If you're looking at the title you're probably thinking to yourself "How is that even a thing?!"
Well it is.
I fell head over heels in love with Sennelier oil pastels last winter. So much so that I made a very large investment in buying the entire set of pastels. It came in this big, beautiful wooden box that held all 120 colors. It came and I would stare at the colors, and I would watch these videos of people making beautiful works of art with them.
I poked around with them a bit, but eventually they wound up sitting in their pretty box on a shelf. And that is where they have been since I bought them. Sitting on my shelf, collecting dust.
Why you ask? Fear. Fear that my art wouldn't hold up to what I had seen created with them, fear that I wouldn't be able to handle the learning curve of oil pastels, fear that I wasn't good enough.
What it boils down to is fear of myself and fear of failure more so then the art supply itself.
Basically what I’m getting at is that sometimes it is the supply and all the "rules" that can come with it, but most of the time its fear of ourselves and failure. So what fear is it then? Fear that you aren't creative? Fear of not being up to par? Fear that your art isn't "pretty"?
So what are some ways we can get around that? Here are the things that help me out a bit when I'm struggling:
1. Remind myself that I make art for me. No one else, just me. If other people like it, great! If not, oh well. Not everyone likes the same things and that's OK. Also, not all art has to be pretty.
2. "Do not compare your beginning to someone else's middle" or something like that. Basically DO NOT COMPARE. You might not think you are good at being creative because you are comparing your work to someone who has been doing it way longer than you. Its true what they say, comparison is the thief of joy.
3. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. You will never improve if you don't practice! Sometimes that can be scary in of itself but just remember that sometimes you have to create of a lot of ugly pieces before you get that hang of whatever you are learning. This also plays back into number 1, you make art for yourself.
Well it is.
I fell head over heels in love with Sennelier oil pastels last winter. So much so that I made a very large investment in buying the entire set of pastels. It came in this big, beautiful wooden box that held all 120 colors. It came and I would stare at the colors, and I would watch these videos of people making beautiful works of art with them.
Why you ask? Fear. Fear that my art wouldn't hold up to what I had seen created with them, fear that I wouldn't be able to handle the learning curve of oil pastels, fear that I wasn't good enough.
What it boils down to is fear of myself and fear of failure more so then the art supply itself.
Basically what I’m getting at is that sometimes it is the supply and all the "rules" that can come with it, but most of the time its fear of ourselves and failure. So what fear is it then? Fear that you aren't creative? Fear of not being up to par? Fear that your art isn't "pretty"?
So what are some ways we can get around that? Here are the things that help me out a bit when I'm struggling:
1. Remind myself that I make art for me. No one else, just me. If other people like it, great! If not, oh well. Not everyone likes the same things and that's OK. Also, not all art has to be pretty.
2. "Do not compare your beginning to someone else's middle" or something like that. Basically DO NOT COMPARE. You might not think you are good at being creative because you are comparing your work to someone who has been doing it way longer than you. Its true what they say, comparison is the thief of joy.
3. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. You will never improve if you don't practice! Sometimes that can be scary in of itself but just remember that sometimes you have to create of a lot of ugly pieces before you get that hang of whatever you are learning. This also plays back into number 1, you make art for yourself.
4. Break all the rules. Pablo Picasso said to “Know the rules so you can break them like an artist”. Certain supplies do have rules if you want to use them in the traditional sense. But those rules can be broken. I once spoke to someone who was afraid of using watercolor because of the rule regarding highlights and white space. I told them that’s what a white paint pen was for. Don’t be afraid of your supplies because of the “rules” that are applied to them!
5. This is the most important piece of advice I can give. Ready???............JUST PLAY!!
Don't know you're supply that well? Play. Want to see if it works with your other supplies? Play.
Limited time? Play. Feeling down? Play. Sometimes just taking five minutes to play a bit is enough to be good for us.
So what did I do? I pulled those gorgeous oil supplies off the shelf, dusted off the case, and played.
And you know what? I had a GREAT time. Sure, there is defiantly a learning curve. Sure, I had doubts it wouldn’t turn out like I saw it in my head. But you know what? I had fun anyway. And I really liked the way it turned out.
So dust off those art supplies and sketchbooks, or what ever thing makes you happy. Go have some fun!!
-Altina
P.S. Think you aren't creative or have questions about how to use some of those supplies collecting dust on your shelf? Drop me a message. I'm always happy to help.
Limited time? Play. Feeling down? Play. Sometimes just taking five minutes to play a bit is enough to be good for us.
So what did I do? I pulled those gorgeous oil supplies off the shelf, dusted off the case, and played.
And you know what? I had a GREAT time. Sure, there is defiantly a learning curve. Sure, I had doubts it wouldn’t turn out like I saw it in my head. But you know what? I had fun anyway. And I really liked the way it turned out.
So dust off those art supplies and sketchbooks, or what ever thing makes you happy. Go have some fun!!
-Altina
P.S. Think you aren't creative or have questions about how to use some of those supplies collecting dust on your shelf? Drop me a message. I'm always happy to help.
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