Do you ever feel like your confidence, or lack thereof, is getting in the way of you becoming a better artist?
I know I used to feel that way, and so do many of my students.
Here's just one recent comment from our Facebook Group:
It seems like we all have this idea that we can only be confident once we have certain skills, right?
Like, I'll feel confident when my painting technique is stronger.
Or, I'll feel confident when I start mixing brighter colors.
Have you ever said or felt something similar?
I think it's natural to want to wait for results in order to feel confident.
But waiting for results, or something external to feel confident is sabotaging your art career before you even get started.
What if it was possible to feel confident before you even start painting.
Can you be confident in your ability to learn?
Or confident that you love making art BEFORE you actually start seeing the artistic progress you're after?
Spoiler alert: It's totally possible.
And not only is it possible, but it's really the only way you're going to see opportunities for growth.
You don't need to see wild results in order to feel confident.
Confidence is grown and cultivated from showing up and seeing tiny wins.
I used to feel so discouraged by my lack of ability to mix the colors I wanted.
I would get frustrated that I was doing it "wrong" and just focused on that frustration.
I told myself I had no confidence in my color mixing skills.
But when I made the decision to feel confident in the skills I currently had, I also started to feel confident that I could learn more.
So I started seeking out ways to improve my color mixing and now my skills are at a higher level.
I felt confident because I DECIDED to feel confident about where I was and where I could go.
THEN I was able to build the skills I wanted. And now I'm confident in those skills too.
Lacking confidence is the #1 thing I hear from my new students.
Every time I start a class I ask why everyone is there and every time they tell me they don't have enough confidence in themselves as artists.
Telling yourself you don't have enough confidence is creating the reality of you not feeling confident. And no painting skill can change that.
No matter your current painting skill level, you can decide to feel confident about where you're at right now as an artist, whether it's confidence in your current skills or confidence in yourself that you can learn more.
Practice your confidence BEFORE you acquire the skills and I promise you'll acquire those skills a lot faster.
What is one thing about your art that you can be confident about right now?
Tell me in a comment!
XO,
Laurel
P.S. If you love painting, but sometimes struggle to stay inspired, you’re invited to join my Facebook Group! If you're not already in it and want to connect with over 1,000 other painters and get inspired, join us right here now!