Making Art is Actually Easy…

I know its popular online to talk about how hard it is but the art itself is actually easy. If it was as hard as people say, why do so many children do it naturally? You dont see children performing surgery or sending rockets into space. They draw and play without any instruction at all

So why do we think art is so hard?

Why is it that videos claiming that its hard get so many views? Its because making art can seem hard when you attach your ego and identity to it. Its not that making art itself is hard. It is hard to make art that will get you admiration online that you think will make you happy. Or maybe you think it will solve your deeper self worth issues

Yes its hard to draw like a master whose temperament is completely different from your own. It is easy to let your natural voice flow onto the page if you allow it. 

My Journey

This is a lesson that actually took me over 10 years to learn. I used to contort myself and force myself into making work that was completely unnatural for me. I tried to copy the artists I admired and kept failing because their styles were so different from the ones that actually made sense to me. I kept trying and trying because I assumed I just wasnt working hard enough

Art vs Exercise

The reality is that making art isnt the same as working out. You cant just force your art muscles to grow by ignoring your own voice. All the artists who make that claim usually make very boring art And on a side note, even with exercise its so much smarter to figure out what type of movement you actually enjoy so it doesnt feel like work..this is actually a universal idea.

Using Force

You might be able to force yourself to learn technical skills, but if you dont actually find the subject matter interesting then the work will look bland. And do you really want to become good at something you dont even enjoy? Imagine how painful that would be, imagine you spend years learning how to draw something that you dont even care about Then you get the attention that you think you want but all the attention is for work that is dishonest

Do you really want that?

The Solution

There is an alternative strategy here that I wish I had learned sooner. So hopefully this saves you years of pain. First you try to shed any expectations that you have of yourself.

Stop putting pressure on the art

This can take many months but just slowly return to what feels natural. Do some of the drawing exercises on this site that focus on the experience of drawing.

Tune into the creative process itself instead of the end result

Hone that side of yourself until you are deeply in touch with the muse. Then you can start to look at the work and see what technical skills can help you add to this voice

Your personal taste can be the foundation of your craft and you can build upon it. Im not saying you cant explore any technical skills, but they should serve your actual voice. So explore different subject matter and see what really lights you up

If you are bored of what you are drawing, then you might be drawing the wrong thing

You might feel frustrated by your lack of skills, but that frustration should come from a place of love. It should come from a place of loving what you are drawing and wanting to better serve that creative side of you

If you feel frustrated because you dont think the art is good enough to get likes on social media, then you have completely lost the point of this. I am being harsh about this because I wish someone had said this to me when I was younger

Art is easy, its everything else you add to it that is actually hard

If your art practice suddenly feels really difficult, ask yourself “what am I adding to this experience that I dont need”.

The art is a friend who will show you love if you give it room to be honest. Dont force your friend to be anything it isnt meant to be

If you are ready to explore your deeper intuitive voice I will see you over in my creativity course that is linked below and I hope to draw with you again soon!