As artists, we’re often drawn to social media to connect, share our work, and get inspired by others. And in many ways, it is beautiful. It allows us to peek into other people’s sketchbooks, learn from their process, and feel part of a wider creative world.
But somewhere between saving a post for colour reference and watching a time-lapse reel that somehow got 200k likes, we can start to feel… behind. Inadequate. Like we’re not doing enough, or like our art isn’t good enough. As this is why social comparisons as an artist can really take a toll on our work.
The truth is, everyone shares the best of their work online. We rarely see the unfinished pieces, the ones that got scrapped, or the quiet periods when nothing flowed. Those exist for every artist. Yes, even the ones you admire most.
& also, everyone is at a different stage of their artistic journey. We know artistic skills develop with deliberate practice (I have a whole article on that here.), so it would be silly to compare ourselves to artists that have had years more practice than we have. We’re all on our own artistic journey.
But still – we compare. Because we’re human.
I used to think comparison was just part of being creative. But now I realise there’s a line. And if we’re not mindful, we can quietly cross it—moving from healthy admiration to harmful self-judgement. And I do spend a lot of time in the ‘harmful self-judgement’ realm…
Here are some gentle signs I look for in myself:
🤍 Inspiration makes me want to paint. It gives me ideas, excitement, energy.
🤍 Comparison makes me want to stop. It leaves me feeling like my work is rubbish and doesn’t matter.
🤍 Inspiration says, “Maybe I could try something like that.”
🤍 Comparison says, “Why bother?” or “You’ll never be that good.”
It’s okay to admire others. But if your self-talk turns cruel, it’s time to step back and re-centre.
I’m still learning to navigate social media in a way that supports my practice instead of shaking my confidence. It’s an ongoing battle and I do struggle with this daily! There are so many amazing artists out there – it’s hard to not compare. But, here are some things that help:
📱 Curate your feed with care – I follow people who inspire me and make me feel included—not just in their talent, but in their honesty. I love when artists share what didn’t work too.
🎉 Celebrate your own growth – I keep a little folder of my paintings that I’m proud of. On days I’m doubting myself, I scroll through and remember how far I’ve come.
🎭 Notice what stings—and why – If I feel triggered by someone else’s success, I ask myself what it’s actually pointing to. Do I want to try something new? Am I feeling stuck in my own practice? It’s often an invitation, not a criticism.
🕰️ Take intentional breaks from social media – Some of my best ideas come when I’ve stepped away from my instagram feed. Silence can help you hear your own artistic voice again.
👩🏽🎨 Remember, everyone is at different stages of their artistic journey – you could be comparing yourself to someone who’s been creating for double the amount of time as you! Everyone has their own journey.
As a provisional psychologist, I think a lot about why we compare. Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954) explains how we evaluate ourselves by looking at others—especially in areas where there’s no clear “scorecard,” like art.
There are two kinds of comparison:
⬆️ Upward comparison – We look at someone we perceive as more successful or talented. This can either inspire us—or make us feel small.
⬇️ Downward comparison – We compare ourselves to someone struggling more than us. This might offer a fleeting ego boost, but it rarely helps us grow long-term.
On social media, upward comparisons dominate—curated feeds, polished content, viral reels. And when we’re already feeling uncertain or insecure, that kind of exposure can hit hard. I know I’m a sucker for upward comparisons…and they never end well for me 🫠 sometimes I can feel inspired, but for the most part, I’m just cruel to myself. So, do as I say, and not as I do ☝🏽
The key is to stay aware. Comparison is human. But it’s what we do after we compare that matters.
Social media isn’t just giving us one or two artists to compare ourselves to—it’s giving us thousands. Every day, we scroll through reels, paintings, before-and-afters, viral sketchbooks, and artist glow-ups. It’s not just one comparison—it’s millions of micro-comparisons hitting us at once.
And our brains weren’t built for that.
Psychologically, this constant comparison overload can chip away at self-esteem, especially if you’re already feeling unsure or creatively stuck (Vogel et al., 2014). Over time, it can lead to creative paralysis, where you stop experimenting out of fear that your work won’t measure up. Instead of being a source of connection and inspiration, your feed becomes a silent critic.
That’s why it’s so important to protect your mindset. Your creativity is precious. It deserves a space where it’s safe to try, to fail, to grow. And sometimes, that means curating your digital world with just as much care as you curate your palette.
Here’s what I’m reminding myself:
📁 Save the posts that inspire your ideas, not your insecurities
🫶🏽 Treat yourself like a friend, not a critic
👩🏽🎨 Create what’s true to you, & not for others.
📱 Take scrolling breaks
🧘🏽♀️ See if you can catch yourself with the comparison monster. Remind yourself why you fell in love with creativity. Then keep going.
And remember, even if it looks like everyone else has it all figured out, they don’t. We’re all just creating, one imperfect brushstroke at a time 🤍
If you’re in the mood to read more, check out my articles on ‘finding inspiration without copying‘ and ‘building confidence as a self-taught artist‘. If neither of them interest you, you can browse through all my articles for more artsy goodness 👩🏽🎨🌻✨🫶🏽
☼ Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations, 7(2), 117–140. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872675400700202
☼ Neff, K. D. (2011). Self-compassion: The proven power of being kind to yourself. William Morrow.
☼ Suls, J., & Wheeler, L. (2000). A selective history of classic and neo-social comparison theory. In J. Suls & L. Wheeler (Eds.), Handbook of social comparison: Theory and research (pp. 3–19). Springer.
☼ Vogel, E. A., Rose, J. P., Roberts, L. R., & Eckles, K. (2014). Social comparison, social media, and self-esteem. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 3(4), 206–222. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000047
☼ Why does social media trigger self-doubt for artists?
☼ What’s the difference between inspiration and comparison?
☼ How can artists use social media without feeling discouraged?
☼ What does psychology say about social comparison?
☼ How can I reset my mindset when scrolling as an artist?
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hi, i’m sarah, an australian artist head-over-heels for watercolour & creative practice- it truely is good for your soul.
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i am completely self-taught in all the mediums i use & i am here to share everything i know with you!
i write about all things creativity, watercolour, gouache, hand-made ceramics, collecting art, & my own artistic process. I have degrees in human psychology & veterinary medicine- so you might find some sporadic related facts in my writing.
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