Many beginners in drawing in general and interior sketching in particular, there are certain fears and anxieties associated with drawing, of course, everyone has their own fears, but in general, they are very similar to each other. That’s just about these problems of beginners sketchers, artists, draftsmen and what to do with them and will be my next blog post. Inspiring and useful reading!
Many students write me that they have never drawn before, so they are afraid to start, some of them are worried because they have no art education, and another one drew 10 years ago and now he feels that it is too late, that he forgot everything, lost his talent, etc. In general, people who are creative by nature are often afraid to start, afraid to go back to drawing, afraid that nothing will work out. On the other hand, they realize that time passes and no action is taken. It also often happens that someone thinks they are not creative at all, but in their dreams this person draws, paints, creates and builds. What to do with all this and how to move from a “dead point”? So, let’s break it down in order.
“I’m afraid to start painting, because I have no prior art education.
This is fear number one, according to my students’ letters. Really, this fear is one of the most popular and paralyzing creativity fears I met with beginners. Especially for him I have a very strong and compelling argument. Did you know that most famous artists did not go to art schools as children, and many simply could not enter the Academy of Art at the first, second or even third time, while many who did enter were kicked out of the same Academy for “talentlessness” or “inadequacy”.
“I’m afraid it’s too late for me to start.”
This is fear number two in frequency, perhaps. It’s a waste of time to think, “Oh, my time is gone, my parents didn’t let me go to art school when I was a kid, now it’s too late, I’m already 20/30/40/70 (insert your own) years old and time is gone, opportunities are gone…”
A bit surprising comments “you draw so beautifully, I would like to draw as well” or “I will never learn to draw as you do”, and also always put ellipses at the end. I don’t really understand people like that, why draw like me when you can reveal your individuality? Yes, copying is useful (especially the old masters) for mastering your hand and working on your technique, but you have your own style, you just need to develop it. Maybe you’re too lazy to spend time on drawing and fill those minutes and hours when you could have been drawing by falling down the rabbit hole of social media, losing an hour or so there every day? Start drawing instead, you won’t miss anything particularly important if you don’t look at your newsfeed, the whole secret is to take the time to draw, you know? Take Your Time. Regularly.
You need to take a sheet of paper and a pencil and immerse yourself in a different state, in a state of creativity and creation, rather than consuming an endless stream of information. Why draw like some other artist? Why be like him, like her? It’s something out of adolescence, when you want to be like that actress or singer. Being yourself is the most interesting thing. Still, one day you’ll miss the real you and “come back” to yourself
“I’m afraid I’ve forgotten how to draw.”
Going back to drawing is even more psychologically difficult than starting. The advantage of a beginner is that he progresses quickly, he sees his immediate growth. With returning is much more difficult, as here you used to draw very well, probably even went to art school, everybody praised you, admired you for the talented child, and then, returning to drawing after such, to put it mildly, “long break” (sometimes in some tens years), of course, there is a huge lack of confidence in yourself. Believe me, all artists have a “fear of coming back” to drawing, and I am no exception. And the longer the period of “not painting”, the harder it is.
The fear that “it’s not the right time yet”, the fear-excuse “later, later, when we move/if my daughter passes her exams/if summer comes, then I’ll start painting”, etc. Also very popular is the fear of comparison and condemnation of others. The answer to all these fears is the same, and it’s simple and complicated at the same time – just start painting and don’t stop at the first failure. Keep going and keep going.
It is very dangerous to put off creativity “for later,” to put off your interests for later, yourself for later, because the further and longer you put it off – the weaker your faith in yourself becomes, but the stronger your fear becomes and the harder it will be to overcome later.