Leonardo da Vinci. A synonym for art itself. The greatest influencer of all time.
His paintings are the most recognizable pieces of art on the planet. Ever.
But how did he do it? What makes the Mona Lisa so special? How did he turn something as ordinary as a portrait of a woman into the most iconic piece of art in human history? And is there really a difference between mediums – 3D art and painting? I don’t think so. It’s all about philosophy. You can create something just as special. Why not? Don’t think you can? That’s YOUR choice.
So, let’s begin.
He was born in a small village in Italy, more than 500 years ago. But you know what? Some people are evergreen. Pioneers. Free spirit people. Timeless people. If you gave him a teleport and dropped him into 2025, you can bet he’d still be THE PLAYER. Why? Because he had the greatest superpower of all: curiosity.
There’s nothing more powerful in this world than curiosity.
If you’re curious – then you have that superpower too. And you’re already ahead of the majority of people. But I mean real curiosity. How does something work? Why is the sky blue? How does a stream flow from the mountains all the way to the ocean? What is life? How does the mind work? What makes great art… great? Do you feel it? I bet you do.
He was exactly like that. He was the first human who truly explored how the human body works. Can you believe it? Thousands of years of human history – and no one asked those basic questions the way he did. But he did. And that simple truth didn’t make him the greatest artist. That was just a mindset.
In his biography, Walter Isaacson wrote that Leonardo wasn’t a genius. He didn’t have an IQ of 300. He was just a curious guy. Even lazy, but curious.
He started like everyone else. With the basics: drawing, painting, thinking, drawing, painting, thinking…
He kept getting better, until one day, he became a master – by doing. And when you learn something BY DOING, no one can take it away from you. It is always with you, forever. That’s your new basics.
And that’s JUST A SKILL.
But if you want to be among the greatest – you need more. The next step is to find your STYLE. How do you find your style? By doing and by EXPLORATION. That’s where curiosity fuels your art. EVERYONE can find his style. Because everyone is different. Everyone has something that he/she likes. Finding your style is nothing more than exploring yourself. Your inner self. Carefully observe your mental picture and transfer it in its physical form. (I’ll make an article on Mental Picture soon, so sign up for my newsletter)
Leonardo LOVED the slow burn. When he was on a project The Last Supper , witnesses reported that some days he just came, looking into a painting he was working on and just added some tiny brush strokes then went home and came back in a few days. Some days he just LOOKED at the painting for HOURS, did nothing, and went home. That’s how you are building a masterpiece. It’s a process. Every piece of art needs its own touch. Every piece of art needs its own soul.
Now we know some of Leonardo’s basic painting processes. Mindset. Workflow. Not much, but enough for the beginning.
So, what’s the Da Vinci’s Secret Superpower?
His secret superpower is just one thing: KNOWLEDGE.
He actively collected information from a young age to his last days.
By doing. By observing. By exploring.
He worked on the Mona Lisa for 16 years. And guess what — he never finished it.
With every new insight into facial anatomy, he would tweak her smile — again and again — until it became iconic. He was constantly updating his skills, his style, and his psychology – mindset.
He added details, adjusted features, and reworked the painting with every new piece of knowledge. He was chasing perfection. Learning every day and using that knowledge using that knowledge to improve his own work. It’s a never-ending process. You will always find out something new. Do not let that paralyze you. Just work. Just do it.
He NEVER stopped learning and using that knowledge for his work. That’s the whole secret.
When you stop learning – you are a dead walking man, just waiting to die.
Learn new things every day, use it, learn new, use it, and don’t worry. Every new piece of information is a piece of your unique puzzle. The way you see the world is 100% unique. The more you know – your puzzle is more unique. That’s your style. That’s your life. That’s your mind. Leonardo has a colorful mind puzzle: technology, nature, painting, sculpting, biology, anatomy, and many more. That was IMPOSSIBLE not to be unique. So, relax and enjoy the ride.
Oh yeah, the subject…
And is there really a difference between mediums – 3D art and painting?
It is just a medium. Brush, mouse, pencil, hammer, fingers, keyboard buttons, AI, VR empty hands moving… Who cares? I bet Leonardo would have used 3d mediums for art if he had been born in the 1990s. Not because 3d is something special, it’s because it’s the latest (really usable and flexible) piece of technology for visual art right now. And the best of us always use the most usable mediums.
Since this is my very first blog post, I wanted to start with someone who embodies everything this blog is about: curiosity, creativity, mindset, and process.
And Leonardo represents all of that.
Thanks for reading – and good luck with everything you’re working on.
Stay curious.
Until next time,
Stefan
P.S. If this kind of insight resonates with you, follow me for more deep dives into creativity, art, philosophy, and business. Join the newsletter and keep your curiosity sharp.
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