The Artist Curse – When others LOVE your art, but you DON’T | Liron Yanconsky’s Podcast – Episode 30

Today we’ll talk about the artist curse, what it is and how to possibly deal with it.

How I learned about the artist curse

I initially came across this phrase in a video by Mark at Draw Mix Paint channel. Mark is a fantastic oil painter I highly recommend you check out. ESPECIALLY if you do watercolor.

In any case, he described this concept in several of his videos.

The artist curse is when you don’t enjoy your art the same way others do. You don’t see it the same as others see it. You sometimes don’t understand why others like it.

Why I’ve been thinking about the artist curse

Lately I’ve been experiencing more and more of this.

I think I’m a bit of an oddball. I am able to enjoy some of my art, and see the beauty in it. But only to some extent, and only some of the time.

Because I was so lucky to build a following of amazing people on YouTube and Instagram, I receive lots of feedback.

Even ME, as someone who enjoys their art, is constantly blown away by the feedback.

This also happens when I paint outside. Passerby’s comments are many times positive, while I feel lie “I have no idea what I’m doing” haha.

Why the artist curse occurs

I believe there are several reasons for why we (for the most part) simply can’t enjoy our art in the same way others can.

Process – We slowly see our painting come together. During the process, it’s easy to lose track of the vision. It’s easy not to be able to see how this mess in front of us is supposed to turn into a beautiful piece of art.

Others come by and see it for the first time with fresh eyes. They quite literally see it better.

Lack of objectivity – Because we are the artist, the creator, it’s hard being objective about our work, and seeing it for what it is.

This also connects to…

Familiarity – Not being able to “smell ourselves”. It’s hard for us to recognize our own style, strengths and tendencies. We are simply too close to the picture.

Many have commented about how they loved my style, and how it’s really distinctive. But – to this day I don’t really see it. All I can do is create as best as I can. But on the other hand – it does appear to have its own style.

The funny irony

Mark pointed this out, and it made me laugh as I was able to relate.

Usually, the artists who have the most doubts and shyness around their skills, are the ones who make among the most beautiful kind of art.

I would assume this isn’t 100% true, but from what I personally experienced so far it’s darn close to that.

On the other hand, artists who seem to have this blind confidence, also tend to have some series weaknesses in their style, technique or skills.

Living with the curse

There are several solutions to alleviate the artist curse. I suspect that due to the nature of objectivity, it never completely goes away. But you can definitely ease the symptoms.

1. Use second hand impression. Share your are with others in a manner that allows them to be objective. Instagram is great for that.

This way you’ll slowly learn what others respond to. You still won’t be able to necessarily enjoy your art as much as others, but you’ll definitely learn more about how it’s accepted by others.

2. Find OBJECTIVE criteria. Judge your art based on objective criteria and signs. Here are some good examples from the visual art world – “Is my drawing accurate? Is this angle correct? Is this the right value? Does the color express what I wanted it to?”

There you have it! Well, that last one may be a little more subjective haha. But you get the point.

And if you come from a different artistic background – try and find your objective criteria!

3. If you are very shy and unconfident about your art – I would suggest learning to become better at ACCEPTING compliments and taking them at face value (gee, looks like someone DOES like your artwork!).

4. If you feel like you have nothing more to learn, and your work is fabulous, I’d suggest asking for some opinions by others and seeing if they match your beliefs. If they do – mad props!

5. Finally – have fun! Art isn’t perfect. We all express what we want, in the ways we can. Above all I want you to enjoy what you produce (:

And with that being said, time to move into the artist corner!

Artist Corner

Today I talked about John Constable, a renowned British oil painter who lived from 1776 to 1837.

He was a landscape painter who worked in the traditional oil style. Among his best works is “Wivenhoe Park”. This is also the first painting of his that I came across.

John wasn’t financially successful. He gained more popularity after he passed away. His work was embraced in France even more than in the UK.

He mostly painted scenes from the Dedham Vale, the area surrounding his home. It is now known as “Constable Country”.

You can read more about him on Wikipedia: John Constable
And also check out “Wievenhoe Park”

As a side-note, I also recommended Alvaro Castagnet – as an artist who does seem to enjoy his own art like others, with lot’s of confident. Check out his work here: Alvaro Castagnet.

And Here’s where you can find me (:

You can support me on Patreon

Check out my YouTube Channel – Liron Yanconsky

Or ask me questions on Instagram – @LironYanIL or Snapchat – @LironYan3

And this is it. I hope you enjoyed this episode, and I’ll talk to you again real soon!

– Liron

Did you Mess up Your Painting?? How to Fix a Watercolor

Hi there, I hope you are doing great! Today we’ll talk about how to fix your painting when you messed something up (:

Here’s the full video, scroll down to read more.

Many Painting Mistakes Can be Fixed

People (myself included) make the assumption that in watercolor nothing is reversible. This is false.

Many, if not all mistakes can be corrected.

Only some types of mistakes can’t be corrected. These usually involve dropping dark paint in large quantities in an area that’s supposed to be light.

However, paint can be lifted. Brushwork can be improved. Things can be darkened and so on.

The Ugly Stage of a Painting

This is something worth mentioning. Most paintings, no matter the medium (oils, acrylics or watercolor) tend to go through an ugly / incomplete stage.

It may lead you to believe you are messing up, when in fact you are just early in the process.

I’d encourage you to NEVER give up on a painting. The it’s far likelier you’ll give up too soon than too late. So give it a chance!

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed the video and vibed with the message.

Let me know if this helped!

And I’ll talk to you again really soon.

– Liron

 

Can You Teach? What Gives Us Permission to Teach Others | Liron Yanconsky’s Podcast – Episode 29

What gives us permission to teach others? And to charge for it?? These are the questions I’d like us to answer today!

A Question in a YouTube Comment

I was asked about this in a YouTube comment. One of my followers there wanted to know – how do I know I can teach?

The funny thing was – I immediately knew the answer!

Listening Allows me to Teach

What I do is share my knowledge as I learn it. I don’t front or pretend, but rather simply share things as I learn them.

I actually feel very lucky. Building an audience on YouTube has allowed me to gain a lot of feedback.

What I do is listen to what you say, and react. Once I saw many followers started asking me about when I’ll create a course, or a book – I knew it was time.

Teaching Watercolor Painting

I’m relatively new to this medium, so up until perhaps 6 months ago, I haven’t even thought of teaching it.

But then comments started piling up. People were asking me to teach, and I started feeling comfortable with the medium. So I went for it!

Listening Has more Advantages

I really focus on that in the episode. Aside from helping me gauge when I can teach, listening has done much more for me.

It gives me new ideas for videos and podcast episodes (like this one!). It allows me to learn what my strengths and weaknesses are.

I also think my growth is consistent (and rapid at times) because I listen. I try to provide exactly what YOU want me to, as long as it’s “in my lane”.

It’s how I got my idea to start (and continue) Business Monday, or my upcoming series “From Watercolor to Pen Sketch” (that I probably will turn into a series).

To Teach You Have to Know

I do think that in addition to the above, in order to be a good teacher – you have to actually know what you’re talking about.

I think the perfect combination is having good intentions + knowledge and experience. I strive to hone and improve both of these.

If you can teach people something they do not know, and you come from a good place, you will have a positive impact.

Also, if you can provide others with teachings they CAN’T GET ANYWHERE ELSE – that’s the real magic formula.

I’m trying to leverage my personality in anything I do. It’s the one thing that makes me truly unique.

Conclusion

I really think there are two sides to this.

One side is being self-aware, and knowing your skills, strengths and weaknesses. The other is LISTENING to others (awareness that’s directed outwards).

I hope you enjoyed discussing this concept! Let’s move onto the artist corner!

Artist Corner

Today we talked about John Yardley. He’s a FANTASTIC British painter.

John has a very interesting life story. He was a banker all of his life. Then, at the age of 53 he decided to devote his life to art.

His inspirations are Edward Seago and Edward Wesson.

I love his style. He tends to not overcomplicate things. His style is less stressful and doesn’t necessarily require working super-fast. It doesn’t make you worry about everything being connected, but it works really well!

I love his unique color scheme as well.

You can read more about him here: John Yardley on ArtNet
And you can watch a really good APV video here: Watercolour Moments: John Yardley

And Here’s where you can find me (:

You can support me on Patreon

Check out my YouTube Channel – Liron Yanconsky

Or ask me questions on Instagram – @LironYanIL or Snapchat – @LironYan3

And this is it. I hope you enjoyed this episode, and I’ll talk to you again real soon!

– Liron

Perseverance & Giving Yourself a Chance | Liron Yanconsky’s Podcast – Episode 28

Today I want to share with you my thoughts and perseverance, and why it’s one of THE MOST IMPORTANT things.

Perseverance & Giving Yourself a Chance

I usually plan out my podcast episodes, or I have something specific to say.

This time I was preparing to start recording, and suddenly perseverance popped into my mind.

I immediately thought of it in the context if – success takes TIME. If you are not willing to persevere and try again and again, you’ll never make it.

Perseverance is Important in Both BUSINESS and ART

The reason why I talk a lot about these topics is that, this is really what’s on my mind most of the time. This has been the case for the past 1-2 years, if not longer.

In my watercolor journey, I can really sense the importance of persevering. There were MANY times I got punched in the face by the medium.

I was on a roll (painting a few nice artworks), and then found out I suddenly have ZERO control over the paint.

I went through tough challenges.

Had I not continued regardless, I could never win. And I’m only just now starting to win.

Business is TOUGH

That’s another thing I’m coming to terms lately. Building wealth, financial and business success is hard. It takes a lot of effort, making mistakes along the way and continuing regardless.

This is something I had to learn the hard way. I’m not sure how to put it in words, so I’ll just say this: There is no finish line.

There’s never that point that you get to – that you can really say – I’m done and can rest now. Work always continues, and it’s all a part of one long process.

Hedging it!

I’d like to give one caveat.

I think it’s important to do things smartly. If you’ve been doing something for a LOOONG time and you don’t see results, maybe it’s a good idea to try something else.

Or, at the very least – realize you may not achieve everything you wanted in that area. But if you enjoy it – I’ll be your biggest supporter.

I think this requires looking inside and figuring out what you want, what the results are and what the best course of action is.

I Got Lucky!

The first book I published on Amazon started selling the next day.

That’s insane.

I don’t know what would’ve happened had that not been the case.

Would I have published three more books? Would I have continued? Or may I’d just quit and “go get a job”.

Who knows? For now, all I can do is be super-grateful for the success I WAS able to achieve so far.

And that’s a good note to move onto the Artist Corner (;

Artist Corner

Today I presented Stanislaw Zoladz. He is a Polish painter living in Sweden.

His style is realistic, with some expressionism thrown in on some of his work. I absolutely love it.

Here’s one of my favorite painting of his.
I also found this interview I recommend you check out – Stanislaw Zoladz Interview.

And Here’s where you can find me (:

You can support me on Patreon

Check out my YouTube Channel – Liron Yanconsky

Or ask me questions on Instagram – @LironYanIL or Snapchat – @LironYan3

And this is it. I hope you enjoyed this episode, and PERSEVERE ON!

– Liron

Business Monday – How to Build a Successful Art Business | Liron Yanconsky’s Podcast – Episode 27

Hi there! In today’s episode I want to present to you my new show – Business Monday. The show will deal with how to build a successful art business.

Business Monday – My New Show

Next week I’m going to start a new show on my YouTube channel.

Business Monday will be a show dedicated to the art business. I will talk to you from my own PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. I want to share my insights regarding how to build a successful art business.

Why I’m Starting This Show

My current content attracts a lot of older audiences, which is great! Sometimes, later in life – people find more time to create art and paint.

However, I’d also like to help younger audiences. I’m talking about young artists that are HUNGRY for success.

I feel like this is something I can share my knowledge about.

How I Got the Idea

I wanted to talk about topics related to art and business for a LONG time now. In fact, I’ve been doing that to some extent for a while now.

I would occasionally talk about topics such as business, marketing and so on. But it was always at the “fringes” of my content. It was something I always did “along” the way.

a few days ago I was talking to a friend about this. Suddenly he told me: “Why not just make a show dedicated to that?”

I immediately felt how on-point he was.

Content Pillars – Building an Art Business

I have many content pillars in my YouTube channel (and on other places such as Instagram). I talk about watercolor, sketching, The Paint Show, and I also have my new series – Painting Masters.

Having these as content pillars, or “headlines”, helped me significantly with brainstorming a multitude of ideas for videos, posts and so on.

But up until this point, I haven’t had an organized content pillar for BUSINESS. And now I do (:

My Intentions with Business Monday

Sharing ONLY What I Know

My only intent with this show is the share my insights. I will not pretend to know everything. I want to talk about the things I am experienced at.

I’ve been working on my art business and personal brand for the past 4 years, and only now feel like I start to reap some of the rewards.

And so, I also feel like I have a lot to teach.

Detailed, Specific Talk

Another thing I intend to do is to go DEEP. I want to show you the exact things I’m talking about. I want to show you my actual sales funnel, my Facebook ads, my autoresponder. Everything!

There’s plenty of general information out there. Frankly, it helps almost nobody. It’s been commoditized.

I want to give you what I did, specifically. That’s the best type of information, in my experience.

Conclusion

So now that you know about this new show, make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel, if you still haven’t.

The first episode will be up on Monday, the 7th of May.

As always, feel free to comment and let me know if there are any topics you want me to cover in the show, podcast, or anywhere else!

And now, let’s wrap up with the Artist Corner.

Artist Corner

In this episode I wanted to talk to you about Alexander Votsmush.

Alexander is a watercolor painter. He creates surrealistic works that are simply astounding. He seems to have complete mastery of watercolor, and even realism. I believe he distorts reality as a style choice. I wouldn’t be surprised if he can draw realistically, or even hyper-realistically.

By the way, I read that Votsmush is a nickname, a play on the letters of his original last name – Shumtov.

Check out his Instagram here: @Votsmush

Check out these websites for an awesome view of his works:

LivingDesign – Alexander Votsmush
LinesAndColors – Alexander Votsmush

Here’s where you can find me (:

You can support me on Patreon

Check out my YouTube Channel – Liron Yanconsky

Or ask me questions on Instagram – @LironYanIL or Snapchat – @LironYan3

And this is it. I hope you enjoyed this episode!

– Liron