Beginner Watercolor or Seasoned Painter

If you've been painting for days or years, you'll feel this. What holds you back? And what will keep you going?

The Comparison Trap

Artists frequently compare their work and progress to others, which can lead to self-doubt and hinder their creative growth. This comparison trap can stifle creativity and prevent artists from developing their unique style.

The Overthinker Vortex

Overthinking can paralyze an artist's creativity. Instead of painting freely and exploring their artistic voice, artists may become bogged down by perfectionism and fear of judgment. This can prevent them from experimenting and discovering new techniques or styles.

The One, Two, Skip-A-Few Pit

Consistency is key in developing artistic skills. Many artists fail to maintain a regular sketchbook practice, which is crucial for honing their craft and uncovering their bold, authentic voice. Regular practice helps in building confidence and improving skillful artistry over time.

Copycat Confusion

Some artists may try to mimic others' styles or follow trends instead of embracing their unique artistic path. This can lead to a lack of authenticity in their work and hinder their personal artistic development.

The Lonely Road

Isolating oneself from a supportive community can limit an artist's growth. Engaging with a community of like-minded individuals provides valuable feedback, encouragement, and inspiration. Sharing work within a supportive environment can boost confidence and foster artistic growth.

A better path.

Having been in the artist world since 2000, I've seen them all. Having a thriving creative practice that fills both internal and external needs has taught me much about dedication. Our greatest battle is focus. (And no, that doesn't exclude my friends with ADHD. I use the term focus in a particular way.) Let me explain.

A Commitment to Consistency

Getting you to paint more often is the greatest hurdle to overcome and my greatest honor to help you achieve. Consistency cures your lack of clarity. Overthinking, fretting over each piece dissipates when you know you'll be back. You'll place less pressure on each stroke, each color choice, each "mistake."

Your skill develops through targeted lessons on brush control, color selection, composition and the rest. Consistency kills your shame. You're hard on yourself for overthinking, for not being the artist you know you could be. You make yourself feel terrible about not making more time to create. Or worse, you figure you don't have the artistic moxy you once thought you had and stop all together. But consistency isn't all you need. Were it that simple, you would have done it by now!

Comparison, Confusion, and Loneliness

We are made for community. Yet we are intrinsically isolated. And increasingly so. How many times must we hear about how healing time out with a friend is or how wonderful a retreat was? We know what we need. We need each other. The artist community has always been a tricky one to wrangle.

I remember the first artist community I formed. It wasn't just for beginner watercolor artists. It was so very difficult to get people there. Everyone had a different preferred medium. It was hard to connect. In-person meetings with local artists can be like that. Each has a very specific way they're going. Our subject matter and our medium often starts that trajectory. Best practices, affinities, favorite artists, and outcomes of our work spring from these roots. And it's difficult to start from the same place.

While I see in-person interaction is being incredibly beneficial, the online space affords us the ability to filter by affinity. Those in tangential art endeavors have something to teach us, but community is easily held among those who hold the same brushes. Comparison turns to admiration, copycat-like desires dissipate as we see unique beauty. Lone rangers come out of their holes when they feel the strum of the question, "you, too?"

If you're looking for community without comparison, if you're done trying to stay the course without a compass, we invite you to Watercolor Bold.