Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago

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When you're working alone in your painting practice, it's easy to feel like you are painting to please an invisible panel of judges. How can you tell if what you are painting is good when you are so close to the process?

Artists talk a lot about good design. What is good design? Who decides if a painting has a good design? What if you think the painting is good, but someone else does not? Who is the arbiter of good design in art?
And does design matter?

If you're receiving a critique of your work, what do you do with negative criticism? Especially if you disagree with it?

You get to decide what you want your art to say. Yes, listen to your mentors, seek to learn and grow, but trust your own instincts as well. Doubt will never strengthen your work.

I'm all about artistic freedom and teaching artists to love their own work and paint more confidently. Learn with me and develop your own confident artistic voice: heartledartist.com