Best quotes about Creative Process Struggles

Best Creative Process Struggles Quotes

Creative Process Struggles By Patrick Wright01/07/2026
In the realm of creativity, every stroke of brilliance is often preceded by a labyrinthine journey filled with doubts and hurdles. The best Creative Process Struggles quotes remind us that these obstacles are not just stumbling blocks but stepping stones on the path to innovation. Our curated collection titled "Creative Process Struggles" dives deep into various challenges artists face, from Mapping and Planning Challenges to navigating through the Trials of Time and Patience, all while embracing the Organic and Emotional Process.

Creative Process Struggles

In the realm of creativity, every stroke of brilliance is often preceded by a labyrinthine journey filled with doubts and hurdles. The best Creative Process Struggles quotes remind us that these obstacles are not just stumbling blocks but stepping stones on the path to innovation. Our curated collection titled "Creative Process Struggles" dives deep into various challenges artists face, from Mapping and Planning Challenges to navigating through the Trials of Time and Patience, all while embracing the Organic and Emotional Process.

This article is your beacon in a stormy sea of self-doubt and uncertainty. Each quote offers Creative Process Struggles wisdom that can illuminate the path ahead, turning frustration into inspiration. Whether you're wrestling with Visualization and Intention or learning through Trial and Error, these insights provide the motivation needed to push past barriers and unleash your creative potential.

By delving into this collection, readers will find solace in knowing they are not alone in their struggles. Each theme—from the structured approach of Mapping and Planning Challenges to the more fluid nature of Organic and Emotional Process—highlights that every artist faces unique battles on their journey. This article serves as both a mirror reflecting your own experiences and a window offering fresh perspectives, ensuring you're never lost for Creative Process Struggles inspiration.

Table of Contents

Mapping and Planning Challenges

Navigating the intricate steps from idea to execution, creative professionals often find themselves entangled in the complexities of mapping out a clear path forward. This section delves into the specific hurdles faced during the planning phase, highlighting how these challenges can significantly impact the creative process. Through the insights shared by various creators, we explore practical perspectives on overcoming these obstacles and maintaining creativity amidst rigorous planning.

Mapmaker mapmakermake me a mapone to one scale, without a single gap.Map every rock,every thought, every treeand erase all the territory. - Joseph Gordon-Levitt

"Mapmaker mapmakermake me a mapone to one scale, without a single gap.Map every rock,every thought, every treeand erase all the territory."

— Joseph Gordon-Levitt

"Can I just ask for an outline –”“Doesn’t work like that. You need a leap of faith to leave your old life behind. True metamorphosis doesn’t come with flowcharts."

— David Mitchell

"Plotting is an organic, and wildly inefficient process of trial and error."

— James Hynes

"We have a series of maps for the board to pour over that take you through the process we went through for the design."

— F. Stone

We went back to square one. We're starting with the basic fundamentals. We just had to choreograph every step, every movement. - James Stokes

"We went back to square one. We're starting with the basic fundamentals. We just had to choreograph every step, every movement."

— James Stokes

"We've been working a long time and have gone back to the drawing board several times, so we feel that it's very comprehensive."

— Joan Winter

"I do a lot of planning and plotting. That’s my greatest weakness. If I’m not terribly careful, I’ll plan to a point where it could come out cut and dried."

— Hume Cronyn

"But the biggest problem of map-making is not that we have to start from scratch, but that if our maps are to be accurate we have to continually revise them."

— M. Scott Peck

"With 'Hannibal,' it's like reactive scoring so I don't get ahead. I don't read a script; I don't want to know what's going to happen until its happening in front of me and I'm able to have an instrument in my hands that I'm playing to make some kind of a map, some sort of tonal map, that I can then build on."

— Brian Reitzell

My struggle over the years has constantly been, it only takes 10 minutes, or an average shower, to come up with a mini-series or two, but it takes a year to draw them. So for me, it's been just trying to find a way to get all these ideas and all these incidents on paper. - Mike Mignola

"My struggle over the years has constantly been, it only takes 10 minutes, or an average shower, to come up with a mini-series or two, but it takes a year to draw them. So for me, it's been just trying to find a way to get all these ideas and all these incidents on paper."

— Mike Mignola

"I never map things out in advance. It would be better if I did and more economical in terms of time, but I've found that if you work out a plot line from beginning to end, at the beginning it becomes very rational."

— Steven Knight

"You need a leap of faith to leave your old life behind. True metamorphosis doesn't come with flowcharts."

— David Mitchell

Visualization and Intention

Navigating the creative process often hinges on the clarity of one's vision and the strength of their intentions. This section delves into how artists, writers, and creators use visualization and intention to overcome obstacles and bring their ideas to life, offering insights through 12 poignant quotes.

I want to see if I can. I don’t know if I can. I want to find out. I want to see. I’m going to do what I always do: I’m going to break it down to its smallest form, smallest detail, and go after it. Day by day, one day at a time. - Kobe Bryant

""

— Kobe Bryant

"Visualize what you want to do before you do it. Visualization is so powerful that when you know what you want, you will get it."

— Audrey Flack

"If you don’t give yourself a moment to visualize the clear results you want to create, then you are less likely to achieve what you desire."

— Lewis Howes

"The clearer and stronger your intention, the more quickly and easily your creative visualization will work."

— Shakti Gawain

I'm a huge believer in visualizing achieving the task before it happens. - Gretchen Carlson

"I'm a huge believer in visualizing achieving the task before it happens."

— Gretchen Carlson

"I think very fast and visually and I have to write down an idea right away or it will be lost forever."

— Toyah Willcox

"I tried to fill out the grid and I was just horrible at first. I made all of the typical beginner mistakes."

— David Quarfoot

"One thing I've tried to never do is make wish lists. I try to have a very steppingstone mentality about this"

"You can see from a flow diagram who depends on you and whom you can depend on. You can now take joy in your work."

— W. Edwards Deming

You go back and evaluate those things and see if you can't go back to the drawing board and do something about it. - Andy Reid

"You go back and evaluate those things and see if you can't go back to the drawing board and do something about it."

— Andy Reid

"Even the best guide you can ever have is the visual imagery on how you mix these things together,"

— Magnus Ranstorp

"Most demos take 20 minutes or 40 minutes or -- God help you -- longer to get to the point."

— Peter Cohan

Trial and Error

The path to creative success is often paved with mistakes and failures, each a critical step towards innovation and breakthrough. This section explores how embracing trial and error can transform setbacks into stepping stones, providing insight into the perseverance required in the face of creative challenges. What follows are reflections from various creators on their experiences navigating this essential phase of the creative process.

Sketch what you got, it will determine what you will be. - Sakin Maharjan

"Sketch what you got, it will determine what you will be."

— Sakin Maharjan

"I just started off on my own by learning the regular chords then the barre chords. Then I'd lean the notes that would go with them."

— Tommy Bolin

"I don't have the educated knowledge of what textures, colors, shapes and spaces need to be put together to make something just right. I'm learning it by trial and error, which is something that's slow going."

— Evangeline Lilly

"In drawing, nothing is better than the first attempt."

— Pablo Picasso

I don’t have the educated knowledge of what textures, colors, shapes and spaces need to be put together to make something just right. I’m learning it by trial and error, which is something that’s slow going. - Evangeline Lilly

"I don’t have the educated knowledge of what textures, colors, shapes and spaces need to be put together to make something just right. I’m learning it by trial and error, which is something that’s slow going."

— Evangeline Lilly

"If the gag is complicated, you spend more time thinking about the way you’re drawing it."

— Sergio Aragones

"I have, as it were, constructed a lay-figure for the purposes of a demonstration which I desired to be as rapid and as impressive as possible."

— Sigmund Freud

"I'm very slow, and I do everything myself. I remember I spent three days to change the size of something I had sketched because I felt it was too small."

— Jean-Pierre Jeunet

"Sometimes I sketch and then scan my sketch directly to make the curves more freehand. I don't want to make perfect industrial curves."

— Ma Yansong

The way I work is by infinitely playing a very simple loop over and over, and then I start layering things. - Washed Out

"The way I work is by infinitely playing a very simple loop over and over, and then I start layering things."

— Washed Out

"I do a lot of planning and plotting. That's my greatest weakness. If I'm not terribly careful, I'll plan to a point where it could come out cut and dried."

— Hume Cronyn

"I tried to fill out the grid and I was just horrible at first. I made all of the typical beginner mistakes."

— David Quarfoot

Time and Patience

In the realm of creative endeavors, time and patience are not merely virtues but necessities that can mean the difference between frustration and fulfillment. This section explores how allowing ample time and exercising patience can transform initial struggles into profound breakthroughs, as reflected in the following quotes from notable creatives.

And for every project, because it takes years, you can see the early drawings and collages as just a simple, vague idea, and through the years and through the negotiations of getting the permit, you see that every detail is now clarified. - Christo

"And for every project, because it takes years, you can see the early drawings and collages as just a simple, vague idea, and through the years and through the negotiations of getting the permit, you see that every detail is now clarified."

— Christo

"I was molded, spent my time underneath a lot of goo. And then the bits and pieces were sculpted. It took probably 10 days to create each character after all those camera tests."

— Brendan Fraser

"I need six weeks of rehearsal and women need nine months and it took me 15 years to figure that out"

— William Hurt

"I'm very slow, and I do everything myself. I remember I spent three days to change the size of something I had sketched because I felt it was too small."

— Jean-Pierre Jeunet

When I'm menu-developing at Milk Bar, I'll go for weeks at a time where all I'm doing is testing out layer cakes or different cookies and testing out changes. - Christina Tosi

"When I'm menu-developing at Milk Bar, I'll go for weeks at a time where all I'm doing is testing out layer cakes or different cookies and testing out changes."

— Christina Tosi

""

— David Harbour

"If I have to look a certain way for something, I know how long it's going to take me do it."

— Luke Evans

"I’m very slow, and I do everything myself. I remember I spent three days to change the size of something I had sketched because I felt it was too small."

— Jean-Pierre Jeunet

"I worked with my coach to develop some new spiral variations to make my program more interesting. Each one is different and you’ll have to wait until January to see them."

— Sasha Cohen

I need six weeks of rehearsal and women need nine months and it took me 15 years to figure that out. - William Hurt

"I need six weeks of rehearsal and women need nine months and it took me 15 years to figure that out."

— William Hurt

"I never even visualized for a second doing what I'm doing."

— Ben E. King

"My struggle over the years has constantly been, it only takes 10 minutes, or an average shower, to come up with a mini-series or two, but it takes a year to draw them. So for me, it's been just trying to find a way to get all these ideas and all these incidents on paper."

— Mike Mignola

Organic and Emotional Process

The heart of creativity often thrives amidst chaos and emotion, where ideas are not forced but organically evolve through a deeply personal journey. This section delves into how embracing the emotional rollercoaster can lead to profound artistic breakthroughs, offering insights from creatives who have navigated these turbulent waters.

Figure shaped like a perfect eight;
put it sideways, even if it takes forever,
that’s how long I’ll wait. - Soroosh Shahrivar

"Figure shaped like a perfect eight;
put it sideways, even if it takes forever,
that’s how long I’ll wait."

— Soroosh Shahrivar

"I like to be able to get swift curves in the plant drawings that are usually drawn in five to ten minutes."

— Ellsworth Kelly

"Struggle to sketch the flow that already exists intact in mind."

— Jack Kerouac

"You have your structure, but within it, it gets fuller and you can highlight other parts of the performance."

— Marisa Tomei

The best diagrams are in 3-D. The best diagram is you. - Erin Hatzikostas

"The best diagrams are in 3-D. The best diagram is you."

— Erin Hatzikostas

"My drawings have to be quick. If they don’t happen in 20 minutes or a half hour, then they’re no good."

— Ellsworth Kelly

"I worked with my coach to develop some new spiral variations to make my program more interesting. Each one is different and you'll have to wait until January to see them."

— Sasha Cohen

"Maybe I should have used them a bit earlier, but it was easier to get through the fifth set."

— Lleyton Hewitt

"You can do everything towards a certain action but you'll achieve nothing if you don't sketch it on paper first"

— Mina Tadros

I could sketch out a score in different keys, a new way each time. - Judy Garland

"I could sketch out a score in different keys, a new way each time."

— Judy Garland

"I want to try it to see what it's like and see what my stuff looks like when I take it from inception to completion."

— Charlie Kaufman

"Show me your flowcharts and conceal your tables, and I shall continue to be mystified. Show me your tables, and I won't usually need your flowcharts; they'll be obvious."

— Fred Brooks

Other

Additional quotes that offer unique perspectives on this topic.

My drawings have to be quick. If they don't happen in 20 minutes or a half hour, then they're no good. - Ellsworth Kelly

"My drawings have to be quick. If they don't happen in 20 minutes or a half hour, then they're no good."

— Ellsworth Kelly

"I never even visualized for a second doing what I’m doing."

— Ben E. King

"Show me your flowcharts and conceal your tables, and I shall continue to be mystified. Show me your tables, and I won’t usually need your flowcharts; they’ll be obvious."

— Fred Brooks

Conclusion

The journey through "Creative Process Struggles" quotes offers a profound glimpse into the minds of creatives who have navigated the complexities of their craft. From the often-overlooked Mapping and Planning Challenges to the essential act of Visualization and Intention, each theme encapsulates a layer of wisdom from Creative Process Struggles that can inspire and guide us in our own creative endeavors. Embracing Trial and Error as a necessary part of growth, acknowledging the need for Time and Patience, and recognizing the Organic and Emotional Process at play, these quotes serve as beacons of hope and practical advice.

As we navigate through the collection of creative-process-struggles, it becomes evident that every struggle is an opportunity in disguise. The insights gleaned from this exploration can transform our approach to creativity, making us more resilient and open-minded. We encourage you to reflect on these quotes not just as words but as actionable principles that can be integrated into your daily practice. Whether you are a seasoned artist or someone exploring their creative side, the wisdom contained within these themes offers invaluable lessons.

In closing, let’s remember that every master was once a beginner who dared to embrace the uncertainties and challenges of the creative process. Let the quotes from "Creative Process Struggles" inspire you not just to create but to thrive in your journey, turning each struggle into a stepping stone towards mastery. As we say goodbye for now, may your creativity flow abundantly, and may every challenge serve as a catalyst for your growth.

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