When I first started making money from my art, I really struggled to find time to create art for fun. I thought everything I created needed to be sold or used for a class or tutorial, and it took a toll on me. I see this a lot with artists who make money from their work, and here are some ways I can combat that.

Designate Time for Each

Every morning I like to use the time before I start “work” to do some art for fun! I sketch in my sketchbook or take a creativity walk and get into the flow of things. I don’t put pressure on what I’m creating to be something great or amazing or on what I’m doing to be for a certain purpose. Sometimes I don’t know what I want to work on until I start. Setting aside this time has helped me continue my art outside of my work. I know that mornings are my time to enjoy and play and not have any pressure on it or purpose.

Related Post: How to Pack Art Supplies for Travel: My Packing List & Tips

Explore New Mediums

Something I found helpful is exploring new mediums that I don’t make money from and that fulfill my creative purpose. I explore things like sketching, art journaling, paper work or anything else I want to try out without it having to do with work. Sometimes I find that I don’t want to work on watercolor because I am constantly working on watercolor pieces for life i design. When that happens, I pick up a different medium, and it’s nice to be able to try my hand at something new.

If you’re looking for a new medium to try, take a look at this blog post I’ve shared on The Best Watercolor Pencils to use!

Balancing Creating Art for Money and Creating Art for Fun

Creating art for fun and creating art for money is all about balance. Overall I try not to put too much pressure on anything I work on so that I can still experience joy from it. Even if that means I start a piece or project with the intention of just using it for fun, and that ends up turning into a tutorial or a new course, it’s okay!

At the end of the day, I like to make sure every piece I create is created through joy, and that can take some practice. I also try not to put too much pressure on myself to constantly create. If I don’t feel like working on something for a tutorial or class, then I don’t; it’s that simple. This way I keep things separate and it’s not as intense. I find that when I force myself to create, I oftentimes stray away from it or end up not wanting to do it.