Beautiful rose : ) i recently stopped posting my artwork online, deleted everything, and it's refreshed my creativity, and confidence again. i found social media was draining all the energy out of me.
Before and often after, I feel exactly like you, but when I am "in the flow" of painting I actually doesn't think about it, I am so filled with what I am doing. Love your art, this painting is no exception!
After twenty years of painting, i can safely say that it doesnt change. As long as we desire to improve, we will be up against resistance. If it's getting easier then beware. I've learnt to embrace the challenges and press through regardless, and always feel better for it.
Absolutely I needed to hear this today! This popped up in my feed, but I had t even verbalized my disappointment in my progress and fear that I’d never be ‘good.’ That’s what made me quit painting 40+ years ago-and you reminded me that’s a mistake. Art is wonderful, creating is amazing. It doesn’t have to be ‘good’ to be a success. Thanks!!!!!
There is a lot of wisdom in your words. And yes, I did need to hear this today. I can look back on my work. I know I’ve come a very long way in a very short time. I’ve taken it for granted most of my life and never really thought to pursue it or put much effort into it until recently. The motivation for that was Losing 90% of my eyesight. I love art and creating it, and I thought what a better way to use the last of what I have. I just feel like I wasted so much time not practicing improvement. And to be quite honest, I don’t know if I’ll ever get to the level that I want to be because I cannot see Good enough. But I do find pleasure in the way the paint settles in watercolor, and if I nail the shading and lighting just right in a portrait. Even if my realism has much to be desired. Anyway, thank you and of course your painting is beautiful. That’s what all of us artists think about each other’s art! Lol we’re just very hard on our own.❤️🕊️
Thank you for sharing your journey-it’s truly inspiring. I admire your strength and the love you’ve found in creating art, despite the challenges you face. Keep creating and enjoying the process! :)
Thanks for this perspective and your vulnerability in assessing your feelings. This is exactly what keeps me from finishing a painting! Much appreciated!!
Sometimes I experience moments in where I do not feel all that satisfied with my art... But deep inside I know that these are just moments, and over time they eventually dissipate. I mean, usually it is just my mental state, and not really my actual artistic abilities.
I agree. Preconceived expectations can cause me to not like the painting I’m working on. I have to remind myself that I’m a beginner, it’s okay, the next one will be closer to my expectations.
Hi Christina, this is a good topic that I think is relevant to all artists. One of my art teachers told me that all artists want to be 5 years ahead of where they are in their skills. The simple truth is that being a good painter requires solid foundational knowledge and many many years of practice. It's natural to feel unworthy at all skill levels and we all suffer from the "inner critic" that paralyzes us at times. I think social media can have a huge negative impact with this if we are not careful. Constantly bombarded with the work of accomplished artists can be harmful if not kept in perspective. I just recently joined Instagram and am already thinking of leaving for this reason (not to mention the recent fact checking announcement, and AI accounts). Keep doing what you're doing and and keep painting!
Years ago I remember feeling like you do.I was struggling to get what I thought I wanted. Then I ran into a wonderful artist who told me that I needed to more or less forget the critical obsessing and concentrate on the good points of the painting. pay attention to the good points, remember them and they will grow and grow. Do not try to obcess over the bad points. Fill you mind with the good things in your painting.
Well said! Love the analogy. It is so reassuring to know that many artists feel like this. Just keep turning up and try to enjoy the process rather than obsess about outcome. Thank you again Christina for a fab video, keep up the great work! I love the comment below "as long as we desire to improve, we will be up against resistance."
Good advice. Artists tend to very insecure. So it is good to remember that it is a journey of learning and exploring... A very, very talented painter, whom I had a chance to paint alongside gave me words of wisdom... As I was feeling very intimidated painting next to him... Just remember that even though he had been painting for over 50 years he still had paintings that simply did not turn out right and he had to start over... So yup even the masters of the art get stuck too... 😊
Thank you for sharing this! It’s great to get that perspective from an artist with such a long career. It sounds like the inner critic never goes away, but we can learn to work with it :)
Beautiful flower 😻. I don’t think as Artist we give enough credit to ourselves on how much we grow as a person as well as our skills. As We continue morphing we need to be more kind to ourselves and our energy ✨
Thank you *so* much for this, and the painting turned out stunning!! I’m an animation & film major just jumping into my early 20s and a new college adventure, and this was really comforting to hear - I’d been really optimistic about my art journey for a while, but really lost momentum after coming to terms with how much I had to learn to *really* get proficient at both mediums recently, and that pushed me down. It’s a lot, especially when you want to stand out in an industry that only picks a lucky few and requires you to work your heart and soul away for a taste of success (and decent wage) (something all of us artists are dealing with), so the pressure built up and I found myself losing that pure, childlike passion, love and energy I had for what I did. LOVED your analogy of the flower, and the perspective you offered of seeing yourself more from the outside and having compassion though. It may take another 20 years to get to where I want to be, but it takes just as long for something truly stunning to fully mature and develop. The potential is there, it just needs kind, patient nurturing - easier said than done, but *absolutely* worth doing.
Hi Christina! Music is my art form but I found myself resonating with this. I've been working on my album and lately every time I try to write I feel that resistance. Sharing your own experience has helped me reflect on where my own resistance might be coming from. Thanks for sharing!
Boy can I ever relate. And I haven’t been able to articulate the possible damage it is doing to my practice- so thank you for taking this issue to task. My own practice has had long breaks as I was raising my kids, now I am working at it daily I am a bit worried to discover it doesn’t come as easily as it used to. I used to acquire skills more quickly and my paintings were genuine, bold, less laboured. They had plenty of room to grow but all improvements came more easily then. What happened? As I have matured somehow I feel something may have been lost. I try not to worry about it but it’s back there in my mind still. My father was a truly great artist and stopped painting in the 2008 recession. Once in a while, he would pick up the paintbrush and make an attempt again, and he said he felt completely stupid, like he didn’t even remember how to paint and he didn’t know who that guy was. It was like he was a totally different person. So on top of being a relative beginner and just learning, I also worry about this phenomenon and I also don’t really have a way of describing it. I wonder what has occurred in my father and me? These sorts of psychological frictions certainly wear a person down. And I really appreciate you working to find a way through it.
Thank you for sharing your story and your dad’s experience. I know many artists stop creating for periods of time, and I think we can all resonate with the feelings you mention.
I needed to hear this today as I’m halfway through a painting that is not meeting my expectations. As a result I’ve been putting off getting back to it for several days. I may end up tossing it out in the end but perhaps one more attempt is in order. Thanks for all of your thoughts and videos, they are always helpful to me!
Christina, this is such a perfect description of what I go through in my head, too. You’re right, those serendipitous moments happen when we let go of the tension and enter the flow, so to speak. (I hate that term, flow, but you know what I mean 😁) Do you paint wet on wet with oils, or is that acrylic?
Hi, Christina. Igor is here. I like your philosophical approach to your craft. I would just add to it, that creativity could, certainly, be very spontaneous, as you have, very rightly, alluded to, nevertheless, I believe creativity, still, comes through the learning process, which, in turn, must be systematic, otherwise it may take for ever. So, I agree, being loose when working on spec is truly beneficial, because your livelihood is on the line. However, one must find right time for the study work, in which being critical to themselves, is the only key to a successful learning process.
Have you read "The War of Art," by Steven Pressfield? There is an audio version on TH-cam. I listen to it a couple times a year. The author addresses the resistance and self-sabotage that we creatives face. It's a good kick in the rear and a strong motivator to keep working despite what our inner critic is saying.
I think that a big part of dissatisfaction by fine artists, primarily painters, is the belief in the One and Done Masterpiece myth. That every painting should be good or a masterpiece. And that has never been true for artists. Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa 4 times before he painted the version we all know. Van Gogh painted the same sunflower arrangements over and over. We can't judge any effort by a first try at painting a subject. If you painted that same yellow rose, 3-4 more times over the next week, you will see a change from the first to the last. But only fine artists - painters think they should nail it the first time. Think about the bands you have seen in concert, how many times do you think they rewrote verses of your favorite song, and how many times they tinkered with the arrangement and practiced it before they ever recorded the version you love. Which ever teams play in the Super Bowl this year is going to hold practices in the weeks before the game. These didn't forget how to play since their last game. So if you think you are struggling with a painting, paint the same painting again, and again, and again, until you come up with a version you are satisfied with.
@@christinakentart I only think of it this way because I play music, and I have NEVER played anything the way I wanted the first half dozen times I tried.
I know Bob Ross’ paintings are a bit cheesy, but he’s a good example of this principle. When you see him effortlessly whisk through a landscape in 30 minutes, what you’re seeing is the third time he has done that same painting. Twice to work all the bugs out, and once for the actual shoot
We’ve all seen shit art sell for insane prices. It is not the art that is not good enough, it’s the story. Jeff Koons doesn’t make art. He makes stories about art. The art is good. I feel as if I’m debasing myself to come up with the stories. Art is like a joke - if you have to explain it , it didn’t work
J ai regardé votre site : ce que vous faite n a aucun sens, ce que vous racontez pas plus! Vous n avez aucune connaissance en dessin ( technique et connaissance en perspective…)… ahurissant!!!
Thank you, you're right, above all we have to be ourselves, follow our instincts 🌹😊🎨
Beautiful rose : )
i recently stopped posting my artwork online, deleted everything, and it's refreshed my creativity, and confidence again. i found social media was draining all the energy out of me.
Thank you! I’m glad to hear you were able to find a way ti refresh your creativity, happy painting!
Before and often after, I feel exactly like you, but when I am "in the flow" of painting I actually doesn't think about it, I am so filled with what I am doing. Love your art, this painting is no exception!
Thanks for sharing, and it is great that you can get into the flow when you are painting!
After twenty years of painting, i can safely say that it doesnt change. As long as we desire to improve, we will be up against resistance. If it's getting easier then beware. I've learnt to embrace the challenges and press through regardless, and always feel better for it.
Thank you for sharing your perspective! I agree, the feelings don't go away, but we can learn to work with them :)
Thank you.
I needed to hear this today 🙏🙏🙏 Beautiful work ❤❤❤
Thank you! Glad it resonated ❤️
Absolutely I needed to hear this today! This popped up in my feed, but I had t even verbalized my disappointment in my progress and fear that I’d never be ‘good.’ That’s what made me quit painting 40+ years ago-and you reminded me that’s a mistake. Art is wonderful, creating is amazing. It doesn’t have to be ‘good’ to be a success. Thanks!!!!!
Thank you for sharing your experience! You are not alone. I hope you can get back to painting soon!
There is a lot of wisdom in your words. And yes, I did need to hear this today. I can look back on my work. I know I’ve come a very long way in a very short time. I’ve taken it for granted most of my life and never really thought to pursue it or put much effort into it until recently. The motivation for that was Losing 90% of my eyesight. I love art and creating it, and I thought what a better way to use the last of what I have. I just feel like I wasted so much time not practicing improvement. And to be quite honest, I don’t know if I’ll ever get to the level that I want to be because I cannot see Good enough. But I do find pleasure in the way the paint settles in watercolor, and if I nail the shading and lighting just right in a portrait. Even if my realism has much to be desired. Anyway, thank you and of course your painting is beautiful. That’s what all of us artists think about each other’s art! Lol we’re just very hard on our own.❤️🕊️
Thank you for sharing your journey-it’s truly inspiring. I admire your strength and the love you’ve found in creating art, despite the challenges you face. Keep creating and enjoying the process! :)
Thanks for this perspective and your vulnerability in assessing your feelings. This is exactly what keeps me from finishing a painting! Much appreciated!!
I totally get it, it’s a common feeling! Happy painting :)
Sometimes I experience moments in where I do not feel all that satisfied with my art... But deep inside I know that these are just moments, and over time they eventually dissipate.
I mean, usually it is just my mental state, and not really my actual artistic abilities.
I agree. Preconceived expectations can cause me to not like the painting I’m working on. I have to remind myself that I’m a beginner, it’s okay, the next one will be closer to my expectations.
So true! It's all part of the process.
Hi Christina, this is a good topic that I think is relevant to all artists. One of my art teachers told me that all artists want to be 5 years ahead of where they are in their skills. The simple truth is that being a good painter requires solid foundational knowledge and many many years of practice. It's natural to feel unworthy at all skill levels and we all suffer from the "inner critic" that paralyzes us at times. I think social media can have a huge negative impact with this if we are not careful. Constantly bombarded with the work of accomplished artists can be harmful if not kept in perspective. I just recently joined Instagram and am already thinking of leaving for this reason (not to mention the recent fact checking announcement, and AI accounts). Keep doing what you're doing and and keep painting!
That’s great advice, I’m always trying to keep those things in perspective, thanks for sharing!
Years ago I remember feeling like you do.I was struggling to get what I thought I wanted. Then I ran into a wonderful artist who told me that I needed to more or less forget the critical obsessing and concentrate on the good points of the painting. pay attention to the good points, remember them and they will grow and grow. Do not try to obcess over the bad points. Fill you mind with the good things in your painting.
I absolutely relate to this! Thank you 🙏
Well said! Love the analogy. It is so reassuring to know that many artists feel like this. Just keep turning up and try to enjoy the process rather than obsess about outcome. Thank you again Christina for a fab video, keep up the great work! I love the comment below "as long as we desire to improve, we will be up against resistance."
Absolutely!! Thank you, and happy painting :)
Good advice. Artists tend to very insecure. So it is good to remember that it is a journey of learning and exploring... A very, very talented painter, whom I had a chance to paint alongside gave me words of wisdom... As I was feeling very intimidated painting next to him... Just remember that even though he had been painting for over 50 years he still had paintings that simply did not turn out right and he had to start over... So yup even the masters of the art get stuck too... 😊
Thank you for sharing this! It’s great to get that perspective from an artist with such a long career. It sounds like the inner critic never goes away, but we can learn to work with it :)
Beautiful flower 😻. I don’t think as Artist we give enough credit to ourselves on how much we grow as a person as well as our skills. As We continue morphing we need to be more kind to ourselves and our energy ✨
That is a wonderful perspective, thank you for sharing!
I have been stuck and I didn't know why. You have no idea how your words helped me. Thank you!! 💖
So glad it was helpful! Happy painting :)
Thank you *so* much for this, and the painting turned out stunning!! I’m an animation & film major just jumping into my early 20s and a new college adventure, and this was really comforting to hear - I’d been really optimistic about my art journey for a while, but really lost momentum after coming to terms with how much I had to learn to *really* get proficient at both mediums recently, and that pushed me down. It’s a lot, especially when you want to stand out in an industry that only picks a lucky few and requires you to work your heart and soul away for a taste of success (and decent wage) (something all of us artists are dealing with), so the pressure built up and I found myself losing that pure, childlike passion, love and energy I had for what I did. LOVED your analogy of the flower, and the perspective you offered of seeing yourself more from the outside and having compassion though. It may take another 20 years to get to where I want to be, but it takes just as long for something truly stunning to fully mature and develop. The potential is there, it just needs kind, patient nurturing - easier said than done, but *absolutely* worth doing.
OMG, that's exactly my problem. Self-judgement and expectations can be a nasty load to contend with.
I feel you 💔
I love your technique, your art is yours and it is beautiful.
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this, i thought i was the only one feeling this way!
You are not alone ❤️
Thank you Christina, I am so happy with your encouragement.
I’m glad to hear it! Happy painting :)
Thank you for the video ❤
Thanks for the encouragement and the beautiful painting!
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!
Hi Christina! Music is my art form but I found myself resonating with this. I've been working on my album and lately every time I try to write I feel that resistance. Sharing your own experience has helped me reflect on where my own resistance might be coming from. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing, and I'm glad to hear it resonated with you. Good luck with your album!
Thank you Christina, what wise words which resonated with me today.
I'm glad they resonated! Happy painting :)
It seems your videos come along at just the right time for me. Thank you! and much success to you this year.@@christinakentart
Good advice and lovely flower. ❤
Thank you!
Boy can I ever relate. And I haven’t been able to articulate the possible damage it is doing to my practice- so thank you for taking this issue to task. My own practice has had long breaks as I was raising my kids, now I am working at it daily I am a bit worried to discover it doesn’t come as easily as it used to. I used to acquire skills more quickly and my paintings were genuine, bold, less laboured. They had plenty of room to grow but all improvements came more easily then. What happened? As I have matured somehow I feel something may have been lost. I try not to worry about it but it’s back there in my mind still. My father was a truly great artist and stopped painting in the 2008 recession. Once in a while, he would pick up the paintbrush and make an attempt again, and he said he felt completely stupid, like he didn’t even remember how to paint and he didn’t know who that guy was. It was like he was a totally different person. So on top of being a relative beginner and just learning, I also worry about this phenomenon and I also don’t really have a way of describing it. I wonder what has occurred in my father and me? These sorts of psychological frictions certainly wear a person down. And I really appreciate you working to find a way through it.
Thank you for sharing your story and your dad’s experience. I know many artists stop creating for periods of time, and I think we can all resonate with the feelings you mention.
Joan Miro stopped painting for about ten years, then took up the brush again. It happens.
I needed to hear this today as I’m halfway through a painting that is not meeting my expectations. As a result I’ve been putting off getting back to it for several days. I may end up tossing it out in the end but perhaps one more attempt is in order. Thanks for all of your thoughts and videos, they are always helpful to me!
That's a great idea, sometimes we need that time to step away and come back to it with a fresh perspective. Good luck!
Wow, thank you so much. I needed to hear that.
I’m glad it resonated with you! Happy painting :)
Beautiful Christina ❤
Thank you!
Very encouraging - thank you!
I’m glad you found it encouraging! Happy painting :)
Thank you so much!!!☺😊😊
Christina, this is such a perfect description of what I go through in my head, too. You’re right, those serendipitous moments happen when we let go of the tension and enter the flow, so to speak. (I hate that term, flow, but you know what I mean 😁) Do you paint wet on wet with oils, or is that acrylic?
I'm glad it resonated with you! And this one is wet on wet oils :)
Hi, Christina. Igor is here. I like your philosophical approach to your craft. I would just add to it, that creativity could, certainly, be very spontaneous, as you have, very rightly, alluded to, nevertheless, I believe creativity, still, comes through the learning process, which, in turn, must be systematic, otherwise it may take for ever. So, I agree, being loose when working on spec is truly beneficial, because your livelihood is on the line. However, one must find right time for the study work, in which being critical to themselves, is the only key to a successful learning process.
So true! There’s a balance between allowing yourself to be free and the hard work of learning.
Wise advice.
Wise words!
Beautiful!
Thank you!
I love your art!
Thank you!
Have you read "The War of Art," by Steven Pressfield? There is an audio version on TH-cam. I listen to it a couple times a year. The author addresses the resistance and self-sabotage that we creatives face. It's a good kick in the rear and a strong motivator to keep working despite what our inner critic is saying.
Yes, I read it a few years ago, that book is a gem! Definitely worth re-reading to refresh my memory :)
Nice 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you!
Molto bello.
Grazie!
My art ISN'T good enough. LOL i am 2 years into painting, hard work, and I think my eye has developed faster than the skills.
It's a common thing to feel that way, I feel like my eyes are always ahead of my skills even after many years of painting!
👍
I think that a big part of dissatisfaction by fine artists, primarily painters, is the belief in the One and Done Masterpiece myth. That every painting should be good or a masterpiece. And that has never been true for artists. Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa 4 times before he painted the version we all know. Van Gogh painted the same sunflower arrangements over and over. We can't judge any effort by a first try at painting a subject.
If you painted that same yellow rose, 3-4 more times over the next week, you will see a change from the first to the last. But only fine artists - painters think they should nail it the first time.
Think about the bands you have seen in concert, how many times do you think they rewrote verses of your favorite song, and how many times they tinkered with the arrangement and practiced it before they ever recorded the version you love. Which ever teams play in the Super Bowl this year is going to hold practices in the weeks before the game. These didn't forget how to play since their last game.
So if you think you are struggling with a painting, paint the same painting again, and again, and again, until you come up with a version you are satisfied with.
This is a great point, thanks for sharing, Doug! Practice and iterating on a theme is a great idea, we don’t have to get it right the first time.
@@christinakentart I only think of it this way because I play music, and I have NEVER played anything the way I wanted the first half dozen times I tried.
I know Bob Ross’ paintings are a bit cheesy, but he’s a good example of this principle. When you see him effortlessly whisk through a landscape in 30 minutes, what you’re seeing is the third time he has done that same painting. Twice to work all the bugs out, and once for the actual shoot
@@charleholst3881 good point.
nice ❤new subscriber
Thank you, welcome to my channel! :)
We’ve all seen shit art sell for insane prices.
It is not the art that is not good enough, it’s the story.
Jeff Koons doesn’t make art. He makes stories about art.
The art is good.
I feel as if I’m debasing myself to come up with the stories.
Art is like a joke - if you have to explain it , it didn’t work
J ai regardé votre site : ce que vous faite n a aucun sens, ce que vous racontez pas plus! Vous n avez aucune connaissance en dessin ( technique et connaissance en perspective…)… ahurissant!!!
No, you're not good enough at all. And if you believe that, I got a bridge to sell you 😉 That's a gorgeous rose.
Ha! Thank you :)