There is this belief going around that in order to grow and improve, you have to criticize your artwork and always be dissatisfied by it. Also, it goes hand in hand with this other belief that if you do love your artwork, you are settling into mediocrity. This cannot be further away from the truth.

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I don’t want to emphasize on how the first statement is not true, because I talked about it before. Just wanted to mention that belittling yourself for not being good enough, or just having this constant state of disappointment in yourself, IS NOT going to motivate you. Even IF you manage to improve, it’s gonna be fucking slow, because coming from a negative type of motivation, will have you push twice as hard to move forward. It’s like trying to drive forward and pushing the gas pedal, while having your foot down on the breaks as well.

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What I do want to focus on in this post is HOW you can actually grow without all that. How improvement ….and not just any kind, unexpected leaps type of improvement, happens when you DO LOVE your artwork.

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I love each and every one of my artworks, and my last artwork is always my favourite one. That happens because of the following:

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1. I improve on the go

People have a tendency to say ….”oh, I’m not very good at this, I gotta work on it and improve” and use that as an excuse for not having the final result that they want. For me, that does not exist. I draw shit I haven’t drawn before. Of course I don’t know how to do it, but I just do. I don’t need to improve so that the future version of myself knows how to draw that. No. I just draw it now and I work on it until I fucking love it.

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Something in the artwork needs improvement? Don’t finish it and then hate on it with the thought of “I’m gonna do better next time”. No. Just improve on it now. STOP postponing your improvement.

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2. I always challenge myself

As I also mentioned before, I draw stuff I haven’t drawn before, I draw stuff I am ‘afraid’ of drawing. There is no such thing as not being able to do something I set my mind to. So, loving your artwork is not what makes you settle…you know what does? Always drawing what you’re good at and staying in the safe zone of your expertise.

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You can tell if you are settling if you experience: frequent art blocks, having to wait for inspiration, procrastinate a lot, or on the opposite side of the spectrum, getting artwork done very fast. Challenging yourself does not lead to automation, but rather to awareness in order to help you get past all the rough patches that arise.

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3. I have constant awareness throughout the process

In order to make the most out of your goal, you gotta prioritize the process over the goal itself. Awareness throughout the process is gonna help you whether you reach your goal or not …although there is no real reason why you wouldn’t. But my point is that having awareness, makes you improve every step of the way. By the time you reach your goal you have already improved so much more compared to what you were capable of at the beginning of the process, and THAT is why the improvement is so big …it exceeds your expectations of what you thought you can do.

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4. I KNOW I can

I touched on this idea before, but it’s very important to trust that no matter the block, the fear, the shadow that may arise (and it will, if you constantly challenge yourself), you have the answers to get through it, and that challenge only means improvement. Oh, and constantly overcoming ‘difficulties’ will boost your self esteem. And more confidence means you are able to take on even grater challenges and thus have bigger improvements …see how this goes?

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The most fascinating thing is (don’t know if it’s gonna make sense for a lot of you) that the improvement kind of happens without you noticing it …meaning that it’s not coming from you needing to get better and watch over it like you would a boiling pot (you know that saying, right?) …it comes out of your pure curiosity of discovering your own self and all that you are really capable of doing.

I let go of being something.

I submit to being nothing.

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This is the mantra of creating a fucking powerful brand.

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It’s a paradox …like everything of substance in life.

Branding is all about identity

…having a strong sense of who you are,

of what you stand for,

of what you stand against.

Well, all that brings attachment to that particular identity.

Attachment is shadow.

It kills magick.

It’s static and it kills the natural evolution,

as life, and everything in it, including your brand,

is DYNAMIC. Constantly morphing.

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When you let go of all that,

all the need to be perceived in a certain way,

to impose a certain image,

ONLY THEN can you actually be ALL that you FUCKING ARE.

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The energy that was stuck,

consumed by the need to project a certain something

out there, or to yourself,

gets FREED.

It gets united with the rest of you,

and so that’s how you get to have ALL of your energy focused

into just BEING who you are.

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Submitting …that’s a strong word.

Feel any resistance to it?

Contrary to what it may seem, submission comes from empowerment.

Submission is the letting go of the need to control,

and you can only do that from a place of power.

Control is for the powerless.

Control is rooted in fear.

Let it the fuck go!

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Submit to being nothing

and you will let your true self unfold naturally,

in its most raw and yet refined state.

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That’s why it is so hard for people to find their true identity,

for them and for their brands,

because they are unwilling to let go of the

saboteury need to know what it is.

The only way to find it is to stop fucking looking for it.

Action is not good or bad, right or wrong. Action is NEUTRAL.

It’s not good or bad to practice or not to practice.

It’s not good or bad to draw from reference or from imagination.

It’s not good or bad to draw realistically or abstract.

It’s not good or bad to have art as a hobby or make it your career.

It’s not good or bad to take a job or start your own biz.

...you get the idea.

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Action is neutral. The INTENTION behind the action is what determines whether that action is coming from your truth or from shadow (fear).

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Are you practicing from feeling inferior to other artists and want to catch up?

Are you not practicing because you are lazy, with lack of motivation and you know that no matter how much you practice, others will always be one step ahead of you?

Are you using references for your drawing because you need them and otherwise can’t do an awesome artwork?

Are you just drawing from imagination without being satisfied by your artwork because you are settling?

Are you keeping art as a hobby, because you don’t think you can ever make enough money out of it?

Are you getting a job because you are afraid to start a biz, ’cause you are not a business person?

Are you starting your own biz because you have much to big of an ego to work with others or have a boss?

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OR are you doing whatever it is that you are doing because YOU decided, without any fear being involved? Here’s the tricky part, you gotta be BRUTALLY HONEST with yourself, ‘cause sabotaging ourselves comes naturally to us humans.

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Developing awareness is actually the skill that’s gonna IMPROVE your artwork and your life as an artist. Be in control of your decisions, without lying to yourself. Start being YOU!

Nakedness is pure …is real

Nakedness is erotic …and it’s not.

Nakedness is honest and liberating.

Nakedness is freedom.

Nakedness is magick.

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Be naked with me,

Strip yourself from all the shadows, all the lies

and step into the light.

Expose yourself without being vulnerable,

but rather in all your sovereignty.

Dare to share all your exquisiteness with YOURSELF and others,

that’s being right now dimmed of all the veils of illusion.

You think illusion is what you want?

It’s what’s gonna mask all your imperfections…

and that in illusion anything is possible?

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Well, let me tell you this:

Reality can EXCEED your most unimaginable fantasies

when you start seeing your imperfections as your unique advantage,

and instead of hiding them, you DISPLAY them;

when you’re sick of covering yourself up

and ready to be YOU,

in all your purely, one of a kind, nakedness.

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Come work with me now.

1. See the VALUE in what you do.

What makes you you? What’s so unique about you? Why would people pay for your services / artworks? Find the DIFFERENCIATING factor in your artistry.

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2. Set your STANDARDS, and most importantly HOLD them.

You decide on what kind of projects you want to take....what kind of clients. What are your prices? Set what you want and also what you DON’T WANT. The way you hold your standards is by stating them clearly, in power (without apologizing for them) and if the client does not meet them, say NO. You gotta be able to say no to what you don’t want in order to make room for more of what you do want.

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3. TRUST your artistry.

Trust your ability to not just deliver, but OVER DELIVER. Bring your expertise into the process. Don’t just listen to what the client wants, but asses what they need ...go beyond the obvious. Transformation happens beyond expectations.

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4. Work on your limiting beliefs around money.

Feeling obligation when you get played, or thinking that money comes hard to you etc .... are all beliefs that as long as you have them , they are gonna make you struggle in regards to money (and not only). this step is actually very important.

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When this happens and you start owning your expertise, the POWER DYNAMIC SHIFTS. You become the expert and all of a sudden, the client listens to you. You have authority in front of them and they are not only gonna value your work, but also your ideas and suggestions. No more annoying clients that don’t like what you do and want to constantly shift direction and change the smallest little details, or rush you with deadlines. Be done with that!.

Start getting your fun and creatively challenging projects and the most awesome clients that are fucking enthusiastic to work specifically with you, who love your artwork and are more than happy to pay on time and the price you ask for with no bargaining for discounts! How does that sound? It is fucking possible. It’s your choice. Start owning your expertise.

Top 3 reasons why you are not making money, or the amount of money that you want out of your talent / artistry.

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1. Giving your power to money and sacrificing the rest

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When your decision making is based on the need of money, you are making that decision based on fear ...the fear of not  missing out on that money if you say no....fear of not knowing where the next payment is coming from ...fear of not having enough money. When you are in fear, you are giving your power away to that which you are afraid of.

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When you are in fear, you are not empowered. You are unable to hold your standards, and the pressure / fear makes you compromise.

Compromise the quality or the project and take on stuff that does not excite you at all.

Compromise on the timeline and work yourself to the bone just because that’s what the client said.

Compromise on the quality of the client, and say yes to someone that you don’t really resonate with.

All of those are gonna take any passion that you have for your craft into the ground, which is also gonna limit your access to your source of inner inspiration and motivation and you know how fun that is...

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It all comes from a lack of TRUST in yourself, because if you KNEW....like fucking knew it in your bones, that you can achieve anything and you can make any kind of amount of money at will, you would not settle anymore and say yes just for the money. As long as you hold that fear, it’s gonna have power over you.

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[to be continued...]