Here’s Why Painters Need Constraints
Tight briefs are good for painters… Not those 🩲 briefs 🙈 - creative briefs! Let me explain.
“Give me the freedom of a tight brief”
David Ogilvy
I know it sounds counterintuitive because we all love the romantic notion of free spirited creatives with limitless possibilities.
But when it comes down to it, infinite possibilities are not as much of a blessing as one might think.
How does one choose?
The best option?
Best in what regard?
What if lots of the options are good?
The unfortunate consequence of infinite possibilities is decision making. And that is hard. No really - decision making is one of the most complex activities the brain undertakes. It's not just you, it's science.
Our brains have to trade off rational thinking and emotional consequences. Our inner wise selves know the actual chemical consequences of our choices. Like:
…a dopamine hit from creating a lovely painting
…increased serotonin from relaxing with our hobby
…and conversely, the stress hormone cortisol produced when we consider the possibility of creating something ugly or just plain making a mess. 🙈
On top of all that there’s the decision fatigue (which is a real thing, you know!) from all this problem solving before we even get to the actual painting.
While we think we want freedom of choice, what we really want is freedom from choice.
I think a lot of creative block is really born of all these choices. Whether it is writers or painters, or any other type of creative soul who is stuck, what they are probably dealing with is the paralysis of indecision, the agony of choice.
A writer can write anything - they are the ones making it up, right? So they can just make up anything. If you’ve ever tried writing you’ll know that’s exactly why it’s not so easy.
It's the same for painters.
Often we are stuck not painting because we are not quite sure what we are going to paint. Of course we can come up with plenty of other decisions we have to make - picking a subject is just the tip of the iceberg.
For example:
🙋♀️ What materials should we choose?
🙋♀️ What size should we work on?
🙋♀️ Should we warm up first?
🙋♀️ Must we start by sketching?
🙋♀️ In a sketchbook, or just on the paper before we start adding paint?
You see how creative we can be about coming up with questions and problems to solve before we even get started painting?
Would it help if I made most of these decisions for you and all you had to do is get out your supplies and paint?
The best solution I have found is to come up with a personal project and set some parameters. Some constraints. Believe me, it makes life so very much easier. Let me tell you about my approach and how it has worked for me. Maybe it will help you too.
My strategy is to paint in a series. This introduces the first constraint - subject.
Are you worried about getting bored painting the same thing?
Here’s where the second constraint can come in.
Either a time constraint or a minimum number of paintings. Actually I do both. I paint a new series every month. I have found that 10 paintings is a good number to get really comfortable with a subject but not too bored. And I know I can usually do about 10 in a month most of the time.
What about you?
What would be a comfortable amount and time frame for you?
I like to create at least 10 paintings on a theme (ie the same subject) in the same medium - for me that’s usually watercolour. But sometimes I’ll choose to do a series in line and wash, or perhaps a series using markers.
While I am exploring a subject, I might also get out my sketchbook just to have a go at drawing the chosen subject. It's a great way to build those drawing skills (yes even if you think you can’t draw).
Once you feel a bit more confident about drawing something, painting is even easier.
I find that this length of time and number of paintings is just enough to get over that initial hump of learning to paint a subject for the first time, but not so long as to become completely bored of painting exactly the same thing.
If you paint something different each time you paint you are consigning yourself to the agony of always being a total beginner at painting the subject and never really benefiting from being able to consolidate your experience.
(I wrote more about this learning curve aspect of painting in a series over here, if this is interesting to you.)
Occasionally, I choose to do a whole series of paintings in a sketchbook but most often I choose to work on loose sheets of paper. That means I can choose a smaller piece of paper if I am short on time or go big and bold on a large one if I am in that sort of a mood.
Here’s where it is worth having a bit of a think about what works best for you. Figure out which decisions get you stuck in that little creative cul de sac, and which ones you enjoy making in the moment.
The whole goal is to make it easy and fun to get to the actual painting part.
Do you want to decide in advance the size and substrate, or do you think you will enjoy that little bit of freedom?
They are your rules, remember, so you get to choose the ones that support you rather than frustrate you.
Think you’d rather create a dozen, 20 paintings or just 3, instead of 10?
Great! Do that.
Prefer to pre-number sketchbook pages and allocate a specific set of pages to each series? Sounds perfect.
Want to try the same subject in all the different mediums you like to work in?
Fun! Why not?
It's all about assigning yourself the most fun project you can think of and keeping it manageable enough to do even when you are busy.
With all the decisions out of the way, all that is left to do is get out the paint and play!
I created a monthly series on a theme consistently for about 5 years. It's the most productive and creatively satisfied I’ve ever been. Then I lost my mojo a bit. That happens too. There was a bit of a pandemic… perhaps you heard about that. 😉
Now I think it's high time to get back to the fun of painting.
Easily and often.
Want to join me? I’d love that too. 🤗
Click here to find out about my brand new membership called the Happy Painters’ Hub.
If painting a monthly series sounds fun to you, why not let me make it even easier by choosing good subjects for each month and carefully curating ideal references for you?
I’ll also come up with an optional sketchbook project so that you can learn to draw too.
Step by step painting? Of course!
We'll do at least two paintings together every month.
You’ll be able to look over my shoulder as I paint. It’ll be like you are right here in the studio with me.
Are you on your own painting journey?
One of these might be useful…