Well one day I decided to do that, except instead of studying I asked God what I should paint.
So I opened my Bible and the page it landed on was Isaiah chapter 1. At the top of the page I had written a note that said
“idea: painting of wild fire, dark-feel, ‘The Day of The Lord’”
My. Heart. Sank.
I have no recollection of writing that down, yet there it was plain as day in my own handwriting.
And for those who don’t know, The Day of The Lord is “a reference to coming judgement and divine wrath.” - Charles R. Swindoll
Now I’m not the type of Christian to preach “repentance or you’re going to hell!” I share hope and encouragement with God’s Word most of the time.
I’m a bubbly 25 year old who hosts SpongeBob paint parties.
So you can understand how uncomfortable I was to receive such an intense message like this.
I let my fear get the best of me and I ignored what God showed me. I tried not to think about it for months but it was very difficult.
Then one day I just decided to submit to God’s Will and make this painting. I couldn’t envision it, then again, God never shows me “the big picture” until after the painting.
I sat there, held my paint brush, and waited.
Waited until the Holy Spirit told me to move my brush.
**I feel it’s important to share that I always use picture references for all of my art except for the prophetic paintings I create with God. He shows me what to paint step by step. Then when I step back He reveals to me the message and the big picture.**
So after a few hours of painting, I stepped back and this is what was created.
This is what God wants His people to receive from this painting:
Judgement is coming soon.
This is symbolized by the tree on fire that had fallen, and created a trail of fire headed towards civilization.
People are comfortable with the lives they are living.
They are ignoring the signs and warnings of the Lord.
This is symbolized by the beachfront homes that are surrounded by the beautiful sunset.
Isaiah 1:27-31
“Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness.
But rebels and sinners will both be broken, and those who forsake the Lord will perish.
You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted;
You will be disgraced because of the gardens that you have chosen.
You will be like an oak with fading leaves, like a garden without water.
The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark;
Both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire.”
Those who have ears, let them hear.
I pray this has blessed you and it reaches the people God intended to see.
Take this back to Him and test the spirit please.
]]>Stop it.
Cut it out.
Stop being scared.
Stop procrastinating.
Stop waiting for the right moment.
If you're afraid, then do it scared!
I've got a story for you.
I recently started going back to the gym and my boyfriend told me I should start lifting weights.
*cringe*
My stomach dropped to my butt.
I immediately got anxious.
And every girl knows what it's like when you first start lifting.
The fear of going into unfamiliar territory in the gym is so nerve-wrecking.
Plus the paranoia of thinking people (especially men) are staring at you.
Wondering "am I doing this right?" or "what do I do next?" every 3 minutes.
Ughhh.
It's annoying leaving your comfort zone.
Especially in the gym.
But I did it.
I wrapped my sweater around my waist and I did barbell squats.
"That wasn't so bad." I said to myself.
Then I did assisted bench press.
"Oh wait I think I like that 👀 lol."
Then I did every other weighted exercise that came to mind.
After that gym session I was upset with myself for being such a punk.
Like there was literally NOTHING to be afraid of.
I realized I have no reason to be afraid of uncomfortable things that are meant to grow me.
Especially with "be brave" tatted on me.
Anything you are afraid of doing, do it scared.
If you don't end up enjoying it, you'll most likely grow from the experience.
Take this and apply it to everything in life.
Don't let anxiety and the fear of the unknown stop you from leveling up.
Stop getting in the way of yourself.
]]>
It’s ok, me too.
I’m happy to say I’ve gotten better with my art and routine over the past year.
I struggled with progression in my art because I wanted to do everything but mastered nothing.
I was a graphic designer, photographer, illustrator, I made a lipgloss and jewelry business, I designed logos and I threw monthly events for creatives.
Now these are all really good ideas and they could have been successful ideas.
But because I didn’t stick to one thing at a time I never really progressed or mastered any.
I was spreading myself and my time too thin to the point where nothing was getting done.
And I avoided doing the hard parts of my creative ventures.
I lacked patience and made excuses.
When I got bored I would allow myself to be distracted to avoid doing work.
So I decided enough is enough.
I said I have to choose 1 thing and let go of my other endeavors.
I told myself if God gave me the gifts and visions I have today, I can trust He’ll hold onto them until He provides the right opportunity to use them.
So I chose art.
And I set aside everything else.
The photography clients. The requests. Even the commission based projects for a while.
And so far I can say this was the best decision I ever could’ve made.
Now let me list all of the good habits I made (and am still working on) that’ll help you.
People who don’t have goals aren’t as successful as they want to be.
And people who don’t write down their goals are less likely to accomplish them.
Writing your goals down is important because it tracks your progress.
But to track your progress you need to create milestones.
Let’s first start with the 1-3-5 method.
1 - Write 1 goal you want to achieve.
3 - Write 3 reasons why you want to achieve it.
5 - Write 5 actions you are going to take to achieve your goal.
The 5 actions that you wrote down will be your milestones.
This way when you accomplish them you’ll be able to see your progress.
But keep it simple.
With having a creative goal new habits need to take place.
Such as setting aside more time to work on your project or for learning new techniques.
So keep in mind that your day to day schedule should be simplified.
Even if you have to eliminate certain things that may not serve you and your goals.
This can be helpful if you have a busy schedule.
To eliminate the excuse of not having time to work on your art, you need to make time.
Prioritize your time in a way that makes it possible to work on your craft even just a little bit.
It could be on your lunch break or you could set aside a day to spend time by yourself.
Just you and your art utensils.
But you have to start by scheduling time to master your craft.
If possible I’d suggest setting a day and time of the week.
And make it really specific like “Tuesdays and Thursdays I will draw after my 4pm class.”
The more specific your tasks are, the better you’ll be at managing your time and consistency.
You can create a vision board for your phone and computer on Canva.com.
This can be helpful because you’ll have a visual reminder of your goals everyday.
Canva has stock photos you could use or you can upload your own photos.
This is helpful for me because I’m too lazy to print, cut, and glue pictures to an actual board.
This is an exercise all artists should practice.
Sketchbooks have been romanticized into an aesthetically pleasing book with perfect art.
When it should be the complete opposite.
Sketchbooks should be considered a trash can where you can dump all of your bad ideas.
And because of this perfect standard we’ve given it, we feel discouraged to draw.
So the next thing I’d suggest you try is drawing in your sketchbook for at least 5 minutes a day.
Without focusing on how well the drawing comes out.
Focus on getting through those 5 minutes of sketching.
Even if you’re a sculptor, the practice of pencil/pen to paper reminds us of the basics.
And trains our mind to not worry about the outcome but the actual task at hand.
Speaking of 5 minutes, the next thing to try when feeling lazy is the 5 Minute Rule.
When you’re feeling lazy and need to work on a project, set a timer for 5 minutes.
Tell yourself you’re going to work on it for just 5 minutes and then you can stop.
After the 5 minutes are up you are most likely going to continue creating.
You’ve already set up your materials, you got in the zone, so you might as well continue right?
Practicing this 5 minutes rule gives you the motivation you need to keep going just a little longer.
Or it’ll get you in the zone where you’re painting or drawing for hours.
So let’s say you “still don’t have time to create.”
I’ll tell you right now that is a lie.
If you have 2 jobs but you get a lunch break, you have a few minutes to work on your craft.
Only get 3 hours to yourself after work and school?
You can use that time to draw or paint.
The question is how important is your art to you?
How bad do you want it?
Because if you truly have a passion for your art, you’ll make a way to work on it.
Prioritize your time in a way that makes it possible to work on your craft.
Time spent on your craft is actually time for yourself.
You’re actually improving your skills for you so in a way, it’s self-care.
A Brain Dump is where you literally write out every single thought, idea, and project you have.
After you do this, next to each idea write down how long you think they will take to complete.
Pick out an idea and plan out which days you’ll work on it and how much time you’ll spend on it.
Then pick another idea and repeat the process.
You can do this for as many projects as you want.
I suggest planning out at least 2 weeks worth of work.
This way you are way more likely to have more organized production days.
Because you wrote down your actions to achieve that art goal.
This is a person who will check on your progress however often you’d like them to.
Doing this ensures that you’ll make more progress on your art.
It’s easier to tell yourself excuses as to why you can’t get something done.
And it’s painful to tell someone you didn’t do something because you have to explain yourself.
Then those excuses don’t sound so good.
To make this more effective you can put something of value on the line.
For example, say you want to complete a project by next Friday.
And if you don’t finish by then you have to pay your accountability partner $50.
Or you have to do your sibling’s chores for a week.
Pick something you really don’t want to do so that you have no choice but to work on your art.
It’s the most effective way to produce more art.
Because you don’t want to face consequences or disappointment.
This is why coaching and mentoring is effective.
You constantly have a person checking on your progress.
I struggled (and sometimes still do) with having no energy or enthusiasm to work on my art.
No amount of motivational videos or pep talk from friends could make me feel driven.
But I still love working on my art.
I was just so unhealthy that I couldn’t get my mind in a state of inspiration.
I was always tired and ate terrible foods.
But lately I’ve been working on correcting my food intake, drinking more water and exercising.
And I feel more energetic and consistent in my production.
Sometimes it’s not that you’re uninspired or have art block.
It could just be your health.
If you have this struggle, reflect on your lifestyle and see where you can improve.
You can’t take care of your art if you don’t take care of yourself.
]]>And the common denominator for the cause of my insecurities was always someone pointing them out.
Like you, my insecurities stemmed from other people’s opinions and beauty standards.
It was rough growing up in a predominantly white town and school.
Not many people looked like me and I didn’t make many friends.
On top of that, the school system was more advanced than most of the schools in the state.
I was not a school person.
I struggled to focus because I wasn’t interested in any of my classes.
I was diagnosed with ADD but my parents refused to accept that label.
No medication, no special classes, I just had to “work harder because I’m lazy.”
And denying that part of me really impacted me finding my identity.
I couldn’t figure out why I was slower to catch on to things.
I would zone out of just about every class.
Everything just seemed like a challenge.
Nothing came easy to me and I wasn’t allowed to go out with friends because of my grades.
So I didn’t really have a social life.
I was constantly compared to my younger sister who aced just about all of her classes.
I relied on food because it was the only thing that made me feel better.
But then that brought on more insecurities because of my weight.
At home I was told I was too fat.
And at school everyone was so skinny and active so I felt even worse.
It was a vicious cycle of criticism, comparing and confusion.
I would think “what is wrong with me?”
“Why am I not good at anything? Why can’t I get it together?”
I struggled all the way through middle school and high school not knowing who I am and what I like to do.
All I knew was that I liked to be creative.
But I didn’t discover my passion in art until senior year of high school.
I had to fill in my schedule for my last semester with an elective so I chose Drawing 101.
I went to class with no expectations.
Just relieved that it was a class that didn’t include memorizing packets of information.
My art teacher was the first person to see my potential.
I didn’t even see it, I was just doing the assignment.
Which was to draw a hand.
I thought that everyone could draw a hand because it came so easy to me.
But I was the only person in class that had a natural talent for drawing.
Then there was light.
I finally found something I’m good at that I actually love.
Art was the one area in my life where I felt valuable and important.
After graduating, I spent that summer drawing in the basement everyday until 2 or 3 in the morning.
It felt so good to finally know my purpose!
It was an escape from all the criticism and mental challenges I faced in school and at home.
I could zone out for hours and not have consequences because I was still doing something!
Fast forward to now, I’m a full-time artist and I have my own art business.
I still have insecurities and I struggle to not compare myself to other artists.
But that’s an ongoing battle every artist has to fight.
I feel way more confident than I did in high school.
And I have God and lots of practice to thank for that.
Enough about my life story now.
I just wanted to tell you a little bit about my background.
I’ve got a long way to go and a lot of work to do to become my best self.
But I’ve come far in my journey to self-confidence and I’m proud of who I am today.
Here are 9 tips that have helped me to destroy my insecurities and help build my confidence.
1. Stop Comparing Yourself
Think of society as fruits.
You can’t compare an orange to grapes, that would be ridiculous!
Their structures are built nothing alike.
They have their own unique qualities unlike any other fruit.
There is no one in this world that is exactly like you.
You are not exactly like anyone else in the world.
Everyone’s life is different and everyone’s experiences are different.
Your dope qualities and characteristics are unmatched!
Besides, why would you want to be anybody else?
You don’t know the life circumstances they have.
2. List Your Best Qualities
This could be a helpful exercise to write down.
And if you can’t think of any, write out some of your worst qualities.
But you still have to do some work afterwards.
You would then need to brainstorm ways to fix or better yourself in those areas.
You can do it, I know you’re capable of changing!
You are never stuck with the same attitude. How you feel about something is your choice.
You can always change your perspective.
3. Practice Positive Affirmations
It sounds corny but talking to yourself in the mirror with kind words actually works!
God said you have the power of life and death in your tongue.
So might as well speak life into yourself right?
I don’t understand the science behind it but daily affirmations makes your brain start thinking positively.
And the more you speak and think positively, the easier it gets to think and believe those positive thoughts.
4. Exercise
Getting your body moving is a great way to boost your mood and make you feel naturally good.
It makes you feel happier and you’re making your body healthier at the same time.
If you’re not used to working out it might be hard the first few weeks.
But after those two weeks or so, the exercises you did consistently become way easier.
5. Fix Your Posture
We spend a lot of time slouched over.
Slouching over our phones, leaning while we drive, leaning over computers and desks.
If you’re a student, office worker, or are an artist you probably spend a lot of time hunched over too.
You don’t have to be a doctor to realize that our posture can also affect our mood and energy.
And if you don’t already have back pains doing this, long-term health problems can occur down the road.
I suggest using a posture corrector brace to help aid you with your posture.
Or practicing back exercises for better posture.
Your body will thank you.
6. Self-Care
I also call self-care, “pouring into myself.”
Self-care is:
This is vital for everyone.
To be a good wife and mother, a woman must first pour into herself and show herself love.
Such as doing her makeup, reading/drinking wine by herself, or doing her favorite exercises.
These things are important because if she doesn’t put herself first:
When flying on an airplane, flight attendants tell you to put your oxygen mask on before helping someone else.
This is important for your survival.
Because if you run out of oxygen, you can’t help someone with their oxygen mask.
Same rule applies to life except your “oxygen” is your “self-care.”
To help others you must first help yourself.
7. Reflect
It is always good to reflect on your day, goals, and life in general.
Examining our past can help aid our future decisions.
Take a moment to reflect on your day, week or month every once in a while.
Writing and reflecting can help you be more conscious of your decisions, habits, and improvements.
8. Focus on Your Strengths
If you struggle with self-confidence you probably focus too much on your weaknesses.
And although it can be helpful to know your weak spots, it’s harmful to only focus on them.
The only reason you should spend time thinking about your weaknesses, is if you plan to get stronger in those areas.
Otherwise you’ll find yourself spiraling into a dark place of discouragement.
And you don’t want to go there.
It’s not fun and it could be hard to pull yourself out.
So we need to shift your focus onto your strengths.
How you do this is by thinking and writing down the strengths you have at the moment.
Then write down the strengths you would like to have.
As a bonus you could also ask your friends and family what your strengths are.
Then write down the actions you will take to obtain those strengths you’d like to have.
Break those actions down into small steps you can take everyday.
And keep track of the progress you make by reflecting on a regular basis like we talked about in step number 7.
9. Be Honest With Yourself
To destroy your insecurities and build confidence, you must be honest with yourself.
Be honest with what you need to work on and know that you are capable of improving.
You can do whatever you put your mind to.
Things might come easier or harder to you than others.
Those are just the cards of life that we’re dealt with.
But one thing’s for sure: you are not given too much than you can handle in your life.
The obstacles and hardships you encounter make you stronger.
With each trial and tribulation, you are building your faith and character.
The hard truth is that you can overcome and achieve anything.
Your job is to figure out how to do it over and over in life.
And with that endurance and faith, comes success and blessings.
Just keep pushing.
]]>I know it sucks.
But sometimes being stuck increases the greatness of the artwork that’s about to flow.
And if you’re currently stuck, here are a few different ways to get through it:
This is super important because going through artists block can really put a damper on your confidence and work.
So it’s best to nip it in the butt with positive affirmations.
Especially before any negative thoughts settle in.
Do some self-reflecting and recognize the repetition in your work.
Ask yourself questions like:
Revisiting some of your old work and sketch books can definitely help in the process.
But when doing so, stay positive.
Acknowledge how much you’ve grown rather than thinking how bad your work used to be.
I’m only emphasizing positivity because artists block can bring a lot of negative emotions back.
So when going through your old work, see how you can reinvent your past techniques. And ask how can you add to your past art style?
It might surprise you what ideas pop up from looking through your old work.
If you already know it happens more often than it should, I suggest looking up good art prompts to work from.
And Pinterest is a great place to look.
Doing prompts will give you SOMETHING to create. Even if you dislike the idea or prompt you choose. Maybe you’ll find some inspiration from something in it.
Plus you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment because you got something done.
Another thing to try if artists block frequents your mind, is to record when it happens.
Try writing on the days you feel… bleh.
Record the date, your mood, what happened in your day, etc. Almost like a diary.
The point is to get to the root of the problem.
You need to self-reflect on everything that can impact your headspace and creativity. Especially if your art is a source of income.
You can’t let nonsense get in the way of you and making these coins!
Learn when to rest, not quit.
Spending time away mentally can be just what you need to get out of a rut.
Self-care is SO important. Because if you don’t take time to care for yourself, you can’t care for your art.
Do whatever you need to do to get your mental state back on track.
Get some more sleep if you need it. Or get out of bed if you’ve been in it too long.
Go visit some loved ones if you need someone to talk to. Or spend some time by yourself if you need to recharge.
But remember, you come first.
Sometimes hearing other people’s point-of-view on your art is needed.
The answers you get might surprise you.
Constructive criticism can be a good thing. And yes, it can be hard not taking the opinions of others to heart.
But it’s a muscle we all have to strengthen as artists.
Because past the bias and judgement, there’s sometimes very helpful information behind what others say about your work.
Try creating your project in a different medium or color palette.
Maybe use a different concept. Or approach.
Even writing down the different options and how you’re going to create a piece can be helpful.
Because then it’s all listed out in front of you. Instead of it all being half thoughts stuck inside your head.
Literally turn the canvas over so you don’t see it everyday.
If you’re stuck on it, move on to a new piece.
The goal is to completely forget about it.
And this is a helpful exercise authors do when in the process of writing a book. At some point they stop writing. And sometimes take like a 6 month vacation from their work.
Even if they want to keep writing.
This ensures all the living and new experiences they’ve had away from writing, gives them a new perspective on how to continue.
And yup, this may seem like a lot to do when artist block occurs.
But only try one or two of the things I've listed until inspiration hits.
And no matter what, keep reminding yourself to stay positive. It is so necessary. Feeling stuck sometimes is natural.
And it’s a process you just have to get through as an artist. Because the last thing we need is for you to think your work sucks.
The world needs your art!
It can inspire people to start their own art journey. Or save someone else's life!
So please keep going. Keep creating.
And be patient with yourself no matter the goal you have.
]]>I’m an Artist, Photographer and Graphic Designer.
And it’s 2021 !!!
This is my Art Store. Featuring all of my new art collections.
And it means a lot to me because it’s my first time having all of my work grouped together in one spot.
I’m surprised at what I’m able to create.
Because before 2020, yes, I'd create really good pieces. But I wasn't consistent.
Usually, the amount of time I’d allow to pass between creating pieces would be several weeks. And sometimes even 3 months.
Yup, I was pretty inconsistent.
But, that’s in the past now.
I can’t afford to treat my talent as a hobby anymore. It was given to me for a reason.
Not wanting to do certain tasks because I don’t feel like it isn’t a valid excuse anymore.
And trying to do everything at the same time results in little to no progress longterm.
My business partner uses this analogy all the time:
Rihanna wouldn’t have so many platforms like her beauty, lingerie, and skin care businesses if she didn’t focus. Focus on one thing at the beginning.
And that one thing for her, the one thing she was really good at before all her new brands was - Music!
So in regards to my “one thing”, that would be Art.
It’s a gift I was born with. Creating comes natural to me. And it requires very little effort.
I love painting and drawing. And it'll be the key to me reaching my goal(s).
I yearn for Creative Freedom.
And Financial Freedom.
Because when there’s no worry of money, there’s no pressure when it comes to making art.
I mean yeah people buy art from artists because of their style and how talented they are.
But at the end of the day it’s still a business.
Artists have to eat. We still NEED to make sales. Which means we don't always create the Art we want to make.
Instead we tend to make the Art people want.
I can believe my work is the best art in the world. But if my audience doesn’t like it, there are no sales.
I want freedom.
To make art without caring if it’s going to sell or not.
I don’t know if other Artists deal with this same feeling - pressure. And I guarantee this won't be the case with me forever.
But I still love the process. At least for now. I enjoy seeing the reaction on people’s faces when they understand my art.
I love how I still surprise myself with my work. Even if they’re commission pieces and not something I myself came up with!
But I enjoy it. And I’ll continue to have faith in my journey as an artist. And Trust The Process.
Because financial freedom through creativity is the goal.
And if you’re an artist, I hope this is your goal too.
So welcome, and see you at the top!
]]>And if I were speaking to myself as a young artist I'd tell myself "you don’t need the support of your friends and family."
I'd tell her you've found your calling.
This is what you’re meant to do. Create.
But this phase is one of the hardest parts of becoming an artist.
You’re just starting out and you’re excited to explore what more you can do.
But don't allow that excitement to be trumped by the insecurities you’ve developed.
What you have is special. Try your best to keep it to yourself.
The more access you give people, the more manipulated and corrupted your thoughts get towards your work.
This is your gift from God. But it's a sprout. And it's fragile.
It will take time to grow.
Give it lots of love, attention, sunshine and water.
Because being around the wrong environment can be damaging to its growth.
So keep your ideas and dreams to yourself as best you can.
Not forever. But at least for now.
I know you’re a bit of a people-pleaser. But I promise you don’t need anyone’s approval.
And take no one’s opinion to heart. Even when you don’t ask for it.
Instead, practice. And practice as much as you can.
Fall in love with the process.
Your family will have toxic responses and criticism because you’re going against the grain.
You're not doing what THEY want.
They haven’t seen a successful artist before. So it’ll be hard for them to picture that as your reality.
But do you.
You've got one life.
Live it and focus on your hobbies, art, and what you want.
Don’t internalize their discouraging comments.
Keep working. And keep doing you.
YouTube will be your best friend when it comes to learning new techniques.
What they teach you in school you can learn online plus more.
Take your craft seriously and practice everyday.
Not because you need a masterpiece everyday. But because you need to make it a habit.
It’ll teach you self-discipline and you’ll make consistent progress.
Eventually your friends and family will see the beauty of your art and recognize it’s your future career.
And with that comes requests for free drawings. But don’t do it.
Teach yourself how to properly charge for your work and commissions.
Don't be sorry for your prices! And don’t think about their pockets before yours.
What you make is worth every penny.
Just because they’re your friends and family doesn't mean they're entitled to discounted or free work.
If they truly want to support you they'll pay your prices.
And when you go to college choose Graphic Design as a major.
Tell Mom and Dad how much you can make when you graduate.
They'll come and go. But your work will always be there.
It will last forever.
And so, with all that being said I know you’ll have a successful career in no time.
But in all honesty if I didn’t make the mistakes I did in the past, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Or where I am.
Those trials and tribulations were there to make me grow up.
My failures taught me many different lessons.
I wouldn’t have the support system and knowledge I now have if it weren’t for those painful days.
Every moment in my life happened for a reason. So that I could be prepared for the future and God’s divine plan.
P.S. I still don’t like school even if I were to go for something art related.
]]>
Here are six drawing tips I wish someone told me when I first started:
Draw as much as you can so it becomes instinctive.
Your imagination is a muscle. And drawing everyday is your workout routine.
When I’m having a hard time finding inspiration or motivation to start drawing, I try a quick 5 minute drawing.
Most of the time the intent is to draw for only 5 minutes. But I usually end up sketching for longer periods of time.
This is beneficial before starting a new piece of artwork. And it gets me into a flow state.
After doing a 5-10 minute drawing, I feel more encouraged to work on a bigger piece.
I struggle with this one because I don’t like it when my proportions are off from my reference.
Especially when drawing a portrait.
But drawing something you don’t like is still a good thing.
You train your drawing muscle. And now you know what you do and don’t like about a certain technique you've now used.
This also gets us out of our comfort zone. Because the only way to grow as an artist is to do and try new things.
Set aside some time to do something that isn’t rushed and demanded by someone else.
Being a full-time creative or an art student can slowly take the fiery passion out of our work.
At least for me sometimes.
But only when I don’t take time to work on a personal project.
Something I’m excited to create.
Which is why everyone should do this whether you’re going to art school or taking commission work.
I really love this advice.
At one point, we or someone else compares ourselves to the artists we look up to.
But it’s so NOT healthy!
Compete with yourself. Not others. So only compare your current work to your past work.
That's the best form of critique when it comes to ones artwork.
And you’ll clearly see the growth and progress you’ve made over time.
You might even get some new inspiration from a certain technique or style you use to do. But not as often anymore.
Not even the successful artists that are well known.
They all started from zero and will continue to progress with their work.
There’s no cap to our growth as artists.
So don’t compare your story or Chapter 9 to someone else's Chapter 30.
]]>Criticism is one of those things that can either make or break you as an artist or creative.
And I recently found out getting butt-hurt about someone’s comment or criticism is more of an ego issue. Rather than a confidence issue.
We tend to love our work just the way it is...
And we love it so much when someone else thinks differently we get upset.
All of a sudden we become defensive. And their opinion or constructive criticism sounds ridiculous.
We feel entitled to the love and support we get. Whenever someone dislikes or comments on our work, in our minds they’re morons.
They don’t understand us.
But in reality, reacting this way is immature. And it’s unprofessional.
We need to reframe how we receive what they’re saying and either ignore or learn from what they’re saying.
Unless of course there’s no truth or substance behind what they’re saying.
So, with that being said, here’s some lessons I’ve learned over the years all about criticism.
Compliments and support are nice. But they’re NOT important.
Placing importance on people’s positivity can be dangerous.
It can make you arrogant.
When you don’t receive positive feedback, you’ll start second guessing yourself and your work.
Thus affecting your workflow and confidence.
The only thing that matters is what you think of your work and art.
Don’t attach anything to it.
That way you’ll be able to freely create without caring what others think.
And at the same time it’s important to remember...
You are not your work.
Attaching your identity to projects and different pieces can be detrimental to your craft.
Because when others try to steal or mimic your work, you need to be able to move on quickly.
After calling them out of course!
This personally happened to me in the past. And I held a grudge about it for monthsss!
Mind you, the person who copy and pasted my work that took years was living life guilt free.
But sometimes you have to forgive.
Even if you never get an apology.
Learn how to not dwell on hurtful comments, criticism, and plagiarism.
It’s a struggle every artist eventually encounters. Because we express who we are and how we feel in our work.
But eventually we need to realize the only opinion that matters is our own.
Otherwise it’ll hold us back. And make you second guess yourself before creating.
My business partner told me this.
I was thinking, “how could you not be afraid of someone stealing our work the bigger we get?”
But that’s where I was wrong. Being afraid.
Having fear of what others might do when I create masterpieces is so counterproductive.
Again, it’s only holding me back from striving to do my best work.
My business partner believed I should be creating from a position of abundance.
Create and publish so much artwork that when someone else steals a painting, it really won’t affect me or my business.
Similar to these big businesses that come out with something trendy, there will always be a knockoff version of their products.
But that doesn’t stop them from creating and making sales. Or coming out with the next best thing.
So we as artists should do the same with our work.
Create without the fear of failing.
This is also why consistency is important. Not every single painting I make is going to be a masterpiece. My best work is ahead of me.
It’s the next thing I create.
We shouldn’t dive into our work with the mindset of “this has to be perfect.”
Doing so slows the progress of your work and skills.
Create everyday. And create without expectations.
Having a mindset like this will allow you to consistently push out artwork. Work that’s better than your last piece on a regular.
In life, we are constantly learning.
Even the greatest artists continue to learn.
They wake up everyday and figure out how they can be better than who they were yesterday.
And there is no cap to learning.
As creatives, we just keep getting better at building our skills and redefining our styles.
So please don’t get discouraged if you haven’t mastered a certain technique yet.
If this is what you want to do as a career then take it easy.
Fall in love with the process and stay consistent. Don’t let any trolls and critics get to you.
Having haters is a good thing. You don’t want to and can’t please everyone.
Love, Kyra The Creative.
]]>Why?
I’m not 100% sure. But don’t be selfish. Please share your work.
Yes, you might be going through a phase.
A phase where you refuse to share what you’ve created because:
But as an Artist, it’s absolutely normal to feel these emotions. Especially when starting out.
Which is why I want to discuss the importance of sharing your work.
And, if you’re an artist who keeps your artwork to yourself, this is for YOU. Please keep reading.
P.S. If Art is a hobby for you, that’s cool too.
You are special. You have the ability to create something from nothing.
That skill alone already makes you different.
Whether you paint, draw, sing, sculpt, create music, or dance. You’ve been given a unique ability for a reason.
It's a gift.
You have storytelling abilities no one else has. Your work can motivate and inspire others.
Because when you create and share your work with the world it tells a story. A story someone reading, viewing, or listening to can relate with.
And by sharing you might even be helping them not feel alone.
Your art has the power to give someone else the encouragement they need to pursue their dreams.
Despite the negativity that might be present in their everyday life.
Half the time you’ll never know who you’re inspiring through your work.
But I urge you to keep sharing. Even if you only get 12 likes on Instagram.
One of those followers might be encouraged to share something they made because of you. A masterpiece or hidden gem. All because you decided to share.
And when you share there are others who’ll be inspired to start creating and sharing as well.
Your story is what makes you eccentric. But when you tell it through your craft, it makes you impactful.
And while I don’t want to pressure you into sharing work you're uncomfortable with or not confident in.
Many artists and creatives have made work they’re not 100% confident in.
But don’t you dare be afraid to post a picture of your painting that took 18 hours because your family doesn't support you.
Don’t hold back from sharing a poem or song because it’s not trendy at the moment. I just need you to know your art matters!
And sharing your work can change and save someone else's life.
While simultaneously changing yours.
]]>It's currently December, and a few weeks until Christmas.
And like everyone else, I've been spending a lot more time at home.
Before everything changed I would host monthly networking events. But with everything going on, I haven't been able to.
So hey... why not FINALLY launch my online Art Store. It's something I've been been putting off.
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