Anyone can create. The fantastic thing about art is that it is nearly undefinable. If you want to super glue a bunch of trash together and call it yard art, no one is going to stop you. If you want to splash color around, finger paint, make collages, trace stencils, sculpt clay, or take pictures with a disposable camera I say go for it! Being creative can have a very calming and therapeutic effect. Do not worry about the end result, focus on the process and how it makes you feel. There is, obviously, room for very skilled artists who paint amazing landscapes and incredibly realistic renditions of people and animals, but even if this description does not match your skill level, you my friend are still capable of creating something meaningful, something beautiful.

My first tip is this: start small, start simply, simply start. After acquiring all necessary supplies (brushes, canvas, paint, water, etc.), choose a subject for your artwork. Common and easy things to start with include flowers, butterflies, silhouettes, and simple and random geometric shapes. If you'd like to choose something more complex, say for instance, a tiger or a ship on the ocean, learn to simplify. Google images of clip art and tribal tattoos. Gather inspiration through other people's interpretations. When basing your art off of another picture, think of each part you are drawing or painting as lines or shapes instead of fur and wooden planks. Do not overwhelm yourself in trying to make it look exactly like the picture you are looking at. Remember, it is just there to serve as inspiration. You are the artist of your work. Create as you will.

If you are a bit of a perfectionist and feel too timid to embark on a project without any guidance, find some online drawing tutorials. There are many sites that offer step-by-step instruction to help you achieve the result you are looking for. Be patient, practice, and in time you will be creating realistic objects and even people.

My final bit of advice is to think outside the box. As I mentioned earlier, art is not restricted to pencil and paper, brush and canvas. Utilize nature to create thank you cards decorated with pressed flowers. Buy some henna from an eastern-inspired boutique and go crazy with doodles on yourself and friends. Take pictures of the things that take your breath away; a baby sleeping, the view from on top of a mountain, the ocean and its crashing waves, a ladybug resting on a flower petal. Whatever you can imagine and create becomes art when you take action.