5 Toxic Habits That Are Bad for Your Art
Today’s post is all about habits that have hurt my art in one way or another. They are habits I see other artists struggling with too, so don’t feel bad if one or all of these resonate with you. The point of this post is to identify the behavior so you can learn from it and move on to making your best work.
1. Scrapping Unfinished Work
I used to think this habit was healthy. Now I’ve changed my stance. As an older and wiser artist, I see how toxic it is.
It’s okay to have drawn a sketch a little wonky, and start over at the beginning. However, if you’ve invested a significant amount of time in a piece, you owe it to yourself to see it through. Finishing work teaches resilience and problem solving as an artist. By committing to finishing all of my paintings, I’ve learned how to dig my way out of most creative blocks. It’s given me a lot of confidence in my work. It’s also taught me that not all work needs to be perfect. Done is always better than great. And usually, an art piece is not as lost as we think. When we feel lost, we just can’t see a clear ending. The best way to find the end is to keep taking little steps forward. I’ve had so many pieces feel hopeless in the middle, only to end up being some of my favorites in the end.
If you’re guilty of this habit, the quickest way to rid yourself of it is to plan out your pieces beforehand. Always sketch your work first and decide on basic colors. Make sure you have inspirational images handy. If you have a roadmap in place before you start, you’re less likely to feel lost along the way. If you can’t resist the urge to throw away unfinished work, try setting a timer for 20-50 minutes and promise yourself you’ll wrap up the piece within that time frame. Remember, no one ever has to see work you don’t like. In fact, it’s healthy to keep some work to yourself.
2. Removing Old Work Online
I’ve been guilty of this in the past, but I never took it too far. Sadly, I’ve seen other artists completely scratch their websites and social media feeds because they’re trying out a new style or medium. This makes me so upset! It’s important to show our progression as artists, because it’s all part of the journey. Transparency is everything. Sure, your old work doesn’t need to be first on your website, but it should be findable. I love seeing how other artists have evolved, especially at the beginning of my journey, when art felt impossible. I was inspired by old work versus new work, and how quickly artists were able to get better.
Not only does leaving old work up set a good example for other artists, but it also helps you gain traction. Think about it - your old work has been online for a much longer than your new work. It’s been pinned on Pinterest, liked on social, and has risen through the rankings. Every time you remove old work online, it’s like starting over. Literally. As much as I hate to admit it, some of my oldest paintings are still my bestsellers. I’m not going to remove them just because they aren’t my favorites any more. The more work you have online, the better.
“But what about showing a cohesive style?” you might ask. The truth is, you’ll never fully arrive when it comes to style. I can list dozens of famous artists who tried something new late in the game. At the Met, I saw an exhibit of Degas sculptures. Who knew he made sculptures? And who cares? They were beautiful, and that’s all that matters. You’ll always be evolving your work. That’s just the nature of art. If you see someone who looks like they’ve always had a cohesive style, go back and find their old work. It’s probably there if you dig. If you want to try out a new medium or style, do it. Just say, “I’m trying something new.” There’s no shame in that.
Keep in mind that your work probably looks more cohesive than you think. No matter how many different styles we try, there’s still an ‘us’ element in everything we make. Remember, other people can probably see your hand in your work better than you can.
3. Obsessing Over Other Artists’ Work
This one is tricky. It can be helpful to gather inspiration from other artists, but this tendency can turn toxic fast. Trust me, I’ve been there. There’s a difference between looking and obsessing.
When other artists’ work brings about feelings of self-loathing and inadequacy, it’s time to look the other way. If you’re prone to these feelings, try to avoid looking at other artists’ work until you become more confident in your own. And eventually, you will. You just need to make a lot more work. There was a time in the beginning when everyone’s work made me feel bad about myself. I so badly wanted to be a great artist, and getting there felt impossible. As I continued on my journey, I didn’t feel as jealous, but other artists’ work was still a distraction. It would make me question my own style. Or worse, my art would start to look like the art I was just admiring. Then, I’d have to backtrack to get my work to feel like me again. If you want to read more about style, I recently wrote an article about personal style lying within.
Even now that I’m confident in my own style, I still don’t love looking at other artists’ work. I try to find inspiration from other sources, whether it be artists throughout history or non-art related sources (like music, graphic design, and interior design). What I do love seeing from other artists are their workspaces, tips/tricks, and how they’re running their businesses. That’s what I’m on the lookout for when I’m browsing online. As far as the art itself, I try to quickly admire and move on. I don’t let the work sink in or hit me too deep, if that makes sense.
4. Working on Anything But Your Art
Don’t feel bad if this is you. This is all of us. Us artists are masters of distraction. We redo our websites, buy supplies, and launch new business ventures, all to keep from doing the work that counts - making the art itself. Why do we do this? We do it because the important work is always the toughest. Our egos don’t like it. If you feel resistance to something you’ve been wanting to work on for years, it’s probably the thing you need to work on most.
Once I identified this pattern in myself, I started putting my art first. I now measure my success in number of paintings created versus sales, likes, or other metrics. The art itself is more important than anything else I need to do in my business. It has to be, because that’s what it’s all about. So how do I prioritize my work? Well, right now I have four completed paintings that are sitting on my shelf, waiting to be added to my shop. I’m way behind on getting products up. However, I’m super ahead on my paintings. To me, that’s a win. I always want to feel ahead on painting and behind on everything else.
When it comes to distractions, they may not be professional. Keep in mind that professional distractions are the trickiest though, because it can feel like you’re doing important work even when you’re not. When it comes to personal distractions, we have things to do around the house, kids to take places, spouses who need our attention, workouts to do. Life can get exhausting sometimes, and that leaves little room for creativity. The problem is that these are all excuses. We are choosing to put our art at the bottom of the list.
I like to think of art as the big habit that will create a domino effect in your life. It will spiral into many new positive habits, because you’ll be a happier person overall. You’ll be a better spouse, a better parent, and take better care of yourself if you make time for your art. I’ve seen these changes in myself as I’ve committed to my art over the years. Because art creates positive change in our lives, it must be at the top of the list. Try thinking of it as you would a doctor’s appointment on your schedule. It just has to get done, even when you don’t feel like it. Especially then.
If you’re having trouble making art a priority, you can check out these articles I wrote:
10 Tips to Make Your Art Habit Stick
5. Diminishing Yourself as An Artist
If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone diminish their talents as an artist, I’d be a billionaire. Whether you’re petrified of showing your work to others, or you’re constantly justifying why your art is bad, it’s all toxic.
I’ll keep saying this until I’m blue in the face - you don’t need a degree to be an artist. Many of the best artists are self-taught. I’m self-taught. In order to become artists, we just need to think of ourselves as such. If this is true, then why do we feel the need to diminish our work? Why do we think of ourselves as impostors no matter how good we are? And what does good even mean? Have you seen Picasso’s work?
I think a lot of it is outdated beliefs our ancestors instilled in us. The art world was a different place 50 years ago. You used to need a gallery to show your work. Back in the impressionist era, most artists had to go through art school to be accepted as the real deal. Well, not anymore folks. The internet has smashed down these points of entry for us. And I couldn’t be more grateful. Now, you just need a computer to show your work. And I think it’s awesome, because the work is being judged for what it is and not for what the gatekeepers tell us we should like. That means the best work is surfacing. It makes me excited to be an artist right now.
The second reason we probably have impostor syndrome is that when we’re creating art, we’re baring our souls. Just like you would with any other creative talent. Creative acts take a whole lot of bravery. We’re making things from nothing and letting others judge them at face value. It’s terrifying. As a group, we need to stop defending our work before it’s even seen. We need to act like we belong. Like we were born artists. A question to ask yourself is - how would you behave differently if you were super famous for your work? What kind of things would you say about your art? How would you talk and carry yourself? What kind of hours would you work? How would you spend your days? How would you dress? This is how you should be acting now. Acting like we’ve already made it is the key to succeeding as an artist. I’m still working on these negative thought patterns in myself, but I constantly ask myself those questions to get back on track.
It takes guts to make groundbreaking work. Our strength lies within the way we view ourselves as artists.
So which of these habits have been most damaging to your work? And what are you doing to remedy them? Let me know in the comments below!