It’s weird isn’t it, you’ve been drawing and you feel like your work is getting better. Then all of a sudden it’s like your 3-year-old self has control of your drawing arm and made you create the monstrosity you see on the page.
Don’t panic, it’s completely normal, but there are a few reasons it might be happening:
Because you are experimenting
If you’ve been experimenting in your sketchbook, maybe this is why your work looks worse (at least to you). If for example you’ve gone from drawing in great detail to very loose or you’ve changed your style, your work may look worse because you haven’t yet mastered that look. It’s important to keep stretching yourself in this way otherwise in the long term your work will remain stagnant. Although you might find you are taking a step back at the time, experimenting can improve your work in the future.
Because you’ve switched medium
If you’ve switched medium, again you may not have yet got the knack of the different feel to the materials. Even something as simple as switching from a forgiving pencil to ink can make a huge difference to the way your work looks.
Because you switched subject matter
We all have subjects we prefer drawing, from people to landscapes to still life. If you switch to drawing something different, it can do one of two things. Sometimes it injects a freshness into your work, but other times it can take a bit of getting used to. If it’s the latter for you, you might not like what you create at first.
Because you are having a creative block
We’ve spoken about creative blocks in depth in a recent podcast. When you are experiencing a creative block, sometimes you might force yourself to draw. The results can seem laboured and not up to your usual standard.
Because you aren’t drawing consistently enough
How often are you drawing? Drawing and art really is a case of use it or lose it. If you are only drawing very occasionally, perhaps this could be the problem. You draw, but not consistently enough for your work to improve significantly.
Has it really got worse, or are you just lacking confidence?
This is something we find very hard to see in ourselves. Sometimes we create things we don’t like and yet ironically they are the pieces that other people seem to love. So it may not actually be that your work is getting worse, perhaps it’s just different.
Why do you think that your art or drawing sometimes gets worse?
Stanon October 9, 2019 at 4:30 pm
Wow I just have been in here “creative block” for way over 3 months now
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Taraon October 9, 2019 at 5:09 pm
I hope you are coming out of it. We have a podcast episode about Creative Blocks with some ideas if not
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Ninja Egg Saladon December 7, 2021 at 8:19 am
Ive been on a “creative block” for a year now, and the “Block” has gotten worse and worse. 🙁 I feel for you dude.
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Sandra Busbyon December 7, 2021 at 10:12 am
We are sorry to hear that… It is quite normal for Artists to experience this from time to time. We made a podcast episode about creative block and how to deal with it, which may help you out of it. You can find it here: https://kickinthecreatives.com/ep-21-recognising-dealing-creative-block/
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Ayeshaon July 2, 2022 at 6:48 am
Last time when my mom`s mom cam to my house I used to do great art work I loved it a lot and so did the others. But then later on my art work started to look like a art work done by a 5 year old. I am very sad. I miss my work and I don`t know how to bring it back. I always search how to get improvment in my art work but its for no help. What should I do?
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Sandra Busbyon July 4, 2022 at 10:19 am
Ayesha, It’s very common for artists to feel like their art is going backwards sometimes. The thing is, once you have been able to draw, it very quickly comes back with a little practice. The key is to ignore the bad stuff and treat those as a stepping stone to the good stuff! I would suggest joining in with some of the challenges and also the Facebook group if you haven’t already. The challenges will help you get your skills back on track with a little practice each day. And you’ll find a lot of other people who are trying to improve in the group. Good luck!
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FAQs
Whenever you feel like you're not improving… look back at your older drawings! By looking back you can see where you started and how far you've come. Even if you're not where you want to be yet, look at the progress you've made because from now on it will only get better…
What to do if your art is getting worse? ›
They definitely have helped me.
- Go Easy On Yourself. The first thing that I would recommend is to go easy on yourself. ...
- Look At Some Of Your Old Pieces. Make sure that you save all of the art you do. ...
- Start Sketching Every Single Day. ...
- Get Some Art Books. ...
- Stop Comparing Yourself To Others.
Whenever you feel like you're not improving… look back at your older drawings! By looking back you can see where you started and how far you've come. Even if you're not where you want to be yet, look at the progress you've made because from now on it will only get better…
Why am I so unsatisfied with my art? ›
The reason that you feel dissatisfied with your art is that you have confronted THE TASTE GAP. You recognise that your art falls short of the work you admire. Your taste in art is good, perhaps too good. The artists that you respect have been at their craft for decades.
What to do if you hate your art style? ›
Video Walkthrough
- All artists feel this way!
- It is impossible to expect that you will like all your artwork.
- Take a break from looking at other artists on social media.
- Identify your weakest skills and then make a plan to directly address them.
- Make sure you are giving your work a chance; don't call it quits too fast.
They have low expectations for themselves.
That is like saying being a surgeon is something genetic you're born with. You may be born with more acute observational skills which can make art easier, but even then that has to be developed with time and practice. ANYONE can learn to paint or draw well.
How can I regain my art skills? ›
Let's get started!
- Practice, Practice, Practice. ...
- Draw What You See, Not What You Think You See. ...
- Focus on Simple Shapes First. ...
- Master the Fundamentals. ...
- Use Reference Images. ...
- Use Thumbnails to Plan Your Artwork. ...
- Study and Learn New Skills. ...
- Learn from Your Favorite Artists.
- Practice Your Art Skills Every Day. ...
- Study Colour Theory. ...
- Study Value Scales. ...
- Learn New Skills from Tutorials, Videos, or Books. ...
- Develop Your Art Style by Studying Your Favourite Artists. ...
- Learn from Reference Photos. ...
- Break Complex Forms Down into Simple Shapes. ...
- Warm Up Before You Create New Art.
In his book Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell popularized the idea that, in order to master anything, you'll need to invest in 10,000 hours of practice. This equates to approximately five years' worth of full-time effort. I think this idea is a good place to start when thinking about learning to draw.
Why are a lot of artists depressed? ›
Artists who feel misunderstood may have a harder time connecting with others, which leads to loneliness and strained relationships. People who are depressed often have a different perspective of the world than people who are not depressed, which some believe can lead to more creative ideas.
Being consistently inspired is a challenge and it takes time for inspiration to hit. This can be a great source of stress and anxiety for artists, as the pressure to produce further compounds the lack of inspiration. At times like this, it's important to get as far away from the work as possible.
Why do some artists fail? ›
Inadequate Efforts: Many artists think they are doing the correct things, yet due to some unknown reasons, they are not doing the effective work. A portion of the reasons behind this are they are not doing what's necessary, are doing the wrong things or are getting things done in the incorrect order.
Why do I feel like no one likes my art? ›
Maybe they're not being open enough or maybe the piece isn't working yet. Either way, them not liking your art doesn't mean it's bad, it just means you need to keep working.
How do I get rid of art anxiety? ›
Use strategies (like achievable goals) that help you manage your fears. Find or create private, comfortable places to work with few distractions (or, just the right amount of them). Give yourself time to learn the tools you're using without pressuring yourself to create good art while you're doing it!
What to do with artwork you don't want? ›
Before you throw away perfectly good canvases, try out these options:
- COMPLETELY PAINT OVER THEM. The most obvious option is to give that canvas new life. ...
- GIVE THEM A MODERN UPDATE. This is one of the easiest and most fun ways to keep an old painting from going to waste. ...
- GIVE THEM A FUNNY UPDATE. ...
- SELL THEM. ...
- DONATE THEM.
Practice and draw.
Nothing helps like drawing; you can't get better at anything without actually doing it! If you spare time everyday to draw, it will help you. Even quick sketches and many fails will help! It doesn't have to be perfect, but remember no matter what, try the best best you can do.
How do I stop perfectionism from ruining my art career? ›
By separating yourself from the idea that only a finished product is a success, you can get yourself unstuck from perfectionistic thinking. Instead, you are providing yourself with positive reinforcement for making progress.
How do you know if your art is good or bad? ›
Ask someone you trust to review your art. Someone that will not lie to you and just say what they think you want to hear. Before inviting the person to see the work, let them know what your goals are, what you're trying to do with the work, etc. For example, “I'm trying to achieve a perfectly realistic landscape.
