To make art, to make creative marks on canvas or paper, you don’t necessarily have to be completely on, fired up, entwined with your muse, every single moment of every single day. But what you do need to be is ready.

You have to hone your skills constantly so when you are creating you are not help back by lazy hands, out-of-shape skills. It is like anything. If you like to hike mountains you try to stay in shape so when a friend calls and says, “Let’s do Katahdin this weekend.” well, you know you are in shape enough to do it.

Your painting and drawing skills are just the same. Practice all the time–stay in painting and drawing shape. And frankly, drawing and painting skills constantly improve. This is a lifetime learning process. Don’t ever quit the learning phase.