Art by Laura Kathleen

It was about 6 years ago that I got into creating vigorously. Although I was a little timid at first to create, I tried a few things to overcome that. Needless to say I haven't shied away from creating ever since.

1. Have a sketchbook that's just for you. You don't need to share everything. This allows you to feel like you can take risks, for yourself, not for others. If you want to share it later, go for it!

2. Follow Andy Warhol's advice: “Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”- Andy Warhol


3. Make something that YOU love. If you are striving to create visual art, it could be something for your home or office. If you are creating food, make a meal that you would like. Whatever your preferred media, remember to strive to make something that you would enjoy. It might not work on the first try, so remember that you might need to try a few times. Also, make sure you are not being too critical. You can do this by simply asking yourself whether it achieves the goal you had in mind. If the answer is no, simply keep working.


4. Learn about the type of art you like. Do some reading on it, so you can learn new things about the type of work you'd like to create. Taking classes are good too but make sure you find one where you will feel encouraged. They absolutely exist. When you meet your teacher, communicate your realistic expectations to them so they know how to best support you.


5. Make a goal that you can completely control. Do yourself a favor and do NOT set a goal that involves support, work, or any effort whatsoever from anyone but YOURSELF. For example, if you are trying to sell your work, unfortunately it's not fair to set a goal that you will sell a certain amount. In almost all situations, an artist doesn't have control over who will buy their work. Therefore, setting a sales quota as a goal could make yourself feel defeated if you do not make that goal. The best type of goal to make is the kind that you control.
Good goals:
1. I will spend 1 hour per week creating.
2. I will read 3 books on creating this week.
3. I will draw the same subject 30 times.
When you meet your goal, acknowledge it with yourself with a pat on the back or maybe a new art supply.


6. Keep going. Almost all professionals had to practice their skill behind closed doors for countless hours. If you want to get better you have to put in the time.


7. Find essentially free or completely free ways to practice or plan out your idea. Apps like Idraw are great for visual artists.


8. Be strategic about how you roll your work out to others. Think about your overall reason for creating and decide who you'd like opinions from. Although it's essential to get advice and encouragement from the successful masters in the field, it's also important for you to value your own opinion and praise.

9. Give yourself a break. If your art didn't turn out "perfectly" (or how you wanted it to), learn from it and remember art does not need to be perfect. Sure, maybe you're a perfectionist, and maybe there's even room for improvement on the piece. So that you continue to be motivated to create, give yourself constructive feedback without making yourself feel like you failed or do not have the potential to create something you will be proud of.


10. Change your mental feedback to "growth statements" rather than "I can't" statements. For example, Instead of telling yourself (or others) you can't draw, try saying "I'd like to improve my drawing skills".

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