Art is Easy Without an Inner Critic

Art is as easy as breathing.

You may not agree with that statement, I mean come on… it’s SO hard!

But is it? Or do we make it so?

I think art is EASY!

Like most kids, you probably remember sitting and drawing for hours. Just doodling away. Drawing your cat, house, your family, a butterfly, or even just tracing your hand.

It was easy! There is no wrong answer.

But was that art?

YES, a big big YES!

It was pure joy on a page, a rainbow caught on paper! It had soul, a spark, and creativity. Sure, if you compare it to adult art, it’s very different. You can learn techniques, and principles, and get better at hand-eye coordination, but the essence of creation and creativity is present in all artworks.

Whether you make results you want to frame or throw away, you are still making art. Art is also subjective. You might think what you made is ugly but someone else could appreciate it.

As you change, your opinion will change.

It’s it’s not about the results. As corny as it sounds, (and yes, I’m very corny) it’s all about the process, the ride, the journey! The end result doesn’t matter. Sure, you would rather make beautiful art that you can frame, sell, or give away. But letting go of the expectations and control will not hinder you in that journey. It will only help because it will not hinder you from creating! If you create more you have more chances of making ‘successful’ art!

But, the feeling you get in the moment when making art whether it’s hideous or gorgeous IS THE SAME! 

Unless you start being mean to yourself!

You have to quiet your inner critic to truly create from your spirit!

The inner critic is the mean voice in your head that makes you feel like who you are or what you do is not enough. Do not let him dominate your mind. You have to tell him to stop by reminding him that you make art for the joy of it and results will follow with time.

We live in a society where failure is looked down on and this bleeds into our creativity.

Become aware of how you think of your creativity. Are you hard on yourself? Do you get discouraged or depressed if you make something ‘ugly’? Why?

Let’s remember that every failure is a stepping stone to success.

You’re not going to get better in art or any other skill without failing A LOT! If you truly realize this, you can look at failed pieces as valuable practice time and learn from them by critiquing them (with a kind voice focused on improvement) instead of badgering yourself and therefore creating less art. 

I have been enjoying making art that is less ‘beautiful’ and more ‘authentically me.’ If that makes sense. I LOVE to experiment and play! Sometimes I make stuff nobody likes but me or stuff I don’t like at all.

It’s the play that is magic and I am learning to let go of results. 

If you have an attitude of WOW I get to have the free time to CREATE! How lucky! I will enjoy this! I will enjoy every stroke, every color blending, sound, texture, every moment. This is what will happen:

  • You will make MORE art!
  • You will improve faster!
  • You will get into the flow state!
  • You will find your style faster!
  • & Most importantly, YOU WILL HAVE FUN!

So, the next time you have a big bully of a voice telling you not to make art, tell it to be quiet and go make some art!

Happy art-making!

We learn more about the inner critic and the art of letting go in my intuitive painting class; Let’s Play!

You can take it here.