I decided recently to try out landscape drawings. Being a pet portrait and wildlife artist for the past 6 years; I felt like trying something new! I very quickly learned how easy it is for self doubt to creep in!
I was having a conversation with another artist recently about having confidence in your own artistic ability. No matter how long you have been creating for, self doubt is still there. But, over time, it becomes less and less, although it will never stop completely. I never really gave this topic much thought until I tried to do a landscape drawing!
As soon as I began, I was bombarded with limiting beliefs about my ability, negativity and self doubt. It made me want to stop and just go back to drawing wildlife. This gave me an insight into what I felt like when I first started out and what other, newer artists feel like at times.
If you are new to creating art, or going a different direction and feel like all that seems to come into your mind is doubt, I want to share this insight with you.
Confidence is not a character trait that only some people possess. Confidence is a skill based on trust in yourself and your ability. The only way you can build that trust is to mess up, over and over and over until one day, you get it right. The more you do this, you will find that you mess up less and less, because you learn what works and what doesn't However don't set that expectation for yourself to always get it perfect, it will very rarely happen and it will just cause you to feel more disheartened.
I realized that the reason I have confidence in myself as a wildlife and pet artist, but not when it comes to attempting landscapes, is because I have built up that trust in my ability as a wildlife artist. I know I can get the outcome that I want, because I have practiced it countless time before. I haven't built that trust when it comes to trying landscapes, I am essentially starting all over again! So of course, that level of self doubt is so much higher!
If this feels relatable for you, the best thing you can do is keep practicing and be patient with yourself! Don't give up just because of that self doubt, it is normal and it happens to all of us! It is part of the artistic process and it does not reflect your capabilities as an artist.
Rachel x