The Secret Power of Taking Breaks: Why Growth Happens When You Step Away from the Easel
If you’ve ever pushed yourself to finish a painting long after your creative energy has faded, you’ll know that sometimes the best thing you can do for your art is to walk away. As an Australian portrait artist and recent contestant on Portrait Artist of the Year Australia (PAOTY), I’ve learned that growth doesn’t just happen during the practice of painting. It happens in the quiet gaps between them.
So here’s why I think all artists should take breaks and step away from their easel multiple times during a painting session:
The Science Behind Stepping Back
Neuroscience tells us that when we take a break, our brain shifts from its focused mode (when we’re concentrating) to what researchers call the default mode network. This is the state we enter when daydreaming, showering, walking, or driving. The moments when ideas suddenly “click.”
In painting, that downtime allows our subconscious mind to process what we’ve been wrestling with. When we return to the easel, we see problems more clearly and make better decisions. That’s why a portrait that looks “finished” one evening can suddenly look all wrong the next morning. Bringing fresh eyes to a work gives us a fresh perspective. And sometimes that perspective is humbling.
During filming for PAOTY Australia, I wish I paused more, stepped back and looked at the whole canvas, thought about what I was trying to achieve.
The 80/20 Rule of Rest
In episode 8 of Smerdon Toast, Seabastion Toast and I talk about the 80/20 rule (the Pareto Principle) and how it applies to art making. We explored how 20% of your time spent resting can lead to 80% of your creative breakthroughs. Just as athletes build strength during recovery, not while lifting, artists grow during reflection. Your muscles repair after strain; your mind does too. So when you feel stuck, overworked, or burnt out, remember that pausing isn’t quitting. It’s part of the creative process.
Practical Ways to Rest (Without Losing Momentum)
Here are a few ways I’ve learned to “step away” strategically while preparing for exhibitions and new bodies of work:
Change your environment. Go for a walk outdoors and look at the distant horizon. It resets your eye and gives you new light and colour references.
Schedule no-paint days. A structured day off helps prevent creative fatigue and lets ideas percolate naturally.
Schedule “play” days. Create work that isn’t to sell. It’s just for you to have fun and experiment.
Schedule “professional development” days. Learn, gain knowledge and then let it percolate in your brain, ready for your next painting session.
Sleep on it. Literally. A night’s rest recalibrates how we see tone and colour.
Switch mediums. Try charcoal, collage, or gouache. It activates play rather than pressure.
Reflect instead of react. Keep a notebook to jot down what’s working and what’s not before you leave the studio.
What I Learned from Portrait Artist of the Year
Participating in PAOTY was one of the most high-pressure painting experiences of my career. Yet it taught me that creativity thrives in slowness. Watching other Australian artists work under the same conditions with ease taught me that pressure isn’t real. It is perceived. It’s an emotional response. The best portraits on the day emerged from those that took time to look, to observe, to slow down and enjoy the process (unlike me who hustled and rushed!).
The Takeaway
If you’re an artist chasing improvement, whether in your studio or preparing for the next Portrait Artist of the Year Australia, remember that growth happens in the stillness. Taking a break does take time out of your busy painting schedule, yes. But it makes you more effective as an artist. Your painting will be better off for it.
Anne
Key topics covered:
Portrait Artist of the Year Australia, Australian portrait artist, PAOTY, Australian portrait artist of the year, art rest, creative breaks, artist burnout, painting recovery, portrait painting tips, Australian painters, contemporary Australian art, art process podcast.