What if you Change Your Mind About What You Draw?

Maybe you started out drawing anime, because all your friends wanted to learn art, and maybe you kinda liked it! But maybe you really wanted to learn to paint landscapes all along. But… you got kinda far into drawing anime, maybe made some friends because of that, maybe taken on some commissions? What do you do when you want to try something new?

Okay, let’s work through this. Those of you who have been drawing for a bit might have encountered this thought before. Those of you who are newer might have wondered if you were stuck with what you first really started to learn. No one just wants to be known as “the artist who draws dragons”. Even if you end up being really good at drawing dragons, no one likes to be categorized so plainly, it feels like you’re trapped. Maybe you like drawing dragons! But no one’s gonna tell you what to do.

Are you stuck? Of course you’re not. (“never would have predicted he’d say that”) From drawing anime, then moving to landscapes, then animals, then portraits, then abstract… your interests can be as fluid as your art is. Just as your skills change and improve, it’s OK and healthy for your interests to change too. You’re not too old to change and experiment. You’re never locked in to one subject matter, and you can try something new whenever you want. You can always come back to what you used to draw and create if you change your mind again, there’s no need to “break up” or quit a fandom. Sometimes taking a break from a particular subject can even rekindle your interest in it.

However, I get that it’s not going to be so easy as “just” drawing something new. You might have friends, communities, even fans who like what you draw. I’m going to lay out your options, because sometimes you just need to hear it out loud. Even if you’re not struggling with this kind of decision yet, listen up! It will likely be useful later on.

Option 1: Switch entirely to a new subject and start learning. You won’t be starting from scratch: art skills carry over to many different mediums and subjects; you’ll learn quickly especially with good reference images to study from. And if you come back to your original art subject, you’ll have picked up a ton of new skills you wouldn’t have had otherwise. If you feel like you’ve been stalling out, this can be an option, but admittedly, it’s not the most fun because it does feel like you’re leaving a lot behind.

Option 2: Try both. Alternate with each day. Spend time drawing what you know one day, and on the next study something entirely new. This will help keep your skills fresh, and it can help motivate you with both something new and something familiar to return to every time you start. Especially if you’re of the easily distracted, like me. This one’s fun, but kinda time-intensive.

Option 3: Mix the two. Draw anime a lot, but wanted to try landscapes? Try painting landscapes as backgrounds into anime portraits. They don’t even have to fit together, necessarily: sometimes really cool art is just a character on an otherworldly background. This can give you a mixture of both interests at the same time, and can introduce some of your friends and fans to them too. I guarantee they have other interests as well – maybe you’ll encourage them to involve those in their own art!

One thing in life that trips us up a lot is thinking that a lot of decisions we make are permanent. We don’t like to change our minds, because it makes us look like we were wrong to switch in the first place. But many things can be undone, and some, like a choice of art, are pretty easy to switch. Recognizing that you tried something new, didn’t like it, and wanting to return back is a sign of courage. Sticking with the new is also bold, because you’re wanting to explore it more. So go on and try something new if you want, and don’t feel ashamed or fearful if you want to switch back. We all do that.

By the way, if you do really like drawing one kind of thing, and have no interest in changing what you draw? That’s 100% valid too. Just keep this in mind if you ever start to wonder about it in the future. What’s important in art is that it helps you express yourself and makes you happy. So go do just that today: make some great art.