Have you ever started learning a new skill with high hopes, only to be completely disappointed by your first attempts? Sometimes that disappointment hits so hard that you decide to quit while you're ahead.
If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. This experience is so common that it actually has a name, and understanding it might be the thing that keeps you painting.
What Is the Taste Gap?
The Taste Gap is a concept coined by broadcaster and producer Ira Glass. The idea is simple: when you start a new creative skill, your taste develops long before your technical ability does.
In other words, you know what good work looks like. You just can not make it yet.
There is a gap between what you want to create and what you are currently capable of creating. And that gap is deeply frustrating, because you can see exactly how far short you are falling. You look at your painting and you know something is off. You just do not have the tools yet to fix it.
That awareness is not a flaw. It is actually proof that your eye is developing. But it does not make it any less discouraging in the moment.
Most people hit that gap and give up. And honestly, it makes sense. Nobody likes feeling incompetent, especially when they had such high hopes going in.
You Are Not the Only One
I speak from experience here. I have always admired watercolour as an art form, even though it is not something I teach or practise regularly. There is something about the way it moves and blooms on the page that I find completely captivating.
A while back, I decided to stop admiring from a distance and buy myself a very fancy (and expensive) set from Daniel Smith and just have at it.
Predictably, I was terrible. The paint went everywhere it was not supposed to go and nowhere it was. And, dear reader, I have neglected the watercolours ever since.
Now, I know better. I know that my terrible first attempts were not a sign that watercolour is not for me. They were just the Taste Gap doing its thing. Maybe one day I will pick them back up and actually push through it.
The difference between artists who push through and artists who quit is not talent. It is understanding that the gap is a normal, expected part of the process.
What Ira Glass Says About It
Here is the quote that explains it best:
"Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it's just not that good. It's trying to be good, it has potential, but it's not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit.
Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn't have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work."
The part I want you to focus on is that last line. Do a lot of work. That is the whole answer, as unglamorous as it sounds.
How to Get Through the Taste Gap
If you are in the middle of the Taste Gap right now, here is what to hold onto:
1. You are not alone. Every artist you admire went through this exact phase. The gap is not a sign that you lack ability. It is a sign that your taste is working exactly as it should.
2. The way out is through. There is no shortcut. The only way to close the gap is to keep making work, even when it disappoints you. Volume is the strategy. Finishing things, even imperfect things, is how you get better.
3. Anticipate that it will be bad. Do it anyway. Lowering your expectations for a single painting session is not defeat. It is a practical strategy. Give yourself permission to make something imperfect and keep going. The painting that teaches you the most is rarely the one you are proudest of.
Consistency and dedication are what close the gap over time. Not talent. Not a fancy set of Daniel Smith watercolours.
FAQ
What is the Taste Gap in art?
The Taste Gap is a term associated with Ira Glass that describes the distance between a beginner's taste (their ability to recognise good work) and their current skill level. It is the reason so many beginners feel frustrated and want to quit.
Is it normal to feel like quitting when you are learning to paint?
Yes, completely normal. Most artists experience this, especially in the early stages. The frustration you feel is actually a sign that your eye is developing. The key is to keep painting through it.
How long does the Taste Gap last?
It varies for every artist, but Ira Glass suggests it can take years of consistent work. The best way to shorten it is to paint regularly and finish things, even when they are not what you hoped for.