As an artist with a creative brain, I often find myself with ten ideas popping up at the same time, and each one seems irresistible at the moment. So sometimes, I catch myself going from one task to the next—in other words, I am easily distracted by my own genius. LOL. Do you have the same problem?

Yesterday, I heard a report that gave me an “Aha” moment: research has shown that multitasking comes with a steep price—a significant loss of productivity. Each time we switch from one task to another, our productivity drops by approximately 20%. This loss occurs due to the time it takes for our brains to disengage from one task and reorient themselves to a new one. For artists, there are two major factors that contribute to this loss:

1. Loss of Concentration and Flow: Art requires an undivided focus that allows us to immerse ourselves in the creative process. Multitasking divides our attention and prevents us from fully engaging with our artistic endeavors. When we attempt to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously, our concentration becomes fragmented, leading to a loss of the flow state—the magical zone where creativity thrives.
2. Quality vs. Quantity: As artists, we strive to create meaningful and impactful work. However, when we multitask, our attention is divided, which can compromise the quality of our creations. By focusing on one task at a time, we can dedicate our full energy, attention, and creative spirit to bring our vision to life. Remember, it is better to produce one exceptional artwork than several mediocre ones.

Of course, each individual is different. There are artists who can paint several paintings at the same time. This post is more about switching from one style of activity to the next, such as moving from painting a series to submitting to galleries to preparing an art business launch. I hope this post is helpful to you. Let me know what the biggest problem in your creative journey is right now by replying to this email.

Click this link to read more about creativity: https://yingmclane.com/5-ways-to-beat-creative-block/

Cheering you on!

Ying

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Recently I asked artists in my community what’s their biggest obstacle. One of them said it’s finding inspiration to paint. I found this is not an uncommon struggle for many of us, myself included. So I dived into this topic, and here are some of the tips I found: 

1:Seek Sources of Encouragement:   I am generally a very positive person. But even I have doubts about my artistic ability sometimes. This is what I found to be helpful:  surrounding yourself with sources of encouragement. Seeking out mentors who inspire and guide you, podcasts that share stories of artistic growth, or even chatting with people in your life who consistently radiate positivity. 

2: Embrace Failure:   Failure is not the end; it’s a stepping stone to growth. As an artist, you inevitably face setbacks and create pieces that fall short of your expectations. Embrace these moments of perceived failure as opportunities for growth and learning. Remember to use failure as a catalyst for breakthroughs, and watch your artistry soar to new heights.

3: Immerse yourself in other creative outlets. Many artists found inspiration from different cultures, movies, books, and magazines and even took a nature hikes. I personally like to take a break from painting and look through other artists’ social media posts and find inspiration. So find what you like to do in your spare time and just let yourself enjoy the moment. You will feel emotionally recharged and spiritually refreshed afterward. 

4:  Try different creative mediums or styles. If you are an oil painter, maybe try to do some watercolors. If you paint realistically, maybe try to paint abstract art — just let colors and brushstrokes flow freely! You never know; perhaps you will find a new style you love!  

5: Last—knowing everything Will Be Okay:  When you find yourself in a creative funk, it’s important to remind yourself that everything will be okay. Let go of attachment to outcomes and embrace the present moment. Understand that creativity has its ebb and flow, and this phase is just temporary. Trust in your abilities and have faith that inspiration will return to you. Remember, this, too, shall pass, and new creative ideas will emerge.

Hope these five creative tips will help you embrace the journey, celebrate your creativity, and let your artistic light shine brightly!

click here to read my post about finding joy in your art https://yingmclane.com/finding-joy-in-your-art/

The post Five Ways to beat creative block appeared first on Ying McLane.

1.  Sacred artist time. 

Your artwork starts as an imaginary seed inside of your mind.  Nurturing your artist’s brain is the start of everything. Regularly connect with your spirituality. Make it a habit to set aside time to be inspired. Journaling, reading, meditating, taking a tour in museums, and walks in nature are some great ways to cultivate and inspire your creativity.

Write your three ways to spend your sacred time today. 

2. Regular studio time. 

Seeds will not become fruition if they just sit inside your brain. 

Hard work is what must follow. Make your creative expression a priority in your life. Look at your life and schedule and carve out a regular time to be creative. 

How much time can you regularly devote to working on your art? 

3. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Unless you want your art locked inside your studio forever, you need to step out of your comfort zone and get your art into the world.  Applying for local and online art shows, putting your art on social media, and sharing with your friends and strangers will start that process. Be open and seek feedback. 

Click this post about 3 steps to plan a successful painting https://yingmclane.com/three-step-guide-to-planning-a-successful-painting/

I love to cheer you on!

Ying

The post 3 Ways to Be a Better Artist appeared first on Ying McLane.

Stop right now.  If you tell yourself that you don’t like social media, trust me, it will show up on your posts and reels.  

Instead, why not try the easier route—change your mindset?

There are plenty of artists making fantastic art, but few of them can successfully make it into a career. A successful art business is at least 50% percent of business!

So why not think of it this way—creating art and business management are all part of making your amazing life! 

Business is just a different kind of creating process. Social media is just a different kind of creating process. You can do them begrudgingly, or you can learn to enjoy them!  

The tough part, to me, is numbers and taxes, so I sourced them out to someone good at it. I can then make space to do what I love.  

But social media is the thing you really need to learn to love. Because it’s an extension of who you are. No one else will have the same vision, emotion, and expression that exactly aligns with yours. Trust me, I have tried, but I learned the hard way. 

Nowadays, I learned to enjoy taking pictures and videos of my art and my creative process. You will need a little learning curve as to what to post, how to post, and how to edit your post. But it’s really fun!!

Follow my Instagram to see what I am doing, and send me a message if you have any questions :https://www.instagram.com/yingmclane/

The bottom line is, learn to like all aspects of your art business, embrace all of it, and eventually, you will be proud of it, just like seeing your baby grow into a little human who will love you and give back to you—you will feel all those hard days and long nights are all worth it!

Leave a comment or share with a friend if you like this post. 

Cheering you on!

Ying

The post <strong>Do you hate the business side of art?</strong> appeared first on Ying McLane.

So how do you know your fear is holding you back? 

If you are worried about what other people will think of your new endeavors, or you have negative self-talk, or you like keeping yourself busy, or you keep turning to food as a distraction, then you probably have some fear that is holding you back.

Remember, the thing you feared the most is usually the thing that will bring you the biggest breakthrough. In your subconscious mind, you know you are opening a new door. And the unknown landscape triggers your fear. 

How can you kill the fear so your creativity can thrive? 

1: If you fear failure, just do it. Stop looking for excuses or distractions. Just pull out your paints or notebook, start to paint, and write. Even if you have a failed painting or a post, you will discard it later. At least you defeated your fear. 

No one has more experience with failure than Thomas Edison. He literally failed a thousand times before he invented a lightbulb that succeeded. His famous quote is: I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. 

2: Find a creative community. The road to creativity could be lonely if you do it alone, without moral support to lift you. Not everyone, even your family members, is guaranteed to understand you. And that will cause great fear. 

The Bible teaches us:” Iron sharpens irons.” There is so much truth in that.

So it’s vital to find some liked minded people to connect with. Local art associations and social media groups are all good solutions. ( If you haven’t yet, join my private Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1437940910025060

3: Creativity and unknown territory are like two peas in a pod. Every time you create, it will always lead you to try something new. Be it a new style, palette, theme, or technique. It’s exciting and refreshing. But unknown territory sometimes also leads to fear. 

Reflecting and meditating on your purpose as a soulful being will greatly help with that fear. We are created to create. If you truly feel deep in your heart that you are called to be an artist, then the desire to create will be greater than the fear of the unknown. 

4: Sometimes, people fear that they are not creative enough. Start by widening the definition of creativity. If you can make a pancake look like a monkey for your kids, that’s creativity!

A good exercise to find inspiration is to widen your source of reference. If you do painting, listening to music sometimes will bring you more inspiration than just looking at what other painters are doing.  If you write non-fictional works, try reading books in different genres, like biographies. Be mindful, and be free-spirited!

5: Many people feel that they are not qualified. They didn’t have a formal education in the creative profession they desired. 

My advice is—self-education. With the explosion of technology, for the first time in history you can find almost anything you want to learn on the internet. It’s cheap, easy, and right at your fingertips! So come on, my creative friends, let’s march on this journey with hope and joy together!

Here are some of Thomas Edison’s’s famous quotes: https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/3091287.Thomas_A_Edison

Check out my post about setting your creative goals here:  https://yingmclane.com/five-tips-for-setting-your-creative-goals-for-2023/

Cheering you on!

Ying 

The post Five ways to overcome creative block: fear appeared first on Ying McLane.

If you missed my last email about the 3-step guide to planning a successful painting (part one), you could read it here:https://yingmclane.com/three-step-guide-to-planning-a-successful-painting/

Step two of planning a successful painting: 

After a viable idea, envision as many details as possible, including colors, compositions, the feeling you want to convey, and the painting style you’d like to use. 

When I painted the “Lion and Lamb,” I wanted the warmth from the Lion, the lamb, and my youngest son radiant against a blue background. I wanted to convey the feeling of hope. 

I don’t want to make a super-realistic replica of reference photos. Instead, I wanted to try a new technique: pointillism. 

The result is a dreamy-looking painting with soft and subtle blended colors.  

To know more about pointillism and its famous origin,  check out this post: 

https://www.wikihow-fun.com/Expand-Your-Painting-Repertoire-with-Pointillism

Step Three:

Do one or more sketches, laying out an elemental composition and primary colors. 

You can do this on a piece of paper or a small canvas. 

I like to paint on a piece of scrap watercolor paper. Watercolor is easy and convenient to paint. I also like to paint a small canvas if I want to do a more detailed bigger size canvas. 

By doing so, you can compare and decide if you like the composition and color combination. 

You can do a rough painting and throw it away afterward. 

Or you can do a small finished painting on canvas for sale later, or give it out as a gift after you transfer it to a bigger  canvas. 

I hope this guide will help you start something marvelous next time!

Don’t forget to join my private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1437940910025060

Follow my Instagram account for inspiration: https://www.instagram.com/yingmclane/

Happy painting!

Ying

The post A three-step guide to planning a successful painting (part two)  appeared first on Ying McLane.