Have you ever wanted to make art but are afraid of making something bad?
Have you made art in the past that wasn’t good?
Do you want to get better at art but don’t know where or how to start?
Me too.
Right now, I feel each of these things. That’s why I am forcing myself to make this video. Why am I forcing myself to start even if the things I make are bad. I am giving myself permission to be bad. It is my desire to be a great artist that can bring to life all of the wonderful things I can picture in my head but have never been able to put down on paper.
I have always been inspired by Bob Ross and his calm, happy, and positive approach to painting. His positivity has always impressed upon me the need all artists have to be kind to themselves and to approach their work with positive attitudes.
Making art is a challenge. For whatever reason, there is a part of every artist that doesn’t seem to believe they are good enough. We get in our own way so often that we spend all of our time dreaming about being an artist, or a writer, or a musician, and never get around to doing the one thing we are always thinking about.
I’ve always wanted to write stories, to paint the pictures inside my head, and to express deep emotions through music. Every type of creative expression appeals to me in one way or another. It’s time for me and for you to stop thinking and start doing. My hope is that if you found this video and made it this far watching it, then you too will give art a try. I am going to give myself permission to be bad.
That doesn’t mean I am not going to work hard and try my best. In fact, it is just the opposite. I am going to challenge myself like never before. Make art that scares me, the kind of art I know I am not capable of making yet. But in doing so, I believe that I can see where my current limitations are and start working on the things that I can not do.
I tried this a few weeks ago with a watercolor painting. I’d never tried to paint a person before. Painting is hard enough without trying to paint a person. So much could go wrong and from my past experience trying to draw people, I didn’t believe in myself. But I set this aside and I went for it. My painting turned out okay. It’s far from perfect or professional, but it shows the best that I am currently capable of. Had I not given this a try, I wouldn’t know that I’m not as terrible as I thought I was. But I also see how much I need to learn and grow.
Here is what I am going to do to challenge myself:
- Do something creative every day, no matter what
- Challenge myself every week to create something that pushes me past what I understand as my current capabilities
- Post a picture of my art online after I finish (No matter how good or bad)
So what is it you want to do? I encourage you to write it down. To dream up the most fantastic and outrageous dreams you can. Don’t give up and don’t stop dreaming. The best thing anyone ever told me was that the only person who can kill my dream is me. So here I go, pursuing a dream, rather than letting it die from my own neglect.
Good luck, and go make some good art!
