In my efforts to become a better teacher, I’ve been doing a fair amount of reading on how people learn. What I’ve discovered is that there are basically 4 stages of learning, each of which presents their own challenges and opportunities.
Which stage are you at? Watch the video and let me know!
Best, Nicholas
38 Comments
Hi! I’m
Nicholas Wilton
the founder of Art2Life.
With over 20 years experience as a working artist and educator, I’ve developed a systematic approach that brings authenticity, spontaneity and joy back into the creative process.
Join me and artists from all over the world in our Free Art2Life Artists Facebook Group or learn more here about Art2Life.
I have gone through an Anthony Robbins seminar few years ago where he was mentioning those 4 stages of learning. At first I didn’t think it applied to “artists”… but now I know it does apply. It helped me tremendously to hang on and work through that second/hardest stage of conscious incompetence, knowing it will only get better. Thanks again for your sharing. You are an amazing person!
See you in June when I get to Sausalito! 🙂
I first heard about the 4 stages of competence through my personal trainer who is an Anthony Robbins devotee! I was having shoulder issues and this concept applied to using muscles properly on the various weight machines (and in everyday movements). It’s amazingly universal.
Wow–that is fun…
Im always looking for ways to articulate the promise of growth with hard work for my Drawing I students and I think that breaking it down into steps will give them a clearer vision and strength to power through that second step. This was very helpful. Thank you!
OH good- pass it on!
a miserable 2nd-stager here, trying to re-learn painting. unconsciously competent with photography and collage, but omigod – painting. i *used* to be able to do it, in painting class, so i know it is possible again, but good grief, what a lot of materials i’m wasting in the meantime!! ha. i shall persist. thank you for the encouragement!
Ha! it is coming…
Ahhh!!! This explains everything I’ve been going through! Just finished CVP, Nick, and just nails that stage of frustration where I was longing to paint purely intuitively at week 5, but was having to consciously rely on my left brain to apply the MYRIAD of transformative principles I was absorbing in the 13 week workshop! In the past couple of weeks I am noticing that those PRINCIPLES are starting to become intuitive, so I feel myself moving through the stages and the process of making strong work is more enjoyable. Thank you, thank you! Once again, your insight & generosity in sharing it is a gift to me!
Oh I am so glad you saw this then– I know the transition from CVP to more of your own cruising is tricky–but if you hold the course all will fall into place-glad things are getting more intuitive..
Thanks for all your informative talks! I am stage 3, dipping my toes in stage 4. It feels so great when things do actually work out & flow. I find after a workshop it can sometimes take awhile before the info clicks in. You know what you should be doing, but you just can’t quite make it happen. Hoping to one day get to a workshop.
Wish I had known this 30 years ago when I first started with watercolors. The paintings were predictably terrible and I lost heart, and gave up. I moved on to other creative endeavors, hoping to find something I was “good” at, but of course, the same stages apply, and I became a jack-of-all trades (in stained glass, photography, macramé, weaving, crocheting . . .) and master of none. That Stage 2 is a huge hurdle and seems impossible to overcome, but persistence trumps all – with that, and a sense of humor, you’ll soon be flinging paint with the best of them.
yay..
If we continue learning and growing, we’ll continue bumping into that messy Stage 2 part. Thanks for the reminder and encouragement to press on, Nick!
For all of us…yes.
Really an important topic that needs to be revisited as a reminder again and again. How many times have I said that the left brain is in the way? It’s just a necessary step to assimilate the learning and as you said, we have to plow through. Thanks
for a timely topic.
Such welcoming advice at this stage of my progression of a new painting technique. I am struggling and was about to give it up. Now, I will keep going and see if it is possible to get to stage 4.
Yes! glad this came today them…
Stage two most of the time here. I guess that’s because I am self-thought and try to learn all stiles in all media. Thank God I’m better in photography, so I have some kind of refuge. Are you coming to Australia, Nicholas? And yes, I love your letters! Cheers, Donata
NO plans yet for Australia ,,but been several times and would love to come again…
I was a stage 4 person but I took quite a bit of time off to do poetry and translation and guess what? I am finding myself back at stage 2 and 3 again. Also I started a new medium — cold wax rather than encaustic— and so I am at stage 1 with that. Looking forward to Jerry McLaughlin’s book arriving! But all the fun is still there!
I have both feet firmly planted in stage two with acrylics right now, but thankfully, stage four in other mediums, so I can comfort myself with a success here and there while I struggle with my new toys. It makes for a good balance, but a LOT of studio cleaning and organizing!
Yes, just remembering if you have spent more time in something else, then of course you are going to be better at it…and the new learning in time will become easier too..
Thank you so much for repeating this important lesson, Nick. In December of last year I was struggling hard in stage 2, thinking it would be a relief if I just abandoned my life long dream of being a painter. Then by syncronicity I found your blog with the wealth of instructive videos. It was like a lifeline thrown to me. In the past 13 weeks in the CVP program I’ve been on an emotional roller coaster where I’ve thoroughly explored the same stage 2, but gradually from a higher perspective. From being a control freak I’ve come to love the uncertainty, the magic of not knowing where Art is going to take me in each panel. I’ve learned to trust and to fully surrender to something inside me that really wants me to feel good about myself. I’m sure the four stages will continue to run in my life, but I feel confident that I will reckognize them and just live through them in a natural rhytm.
That is great Lisbeth… that stage is hard but you are finding ease in it…so glad.
Thank you this was very helpful to have it spelled out. Stepped into #3 in the last month. Always looking to learn more to improve my art at times it feels like a strenuous uphill climb then you reach a plateau and cruise for awhile, ahh then a down hill slope. Then the whole process starts again. Highs and lows but the act of making art feeds my soul and brings such joy with the bonus when someone says, “that needs to come home with me”.
This has been my favorite most helpful class by far thanks to you and your amazing staff.
Thanks Nancy for saying that…cheers
I am at all stages in different media I enjoy playing with. But as for finished paintings to show and sell I am stuck at stage 2, hoping CVP will enable me to progress as I practise learning the principles. Becoming a competent grown-up is hard for me as I find my greatest enjoyment at cleanup time when I gleefully make prints off my palette & pull paper towels apart to find colourful messes which I spread out to dry all over my art room.
I love that..competent grown up…! Hilarious..
Thanks Nicholas. Very useful information. I seem to swing back and forth between all stages, but then I am addicted to constantly trying something new – guess that’s just my way!
Thanks – very supportive.
Oh! So when learning and creating, everyone goes through the ups and downs, highs and lows, struggles and successes. Now that I understand it is part of the process, I’ll (try) to be less hard on myself in the future.
Thank you so much for your generous lessons, encouragement, and insights.
Thank you for this. Now I understand better why I get stuck. Doesn’t make it easier just could to know it will pass if I keep on.
Wow … so there is a name for this misery … and it’s rather catchy… I need a t-shirt that says “Consciously Incompetent Artist”!
But seriously, this was so helpful. I’ve recently been trying to be more aware of “composition” and “values “, etc in my abstract art and it seems all I can produce is wallpaper designs and worse.
My right brain does not make interesting art!
Good to know that when this new info becomes integrated and I can just paint. 🙏
It helps to know where you are and this process is suppose to happen. It’s not just you it’s the organic process.
Many thanks Nicolas. I am now more comfortable as a student as an artist and as a teacher due to you sharing.
The road up a mountain is a very helpful metaphor for the way we as artists are going. And to accept where we actually are — not on the top of the mountain where we might want to be right away — is for me an important every day’s practice. Being there and going from there with what is NOW possible for me and not waisting time and energy for where I want or should be is so important for a joyful art making. Thank you for the reminder, Nicholas!
Nick…giving out this information would be an incredible way to start your CVP course. Also, continuing to reiterate it throughout the class might help those suffering through stages 2 & 3 to move through the learning process with more awareness. Then when we enjoy stage 4 for a moment we know what will come next with the desire for new learning.
Thanks for all you share and great to meet you!
After hearing this again, I realize that I’m in stage three still, but think I’m getting closer to stage four…realizing that it will take some time to totally soak up all the new info I took in during CVP so that I can give my left brain a rest and be in my preferred right brain zone where the good stuff happens. This lesson is such a good reminder that “you are where you are, and just enjoy the hike as you don’t want to miss any of the sights along the way”…enjoying the journey, and it’s comforting to know I’m not the only one who struggles over that steep rocky, second stage of the climb. Thanks for these gems, Nickolas!