If you've ever felt stuck somewhere between "I want to make art" and "I am an artist," I want you to know something first: you're not behind. You're just in a phase. And every phase has something good in it (even the uncomfortable ones!)

I like to think of the creative journey as these phases because this is actually true to how growth works. You don't go from caterpillar to butterfly overnight. You move through stages, and each one is doing something necessary, even when it doesn't feel like it.

So let's walk through the five phases:

Phase 1: The Leaf

This is where it all starts. You've noticed you're drawn to art. You want to make it, and you're curious to see where it takes you.

There's no pressure yet in this phase. You get to just play and explore. If you're in this phase and the blank page feels overwhelming, that's completely normal. It's one of the most common feelings at this stage, and it gets easier from here.

Phase 2: The Egg

Now you've figured out how to make art, even art you don't love yet. You're excited by the possibilities, and more importantly, you're not afraid to make bad art. You keep going anyway.

That willingness to keep creating even when it's not "good" is exactly what builds momentum. This is the phase where the habit takes root and it becomes easier to sit down and make your art.

Phase 3: The Caterpillar

You're starting to get some wind under your wings. You're figuring out what actually resonates with you, discovering the keys to your own inspiration, and learning how to keep things playful instead of forced.

Real clarity starts to form in this phase. You're no longer just making art, you're starting to understand your art.

Phase 4: The Pupa

Confidence is building. You have a signature style taking shape, and the work is starting to flow rather than feel forced.

This is where self-trust really settles in. You know what you're doing, even if you're still refining it.

Phase 5: The Butterfly

You're working as a full-time artist. You have a signature style, and you're attracting the right clients.

You can feel a sense of fulfillment, accomplishment, and pride from having moved through every phase before this, not skipping ahead to it.

Wherever You Are, You're Not Behind

Here's the thing I most want you to take from this: there's no rush, and there's no shortcut. Every single phase has something valuable to offer, even the early, uncertain ones.

I know that feeling of being in an earlier phase and wanting so badly to be in phase four or five. And I also know that one of the hardest parts of the early phases is not knowing if you'll ever get there. So let me tell you plainly — you will, if you keep showing up. If you create consistently and take small, steady action steps, you will move through these phases. It doesn't happen overnight, but it does happen.

So take a moment today: which phase do you see yourself in right now? And what's one benefit of being exactly there — beyond what's listed above? I'd genuinely love to hear your answer.

Want a head start on finding your artistic voice, no matter which phase you're in?

Grab the Unique Creative Voice Guide! It'll help you uncover what actually resonates with you as an artist, so you can move through these phases with more clarity and a lot less self-doubt.

And keep an eye out for Drawn to Art opening again this fall! This course is built to help you do exactly that: move through each of these phases with confidence, one action step at a time.