Forums » Art & Creativity » Painting with acrylics - newbie

Hey everyone!

So I have almost just started painting with acrylics. I have been drawing for several years and would love to 'expand'. However, I'm very nervous about it. This might be a wierd post and I apologize, but I'm my own worst critic. I look at others' art and feel bad because I feel like mine isn't as good, and when I'm painting, I'm more scared to mess up than actually enjoy the process, which is what I want to do. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to myself, and I hate getting a bad result, even though I have to realise I'm new in it, so of course there will be mess-ups. Especially when I have to do detail I'm nervous.

So my question is: Do any of you have any advice for a different approach? How I can kind of throw these thoughts away and just...do it? I know now it's probably not a good idea to look at others' art, but is there anything else I can do?

What helps me is to focus on a type of technique or area I want to improve. I will watch videos and as I watch videos tinker with the idea. So if I want to improve my technique on noses let’s say, I watch videos on that. So when I go into drawing I know it isn’t going to be perfect. I do know that it will be better than I was doing it though and if it isn’t it may not be the technique for me. Sometimes certain techniques don’t fit in with your own personal style. It’s a give and take. What I am saying is improve little areas at a time. Pick one focus area and go with it , in time everything else will come along until you are confident enough. Also I have had this problem too. I find that even if the picture is ridiculous, there has to be something you like from it. A way you colored, the way the eyes turned out, the toes, something, so find that something that you loved about your drawing. Also draw crazy shit, or pick a theme of the year. Find a way to have fun with it. Best of luck!

Thank you very much, I appreciate it! I will do that c:

I've only worked with acrylics a few times, and not too seriously, so this advice is less based around materials and more based around being an artist:

Take those "I'm not as good as they are" thoughts and flush them down the toilet. Change them around. Take the "I'm not good enough" and turn it into "I will get to their level."

The best advice I was ever given from one of my favorite artists was, "Work until your idols become your rivals."



Also: That perfectionist idea when it comes to yourself isn't going to be easy to get away from. There's no quick way to get rid of it. It takes work. It's going to take time and constant catching yourself and turning bad thoughts into good ones (ex: above); However, that being said, it can be done :> I wish you the best of luck with this.

You're a jewel, thank you so much I will definitietly try to do this