The Shortcut to Improvement is Creating a Rival!

Hello! It's KawaiiSensei here!

Do any of these concerns sound familiar to you?

• Struggling to maintain motivation...
• Procrastinating even when you know you should be drawing
• Wishing to consult someone

Many of us started drawing just for fun... But as we continued, various challenges began to pile up, leaving us confused about what to do next 😭. I, KawaiiSensei, also faced these struggles until a certain point in my journey...

In this article, I will share one effective method I discovered to overcome these challenges: the importance of having a 'rival' to mutually inspire and elevate each other!

During my student days, there was a moment when my progress skyrocketed. That moment was when I found a rival.

Having a rival completely transformed my attitude and motivation towards drawing. This time, I will explain, based on my experience, why having a rival can accelerate improvement!

Table of Contents

1. Benefits of Having a Rival
2. What Kind of Person Makes a Good Rival?
3. Where Can You Find a Rival?
4. Summary

Benefits of Having a Rival

Many artists tend to work alone in silence. But, working solo can lead to challenges such as:

• Lacking objective feedback
• Difficulty finding motivation
• Yearning for new inspiration

But what happens when you have comrades or rivals?

You can exchange advice, which speeds up improvement, and the competitive spirit of showing your works to your rivals can fuel your drive to "do better and improve more!"

As a result, you'll likely draw more. Additionally, your peers and rivals, with their diverse thoughts and dreams, can provide various stimulations, helping you develop new goals, perspectives, and ways of thinking. Having a rival thus offers you growth and motivation that you can't get on your own!

What Kind of Person Makes a Good Rival?

However, blindly viewing anyone you see on social media as a rival can lead to negative feelings. It's essential to create relationships where you can mutually advise and recognize each other as comrades.

A relationship where you can encourage and support each other positively impacts your lifestyle. For instance:

• Schedule time to work together
• Share and adopt each other’s practice routines
• Give and receive feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of each other's work
• Set and compete towards common goals

Acting together like this can help you "improve your own actions."

Ever experienced these?

• Laziness sets in
• No motivation to draw on certain days
• Postponing challenging tasks

Seeing a rival diligently working beside you can give you the energy of "I can't fall behind!" This mutual influence helps you progress faster than you would alone.

Where Can You Find a Rival?

A great way to meet suitable rivals is through illustration communities or vocational schools. Let's briefly explore some options.

① Vocational Schools

These are suited for those who want to turn illustration into a profession or seriously study it. Besides drawing, some schools also teach professional etiquette and other knowledge. Choose a school with a curriculum that fits your lifestyle.

Options include online schools and physical schools where you can feel the energy of others working hard around you. However, a significant downside is the high cost of tuition. Unless you aim to turn professional, it might not be cost-effective.

② Illustration Classes

If you're unsure about pursuing a professional path or just want to start by learning, taking illustration as a hobby class is also recommended. Online courses may not offer the opportunity to make rivals, so physical classes are preferable. Additionally, these classes provide chances to see various artworks, offering great stimulation.

③ Illustration Communities

There are many illustration communities on platforms like Discord. These cater to a broad spectrum of people, from hobbyists to those wanting to professionalize. Both free and paid communities exist, so find one that suits you. These communities involve various activities, including posting and critiquing each other's works.

Exclusive videos and text content for community members are also common. For those hesitant to post on social media, a community of fellow artists can be a more comfortable space for activity. Actively engaging in these communities can lead to making friends and finding peers who inspire and challenge you.

There are various ways to connect, so start by finding a school or community that fits you. Remember, schools and communities are not solely for finding rivals, but expanding your circle increases the chance of meeting inspiring peers!

And guess what? I, KawaiiSensei, am planning a school specifically focused on meeting rivals and peers in the art world! This won't be just another online school. I aim to create an environment like a real vocational school, where not only can you improve your drawing skills but also find employment and job opportunities.

Our "first batch of students" is already full of passionate individuals. My goal is to make this the best art school in the world—not just in Japan, but globally.

We're preparing the best possible environment with an impressive lineup of teachers, so stay tuned for more exciting updates! Thanks to my experiences in vocational school, meeting rivals, and acquiring the determination and knowledge to survive in the art world, I can now pass on these lessons.

For those of you with the burning desire to "seriously excel in art," we're creating the perfect environment for you. We'll keep you updated on the activities within the school, so look forward to it!

Summary: The Shortcut to Improvement is Having a Rival!

• Having a rival gives you access to knowledge and motivation you wouldn't have alone.
• Rivals enable you to break bad habits and establish a conducive environment for drawing.
• Rivals can be found in schools where like-minded individuals gather.

Create rivals to boost your improvement speed! Here at 【Kawaiisensei Drawing Column】, we'll continue to share not just about drawing but also essential knowledge about it. We'll also answer your questions in our columns!

If you find this helpful, a 'like' as your support would be delightful ✨ Until next time!