Making Art | Pete Clayton

This is shit, I am shit and what am I even doing?

First of all, I’m not shit. Not really. I’m just a creative little plant who needs regular artistic watering, to quench a thirst which is seldom satisfied.

This is something that is easily forgotten though when I make actual art. I like to think I have my illustration characteristics and skills down confidently when I produce an idea. However, translating ideas into finished art pieces doesn’t always go according to plan and it’s frustrating to say the least. It leaves me thinking my work is shit, I am shit and what am I even doing.

Under pressure to succeed
I guess there’s an element of pressure I put on myself to translate what’s in my head, onto paper or canvas effectively. I feel I overthink what I’m doing too much. Indeed, the best creations I think I do, come from when I’m in a state of play. It’s a weird one, because I need to obviously think about what I’m doing, but not too much so that it hinders the outcome. It’s almost like having a plan but not being too afraid of the destination if it turns out bad. That should take the pressure off to some degree.

It’s a journey of growth

Something I do need to remember is my practice as an artist, illustrator and even day to day, as a graphic designer, it’s all a journey. It will have highs and lows, good days, bad days and creative block days. I’m not shit by any means, I am human and humans are allowed off-days. As frustrating as it is, not being able to interpret my ideas visually, it’s just how this game works. I see artists say that you need to make a lot of bad art first, to eventually make something good. In any case, no amount of frustrating outcomes will stop me from creating something. Yes it is a journey of growth, but it’s also something that I can’t not do. Give me more I say, I’ll take 10 bad art days to have one good!

Thanks for reading.
Pete :)