Finding the Right Balance

Technology has transformed the way we create. Like most things, it brings both opportunities and challenges. Used well, it can support creativity, help us learn new skills and connect us with inspiring communities. Used without intention, it can become one of the biggest obstacles to actually making anything.

The key isn't to reject technology altogether; it's to learn when it serves your creativity and when it gets in the way.

Technology as a Creative Tool

One of the greatest advantages of technology is access to knowledge. Platforms such as YouTube make it possible for anyone, anywhere in the world, to learn almost any creative skill. Whether you want to paint with watercolours, carve wood, bind books or learn embroidery, there is probably a tutorial waiting for you.

The downside, of course, is that you rarely watch just the one video you were looking for. Recommendation algorithms are designed to keep you watching, not to get you back to your sketchbook.

When it comes to technology and creativity, I think we should treat it a little like giving a dummy/pacifier to a baby. It can be incredibly useful for a particular purpose or for a set period of time, but you have to limit its use. Similarly, at some point in the creative process, you have to put the device down and start making.

The same applies to collecting inspiration. Browsing Pinterest can spark wonderful ideas, but if you spend all your creative time saving inspiration boards and never actually create anything, something has gone wrong. Inspiration is only valuable if it leads to action. Otherwise, it's simply another form of distraction.

The Temptation of the "Undo" Button

More than once I've wished I had an "undo" button while working on a painting.

Technology can sometimes provide one. If I'm unsure about adding something to a painting, I can photograph it and use a layering app to test different ideas before committing them to the canvas. This can be incredibly helpful and can build confidence when experimenting.

Using a layering app to decide on painting composition

The finished painting

But I also think something important can be lost.

One of the greatest benefits of making art is learning to work with the unexpected. (I won't say 'mistakes' because I'm not convinced they really exist in art at all see this blog post for more on that topic). A painting often becomes a conversation between the artist and the canvas. Rather than following a fixed plan, you respond to what is already there, allowing the work to evolve in directions you couldn't have predicted.

If technology removes every uncertainty, it also removes some of the opportunity for discovery.

It also raises an interesting question. If you've already created the perfect digital version of a painting, what is the purpose of making it physically?

For me, the digital image doesn't count as the finished artwork. It can help us begin, but eventually the screen needs to step aside so that the conversation between artist and canvas can continue.

Social Media and Creative Inspiration

The internet has made finding creative inspiration easier than ever. Websites such as Pinterest and Instagram expose us to an endless stream of ideas, techniques and artists.

But there is a downside.

Not everything we see online reflects reality. Some beautiful "work in progress" photographs are carefully staged for social media rather than documenting the genuine creative process. This can create unrealistic expectations, especially for artists whose studios are messy, whose experiments fail and whose creative process isn't particularly photogenic.

Ironically, those authentic moments are often where the real creativity happens.

Is Art Becoming a Performance?

This leads to another interesting question.

I've watched countless videos of artists creating work on social media. Many are fascinating – not necessarily because of the finished artwork, but because the process itself is satisfying to watch.

These videos stop people scrolling, hold attention and generate engagement. In many cases, the performance of creating becomes more commercially valuable than the artwork itself.

It makes me wonder whether technology is gradually turning visual art into a

performance.

Perhaps that's not entirely a bad thing. Watching someone create can inspire others to begin making themselves. But it's worth asking whether we are creating for the joy of making or because the process looks good on camera.

Screen Time and Creativity

The debate around children's screen time has been going on for years. Most people now recognise that screens themselves aren't inherently harmful. Many games and apps encourage problem-solving, learning and strategic thinking.

The concern isn't always what children are doing on screens.

It's what they aren't doing.

Time spent on devices often replaces time outdoors, physical activity, imaginative play and face-to-face interaction.

I think a similar principle applies to creativity.

Sometimes people ask, "What's the point of making art if I never sell it?"

Perhaps that's the wrong question.

Instead of asking what making art achieves, ask what it prevents.

Every hour spent drawing, painting, writing or making is an hour not spent doom-scrolling, watching endless videos or passively consuming entertainment. Creativity gives us something active, meaningful and deeply human to do with our time.

Carry a small sketchbook with you and, the next time you find yourself reaching for your phone while waiting in a queue or sitting in a waiting room, take out your sketchbook instead. Spend just a few minutes drawing whatever you can see around you, jotting down ideas or simply making marks on the page (see this blog post for how I approached this)

Afterwards, notice how you feel. You may find those few minutes leave you feeling calmer, more engaged and more fulfilled than a quick scroll through social media. You might even discover that the people around you become curious about what you're doing, opening the door to conversations and connections that would never have happened if everyone had been staring at their screens.

The benefit of creativity exists whether or not the finished piece ever earns a penny. See this video for more of an explanation about why.

A sketch made while travelling on the train

Finding Your Own Balance

Technology offers enormous benefits for creative people, so don't dismiss it entirely.

Instead, be intentional about how you use it.

Think about the specific ways it genuinely helps your creative practice. Perhaps you use it to learn new techniques, research ideas, edit photographs, organise references or connect with other artists.

Use it for those purposes, and then step away. Don't get dragged down into spending most of your time on it.

Remember that you don't have a contract with Facebook, Instagram or any other platform. You don't have to post constantly or keep up with every trend.

Creativity shouldn't feel like a martyrdom.

If technology starts taking over, or you notice you're spending more time consuming than creating, consider what you're missing. Maybe it's uninterrupted making, time outdoors, conversations with other creative people or simply the satisfaction of losing yourself in a project. Make plans for how you can recapture this - and act on your plans!

Technology should support your creativity, not replace it.

The goal isn't to spend more time looking at creativity on a screen.

It's to spend more time actually creating.