Why I Stopped Waiting to Feel “Ready” to Make Art
For the longest time, I thought I had to earn the right to make meaningful art.
I told myself I’d create that dream painting once I got better. That I’d start a sketchbook once I had more time. That I’d try oil paints once I knew how to use them properly. Maybe you’ve said some version of this to yourself too?
“I just need to practice more.”
“I’m not talented enough yet.”
“Once I have the right supplies, then I’ll get serious.”
Here’s the hard truth I eventually had to face:
Readiness is a moving target.
If you keep waiting to feel “ready,” you might wait forever.
Hey there! 👋 I’m Carrie. Here on Artist Strong, I help self-taught artists go from unsure to unstoppable, so they can create their first real series of artwork and start building a portfolio they’re proud of.
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Where Do These Thoughts Come From?
Let’s be real. Most of us weren’t raised to believe creativity was a worthy pursuit. Making art was seen as a luxury or a talent reserved for “gifted” people. Somewhere along the way, we internalized the idea that we had to be perfect before we were allowed to be proud.
We treat art like a performance, instead of the deeply personal practice that it is. But creativity isn’t about waiting for permission or hitting an imaginary benchmark. It’s about showing up anyway.
And yes, at first, that can feel incredibly vulnerable.
How I Let Go of “Ready”
The shift didn’t happen overnight. But at some point, I realized that the version of myself I was waiting for: the more talented, more confident, more experienced artist would never arrive if I didn’t start where I was.
That version of me only existed on the other side of the work.
I had to be willing to make messy art. To feel awkward and uncomfortable. To make 100 cringey drawings to get to drawing #101, the one that finally made me smile.
That’s not failure. That’s the process.
Even the Masters Started Somewhere
We love to romanticize artists from history, as if they were born with a paintbrush in hand. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find stories that are far more human, and far more encouraging.
Claude Monet, now considered the father of Impressionism, spent years being dismissed by critics and galleries. His early works were rejected from the official Paris Salon. Rather than wait for validation, he and his peers held their own exhibitions because they were done waiting for permission.
Vincent van Gogh didn’t begin painting until his late twenties. He created nearly 900 paintings in just over a decade, many of them while struggling with mental health and extreme self-doubt. Only one of them sold during his lifetime. Can you imagine if he had waited until he felt confident before starting?
Frida Kahlo turned to painting while bedridden after a terrible bus accident. She didn’t train in a traditional art school. Her work began as a personal, intuitive practice: a way to express pain, identity, and resilience. Her power came not from formal readiness, but from showing up with truth.
None of these artists waited until they had the “right” time, tools, or training. They started where they were with what they had.
So why should we believe we need anything more?
Practice Builds Confidence, Not the Other Way Around!
Perfectionism is sneaky. It tells you that you’re not good enough to start, when the truth is: starting is the only way to become good enough.
So many self-taught (and even trained!) artists I work with hold themselves back, thinking they need to prove they’re worthy before they can take themselves seriously.
But it works in reverse. You take yourself seriously first: by creating. By showing up. And then the skills, the voice, the confidence? They grow from that.
You don’t have to be great to start.
But you do have to start to get great.
What Helped Me (and Might Help You)
- Five-Minute Starts
I gave myself permission to show up for just five minutes. Some days, I only doodled. Other days, five minutes turned into two hours. The point was: I showed up. - Public Accountability (In a Gentle Way)
I started sharing some of my work online, not the polished stuff, just process. It kept me engaged and reminded me that no one else expected perfection from me. I was the only one who had put that pressure there. - Art History as a Mirror
Learning the real stories behind the artists I admire, like van Gogh’s struggle, or Monet’s rejections, helped me reframe my expectations. If they could persist through difficulty and doubt, maybe I could too. - Community
Surrounding myself with other creatives who valued growth over perfection made all the difference. Community reminds us that we’re not alone in our struggles, and that our messy middle is the magic.
If You’re Waiting to Feel “Ready,” This Is Your Sign
You don’t need to feel confident to start.
You don’t need fancy tools, or endless free time, or some magical, mysterious “talent.”
You just need a small step. A quiet yes.
A willingness to try.
So here’s my challenge to you:
Start before you’re ready.
Start with what you have.
Start today.
What about you?
Have you ever had to unlearn the idea of “readiness” in your creative life? What helped you move forward anyway? I’d love to hear your story: share it in the comments or tag me if you post about it.
And if you’re looking for some extra support? Download my free guide:
“3 Reasons Artists Don’t Finish (and What to Do About It)”
Because the art you want to make is already inside you. Let’s stop waiting to give it life.
Remember: proudly call yourself an artist.
Together we are Artist Strong.
(And it starts with one brave, imperfect mark.)
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