I had this question from an Inner Circle member:
“I have lost any painting confidence I had. I feel like I am going backward. Do you have any words of advice as right now I feel like giving up?”
It’s common to feel this way, especially in those first few years of painting. Here are my suggestions for working through it:
- Take a break. Do something else you enjoy. This can often reignite the spark you had in painting.
- Paint a few simple studies or sketches. Don’t worry about the outcome with these. Just enjoy the process.
- Reflect on early work. Sometimes I need to remind myself where I came from, rather than compare myself to others.
- Remember that learning how to paint is not a linear process. Rather, it feels more like 2 steps forward, 1 step back. And there might even be short periods of 2 steps back, 1 step forward.
Whatever you do, don’t quit too soon. Painting can be frustrating, but it can be one of the most fulfilling things you can do once it all starts to click. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a painting coming together in front of you.
Happy painting!
Dan Scott
drawpaintacademy.com