Am I Too Bad to Join?” — A Tutor’s Perspective from Seasons Art Class Hawke’s Bay

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Every term at Seasons Art Class Hawke’s Bay, I meet someone who quietly admits the same fear:

“I want to come… but I’m terrible at drawing.”

Often, they’ve been to a so-called “beginner’s” class in the past where everyone else already seemed to know what they were doing. It shakes their confidence and stays with them far longer than it should.

So, here’s a different way to look at it from someone who sees real beginners walk in the door every single week.

🎨 1. “Beginner” Isn’t a Skill Level - It’s a Comfort Level

There is no fixed definition of a beginner.

At Seasons Art Class Hawke’s Bay, we see:

• Adults who haven’t drawn since childhood

• People who sketch a little but think it “doesn’t count”

• People who can draw in pencil but feel unsure using paint

• Total newcomers who have no experience at all

And all of them are welcome.

What you learned when you were young does count, you didn’t lose it, you just haven’t used it in a while. Creativity doesn’t disappear; it simply needs a nudge.

And remember, someone can be confident in pencil but feel lost in acrylics. Someone can paint beautifully but feel like a novice when it comes to shading or perspective.

Beginners are not one thing, they are a blend of different starting points.

🖼️ 2. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others, Only to Your Past Self

One of the most important lessons we teach is:

📌 Look at your own progress, not someone else’s.

At Seasons, I see students forget how far they’ve come. They focus on what someone next to them is doing, instead of noticing:

• their colour choices becoming braver

• their lines becoming steadier

• their shading improving

• their confidence growing

Keep your early work. Even the ones you dislike.Because in six months, you’ll look at them and realise how much you’ve learnt.

Other people’s art is for inspiration, not comparison. Use it to spark ideas, not self-doubt.

💛 3. Everyone in the Room Feels Nervous - Truly

It doesn’t matter if someone looks confident. Almost everyone is thinking:

“Does this look okay?” “Is mine the worst one?” “Am I doing this right?”

And here’s the secret. Even the people whose work you admire have moments where they’re unsure.

So if you like something someone has created, say so gently. If someone compliments you, try to simply say, “Thank you,” without listing the parts you think are terrible.

Everyone is learning. Everyone is human.

🌱 4. Every Artist, Famous or Not, Started at the Beginning

Every artist without exception started as a beginner.

Monet’s early works were stiff and unsure.Picasso’s first sketches were simple and awkward.Every creative journey begins with shaky lines.

If the process feels enjoyable at times and challenging at others, you’re exactly where you should be.

That is what Seasons Art Class Hawke’s Bay is for a safe, friendly place to learn, make mistakes, discover new techniques, and enjoy creating again.

🌼 Final Thought

If you’re worried you’re “too much of a beginner,” you’re NOT. Our classes are exactly designed for you, the reader!

You’ll be surrounded by people who feel the same, and you’ll surprise yourself with how quickly you grow once you give yourself permission to try.

Every artist was a beginner once. Your journey can start now. Contact me at artclass@artinthebay.com.

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