Here is where I am at right now: The state of the business is zip, zero, nada. I have a whole great big pile of years old paintings that I can’t stand to look at anymore, and a healthy dose of crippling self doubt. So, to be clear, if you are struggling to get started back into this whole art thing again, I am right there in the trenches besides you.
It’s not easy. Every time you start something you realize it has already been done before hundreds of times. You work for hours and hours on a project and you wind up with nothing but hatred for it. Nothing is clicking, nothing is working, and the idea of having any sort of success is laughable.
I’ve been there. Many times. It’s easy to dig yourself into the pit of despair. But don’t stay there, here are some practical things that I am trying to do to keep myself sane and motivated as I try to get back into this whole art business.
1. Do what you really love
Remember this is something you love to do. It’s just kind of hard to see that right now. It’s easy to expect great results all at once. It’s easy to look at someone who has been doing this for years and years and then back at your piddly little drawing and just GIVE UP
While there is a time and a place for technique and rigorous practice, it can seem so overwhelming at times and be discouraging trying to do EVERYTHING correctly right off of the bat. Don’t get too caught up in what is right and wrong, just try to be consistent and enjoy the process. Don’t try to do everything right the first time, just try to do something.
2. Don’t look at Pinterest for inspiration
I believe this is one of the greatest challenge every single modern-age artist faces. Self-comparison is way to easy in this digital age. It used to be if you wanted to compare your work to somebody else you had to go travel to their studio, or a gallery, or find a museum. Now, really amazing talented people and their beautiful pieces are readily available for inspection with every click. This is a good thing…..except what we don’t see are all the years, and very often decades, of practice and dead ends that they have had go through in order to be at the place they are at right now. So in the two seconds it has taken us to find them, I think we can unconsciously get it into our head that we instantly should be there too.
So I recommend holding off on all those google searches, at least until after you have really gotten your rhythm down.
“Comparison is the thief of joy”
-Theodore Roosevelt
3. Don’t be too picky
Remember this is PRACTICE, not every thing you create needs to be the Mona Lisa. Just draw. Draw everything. Keep your practices quick and loose. If you try to make a masterpiece right off of the bat, I can almost guarantee you will get yourself stuck and frustrated. Instead, try to do just one or two quick no-pressure things a day. Here is a timed drawing tool that has helped me over the years: https://line-of-action.com/
4. Invest in some art supplies
I know that when you’re starting out (especially if it is with the goal that you will make money off of art someday) It is hard to shell out the cash. However, In my opinion, if you go too frugal, you can really hurt yourself in the long run. Or on the other hand, you can spend a ton of money and not get the results you want as a beginner and feel like it was a a waste. I recommend going somewhere in the middle of the road.
5. Sketch
One of the most fundamental building blocks to any work of art is in the sketch. By breaking everything down in the process of sketching, you unconsciously train your eyeballs to see things the way they really appear. This leads to understanding how to translate form and value. Something that is so important when you try to move onto other mediums. Another nice thing? It also requires less time and commitment, so you will be more likely to be consistent when you practice.
So there they are! I hope they will be of some help to you. Happy art-ing!
-Laura B.
