In this article Jerry Saltz tries to break down being an artist into the simplest way possible by giving an outline of 33 lessons to help shape and really capture your artistry. It is an interesting read and one of the rules that stood out to me is lesson 6. This lesson is called “Start With a Pencil”, which sounds pretty simple but is deeper than just grabbing a pencil and drawing something. Personally, I think that I am a terrible artist but the way Saltz describes it makes it sound easy and it really is just that simple as grabbing a pencil and drawing something. All the stress of whether the outcome is good or not is internal stress. He says “Tell yourself you’re simply diagramming, playing, experimenting, seeing what looks like what…Get very quiet inside yourself and pay attention to everything you’re experiencing. Don’t think good or bad. Think useful, pleasurable, strange.” The main thing Saltz focuses on is really just feeling out the whole process, mentally cancelling opinion out and just moving freely on the surface making something new, not good or bad, drawing whatever comes to mind. He also speaks about physically being open to trying new things like switching hands, drawing on different surfaces, and draw inspiration from everywhere even things you dont see. I found this so interesting because I always said “I wish I could draw” but in reality there is really nothing stopping me. I have recently been looking for ways to channel more of my creative side and when Saltz breaks it down he makes it sound so easy and that’s because it really is as simple as starting with a pencil and a paper. I think this article can be useful to anyone not just people trying to become artists but anyone who is just looking for motivation to start something new or gain a new perspective.