Does art have to be perfect? Surely not, but many artists tend to be perfectionists. While it is good to aim for excellence, perfectionism in art can quickly get in your way and keep you from letting your creativity flow freely. That’s why many creatives ask themselves, how do I stop being a perfectionist with my art? Don’t worry, perfectionism can be cured. Here are some effective strategies for you to stop being an art perfectionist!
‘Dearstand‘ from my Surreal Stories Collection
Before anything else, let me tell you this: you are not alone. All creative people experience the perfection trap at some point in their career. This happens regardless of whether you’ve been into the craft for a decade or for ten months only.
Even the great masters have experienced perfectionism at some point in their life.
Have no fear of perfection, you'll never reach it.
When you look deep down inside you, you will find that at the core of being an art perfectionist is fear. The fear of failure. The fear of rejection. The fear of not being good enough.
Fear can be a paralyzing sensation. Especially as creative people, we constantly need to draw on our inspiration to create art. Many artists use their work as a means of self-expression, they explore their inner world, and put themselves and their vulnerabilities into their art. This alone takes courage.
As you most likely know, it is hard to be creative when you are coming from a place of fear, anxiety, and worry about perfection.
I perfectly understand that you want to be your best artistic self, but if you try to live up to unrealistic expectations you will only be a stumbling block to your creative development.
There is a reason why I chose ‘Dearstand‘ from my Surreal Stories Collection as featured image for this post.
‘Dearstand’ and ‘Dearhunt’ are my first duology of artworks where I explored the same concept from different perspectives. I enjoyed experimenting with 3D rendering (of the frame) and representing the same scene from a different angle. However, as I am neither using 3D models nor AI for my work, I had to create face and body all over again (face is always my own).
Long story short, I still could have spent hours and hours trying to make the lady in ‘Dearhunt’ look even more like the one in ‘Dearstand’. But in the end, I decided to be ‘rational’ and spare me unnecessary time and effort. In other words, I decided to let go of my little art perfectionist, in favor of having more time and energy for upcoming creations.
At the end of the day, I am pretty happy with both these decisions: first, to leave the artwork the way it turned out, because I actually enjoy both works pretty much. And second, with my decision to let go of perfectionism. This is something I too had to learn during my artistic journey, and if I could learn it, you can learn it, too!
Later on in this post, I am going to give you some tips on how to stop being an art perfectionist.
But before that, let’s turn to the question of what perfectionism in art actually means.
What is perfectionism in art?
Perfectionism as such can be described as a state of mind where a person strives to improve an action or an object until it is faultless. A person who seeks perfectionism is referred to as a perfectionist.
Perfectionism in art is something many artists struggle with (myself included ´\_(ツ)_/`).
So why is it so hard to stop being an art perfectionist?
It seems that many creatives have very high expectations for themselves. They simply want their work to be as elaborate as possible. They put a lot of time and effort into their art and into improving their skillset.
As a consequence, many artists take negative feedback personally and tend to conclude that they are not ‘good enough artists’.
Does art have to be perfect?
The short answer is no. Art does not have to be perfect. And objectively speaking, it will never be perfect. Remember the Dalí quote at the beginning of this post? You will never reach perfection, neither in your art nor in anything else.
Why do I say that? Because I believe there is nothing like perfection in this world. Think about it objectively: recall your favorite movie, artwork, song, etc. Chances are there is always something that could be improved.
Nothing. Is. Perfect.
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Another reason why art doesn’t have to perfect is that each artist is on their individual journey. The art of an artist who is just starting out can never be of an as high standard as that of an experienced artist with decades of practice.
That doesn’t mean that one artist’s work is more valuable than the other’s. Those artists are just at different stages of their creative path.
Nevertheless, perfectionism is a common issue in the art world.
Why is perfectionism in art bad for your creativity?
Most of the time, perfectionism stems from a number of reasons, rather than a single cause. In many artists, fear is at the root of wanting to be a perfectionist.
There are different types of fears and worries that may stop you from being an art perfectionist. Let’s have a look at some of them:
- Fear of failure
- Fear of rejection
- Fear of criticism
- Fear of success
- Fear of the blank page (creative rut)
- Fear of not being good enough
- Fear of not being able to live up to outstanding artwork you’ve created in the past
- Fear of not being as ‘successful’ and ‘skilled’ as other artists you compare yourself with
Aim for success, not perfection. Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism.
I believe we all have one or more of these fears to some degree. However, when one or more of these fears become so strong that they get in the way of your creativity, it’s time to do something about it.
Because if you are reluctant to tackle your little inner art perfectionist, you might soon happen to deal with a lot of issues, such as:
- You overthink your art and get lost in small details that don’t really matter.
- You feel paralyzed and don’t want to finish an artwork or create more art because you think it will be not good enough anyways.
- You are overly self-critical and self-conscious about your art, which prevents you from building creative confidence.
- You don’t get anything done because you are always waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect inspiration, the perfect environment, …
- You never feel that an artwork is ‘finished’, so you don’t move to your next idea and hold yourself back from making progress.
- You don’t want anyone to see your artwork or don’t have the courage to upload it because you think it is just not ‘perfect’.
Take a moment and ask yourself whether you are experiencing any of these issues on a regular basis. If so, chances are you are dealing with unhealthy perfectionism!
How do I stop being a perfectionist with my art?
Worry not. The good news is that there’s a cure for perfectionism.
Regardless of whether you are a self-taught artist or whether you went to art school, anyone may happen to struggle with perfectionism.
To not let your perfectionism deter you from being creative and sabotaging your enthusiasm for art, I’ve put together some strategies that you can use to stop being an art perfectionist!
Here we go:
How to stop being an art perfectionist
PROBLEM: You never feel like your artwork is finished.
You are an art perfectionist if you can never ‘finish’ an artwork. It’s like you are actually done, but there is always ‘one thing’ you need to change. You constantly tell yourself that you need to add something or remove something.
Art perfectionists often trick themselves into believing that changing ‘one more thing’ makes the piece ‘perfect’.
SOLUTION: Be patient and accept your current skill level.
There is a difference between improving a piece versus trying to make it ‘perfect’. When you are honest with yourself, you will see that never finishing a piece is only an excuse for you to never face the fact that no one might like your art. It’s for the fear of rejection.
Practice patience and accept where you are currently at with your art. We all have a vision for what we want to create, but oftentimes our skills are not yet sufficient to take us there. This happens to novice artists and professionals alike. We all want to be better than we currently are (which is a good thing because it drives us to make progress), but it also causes a gap between our present skill level and where we aim to be.
Patience is the only remedy. Over time, you will be able to improve your skillset and create exactly the art you want to make. Instead of getting frustrated, focus on practicing more and making more art. Your skills will grow much faster, if you make 20 new artworks in one year rather than spending a year trying to make one artwork perfect!
PROBLEM: You always feel like you need better equipment.
You are always wanting more and better equipment before you start creating. You keep thinking that, for example, with a better drawing tablet, a bigger display, or a more sophisticated software program you will be able to create better digital art.
Instead of being creative now, you are waiting to save up some money in order to buy some better tools. By procrastinating until you have better equipment, you feel like you have a better chance to perfect your art.
SOLUTION: Not the equipment makes the art but the artist.
Once you realize that not the equipment makes the art but the artist, you will also realize that deep down you are scared to get started because you are afraid of failing. It’s just another excuse our little inner art perfectionist comes up with.
In fact, the equipment accounts only to a certain degree to being able to create better art. It doesn’t matter much whether you have the latest drawing tablet or a device from ten years ago. Your artistic skills are largely responsible to make an artwork successful.
So if you catch yourself the next time not wanting to get started because of your equipment, push yourself to begin anyways. Once you have the pen in your hand and opened your software, it is much easier to get into the flow!
PROBLEM: You constantly dwell on negative comments you received in the past.
You cannot stop being an art perfectionist if you keep dwelling on negative comments or criticism you received in the past. No one likes to be criticized, but it is something that will inevitably happen, sooner or later, once you put your art out there.
While constructive feedback is useful and appreciated, there will always be people who intentionally post mean comments or criticize your art in an inappropriate manner.
SOLUTION: Move over past disappointments and rediscover your joy of creating.
There are many different reasons why people might post negative comments or harsh criticism. Some might act from a place of envy, but some might also not know how to give more constructive feedback.
In any case, you should never take such comments personally. Realize that every artist, actually every single person out there, is subjected to negativity. Unfortunately, that’s the way it is on social media and other platforms.
It is often easier to remember such negative comments than the compliments you received. To change this habit, take a moment every day to celebrate your successes and actively recall all the positive feedback you already received on your artwork.
Ask yourself why you actually started to create art in the first place. Because you enjoyed it. You most likely felt a calling to be an artist. Rediscover this joy of creating and let people think what they think!
PROBLEM: You compare yourself to other artists.
Especially with all the social media platforms around these days, we all have fallen into the trap of comparing ourselves to others. The crux is that we tend to compare ourselves to artists who are more experienced and established than we are. And that inevitably results in us not feeling good enough.
SOLUTION: Contemplate other's artwork for inspiration, but let go of unhealthy comparison.
Instead of comparing yourself to other artists, take a step back and truly contemplate their artwork. Remind yourself that everybody is at a different stage of their artistic career. It is simply impossible that your art looks like the work of an artist with 20 years of experience, if you are just starting out.
Instead of being jealous or anxious that you will never be as good, truly admire that artist’s hard work and talent. Compliment them and take their art as an inspiration to improve your skills.
Every one of us is at a different point of their creative path and we can all learn from each other. Accept your current stage and enjoy the journey!
PROBLEM: You never seem to be in the perfect environment to get started.
As an art perfectionist, you probably know that feeling: you always think you cannot get started because there is always something wrong in your environment. Your studio isn’t big enough, your desk isn’t tidied up, you don’t have all the tools you want, you don’t have enough ideas, and so on.
You are always waiting until everything is ‘just right’. If everything is just right, you’ll be able to create better art. This is what you keep telling yourself. But when you look behind that excuse, you’ll find that in reality, you are scared to get started because of the fear of failing, rejection, criticism, …
SOLUTION: Prepare your environment and create rituals around your artistic process.
Prepare your environment. Make everything look nice and neat, the way you like it. But then get to create! If you catch yourself again feeling hesitant to get started, bring yourself to get creative. Just pick up your stylus or brush and start to doodle a little bit. Once you made a start, the rest will follow much more easily!
It can also be helpful to create rituals around your artistic process. For example, you can light a candle, put on your favorite music, and get yourself a coffee. Everything that helps you get into the zone and your creative juices flowing is ok for your ritual!
Stay inspired all year long!
PROBLEM: You have lots of ideas and works in progress, but you are not getting it done.
While for some artists having no ideas is the problem, the opposite can happen too and keep you from being creative. Some art perfectionists have so many ideas that it becomes overwhelming. They don’t know where to start. They want to begin with the best idea, but then again they are not sure if their best idea is good enough…
Another thing that may happen is that you have lots of works in progress, but nothing finished. As always, the journey is the destination and the working process is the most interesting aspect of making art. Art perfectionists, however, tend to feel embarrassed about their WiPs. They don’t want anybody to see how messy the creative process can be. And because WiPs are everything but perfect, they don’t want anyone to sneer at them.
SOLUTION: Set aside some time to create art every day and get organized.
To stop being an art perfectionist with too many ideas and too many unfinished creations, you’ll need to get organized. You might think that creativity and organization are opposites, but a consistent work routine will help you achieve greater progress.
For example, if you have too many ideas, you can write them down in a notebook and then prioritize them. Develop a plan that gives you allotted time to create each day. If you don’t have time every day, then try to create at least a couple of times a week. The more frequently, the better.
You can do the same for your works in progress. Write out a list according to priority, and then finish them one after the other. Art can be messy in the process and you don’t need to be ashamed of it. I believe that all artists go through this messiness when they create.
Nevertheless, most people think that the working process is the most exciting part of the creation. That’s why so many fans and followers love to see the WiPs of their favorite artists.
For you as the artists, sharing your WiPs is also a great way to connect with your followers. It helps people understand how much skill and effort actually go into an artwork. For those artists who don’t have so much experience yet, it’s a fantastic chance to learn something.
I have a couple of WiPs of my digital art up here on my website as well. So if you are interested in my creative process and the meaning behind my works, feel free to check them out!
PROBLEM: You permanently experience creative block.
Last but not least, let’s talk about creative block. Creative block is probably the most common problem artists face in general. But artists who are perfectionists tend to put twice as much pressure on themselves, which only keeps their creativity from flowing freely.
SOLUTION: Take away the pressure and allow yourself to experiment.
I’ve already put together 19 lifehacks to break out of a creative rut in an earlier post. It always comes down to overcoming the fear of creativity and taking away the pressure.
Once you give yourself the permission to not be perfect, it becomes much easier to be creative and maintain a positive mindset. Lower your expectations and allow yourself to experiment. You don’t have to create a masterpiece every time you enter the studio; not even Picasso was able to do so!
Now that you've stopped being an art perfectionist you can be a good artist.
Let me wrap up this post with a quote by American novelist John Steinbeck:
Now that you’ve stopped being perfect you can be good.
Dealing with perfectionism is not easy, but I hope that these strategies help you stop being an art perfectionist and develop a mindset that is more conducive to your creativity.
Nevertheless, remember that letting go of perfectionism in art doesn’t happen overnight. It takes consistent practice and determination to overcome negative habits and replace them with more favorable ones.
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With that said, I wish you all the best on your artistic journey, lots of fun and many, many, many awesome creations!
What are your strategies to deal with perfectionism? Please leave questions and comments below or reach out to me directly. I’d love to hear from you! Make sure to sign up for my email list below so you don’t miss out on new blog posts and other cool stuff. ♥
