The three stages of art-making

[@datadata7144]

I really like the 2nd. We as artists have to leave the studio and come back to get "the instant viewing" on the material. I like all 3, but the 2nd is very conceptual. I cant stop you from refining it, but i wish i could!

[@marymccann-scott4702]

I find it very difficult to let go with my paintings. Thank you Nick for your stages.

[@heatherhanson1874]

Wow. yes. Absolutely. I am in the middle of that right now with a portrait. It’s ok but not GREAT. I’m afraid I will lose her face, and then struggle to get her back. But that is what needs to happen. How to let go of that fear? How to move through and KNOW that I can get her back, and she will be better than ever? And to not settle for “good enough.” At least not in my painting. Thank you for sharing this. I know now I’m not alone now in this.

[@fooku5508]

Once again, Nic, you spoke directly to me. I've turned off the 75" and I'm now going back into my home studio (at 9pm EST) to energetically and playfully wreck with splotches of color three so-so paintings I've been "trying" (from my head) to move along frustratingly. This vlog is just what I needed to hear today! Thanks.

[@CoachAdamRuns]

Wow. I love love love this idea. Exactly what I needed to hear this morning. So simple, but so rich of an idea you can use anywhere in your life. If there's no risk, there's no adventure.

[@swag7620]

👍Good insight. Very helpful, One must be brave to take something pretty good and to work into it in an attack mode.

[@jeffreyolson2139]

Very helpful video Nicholas! You have a warm, natural manner that feels like a friend discussing their process with you!

[@jacquelinehall7112]

Very useful to see your 3 stages helps to clarify some issues thankyou❤

[@MrFirstdog]

This is great Nick. I wonder, being 5 months late to the video, if you've named you three stages yet. I'm going to pay closer attention to my process and see if there are actually three for me, the ones you are struggling with are totally relatable. I gave an art talk at my friends gallery a few months ago and talked about trying to manufacture the "happy accident" because I feel like the more I can get out of my own way the better the painting. Painting as science experiment analogy; I try to be both the scientist who builds the maze, and the rat who runs it. Literally I am constantly pushing myself to lose conscious control of the process.Lots of destruction needs to happen to perfectly fine pieces, before the rebuilding. Keep up the awesome work

[@susanfisher6650]

I have gotten used to listening to the sound of your voice and taking to heart everything that you talk about. I have been listening to your color mini course. And have done a piece of art unlike anything I have ever done. I will send it to Art2life and maybe you can see it and comment if you ever have time. You’re forever Spring student😂

[@cynthiathomas262]

esp looking forward to wednesday's podcast.

[@intuitiveinspiredart4366]

Those turned out beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing.

[@nsdavisart]

This was not only helpful - but fun to see!

[@ShivaShahlapour]

This is interesting and could be applied to different forms of art as well. I'm in the middle of writing a novel, but I'm at the "mind dump" phase currently. As I read my draft, I can see that there are parts where I should probably not try to control what I say in order to make it more dynamic. Your paintings visually express this dynamic for me, so thank you for this boost of inspiration!

[@MindyChristian-bz1iy]

Your insights are so helpful, Nick! I’m so thankful for the time you take to put into words the things we all struggle with at times. Those things can really derail us in the worst way, sometimes for weeks or even years at a time. Listening to you has really helped me get unstuck from some of my cerebral garbage. You are so appreciated! When I think about this sort of art paralysis, I sometimes wonder if it goes way back to elementary school art class, where the goal was often to recreate a specific product. Now that we can do whatever we want, it’s so much more fun but that torturous element of control is still camped out in our creative brains! I have learned through trial and error and a whole lot of staring at an ugly piece of work that the best thing I can do is to get out of my own head and remember this is supposed to be FUN! The minute it starts feeling like we are fighting ourselves, it’s time to reset, relax, remind ourselves why we are artists in the first place.

[@natashapretorius9869]

You always have to correct way of describing situations. Bullseye!

[@great-garden-watch]

Love them!

[@nadinejullien5696]

Caring place - Risking place - Balancing place (naming stages, me too). I love listening to your vlogs and podcast. Thank you for sharing 🙂🧡

[@stellabee4488]

I love getting to the middle stage but then I go too far. Once I overwork it I am unsure about how to proceed. Thanks Nick 😊

[@dw7939]

I call those stages: Grade School - free wild expression, High School - over thinking it, and when it's more tamed yet embracing the wild - College Art Student.

[@shelinahetherington4661]

That's so helpful, thank you

[@stargrannyavon]

I really enjoy the real stories and experiences you share.

[@deniselini1366]

This was totally awesome to see those stages right in front of your eyes!!👍🏻🥰

[@donrogers776]

yes so true!

[@robofurious]

Can totally relate. I need to go bold again, I’m being too calculated and need to let go.

[@ssatx6911]

That's interesting I'd like to see to final result of the middle one. where is that?

[@lcomfort8683]

The 1st two stages are much more compelling and nice to look at than the final. The 'resolved' one is dull.

[@julieisthatart]

Uh- huh, I share that oh, careful! Followed by, OK there is nothing I could possibly do to that to make it any worse. And, like you say, eventually it does get better. Well, hopefully better.

[@estanoapagnie9656]

That is my problem. Control. I get the stage of losing control. The. Go back to control at the end. Nightmare.

[@cookinglessonsformydaughter]

Thinking - Feeling - Being or Thinking - Feeling - Complete (naming the stages)

[@starcommunication279]

Stage 1: the cute child Stage 2: No holds barred child Stage 3: The integrrated child

[@yasg2514]

I like it it looks like a face I can see lips and an eye the one on the left.

[@gingermalone7945]

I actually like the middle phase...the 3rd illustration with the brown looks boring. Sorry!

[@lto1964]

You just need to drink more beers and stop thinking so much.