10/07/2026
Every painting has an awkward stage.
You know the moment - you've blocked in the colours, started building your layers, and suddenly you're staring at the canvas thinking, “Oh no. What have I done?”
Keep painting.
The shadows aren't finished. The highlights haven't arrived. The details that pull everything together may still be several layers away.
One of the best things you can learn as an artist is to stop judging your work before it's finished.
Sometimes the difference between “I ruined it” and “I LOVE it!” is another 20 minutes with a brush in your hand.
Trust the process. Give your painting a chance to become what you imagined.
What's your usual reaction during the ugly stage - keep going, walk away for a bit, or immediately question every decision you've ever made?