Why Tools Matter (For Artists): The Psychology Behind Creative Motivation

Backed by research on anticipation, dopamine, identity, and flow states

One of the most common pieces of advice I hear when anyone wants to start journaling, or pursue any creative endeavor is, “just use what you have.” All you need to journal is a notebook and a pen.

NO.

I HATE that advice.

Not because it’s wrong. Technically, it’s true. You CAN journal with the back of a receipt and a half-dried Bic pen. I mean people have done amazing things with limited resources and creativity thrives under constraint, sure. BUT that advices completely misses something fundamental about how human motivation works. It ignores why we journal, or even create, in the first place.

Because sometimes it’s not about what we need. It’s about what pulls us in. What excites us. What makes us want to show up. When someone gets their first real notebook, I’m talking the kind with thick, creamy paper and a satisfying weight, they don’t just feel equipped. They feel invited. When they find the pen that glides just right across the page, their thoughts flow a little easier. The words come out a little more honest. The whole process feels more sacred, more theirs. And that’s not just in their head either. It’s in their brain chemistry.

In this post, I want to make a case, not just from experience but from psychology, neuroscience, and design theory, that the tools we use ABSOLUTELY matter. That having good tools isn’t about indulgence or unnecessary. That wanting tools that inspire you is valid. That being excited to use them is not shallow, but science.

So no, you don’t need the perfect pen to start. But if the perfect pen makes you actually want to start? That’s not a luxury. That’s a catalyst.

1. Anticipation and Dopamine

Let’s start with the spark: the thrill of getting a new tool.

Neuroscientific research shows that anticipation itself is a major driver of motivation. When you look forward to something, even something small like using a new notebook or pen, your brain releases dopamine. That means you’re not just excited to create once you start using your tool but you're also more likely to WANT to create BECAUSE the tool exists. The right tool becomes a future you can’t wait to meet.

This “reward anticipation loop” is why something as simple as picking out the perfect pen or customizing a new layout in your journal can jumpstart a creative season. Your brain starts associating that tool with a surge of internal reward and that feeling becomes a magnet for engagement. New tools give you something to look forward to and the human brain loves having something to look forward to.

2. Novelty isn’t a Distraction

Ever buy a new notebook and suddenly you have the urge to journal every single day for a week straight? Yeah? Well that’s because your brain loves new stuff.

When we encounter novel stimuli, like a new pen texture or a different paper feel, our brains become more alert. Novelty stimulates the hippocampus, which not only plays a key role in memory but also triggers a dopamine response that increases focus and exploratory behavior. It forces our brains out of default mode and into discovery mode. And it’s not just about change for change’s sake. Novel tools reframe your process.

3. Identity Signaling

Tools do more than help you make. They help you become.

Research on identity and behavior shows that the things we interact with regularly, especially tools tied to habits, begin to shape how we see ourselves.

“The act of choosing and using tools related to a role reinforces personal identity associated with that role.”

– Oyserman, Identity-Based Motivation Theory (2009)

In other words, when you use a pen you love, or a sketchbook that feels like you, you're reinforcing the identity of someone who journals, someone who draws, someone who creates. This is crucial for maintaining a consistent creative practice.

When your tools reflect your aspiration, you’re more likely to return to them. And the more often your return to them, the more your behavior aligns with the identity of “artist”, “writer”, or “creator”. It’s not just about self expression, this is about self confirmation. Your tools are identity anchors.

4. Friction vs. Flow

Let’s talk about flow. The holy grail of creative experience.

Coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, flow is that state of deep immersion when time disappears, and you’re fully engaged in your work. It’s one of the most fulfilling psychological states a human can experience and artists chase it constantly.

But flow is fragile. It’s easily broken by distractions, frustrations, or technical hiccups.

That’s where tools come in.

A pen that skips, a brush that sheds bristles, a stylus with input lag. Each of these breaks your attention and kicks you out of flow. On the other hand, a tool that responds intuitively to your movement, that feels like an extension of your hand, invites flow.

“Flow occurs when there is a sense of control and feedback. Good tools enhance both.”

– Csikszentmihalyi, Flow (1990)

When your tools remove friction, you’re more likely to reach and sustain flow.

If your tools suck, your feedback loop sucks.

If your feedback loop sucks, your flow state dies.

If your flow state dies, good luck creating anything worthwhile.

So What’s the Point?

The point is this:

You’re allowed to care about your tools. You’re allowed to want ones that feel good, look good, work well. You’re allowed to spend time picking the perfect journal or pen or app or stylus. Because the tools aren’t just about output. They’re about input. They change how you think. How you feel. How you engage with the creative process. They make you excited. And excitement is not optional. It’s how you sustain a lifelong creative practice.

Let me be super clear here: This is not me telling you to go buy the most expensive supplies out there. This is not about status. Or showing off. Or breaking your budget because some influencer said a $200 notebook changed their life.

This is about finding tools that make you want to create. Tools that spark curiosity. That feel good in your hand. That make you look forward to sitting down and doing the thing. Value doesn’t have to mean “luxury.”

It can mean “this pen makes me smile.”

It can mean “this sketchbook feels like mine.”

It can mean “I like how this brush moves across the page.”

You don’t need the fanciest tools.

Instead, use what you love.

Because if the tool makes you feel like creating?

That’s the right tool.