People tend to think that being an artist is just rainbows and unicorns. All the time, you just paint pretty pictures and enjoy your life. Believe me, we do that (ᴖᴥᴖ). But, there are also different thoughts you will have as an artist. We all doubt ourselves and question our skills at some point in time. Every artist does, so let’s talk about it!
Are you an artist? Then I bet you have encountered at least one of the thoughts on the list below. More likely, two or three… or all of them!
I have actually had all eight of those thoughts at some point in my life and I believe that all creators share kind of the same experience. It really doesn’t matter where you are in your career or what kind of art you create. We are all human (I guess…) and we all cannot help but second-guess ourselves at some point in time.
When looking at the shiny Instagram feeds of the most popular artists, you might think they never struggle with self-doubt and self-criticism. However, I dare say that it only looks like. They simply don’t talk about it—even though some actually do address the downsides of being an artist as well.
All artists have their struggles. We are all guilty of overthinking our art, judging our own work and getting jealous of other artists. It’s normal. It’s human. And it happens to all of us. So let’s talk about it!
8 Thoughts you will have as an artist
THOUGHT 1: “My art is just not good enough.”
Welcome to the club! I see your inner art perfectionist is doing great work. We all have looked at our work at some point and thought, “I’ll never be good enough.”
This can happen when our work doesn’t match up to the vision we had in our head or when our skills are not there yet.
In fact, it can happen a lot when you are just starting out to make art. When I started with digital art, for example, my creations didn’t look anything like I had envisioned. That can be an incredibly disappointing and frustrating experience. But it is important to realize that that is a totally normal chapter in every artist’s life.
No one is born a master and every skill takes practice. So don’t obsess too much about the outcome, especially when you are still a beginner. Your art will get better with time—and practice!
I have now reached a level of skill that allows me to realize my vision almost to the T. And I am sure, after a couple of years in, you will be able to do that, too!
Nonetheless, I have to admit that even now some of my creations still go their own way. Art doesn’t need to be fully predictable and that’s good because otherwise it would only be half as interesting. So just enjoy the ride and embrace mistakes!
THOUGHT 2: “I’m not a real artist.”
The word ‘art’ is so heavily loaded that it scares people away from the get-go. There are many definitions of what makes you a ‘real artist’. You must have gone to art school, you must have had gallery exhibitions, your work must be published…
This makes it especially hard for self-taught artists to consider themselves ‘real artists’. It is easy to feel like an imposter when you don’t fit any of those definitions.
But in actuality, things are fairly simple. If you make art, you are an artist. We are all born creative, so never let anyone deny your passion to make art. When you look a bit closer at all the different artists you see around, you will notice that they all have their own story. They did not all go to art school. They do not all have gallery representation. And they cannot all flaunt an art magazine publication.
Still, they all create art and some of them even very successfully. So, if you want to be an artist, don’t wait for anybody to officially declare you one. That won’t happen. If you feel a calling to be an artist, follow it!
…and in case you are worrying about your financial future: forget about the starving artist. Nowadays, there are so many ways to make money with art skills that no creative needs to go hungry. And you can even make money as a self-taught artist!
THOUGHT 3: “That artist is so much better than me.”
Comparison. The creativity killer number one. It happens to all of us. We cannot but compare ourselves to others. But this can be a very detrimental habit, in particular in this day and age of social media.
When scrolling down our Instagram feed, it is practically impossible to not see artwork that is better than ours. At least, this is one of the thoughts you’ll have as an artist. If it is objectively true, who knows…
However, there will always be someone better than you. There will always be artists you will look up to. But, on the other hand, there will also be artists who admire your work. They are looking up to your art and think the same as you think of other artists that are better than you.
Eventually, comparison doesn’t make much sense. We are all at different stages of our career. That’s why it is pretty pointless to compare yourself to an artist with ten years of experience if you are just starting out.
Every artist needs to find their own voice. That artist that you admire has their own story to tell through their art. Their art has something that speaks to you. So, instead of envying it, take their work as an inspiration and learn from it. Don’t let it discourage you.
THOUGHT 4: “Is my art getting any better at all?”
Unfortunately, artistic growth is never linear. It’s more like an up and down. You grow a bit and then you stay there for a while. And then you grow a bit more.
While this is totally normal, it can be frustrating when you reach a plateau. You might feel like you are not making any improvement anymore. Everything seems to be stagnating. Your skills are not getting any better, your ideas are not getting any better, and maybe your art account isn’t growing either.
But believe me, as long as you keep working on your skillset and on your creative vision, you will be getting better. You might not be making giant leaps in progress all at once, but you will be gradually improving.
And then, one day, you will suddenly notice that things are so much easier. What took you one hour to create two months ago, you can now make within half an hour. What you weren’t able to bring to the canvas six months earlier, you now know how to go about it.
This is progress. It kind of happens unnoticed. So, even while lack of progress might be one of the nagging thoughts you will have as an artist, keep going. You will see the rewards soon!
THOUGHT 5: “Why does no one like my art?”
The internet is oversaturated with new images being posted on a daily basis. Since the end of 2022, the number has only been increasing because several AI image generators were launched in the market in November that year. Understandably, it becomes harder and harder to create exposure for your art.
Are you worried about your creative future with all the machine-made imagery swallowing up the market?
When we wonder why no one likes our art, we usually think of the Likes we get on social media and art sharing sites.
Believing that the number of Likes defines the value of your art is naturally one of the thoughts you will have as an artist. But those Likes don’t say anything about whether your art is good or bad—or, in other words, whether it is likeable.
The number of Likes you receive on social media and other sites depends on many different factors, most importantly on your posting frequency. If you don’t post frequently, the algorithm will never rank you as high as someone who posts every day—and even better several times a day. Then, you’ll also need to be a good networker, like and comment on other people’s posts, and spend enough time on the site to win the favor of the algorithm.
I actually only recently wrote a post on why bad art gets more Likes. So, if you’d like to learn more about the ‘social media Like dilemma’, hop over there after reading this post!
What I can say here is that if you get only little feedback on the web, it doesn’t mean that no one likes your art. It just means that the people who like your art haven’t found you yet…
THOUGHT 6: “I’m giving up.”
With all of those negative thoughts that you will have as an artist, it is not surprising that you might feel like giving up at some point in time.
But before quitting art for good, ask yourself honestly why you want to give up on it. Do you really intrinsically feel—from the bottom of your heart—that art is not for you? Or is it because you think that no one likes your art, that your art sucks, and you will never be good enough…? If the latter is the case, then think twice.
Do you really want to give up on what you are passionate about for some silly thoughts that are not even objectively true?
We all encounter difficulties in our artist life. But most of the time, when the going gets rough it only means that we have reached the limit of our comfort zone. This is when you need to work on your mindset, rather than on your artistic skills.
You will need to learn how to think like an artist and how to build creative confidence.
It is a great opportunity for artistic growth, so keep pushing. If you need a break, take a break. But please don’t give up on art altogether!
THOUGHT 7: “Oh wow, this piece turned out so amazing!”
Not all thoughts that you will have as an artist are negative. Artists also have happy thoughts! (ᴖᴥᴖ)
Once you have honed your skills and had enough practice, you will reach a point where you find creating art really fulfilling. This is the moment when you get into the flow state in art. Everything feels easy, time flies by without you even noticing, and every stroke you make seems to be falling into place naturally.
In other words, you create happily and you are totally happy with the outcome. Couldn’t it be any better?
However, I don’t want to spoil the party, but I want to be honest: that feeling of having made an amazing work of art won’t last forever. When you look back at your old work after a couple of years, you might as well think: oh, this is really bad, how on earth could I find it so amazing back then?
But this is just a sign of you making progress. So, be happy!
THOUGHT 8: “It’s done! Now what?!”
When you read a good book, reaching the end of it can feel like losing a friend. The same is true when you create a piece of art. Once it is finished, you can be left feeling empty.
Some thoughts you will have as an artist could be:
What am I supposed to do now? Should I just start another one? Oh my God, I don’t even have any new idea yet! What if I can’t think of anything? Will the next piece be better or worse?
Not every artist has a full-blown midlife crisis every time they finish a piece. But there can be some sadness. After all, you have spent hours and hours giving life to a new artwork and suddenly it’s no longer there. There is a sort of emptiness when the creative process is over.
So, what can you do? Well, you can create a series! Yes, I mean it. Continue telling your story and create a second and a third piece that complement the first work. In fact, many artists work in series and there is no reason why you could not do it, too.
Apart from that, just do what you usually do to find new inspiration. Practice some self-care for artists, read some inspirational artist quotes, take your dog and go for a walk…
Stay inspired all year long!
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I hope that this post helped you see that these are just the normal thoughts you will have as an artist. You are not alone. No need to worry. And most importantly, no need to quit!
Let me know what you are thinking as an artist… Please leave comments and questions below or reach out to me directly. I’d love to hear from you! Make sure to sign up for my email list below so you don’t miss out on new blog posts and other cool stuff. ♥
The section about balancing passion and practicality hit home for me. Do you have any advice on finding that sweet spot where you can pursue your artistic dreams while also managing the practical aspects of life? Would love to hear your perspective on achieving that balance.
I think finding that balance in everyday life will remain a challenge. There will always be chores you have to prioritze, while pursuing your might suffer.
The best advice I can give is to set apart some time for making art every day–or several times a week. These slots then only belong to you and your passion! For me, this is what works best and what I also do in my daily life.
Wow, this post totally resonates with my experiences as an artist! How do you personally deal with creative block? Any specific tips or rituals that help you get back into the flow?
I think we all experience creative block from time to time. That’s just how it is…
But speaking of flow, once you know how good it feels to make art in a state of flow, you’ll be doing everything to get back into that flow state. For me, that’s already a big motivation to overcome creative block.
Apart from that, I have 19 Lifehacks for artists to break out of a creative rut. Maybe there’s something that will resonate with you, too!
I wish you all the best on your creative journey! ✌︎
I love the insight shared here! The struggle with self-doubt is so real. Can you elaborate more on how you overcome those moments of questioning your artistic abilities? Any mindset shifts or practices that have been particularly helpful for you?
I agree, the struggle is real! I think self-doubt just comes back creeping in every now and then. Getting over it is a process, it doesn’t happen overnight.
Every time I feel self-doubt again, I’m trying to get to the root of it. What exactly makes me doubt my artistic abilities? Do I feel my art is not good enough? Do I compare myself to other artists? Am I not happy about how the last artwork turned out? Etc.
What really helped me is understanding that art doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s a journey. I also have some tips on how to stop judging your art here, maybe you’ll find that helpful, too!