I have always been creative, but like so many people I meet, I abandoned my creative interests for far too many years. Back in early 2021, my creative confidence was low, and I certainly didn’t think I had any noteworthy artistic talent. Perhaps most of all, I failed to see any value in starting anything creative if the outcome wasn’t going to be a masterpiece.
I have since learnt, this story (or similar) is far too common and I think you would agree, it also represents many lost opportunities.
I want to share with you three ways I re-discovered my love of art and design and continue to find ways to accept the uncomfortable feelings that inevitably come up along the way. I hope you find something that sparks that creative fire in you and reassures you that you are not alone.
- Start simple
I re-discovered my love of creativity through starting with very simple projects. There is something to be said for slowly building creative confidence by starting small and simple. In my case, I started with a small cross stitch project, then moved to embroidery before attempting design on my iPad and finally painting. There are so many incredible creative classes you can attend (like these gorgeous classes by Open Hands Creative), or simple creative kits you can purchase that have step by step instructions to walk you slowly through the joy of creating something beautiful.
- Embrace the process
I have recently learnt Picasso painted 42,000 paintings. How crazy is that!?! Do you think he had 42,000 masterpieces? Absolutely not. If I can share THE MOST IMPORTANT thing I have learnt since re-discovering my creativity, it is this: never start a project expecting or hoping it will be a masterpiece. Often, it will not be your greatest work - and that is 100% ok! Releasing the expectations and pressure on yourself to make each piece perfect is liberating. It is in fact essential if you are to gain enjoyment from the creative process.
- Keep going
Somewhat related to the above, since re-discovering my passion for art and design, I have learnt the value of accepting uncomfortable feelings and moving forward anyway. Some days I don’t have the spark of creativity or the desire to design or paint. Some days, a project I have been working on turns out not as expected. The more I accept rather than fight the disappointment or “meh” feeling, the more I am able to take even tiny steps forward. Whether that be changing tact and starting to research for my next design series, building my portfolio of photos for social media or listening to my favourite podcast. The trick is, I don’t give up.
There you have it, my three tried and tested tips to increase creative confidence! I hope you have found something of value that spoke to you.
I can absolutely vouch for these tips because I have only recently found the creative confidence to pursue “real life” paintings of my digital designs, and I can’t wait to show you! These will be my first original paintings, and I am giving my subscribers first notice of them coming on sale. If you aren't yet a subscriber, you can subscribe here (I also give you 20% off your first purchase!).
Lastly, if something resonated with you from this blog post, I would love to hear about it! Please comment below or feel free to email me at hello@stellapatricedesign.com.au
With love, Sara x