Your self-talk has a huge impact on how you receive feedback and as a result, how much you\u2019ll grow. What do you say to yourself in those moments?<\/p>\n
Mantras and reminders can help to keep your mindset in check. Here are our 6 self-talk tips on how to achieve a growth mindset.<\/p>\n
Struggling with how to take art criticism? Our mindset is often the difference between feeling empowered by feedback or victimized by it. (Roy Lichtenstein, Drowning Girl, 1963)<\/p>\n It might FEEL <\/strong>personal, but that doesn\u2019t mean it IS <\/strong>personal. <\/p>\n It feels personal because art is personal – blood sweat and tears go into your work. So in the midst of it feeling personal, first remember the feedback doesn\u2019t say anything about your worth as an artist or your future capabilities. <\/p>\n Constructive feedback is about your artwork, not your artistic worth.<\/strong><\/p>\n Especially if you have a teacher or community you trust, the feedback is just that, feedback. It is something that can be objectively applied to your work. <\/p>\n All the self-talk tips we are sharing today are here to help you approach feedback with a mindset that makes it less personal. <\/p>\n If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.<\/p>\n A bit part of knowing how to take art criticism is recognizing it\u2019s an opportunity to grow.<\/strong><\/p>\n So many students find themselves struggling and assume they don\u2019t have the natural talent to be professional artists. They think, \u2018Shouldn\u2019t this be easier?\u2019 and they give up on their dreams. <\/p>\n A proven curriculum that teaches the fundamentals of art definitely makes it easier. But in the end, it\u2019s not easy<\/strong>. No matter what you’re working at, growth comes with discomfort. <\/strong><\/p>\n What makes an artist is not natural talent, it\u2019s consistent hard-won effort.<\/strong> It\u2019s the hours at the easel working on a painting and putting your work out there for critical feedback. All of that – not easy. <\/strong><\/p>\n Every piece of feedback you receive gives you the opportunity to focus that time and effort on the areas you need improvement. This is fuel for your growth.<\/strong><\/p>\n Don\u2019t believe in the natural talent myth. Stick with your passions and grow with the discomfort. As Albert Einstein said, “It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”<\/p>\n It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.<\/p>\n Try this, next time you hear feedback on your artwork, instead of responding right away to explain your perspective or to solve the problem, tell yourself, \u201cI can sit with this\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n A very human reaction to discomfort is to make it OVER <\/strong>as soon as possible. So when we hear feedback, instead of listening, we often times respond right away to make it go away. <\/p>\n This reaction can rob you of the reflection that needs to happen to improve your work. <\/p>\n Listen, really listen.<\/strong> Put all your explanations to one side when learning how to take art criticism. Sit with the feedback and mull it over. <\/p>\n Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes the feedback you receive is just not that clear. And even people with the best of intentions can provide vague feedback. This lack of clarity doesn\u2019t discount the feedback, but it does require clarification<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Part of learning how to take art criticism is being unafraid to ask questions.<\/strong> The better you understand the feedback and the possible solutions, the more helpful it is for your work.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve sat with the feedback, and you still don\u2019t understand it, follow up<\/strong> with the person who gave the feedback. Schedule a 1-1, grab a coffee, and send that email. <\/p>\n If following up with the person who gave you the art critique is not possible, ask a peer for their perspective. <\/p>\n At Evolve, our students can participate in chat rooms, Facebook groups, and both Kevin Murphy (Evolve Founder and Master Portraitist) and Piper (Evolve\u2019s Head Instructor) have office hours. You can also book a 1-1 with our instructors. If you need to speak with someone, somebody is always available. Because you’re never without the support you need, you learn how to take art criticism.<\/p>\n If you have something similar, use the resources that are available to you. <\/p>\n Kevin Murphy, Evolve Founder and Master Portraitist is available to Evolve students during office hours to offer feedback and guidance.<\/p>\n Some feedback can be harder to swallow than others. If you\u2019ve already established that this feedback is worth listening to – remind yourself that the feedback is coming from a community you trust that has your best intentions at heart. <\/strong><\/p>\n Feedback can be blunt. Lots of instructors have different styles of delivering art critiques, and it\u2019s not usually given with a spoon full of sugar. <\/p>\n At Evolve, we provide feedback directly and plainly. For us to do the best for our students, we must be honest.<\/strong> This is how we build trust and provide an exceptional fundamental education in art. This means you\u2019re not always going to like what you hear.<\/strong><\/p>\n This is not about abusive or needlessly cruel criticism. That feedback is NOT worth listening to. And at Evolve, that is NOT our ethos. <\/p>\n We are here to push our students to get better and improve. We love seeing our students have artistic breakthroughs through the program, and that comes through clear, honest guidance. <\/p>\n Remind yourself of the intentions of the person giving the feedback. They are here to build you up. <\/p>\n Personalized feedback is an important part of the learning process and knowing that you are receiving feedback from someone who wants you to succeed goes a long way (Evolve\u2019s homework tool).<\/p>\n It’s human nature to focus on the negative. We\u2019re literally wired to focus on risks and threats in our environment – it\u2019s called negativity bias.<\/a> Because of this, it\u2019s hard to notice the positives. <\/strong><\/p>\n The best way to counteract this is to \u201cHunt the good stuff.\u201d<\/strong> If it feels like an endless stream of difficult art critiques, pause and take a moment to find some positives.<\/p>\n Did any of the feedback say what you\u2019ve done well? <\/em><\/p>\n Was there an area you have been aiming to improve that is now a non-issue?<\/em><\/p>\n Even though the art critique is tough, is there anything you\u2019re grateful for?<\/em><\/p>\n What do you love about painting? Can you reconnect with that?<\/em><\/p>\n By intentionally focusing on the positives, it can build your resilience as an artist so you can continue to put time and effort into achieving your artistic dreams. <\/p>\n It can be easy to overlook the positives and focus on the negatives.<\/p>\n Receiving and applying feedback is essential to your growth as an artist.<\/p>\n Building a growth mindset battles negativity bias and helps you turn the feelings that come with difficult feedback into tangible constructive action.<\/p>\n We hope these 6 self-talk tips help you build that resilience. <\/p>\n Providing constructive criticism in a supportive environment is part of what the Evolve program is all about.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re wanting to join a community that has got your back, Evolve could be the program for you! You can read more about our curriculum and REAL student success stories HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Figuring](\"https:\/\/evolveartist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Drowning-Girl.jpeg\" "\\"Drowning")
<\/span><\/p>\nTip 1: \u201cIt\u2019s not personal\u201d<\/h2>\n
Vincent Van Gogh<\/h4>\n
Tip 2: \u201cThis is fuel for my growth, and growth is worth it\u201d<\/h2>\n
Albert Einstein<\/h4>\n
Tip 3: \u201cI can sit with this.\u201d<\/h2>\n
Stephen R. Covey<\/h4>\n
Tip 4: \u201cI can ask for help\u201d<\/h2>\n
![\"Kevin](\"https:\/\/evolveartist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Kevin-office-hours.gif\" "\\"Kevin")
<\/span><\/p>\nTip 5: \u201cThey have my best intentions at heart.\u201d<\/h2>\n
![\"Personalized](\"https:\/\/evolveartist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screen-Shot-2023-08-16-at-11.02.01-AM.png\" "\\"Screen")
<\/span><\/p>\nTip 6: Hunt the good stuff<\/h2>\n
![\"It](\"https:\/\/evolveartist.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/negativity-bias.webp\" "\\"negativity")
<\/span><\/p>\nHow to take art criticism – Bringing it all together<\/h2>\n