Self doubt can be dangerous.

It sneaks up on us when we least expect it and brings us down to a low point. Sometimes it can even stop us from continuing the thing we love because it has convinced us that we are not talented enough (I’ve hit this point)!

So how do we gain the confidence to create something when we have this voice inside our head telling us we can’t? We persist and continue creating through the doubt. I know it’s easier said than done, but trust me, it can be done!

When I was a Freshman in art school I was required to take drawing courses (I really dreaded these courses). Every time I walked into the drawing room a mental wall went up and I would think...

I don’t know how to draw. What am I doing here? That person is so much better than me!

I would have this reaction anytime someone mentioned the word draw. I would completely shut down and lose sight of my own unique style and skills. It got to the point that my self doubt was controlling my creative flow and I wasn’t okay with it.

So I found a way to overcome it.

(This didn’t happen overnight, it took a couple years) I learned that I had to trick myself into drawing by using materials that weren’t traditional (meaning not pencil and paper). I began to draw with watercolors and ink washes (I even thought of some of my metal work as drawing) and in doing that I discovered that drawing is just a word and what I really love is to create things and the process of doing so.

See, I told you it can be done! I persisted through the self doubt and continued to create.

But like with any other journey, it takes time (remember the word persist?). If you love to create things then you will find a way to continue doing so.

To help you through your journey with self doubt I’ve come up with a list of things that help me when I’m struggling with my creative confidence:

Keep drawing.

If you love to draw (remember I think of this word loosely) then keep doing it! It doesn’t matter if someone else is doing something similar or if you’re style isn’t fully developed. Persist and keep creating!

Limit the comparisons.

It's easy for us to get into the grass is always greener mindset and forget that we have our own uniqueness and skillset that is equally as awesome as whoever we're comparing ourselves to.

Being inspired by someone else’s drawings and endlessly comparing ourselves to theirs are two completely different things. Practice recognizing specifics about their drawings and really pay attention to the things you find yourself liking or disliking. Those likes and dislikes can become inspirations for your own creations.

Try replacing the "wow, I could never create marks as expressive as them" with "wow! their marks are so expressive, How could I incorporate similar emotion into my work as well?"

Draw from life or reference photos (not drawings or paintings).

Rather than look at another artists creations when drawing  take the time to find your own reference photos or draw objects from your life!

If we don’t provide our minds the opportunity to compare our art to someone else's then it won’t happen as easily and we’ll start to gain confidence in our own art style.

Self doubt can be a real struggle and I know many artists that battle with it (myself included!!). If you’re interested in learning more about this feeling of self doubt check out my other article: Artist Guide: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome.

- Heather :)