Paint Over Doubt Project
What if you could see your doubts staring back at you?
Doubt is sneaky. It whispers, it tells you that you are not ready, it pretends it is your friend.
In this series, I write anonymous doubts into Doubt Creatures. These strange figures make the invisible visible, giving doubt a shape you can finally confront.
Each piece begins with a real, anonymously shared doubt painted directly into the work. I then cover it with positive symbols like hearts, stars, and butterflies. They do not erase the doubt, but they quieten it and take away its power.
Paint Over Doubt Paintings
The first three pieces in this phase began with real doubts submitted anonymously through my Doubt Vault. The Doubts were painted into a Doubt Creature before being quietened to take away their power.
Never Too Late
Born from the doubt “It is too late, stick to what you know.” This piece still sits within the framework of my abstract faces, bridging the early stage of the project with what came after.
Nothing to Prove
Built from the doubt “What if I am actually a fraud?” This was the first time the Doubt Creature stood fully on its own, taking centre stage rather than hiding inside a face.
More Than Enough
Painted over the doubt “I am not clever enough.” Here the solo Doubt figure continued to evolve and covered with hearts to strip away its power.
Where it began
The story of doubt in my work started here. These paintings show the first time the creatures appeared and how they evolved into the series you see today.
Shadow of Doubt
Two dark creatures curl their tails into the figure’s hair, embodying the insecurities that creep in at the edges of our thoughts.
The vibrant yellow background points to optimism, while splashes of pink bring energy and movement.
This was the first time doubt appeared fully in my work, a milestone that made the invisible visible.
True Self
Painted after Shadow of Doubt, this larger work bridges my earlier abstract face style with the emerging Doubt figures.
The idea sparked while I was watching Severance, the sci-fi show where workers live as split versions of themselves with no memory of each other. It reminded me of an old sketch of a hunched figure trapped at a desk, representing being stuck in a job you don’t like.
Are we ever really one true self, or just different versions depending on circumstance?
