Start Before You Feel Ready

I make collage journals, work with vintage papers, and genuinely love the creative process. But I didn't start out that way. The thing getting in my way wasn't skill or supplies.

It was fear.

Have you ever been waiting for the perfect creative idea, better materials, or more confidence for a project? And, once you get it, nothing seems to get done? What happened?

Most Creative Blocks Aren't About Skill

Sometimes artists will create a to-do list to procrastinate making art. “I need a cleaner workspace, more time, more tutorials, that one supply…” These reasons can be valid. Sometimes they are! But when they aren’t, do you ever wonder what we are trying to postpone?

The Real Fear: Disappointing Yourself

When I first got into collage and art journaling, I was excited, yet anxious. Anxious that my art would look like something that a child would make and I hate it. What if I sit down and discover I'm just not creative?

That last one is something that really stops people. The fear that if you make something bad it means you’re somehow not a good artist. So, instead of creating, we keep ourselves busy with something until we feel ready.

But, readiness never comes on its own, it tends to show up after you have already started.

The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

In order to shift my mindset, I had to accept the fact that some of what I made wasn't going to be good, and that was okay. That was my actual intention, with no backup plan.

When I stopped expecting every page to look good, the pressure of creating it lifted. I didn't have to worry about perfection anymore. Layer two papers just to see what happened. Make a mess and call it research. And if I didn't like it, I could learn from it and move on. Somewhere in that freedom, I started actually improving.

Try saying this out loud before you sit down: "I might make something I don't like today, and that's okay." See what changes.

Creativity Is a Skill

Here is something I firmly believe: creativity isn't a trait you either have or you don't. It's a skill, which develops through practice. Even the practices that did not go so well.

Anytime you feel disappointed with a project, use it as an opportunity to learn. What colors are you drawn to? What papers feel good together? What techniques need more time? You can only learn these things by doing them. Remember, the goal is not to create something perfect every time. The goal is to create.

A Simple Exercise to Get Unstuck

Making a “mediocre art” journal is one of the most useful things I've ever done. I show exactly how to make one in this YouTube video.

The book can be made of any paper headed for the recycling bin. Old magazines, envelopes and brochures can make a great little booklet if you staple pages into it. Use it as a place to experiment without pressure. Layer scraps, use a technique you've been curious about, make a page that's completely wrong on purpose. When the stakes are low, you stop putting so much pressure on the final result.

Experiment Instead of Perform

Something I come back to often is this shift in the question I ask while I'm working.

Less: Will this look good?
More: What happens if I try this?

What if I layer these two papers? Add more texture? Tear this piece instead of cutting it? Curiosity keeps you moving through trial and exploration. The need to perform tends to stop you cold because of the expectation of perfection.

The Secret to Becoming Prolific

I became someone who creates consistently by not expecting every piece to prove something about me. Some pages work. Some don't. Some surprise me. Some go straight into recycling. All of them help me move forward.

So if you've been stuck, try this. Say it out loud: "I may make something I don't like today, and that's okay." Then make it anyway.

For more art advice and collage projects visit my YouTube channel. I’d love to create with you there! And, if you want to create alongside people who get it, come join us in the Vintage & Collage Club, where we work through a new project together every month.

The Fear That Stops Us From Creating (And How to Finally Move Past It)