It's no secret artists have a gift when you see the amazing creations that came from only their hands and their imagination. It's not always fun painting or drawing like everyone thinks it is. Here are nine struggles, of the thousands of struggles, artists can relate to.
1. Having to recreate the exact same shade because you miscalculated the amount of paint you’d need.
An art piece can be so tricky, because you’d think it wouldn’t take THAT much paint to get the image you’ve painted out in your head onto canvas. However, even though you’ve mixed too much paint to even fit on your palette you somehow still only have enough to cover 1/3 of your artwork. There are so many shades between the primary colors that it seems like you’re forever doomed to having an artwork of awkward shading struggles. It’s a cruel world the fellow artist lives in, isn’t it?
2. Listening to harsh critiques from people who know nothing about your struggle in creating said masterpieces.
Why, yes, I did spend three weeks on this very average sized painting. Oh? You think I should add more and change the part I spent three days crying over? Let me just smile and nod. I’m not bitter at all that I couldn’t perfect this as I had imagined.
3. Agreeing with others when they point out a mistake as something nice, pretending you totally meant for that to happen.
Originally, that color was supposed to be much lighter and the lines didn’t turn out correctly. However, since you said that you loved how I used that color and those lines were placed perfectly on the page I’m going to smile and agree. I will tell you how I cleverly planned it out so you feel I have a great handle on artistic understanding. However, I’m trying to hold back my laughter because that was totally an accident.
4. Spilling or dripping water, food, or other mediums onto the work you slaved over.
I’m so proud of this watercolor piece! I just need to clean this brush and add a few more details… Never mind, that brush I was just about to wash out, through my clumsy handiwork, has knocked the cup of water over and has turned my masterpiece into a disarray of shameful art.
5. Trying not to hate your work with how long you’ve had to spend creating it.
This artwork may look exactly how I wanted it to, but since I’m so tired of spending another minute on it I’m going to look for every flaw in it I can find. I’m also going to talk to all my friends about how I want to burn it once it’s finished, even though I’m not going to follow through with that.
6. Having to meet a deadline for an art project, but not in the right mood to create art at the moment.
Can I just lay in bed and binge-watch this fantastic Netflix series tonight? Oh, wait. I should really get some progress done on that project that company wanted done in a few days that I haven’t started on. Decisions, decisions…
7. When people bring up the “starving artist” conversation at you when you tell them you’re working on an art career.
Yes, I am aware that art isn’t the most popular thing for people to turn into careers. However, when you need a nice design for your business or wedding invitations or even your great uncle’s ninetieth birthday you will be coming to me. Isn’t that great?
8. Wanting to buy all the newest art equipment, but remembering you can’t even afford enough art supplies to paint your grandma a birthday present.
Wow! That 3D pen was so cool! Imagine how much stuff I could do with it. I’m going to go see how much money I need to save up to get it. Oh. I can’t even afford to ship out granny’s invitations for her big birthday bash next weekend. Guess I should borrow construction paper off my neighbors’ kids to draw her a picture at least.
9. Sleep becomes nonexistent because you need to add every detail to perfect the piece that’s deadline is 8:00 a.m.
What is sleep? I’ve been chugging coffee by the gallons and blasting music to keep me awake while I add these final touches. Oh no! It’s 7:30 already? Guess all-nighters aren’t that uncommon for me anymore.
How many of these can you relate to? These are only nine basic issues artists face. There are hundreds more ranging from very common to very strange and questionable. Artists go to great lengths to create the work they do, but the best part about the struggles artists face is that they always make for the greatest stories.
