How to Beat Creation Frustration

Edvard Munch, "The Scream"

Artists are Fearful Lot
We artists seem to have loads of fear issues. I want to address just one of those fears - the fear of creating something ugly. By ugly I mean, ugly in the eyes of the creating artist.

Artists are extremely fearful of what I call, "Making Ugly". 

What is Making Ugly?
Making Ugly is a situation that happens to you unexpectedly. You are going along, happily making art and growing a little bit better every so often, and then.....

BLAM! you create something ugly! And it's not just ugly, it's bad. So bad that it looks as if it were something you created before you began your journey into art studies (you know, that embarrassing pre-beginner stage).

You throw it away. You create something else. It turns out ugly too! This happens again...
             .... and again,
                           .... and again!

Frustration!
You begin hiding your work. You buy self help books, you seek out miracle classes, videos and cures. You think, "Perhaps if I try a different technique"? But it's no use, no matter what you do, you can only make ugly.

You lose your confidence. You begin to think you've lost your touch - you realize that are not a good artist - in fact, you're not an artist at all - you feel you should walk away, give it up - find another love.

STOP!
Or rather, don't stop. Don't walk away, don't give it up, and don't sell yourself short. Keep going. Keep making ugly. Push your way through.

Why? Because this is a sign that you are heading for a Major Breakthrough (and I mean MAJOR!)

"New Foal" ©Froshay

It may take a few days. It may take weeks. It may even take months (especially if you dabble). But keep on creating, because just as suddenly as you 'lost' it, you'll make a breakthrough - and when you do, you'll be miles ahead of where you'd have been if you'd just kept steadily plodding along without that deep pit of despair in the path. Yeah, "Making Ugly" is the pits.

Transformation
Time and again I've watched my students (and myself) go through this process. I talk about it in classes, but students forget, until they experience it the first time. Those that remember, those that push through are the successful artists. And everyone else? Well, they've moved on to other pursuits.

One of my beginner students framed it well in his email about the 'Making Ugly' process. He said:

"Brown Bear" ©Froshay

"I thought I'd add to your collection of emails like this.

Since taking your class back in March, I've just had my first experience of "making ugly" and, of course, the eventual "ah ha" moment. That's just uncanny! It snuck up on me, but once I was aware of it, I instantly thought of your line-graph visual aid.

And you didn't even mention the best part, the fact that once you snap out of it, all that "ugly" ceases to be ugly and becomes good reference for what does and doesn't work.

I can't thank you enough!"   ~ Greg Sloan

Just Keep Going
By the way, I've found that this same concept works in life. As long as I just keep going - I always make a breakthrough - ALWAYS.