Slowing Down in Art: The Discipline of Patience

In a world obsessed with speed, algorithms, and instant gratification, slowing down feels like failure. Especially in art. You sit down to draw or paint, full of energy, and before you know it, you’re racing the clock—or worse, comparing your pace to someone else’s highlight reel. But here’s the truth most working artists don’t say out loud: speed doesn’t equal mastery. Consistency, observation, and intention do.

Why We Rush

We rush because we want results. We want to see progress, post something, finish a piece before the inspiration slips away. We rush because we think being prolific is the same as being good. We rush because we’re afraid—of wasting time, of failing, of discovering we’re not as far along as we hoped.

But rushing is often what keeps us stuck. The fastest way to stay mediocre is to work on autopilot.

What Slowing Down Actually Looks Like

Slowing down doesn’t mean procrastinating or endlessly noodling a piece. It means being present in your process.

• Observation First: Take longer to look before you draw. Study your reference. Ask what the light is doing. Ask why a pose feels strong or weak. Your hand should start moving after your mind is fully engaged.
• Purposeful Brushstrokes: Whether you’re working digitally or in oils, place each stroke like it matters. It’s not about being cautious—it’s about being aware.
• Layer and Step Back: Work in passes. Rough to clean. Broad to detailed. Force yourself to pause after each phase. Leave the room. Come back with fresh eyes. That’s when you catch what’s wrong—and what’s working.
• Time Your Sessions: Try 20-minute blocks with 5-minute breaks. Use a timer to keep yourself focused, but not frantic. You’re building stamina, not racing a clock.
• Make Studies, Not Just Finished Pieces: Studies are a gift. They take the pressure off. When you study a masterwork or anatomy, you’re training your eye, your hand, and your patience. It’s not wasted time—it’s sharpening your blade.

What You Gain by Slowing Down

• Sharper Skills: You catch anatomy issues, value problems, tangents—things that fast work hides until it’s too late.
• Better Ideas: You give your subconscious space to work. New ideas, compositions, and solutions emerge in the quiet.
• Emotional Depth: When you’re not just executing, but feeling your way through the piece, your work gains soul. It starts to say something.
• A Personal Standard: You stop caring what others are posting, and start caring whether your work is honest and solid.

Final Thought

There’s a phrase in craftsmanship: slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Slowing down isn’t weakness. It’s what separates the amateur grind from the professional discipline. You can still move fast later—after you’ve built the muscle memory and intuition. But to build those, you have to sit with the struggle. You have to endure the boredom, the itch to rush, the voice in your head that says “this isn’t good enough” or “I should be done by now.”

Ignore it.

Slowing down is how you get better. Not louder, not faster—better.