Is This the Secret Reason You Aren't Finishing Your Paintings?

A lot of creatives don’t finish what we start. Raise your hand if you have some unfinished canvases that you are saving for some unknown date.

Is it just procrastination, like we’ve all said about ourselves a million times? Are we really just so busy?

Or maybe it’s our old friend perfectionism? That thing (if we have it) we hide behind, deny outright--or excuse ourselves by saying things like: “Hey, I just have high standards” or “I just want it to be like I see it in my head!”

Or is it something else? Is it just that we want to do other fun things, and not deal with having to burn mental calories?

I’m not so sure. It might be those things, but I think there’s more to it.

It’s possible that the real reason you might not be finishing your work is a secret you are keeping from yourself. It’s something we don’t want to think about, so it’s hidden under a mossy rock, behind a fallen branch, deep in the forest of your creative mind.

Okay, forgive the metaphors, but I think you know what I mean. It's hidden somewhere you don't visit a lot and the reason you don't go there because it's inconvenient.

But the truth is...finishing is humbling.

Finishing takes you down a few notches, and that makes it scary.

Finishing can be disappointing, worrisome, underwhelming or just plain defeating when you don't reach the level of success you were trying for.

To complicate matters when this happens your head chimes in with a few choice words for you...

...while your heart's feeling a little bruised. It's like that old quote: “Don't kick a man when he's down” but apparently it’s okay if we’re just kicking ourselves.

Our brains pull out some old classics like “Guess what... turns out, you really aren’t any good!” And all those awesome “Why” questions. You know those gems like: “Why am I not good yet”, ”Why am I even trying?” and “Why bother?”

Yep, all that fits under that same mossy rock under a rotten log. And the only reason you found it was because you did something so objectionable as to actually finish what you started!

Right when you should be receiving all the gold stars, you get hit with a salad bowl of not great feelings instead.

Like your brain has made an impulse judgment and says, “Hey! We're wasting our time here!” just to get your attention. It thinks it needs to be really bold since, let's face it, you ignore it a lot of the time.

Now here's where the advice I have for you comes in…there are three steps.

First Step:

Question what you’re thinking.

Know that the first thoughts you have, especially those based in disappointment, aren't always the wisest, most useful thoughts you can have. I'd argue that they never are but I'm willing to say mostly they aren't.

Second Step:

Unpack those thoughts.

Know that the voice in your head isn’t aware of your big plans or about how committed you are to your painting life. It doesn't really care either. You could just say it's just trying to help you be sure of your commitment, so we’ll give it the benefit of the doubt.

So when these thoughts come up (like I'm guessing they do for all artists at some point) we have to use this approach:

Say to yourself “That really isn't helpful”. Then start to unpack the message you are getting.
Acknowledge that your brain is just trying to help, even if it is absolutely the wrong way to do it.
Ask “Why am I thinking this?”

Is it just a habit?
Is it stuff from childhood?
Is it other people's opinions?
Do I really just hate painting? (I seriously doubt that!) But if you’ve never pondered that, ask yourself if you just like the idea of being a painter, than actually painting. Doesn’t hurt to be sure!

Third Step:

Focus on Evaluation

If you can use that critical eye of yours for good, rather than to make yourself feel weak or confused--you win.

Having the ability to do an honest self critique of your work is one of the best things I can think of for learning, improving, and it will keep you much happier along the way.

I teach new painters to check in with themselves both during and after finishing a piece. To ask things like...

What isn’t working/ didn’t work?
What can/ would you do differently?
What have you/did you learn?
What mistakes from a previous painting did you repeat?

If you take time to notice these things, it’s more likely to come up and guide you on your next one. It helps give you a mental framework to use when you need it, and it’ll get more filled in the more experience you have and details you take note of.

Fourth Step:

Acknowledge the learning curve!

Take this one to heart and use it-- it'll come in handy!

You have to fully own the idea that the learning curve for painting is real and that the way to get better is simply through failing. Failing regularly and failing often. That’s it!

Painting is hard work, even though we love it. It's a very real skill that no one I've ever known was born with. We all have to paint things that we aren’t excited by or in love with sometimes. Expect it!

If you are able to take things lightly, you can decide to laugh about anything that isn’t a keeper.

If you can go into a new painting knowing that there is a very real chance that it'll leave you a little broken hearted, bummed, annoyed, or frustrated. Approach it that way, then all you will be is pleasantly surprised. That's what I call brave.

Be brave, do it anyway.

Prepare to fail, prepare to laugh at your disappointing results if you are just learning.

This WILL BE temporary. You WILL start to improve. You WILL start to be happy with at least SOME of what you create. You WILL see your progression and you ABSOLUTELY WILL look back on yourself right now and think, “Why the heck did I assume I should be good yet? I had so much to learn still.”

Try to have a little future vision here.

See yourself when you're someone who has more experience, who knows how to evaluate what's happening on the canvas--and steer away from problems before they ever happen. And cut yourself some slack while you're at it. Then get back to work... you have a lot of painting to do!