When You Don't Like Your Artwork

One of the things that keeps people from creating in a nature journal or sketchbook more often is the fear of making a page they don't like.

It's important to remember that you won't like every page.  You will have days when your sketches fall flat, and nothing seems to work.  Perhaps you're tired or distracted.  Maybe you're out of practice and not feeling inspired.  We all have these days. That's normal.

Maybe you're experimenting, and you haven't found the way it works yet.

The important thing to do is to keep sketching -- keep creating!

Keep trying new things, exploring different approaches, different media even.

Remind yourself that if you like every page in a sketchbook, you're probably not trying hard enough.  

Every artwork does not need to have a purpose other than the experience of creating it.

And if you turn the page and keep creating, you'll find subjects that inspire you, and techniques that work for you.

Pablo Picasso famously said, "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."

I don't love every painting and sketch I make, but I know that making "bad" art is part of the process. If you trust the process and keep creating, you learn, develop new skills and make wonderful discoveries.

The "meh" pages make the "Wow!" pages more satisfying.

Happy Creating!

Getting Back in the Groove

Sometimes, life takes us away from our art.  Busy schedules can interrupt your artistic flow.  How do you get back into creating?  I've been away from painting for a couple of weeks, and have found these methods helpful to restart my creative engine.

Tidy up

Cleaning up your creative space --whether it's a desk, a room, or simply a knapsack of materials you carry from one place to another -- puts you back in touch with your supplies in a friendly, no-pressure way.  As you sharpen your colored pencils, you see new ideas.  As you sift through old sketchbooks, you're reminded how much you enjoy painting outside.  Simply having a clean space to create is inspiring in itself!

Color Swatching

Are those lovely supplies you just tidied up appealing to you, but you don't know what to do with them?  Start with color swatching.  

Testing your supplies out feels low-pressure, and gets your hand moving again with a brush, a pencil or a pastel stick. Take a sheet of paper, write the name of each color, then add a dab of that color next to its name. You've just made a great reference for your next artwork.  When you are in the midst of a composition and not sure which blue to use, you can refer to your color swatches to make your decision.

Color Mixing Studies

Often, when I'm painting, I find myself looking for just the right green, or trying to find a mellow shadow color that doesn't overwhelm the composition.  Testing out your paints or colored pencils by mixing them together is an important study for any artist.  

You might even start a color diary with a page each dedicated to greens, blues, or shadow colors.  Here are some recent color studies I made with phthalo blue watercolor paint.

What if you used one page to mix all of your blues with all of your browns, one pair at a time?  

What if you mixed all the greens you could with phthalo blue?  I'll give you a hint:  you can create a deep pine green by mixing phthalo blue with burnt sienna. Try it!

Try mixing color opposites: green + red, blue + orange, purple + yellow.  

Testing Out Sample Packs

When you purchase art supplies, you can often get sample packs of paper-- watercolor paper in different weights and with different surfaces, a variety of card stocks for drawing, etc.  It's great to have these on hand to play with.

A sample pack is an invitation to create!  Make doodles. Play with mark making.  Your only "job" is exploring a new paper.  

Sketches & Studies

You can sketch anything that interests you, and there's no pressure to make it "good" or accurate or anything but experimental.  Try sketching things you love to look at.  Or even boring things like a pencil or a coffee cup.  Sketch anything.  It's a start and will lead to creative ideas & inspiration if you stick with it.  Pretty soon, you're back in your art groove.

Making New Goals

Write a list of creative projects you'd like to try -- from painting your cat to starting a nature journal, to trying a new medium. Here's a list I made last spring with my old Sears typewriter.

Place it where you can see it.  I found that I only completed one of these goals this summer, but that this list of goals led to more painting and to fresh ideas.

Take a Class

Start your creative engine with a class.  You'll have a set time each week to dedicate to your art, and guided instruction to help you develop new skills.  The routine of making art builds momentum and generates new ideas.

As a bonus, you get to meet other artists and make new friendships!

I hope these suggestions help you start your creativity rolling, or simply move it in a new direction.  

Happy Creating!