Hello, I'm Bonny Snowdon, ex corporate person and mother turned successful artist entrepreneur. It wasn't that long ago though that I lacked the confidence, vision and support network to focus on growing my dream business. Fast forward past many life curveballs, waves of self doubt and so many lessons learned and you'll see ignite my thriving online coloured pencil artist community. A community that changes members lives for the better and gives me freedom to live abundantly whilst doing what I love and spending quality time with my beloved family and dogs.
All whilst creating my best artwork with coloured pencils and mentoring others to do the same. But this life wasn't always how it was for me. It used to only exist in my imagination. I've created the It's Aa Bonny Old Life podcast to help increase people's confidence, share mine and my community's experience and hope through fascinating personal stories, champion the other amazing humans in my personal, professional and membership community and create another channel through which I can support others to realise their dreams.
If you're a passionate coloured pencil artist or an aspiring one who's looking to create their best work and a joyful life you love, you're in the right place. Grab a cuppa and a custard cream. Let's get cracking.
Today we're going to explore a fascinating concept that's crucial for any artist's journey. The four levels of competence. This model, developed by Noel Birch in 1970, helps us understand the stages we go through when learning a new skill, particularly in the context of artistic development.
As artists, we're constantly learning and growing. Understanding these stages can help us navigate our journey with more confidence and self awareness. So let's dive in and explore how this applies to artistic pursuits, especially in the realm of colour pencil drawing. There are four levels of competence. The first level stage is unconscious incompetence. This is where we don't know what we don't know. It's that exciting beginning stage where we're full of enthusiasm but blissfully unaware of the complexities ahead.
Think back to when you first picked up coloured pencils. You were probably excited, full of expectations, eager to create. You didn't know about layering techniques, blending methods or the intricacies of different papers and pencil types. You just jumped in with gusto. This stage is characterised by excitement and often unrealistic expectations. It's a beautiful place to be because everything seems possible. However, it's important to recognise that this is just the beginning of your journey.
The second stage is conscious incompetence. This is where reality starts to set in. You begin to realise just how much you don't know and it can be quite overwhelming. In the context of coloured pencil art, this is when you might start comparing your work to others. You see amazing pieces online and suddenly realise the vast gap between where you are and where you want to be. You become acutely aware of your lack of skills and knowledge.
This stage can be challenging and is often where people give up. Your confidence might take a hit as you realise the extent of what you need to learn. But remember, this awareness is actually a crucial step in your development. It's the beginning of real learning. The third stage is conscious competence. This is where you start to develop real skills, but it requires a lot of concentration and effort.
In this stage, you're making conscious choices about your art. You're thinking carefully about colour selection, layering techniques and how to achieve different effects. You might find yourself in the flow occasionally, but most of the time you're very aware of each decision you're making. This stage is characterised by improvement and growing confidence, but it still requires a lot of mental effort. You're learning, but you have to think about each step deliberately.
The final stage is unconscious competence. This is where skills become second nature. You no longer need to think consciously about every decision. Much of your process happens intuitively. For a coloured pencil artist, this might mean instinctively reaching for the right pencil, effortlessly creating realistic textures, or finding yourself completely lost in your work. Emerging hours later to realise you've created something beautiful without even thinking about the technical aspects of this is the stage we all aspire to reach.
It's where creating becomes truly joyful and meditative. However, it's important to note that even at this stage we're still learning and growing. Now here's something crucial to understand. These stages aren't a one time progression. As artists, we're constantly cycling through these stages as we tackle new challenges and push our boundaries. You might be at a stage four with certain techniques, but when you try a new subject or medium, you could find yourself back at stage one or two.
This is normal and part of the growth process. For example, you might be confident drawing fur, but when you decide to tackle a complex background or a new animal species, you might feel like a beginner again. This cycle repeats throughout our artistic journey. Understanding this cycle is crucial for managing your confidence as an artist. It's common to feel a dip in confidence when you move from unconscious competence back to conscious incompetence as you take on new challenges.
Remember, these dips are signs of growth, not failure. They indicate that you're pushing yourself to learn and improve. Embrace these moments as opportunities for development. So here are some practical steps to help with the four stages. Keep all your work. Don't throw away old pieces, even if you don't like them, they serve as tangible proof of your progress. Regular reviews every few months. Look back at your older work.
Compare it to your current pieces. You'll be amazed at how far you've come. Embrace the learning process when you find yourself struggling with a new technique or subject, remind yourself that this is part of the journey. It's not a setback, it's progress. Set realistic expectations. Understand that mastery takes time. Be patient with yourself as you move through these stages. Celebrate small wins. Acknowledge your progress at each stage.
Even small improvements are worth celebrating and seek support. Surround yourself with a community of artists who understand this journey. They can provide encouragement during challenging times. Understanding the four levels of competence can be a game changer in your artistic journey. It helps you contextualise your experiences, manage your expectations, and maintain confidence even when facing new challenges. Remember, every great artist has gone through these stages. The key is to persist, to keep learning and to enjoy the journey.
Your path is unique and every stage offers valuable lessons and experiences. As you continue your artistic journey, be kind to yourself. Recognise that fluctuations in confidence and competence are normal and even necessary for growth. Embrace the process, celebrate your progress and keep creating.
I really hope you enjoyed listening to this episode of my It's A Bonny Old Life podcast. If you did, I'd be so grateful to you for emailing me or texting a link to the show, or sharing it on social media with those you know who might like it too.
My mission with this podcast is all about sharing mine and my community's experience and hope by telling your fascinating personal stories, championing the other amazing humans in my personal, professional and membership community, and to create another channel through which I can support you to realise your coloured pencil and life dreams. If you haven't done so yet, please help me on my mission to spread positivity and joy throughout the coloured pencil world by following me on my socials and at Bonny snowdon Academy or by getting on my list at bonnysnowdonacademy.com.
and remember, I truly believe if I can live the life of my dreams doing what I love, then you can too. We just need to keep championing and supporting each other along the way in order to make it happen. Till next time.
