How To Be More Confident About Your Art

"Sunlit Bloom"
Oil, 24" x 24" framed.
​Available. 

Having confidence is really important. Especially when it comes to your art. We know that confidence ebbs and flows and we all need to do a better job at feeling better in our abilities to succeed as an artist.

Here are some tips on how to do that.
1. Plan your day, every day
Start your day by writing a list of things to do that day. The first thing on your list should be time spent enjoying your art—whether that is working on a new piece or practicing techniques. Regular, daily practice will help you feel more comfortable and confident in your level of skill.
Next, plan an activity that makes you a little nervous, such as ringing the local gallery about a having an exhibition or submitting your artwork to a juried show. Choose one nerve-racking activity every day. This will push you out of your comfort zone and take you to areas that you never knew existed.
2. Don’t compare yourself to other artists
If you’re constantly comparing your work to other artists, you’re always going to find faults. Remember that you a NOT these other artists—you are you, and your work is unique and special because of your experiences and skills. Don’t force yourself to be something you’re not.
3. Remind yourself of your achievements
Get a piece of paper and write down ten things that you’re proud of achieving in your life and art, everything from “learning to use pastels” to “having two pieces in local exhibition” to “raising two beautiful girls.” Have you got ten? See if you can add more.
4. Remember your goals and dreams
Sometimes, when you feel your confidence really lacking, it can help to remind yourself why you’re doing this. Remember that even the most famous and talented artists doubt themselves at times, and that you’re strong enough and determined enough to push through the doubt to achieve your dreams.
5. Track your progress
When you’re in the trenches with your creative work, it can be hard to think back or think ahead. In the moment, you might be struggling with an aspect of your work-in-progress – and you may fear that you’ll never get it right.
By tracking your progress over time, you can easily look back and see how far you’ve come. You might want to list specific achievements, especially any “firsts” – like the first time you entered a competition, or the first time you showed your work to someone who wasn’t a family member or close friend. You could also record your feelings at different stages of a project (you might realise, for instance, that you inevitably go through a period of doubt at the almost mid-way stage, before everything gets much easier).

Tomorrow I will share a few more tips.