As an art teacher, there are certain questions I hear repeatedly from artists struggling with perfectionism and self-doubt. "How can I make my painting look better?" "Can you help me figure out what's wrong with this?" These questions often come wrapped in painful self-criticism: "I can't do this." "It's too hard." "I can't even draw a stick figure."
If these thoughts sound familiar, take a deep breath. You're not alone – but you have bought into some pervasive lies about creativity, and it's time to learn the truth. Making art doesn't have to feel frustrating. In fact, with the right mindset, it can be pleasant, fun, and downright joyful.
Here's the most important truth: you don't have to be born with innate talent to be an artist. Anyone can make art. Like anything else worth doing, it's a discipline that takes time, practice, and patience. If you're willing to put in the effort and truly want to be a thriving artist, nothing can stand in your way.
In this article, I'll share practical tips to help you break free from the negative thoughts holding you back and embrace your creative potential. I’m also going to ask you to do something that’s a little bit scary. I want you to be willing to change your mind and see that there could be a different way to approach your art and creativity.
Be willing to accept that you can become an incredible artist when you don’t let fear, perfectionism, and limited beliefs get in your way.
Be willing to accept that you can learn to enjoy every step of your artistic journey without frustration and that, when you learn how to do that, you’ll be improving every single time you paint.
So, how do you actually...you know, do that? I have some specific tricks up my sleeve that are going to help, so keep reading!
What is mindset and how does it affect artists?
Mindset refers to a person’s established set of attitudes, beliefs, or mental outlook. It’s the way you view the world and yourself and it influences how you’ll approach challenges, learning, and growth.
Working on your mindset is the work of a lifetime and it is truly a journey as you move from a negative way of looking at your art to one that encourages confidence, persistence, and growth. In our context, you can think about mindset as your attitude towards yourself and creativity.
Your mindset is the key to enjoying the learning process. Let’s discuss three mindset issues and how to overcome them!
Mindset Trap 1: The Perfectionism Myth
You want each painting to be perfect, don’t you? Well, I have a hard truth for you, but it is one that will revolutionize your artistic practice if you let it soak in…
Perfection is not the goal.
Perfection is unattainable and you will experience frustration every time you paint if you expect it of yourself. Reframe your goal to be achievable and educational. Instead of saying to yourself, “I MUST paint a perfect painting!” try one of these on for size:
My goal is to have fun painting for the next hour
I’m here to discover if I enjoy watercolors
I’m excited to create thoughtful gifts for my friends
I want to learn something about my supplies when I paint today
My only goal is to push paint around the paper while I listen to an audiobook and relax
Do you see the difference? Not only are those goals completely achievable, but can you feel the gentle shift that happens inside? The excitement that starts to grow as you think about spending time creating? Lean into that.
Mindset Trap 2: Self-Criticism & Negative Self-Talk
Be mindful of how you talk about your artwork. Negative self-talk can drain the joy from the process and make you want to quit. To check if you’re being too hard on yourself, ask: “Would I say this to a stranger in an art class?”
I’m betting you wouldn’t tell someone, “That doesn’t look like a flower” or “Why are you even trying?” Instead, you’d offer something positive like, “I love that color!” or “Great shape!”
Be as kind to yourself as you would be to others. This shifts your focus to growth and encourages you to keep creating!
Mindset Trap 3: Rushing the Process
Remember that good things take time. You didn’t have perfect handwriting the first time you picked up a pencil; you didn’t cook a gourmet meal the first time you walked into a kitchen; you didn’t run across the room the first time you took a step. It takes time, patience, and practice to master new skills. Creativity needs no time limit and no external pressure.
Embrace a beginner’s mindset knowing that you may not love the first few (or even the first fifty) pieces you paint. But rest assured that every time you paint you are learning, growing, and making meaningful progress.
So many artists want a shortcut that will turn them into an incredible artist overnight, but I hope you can see that much of the joy and beauty exists because it takes time, not in spite of it.
It is going to take time and practice to achieve your dreams, and the joy you can achieve from those precious moments is up to you. Your attitude towards your journey is the biggest determinant of how much pleasure you get out of your artistic journey.
There is no finish line or quiz or final evaluation that means you have arrived at artistic greatness. The key is to find personal satisfaction in your work, and that growth will help you to achieve better results and continue to learn for years to come.
There is a beautiful creative path in front of you and I hope you find joy in the process!
Happy painting,
Alex
