Imagination is on Your Doorstep

“The artist's world is limitless. It can be found anywhere, far from where he lives or a few feet away. It is always on his doorstep.” Paul Strand

 

The mind is a powerful tool. It has the capacity to see what's in front of us, reason through our situation, and dream beyond it for a solution. From a blank canvas to the final piece, the mind is heavily intertwined with the process.

 

That's why the greatest limitation as an artist is oneself. What we put into our minds, we get out. (The whole "garbage in, garbage out" idea.) Our imagination is prepared to explore every horizon and beyond if we will just loosen its leash.

 

So, why don't we?

 

Well, the simple answer is fear. Our imagination loves frolicking about in the fields outside of our comfort zone. So, when it comes back to give us all the wondrous ideas it has come up with, the ideas can sometimes seem to have no rhyme or reason. Aaaaaaaannnnnd we brush them off.

 

We put on our reality cap and start thinking about all of the avenues SOMEONE ELSE'S MIND could go down viewing a painting like that.

 

Is the concept good enough?

 

Am I good enough at the techniques it would require?

 

Can I create a final piece that would be good enough to actually sell to a client?

 

I'm no doctor, and in fact, I often do the same thing. But in all honesty, what does it matter?

 

Yes. We have all had some dud concepts, but if you feel strongly about the concept and are excited to paint it, shouldn't that be good enough?

 

Yes. We don't always have all the techniques we want or need to "perfectly" pull off our paintings, but we all have to start somewhere. No one said the piece had to be finished immediately or even this week. As we learn and grow, it can be a piece we come back to and track our progress. We should use it as an opportunity to learn and to strengthen our creative muscles.

 

Yes. We need to produce artwork that is sellable to keep our businesses going, but we also have to produce artwork that reminds us why we fell in love with art in the first place. We need exploration and to produce something weird from time to time. If there is a need to produce something sellable, the world is filled with people with very different interests and tastes. Someone is looking for a painting just like yours.

 

So the only question left is, what are you waiting for?

 

Imagination is on your doorstep. All you have to do is let it in.

 

Hand-painted in Adobe Photoshop CC using a Wacom Intuos Pro and a Wacom Art Pen.