rocky Mountains, my painting journey has come a long way. I still am learning so much every day which is both daunting and exciting. I encourage any young artist or anyone who has recently (or even not recently) started learning a new skill or hobby to continue to work at. Have patience with yourself, observe from those around you, make a lot of mistakes because that is the best way to learn even though it can be very frustrating, but most of all, enjoy the journey! You’ll be able to look back 3 years later, or 10 years later, and be amazed at what you are now capable of, and what you have accomplished.