Newsletter #4: 8 Powerful Lessons from 2 Years of regular Art-Making
Wishing you a wonderful, happy, and successful year 2025 ahead!
I decided to pick up my newsletter again—hopefully weekly—to keep you up to date with transformative insight around creativity, philosophy and living a great life.
Two years of almost daily art-making taught me more than any course or book ever could. It wasn’t just about improving my skills—it was about discovering what it really means to be a creator and artist. Here are 8 valuable lessons I learned that might change how you approach creativity.
1. Progress Isn’t Linear
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that progress doesn’t follow a straight line. Some days, you feel unstoppable, making huge breakthroughs. Other days, you feel uninspired or even skip entirely. That’s okay and totally normal. What matters is that you keep going.
Trust the process, and progress will come in its own time.
It’s easy to judge yourself harshly when things don’t go as planned. But I’ve found that the key is persistence—not perfection.
Try to pick up your creation as often as you can, even if it’s just a small sketch or looking for inspiration. Don’t worry if you skipped a day or even weeks. We all know life happens. :)
2. Follow Your Curiosity
Your curiosity is a compass pointing toward your next breakthrough. What truly excites you? What is it that you can’t stop thinking about? Maybe it’s a stunning artwork you saw or a specific technique you want to master. Follow those sparks—they often lead to unexpected and exciting places.
Curiosity fuels creativity. When you pursue what genuinely fascinates you, the process becomes enjoyable, and you naturally stay motivated. Listen to that voice inside you that says, “What if?” and follow the white rabbit, as deep as the rabbit hole goes.
3. Experiment Often
Experimentation is the birthplace of new ideas. Try something completely different once in a while. Whether it’s a different style, a new technique, or even just changing up your process—experimenting keeps things fresh and inspires creativity.
Especially when I feel stuck, trying out something completely different can recharge me with new inspiration and motivation.
Keep a list of cool ideas you want to try so you’ll never run out of things to explore when you’re not feeling it.
4. Consume Inspiring Content
Surround yourself with art that excites you. Follow and study artists you admire. Collect references and ideas. Inspiration often comes from getting immersed in and engaged with the world and others’ work.
But be mindful—it’s easy to get stuck in consumption mode or fall into analysis paralysis. Balance is key. Use what inspires you as a stepping stone to create something of your own.
If you see something exciting you want to try on your own, jump straight into doing it. Or at least put it on your idea list for later.
I had countless examples where I saw a super cool post on Instagram and ended up spending the whole day figuring it out on my own.
5. Play Without an Agenda
Some of my biggest creative breakthroughs didn’t come from hard work or careful planning—they came from simply playing around, sometimes for hours at a time. Let go of expectations and let your intuition guide you. Ask yourself, “Wouldn’t it be cool to see how this looks?” and follow that thread.
This is how you can easily access the flow state—become deeply immersed in the process. It’s that state when you forget everything around you. I often put on some inspiring music to keep my senses stimulated.
Also, when you play, you allow yourself to take risks without the fear of failure. This is where true creativity thrives. Your goal is not to get results, but to simply see how it turns out.
6. Share Your Work as Often as You Can
This was one of the most impactful aspects of my journey.
Share your work, even if you don’t think it’s perfect. Posting regularly keeps you motivated, helps you stay consistent, and opens the door for feedback. Plus, it’s a great way to document your journey.
In the beginning, you may feel shy to share unfinished or imperfect work. But over time, you realize that posting isn’t about seeking validation—it’s about being part of the conversation. Every piece you share contributes to your growth and helps you connect with others.
Also, use any other opportunity—not just online—to showcase your work. Go to local meetups related to your art, collaborate with event organizers, or even plan your own exhibitions.
I committed to posting my work on Instagram at least once a week and went to our monthly creative coding meetup to present my work in front of people. This alone brought me more future collaborations, recognition, and motivation than anything I ever did before.
Eventually, I got regularly invited to showcase and participate in events, like VJ jams, parties, and exhibitions, leading up to my first paid gigs.
7. Accumulate and Recombine Ideas
While creating and experimenting regularly, you will naturally build up a library of ideas you can draw from later—both mentally and physically (or digitally). Make use of this! Don’t be afraid to save a sketch that got stuck in the drawer—you may need exactly this in a completely different project.
Also, recombine different pieces to create completely new ones—you’ll be surprised! Step by step, you will create your own unique style.
I regularly dig out old work—whether for the idea or a specific technique (like a geometry or texture I liked)—to use it in new work.
This is how I gradually build up my unique style, toolbox, and workflow, which allows me to create faster and more consistently in the future.
I keep specific sets of textures, shading techniques, color palettes, geometries, etc. that I can draw from at any time. I create and collect scripts that help me simplify my workflow, e.g., for video processing.
8. Connect with Other Artists
Creativity thrives in community. Connect with other artists—online and offline. Collaborate, share ideas, support each other. Being part of a creative community can inspire you and help you grow in ways you can’t do alone.
Seek out groups or communities where people share your interests. Whether it’s through social media, Discord servers, or local art events, surrounding yourself with like-minded creators helps keep the momentum going. Plus, collaborations often lead to unexpected magic.
These lessons have transformed how I approach not just art but life itself. Staying curious, playful, and connected makes the whole process more joyful and fulfilling. Whether you’re an artist or working on something entirely different, I hope these lessons inspire you on your own creative path.
Thanks for reading, and if you enjoyed this, feel free to share it with someone who might need a little creative boost today!
If you liked this article and are curious for more of my musings on philosophy, spirituality, art, tech and life in general—please subscribe to my free newsletter and follow me on Instagram @jiagual.art!