How do you develop creative self-confidence?
For many years, my security as an artist came from painting realistic paintings. Being able to paint something identifiable, something that could be measured as skilled by anyone felt like the safest way to create good art.
I would often look at abstract art, simple, powerful paintings and wonder how the artist could be brave enough to present something so hard to identify. How did the artist know that way of painting was for them? How did they not feel bound to make art other people would understand?
I didn’t want to paint weird stuff, but I craved the freedom that the most innovative artists seemed to channel so effortlessly.
How do you develop creative self-confidence?
Mentors give you strength
For me, the first step was mentorship. In a small community, most of the artists I knew were just like me; seriously intent on painting what our reference photos told us to paint. We problem solved our way through a painting, inch by square inch, and then moved to the next reference photo, labeling the painting “success” or “failure” based on how visible our mistakes were in the finished piece.
There are artists in my community, just a few, who listen to a different voice. I never felt like I could be like them, making art for art’s sake without regard for how it might be received. Their art was too different from mine to serve as my bridge to my own epiphany to creative freedom.
Thank goodness for the internet! As I started to look at watercolor art by artists around the world, I realized there was so much more out there than the one style of art that I had felt bound to. I discovered Linda Kemp, painting negative shapes in watercolor that evoked the forest without painting every leaf. And then I found Jean Haines, whose willingness to suggest and hint tells viewers “I trust you to see my love in my work.” Even though I had never met either artist, what I saw in their work connected me to my own heart’s yearning to paint with the same openness and love.
Mentors give you strength when your own is lacking. Mentors remind you who you really are. Mentors are patient but willing to tell you the truth, and mentors share what they have so you can grow from it too.
Walking at Sunset, watercolor on paper
Little did I know, when I made the choice to seek my own heart-guided painting style, that what I was learning then would encourage and inspire hundreds of other artists when I found my calling as an online watercolor instructor. I used to sneak in my mentor’s mindset into step-by-step how to paint lessons, but over the years I’ve realized my heart really is in nurturing artists through their mental blocks, helping them find the same trust and freedom in their inner artist that I had so needed.
Mentorship is one way to grow into a fearless artist with a strong commitment to your personal style. The process of moving to that place of creative freedom and mastery is multi-layered.
Your best art is found inside of you.
In looking at my own journey, I found that while the examples of others gave me strength to choose my path, I also needed:
Trust. A willingness to believe that the time I invested in my art would lead me to the artist I was meant to be, even when I couldn’t see anything happening.
Patience. Understanding that I couldn’t choose a timeline for success, but I could be too stubborn to quit.
Habit. Strategies to get out of my own head and into a creative mindset, plans for building skill and time set aside to experiment for creative growth.
Study. Feeding my thirst for knowledge and skill building through seeking sources of information; viewing wide varieties of art, reading books on technique and mindset, writing and talking about my dreams and goals.
Goal setting. Making decisions to focus on one or another aspect of art helped me focus my growth and strengthen my weak areas.
Failure. If I’m not willing to fail and make mistakes, I can’t learn. My failures develop the artist I want to be in the future, and by letting go of ego, I can focus on my entire artistic future, not just on making today’s painting perfect.
Risk. It’s just paper! My biggest risks and surprises have created my best work.
Transformation doesn’t have to feel lonely.
Maybe you are much like I was, working SO hard to make good art, but feeling so defeated when the mistakes take over the painting. There is a transitional stage that takes an artist through the identity crisis of “am I any good?” and into “I get to be my own favorite artist!” and it’s one I’m passionate about sharing. As I studied my own progression from one stage to the other, I found keys to growth that any artist can adapt to your own creative process, and I teach these in my transformational course, Watercolor Mastery.
I teach this course a couple of times a year and a few weeks ahead of time, I offer a free information session where I go over the six principles of growth to mastery and share how you can join this six week interactive course. It’s my favorite way to mentor developing artists and a huge confidence booster for everyone who takes the course. Find out more and sign up for the waiting list here: https://learn.angelafehr.com/p/masterclass