LACK OF ARTISTIC CONFIDENCE

Do you like to paint but suffer from lack of Confidence?

Art is very personal. You can’t control much in life but you can control your own ideas in art. That can be empowering. YOU choose the subject to paint. YOU choose the colours you use. YOU choose what kind of brushstroke to use. YOU are the ONLY ONE you need to please.  You decide if you're happy with your work.

If you’re not happy....you’re not finished.

                               No one gets perfection first time, every time.

​X-rays of the work of the World’s greatest artists throughout history have shown how they changed their paintings - often many times. They made mistakes... then painted over them.  It took more than a year for most traditional artists to complete a painting and they worked at it full time. Even Rembrandt did not get it right the first time. Proven fact, thanks to technology.

Experienced artists’ confidence can dip and diminish too.  You're not alone.

So what can you do to build confidence?  It's not foolproof but the answer is:

                                         Practice, practice and practice some more.

But do not practice making the same "error"! As a student, get advice from your teacher or mentor.  Tell them what is bothering you and try out suggested alternate techniques, points of view and sometimes exercises.  Yep - Your artistic muscle needs exercise!

Compare learning to paint to learning to ride a bike....without trainer wheels.  Scary, you could suffer the embarrassment of falling off, hurt yourself, you could crash, damage the bike and damage other things or people. Really Scary!

But you got up the courage, you probably did fall off... but you got back on and you learned to ride a bike, without thinking about it!

Art is more complex...but no different.

Remember that YOU Are the ONLY ONE who can decide if you’re satisfied with what you’ve
done. It is YOUR passion, no one else's.  It is YOUR piece, not theirs. It is YOUR creative journey.  It's about you and only you!  You learn all the time.  Sometimes just what you don't like the look of.

Experienced artists suffer dips in confidence. Its important for you to recognise what you like, give yourself credit for it.... then determine what it is that bothers you. Remind yourself that YOU are the only one who matters here.  Find the weak spot, then strengthen it.
                                                               Art takes time.

Albert Einstein said “ creativity is intelligence having fun. “.

Aim for that - Have FUN!

~Suzi