Perfectionism has defined me for much of my life. It lurked behind the endless hours spent studying & later, working; behind the good grades & later, the promotions. I’ve been called a perfectionist by teachers, bosses, co-workers, friends & family. Sometimes it’s been said admiringly, sometimes accusingly, sometimes even angrily. Yet in the space of a few years, I’ve been able to transition from being that inveterate perfectionist to being someone who can live comfortably – even contentedly – with a whole range of uncertainty & doubtful outcomes when I’m in my studio. Furthermore, I can do this without denigrating either my artistic abilities or my worthiness as a person.
In my last blog, I described some milestones along the path of this transition. In this blog, I offer some strategies for keeping perfectionistic tendencies at bay while you’re engaged in making art. Do keep in mind, though, that the goal here is not to stop caring about end results, ie., the finished drawing or painting. Rather, the goal is to change one’s focus from the end result to the process of getting to the end result. Also, recognize that it’s possible to let go of the negative aspects of perfectionism, such as fear of failure, anxiety, procrastination, & harsh self-criticism, while retaining the positive aspects of perfectionism, such as high standards, self-discipline, a good work ethic, & the quest for excellence.
One of my art teachers used to say to me: “Enough already! There are hundreds more drawings to be done!” because I labored over each one as if my life depended on making it….perfect. So: At the beginning, set a goal for each drawing. (“How-to” books often state the purpose of each exercise or project. If you’re taking lessons, ask your teacher to specify the goal.) Once you’ve reached that goal, consider the drawing a success & move on to the next one. Resist the urge to make every drawing a masterpiece. Just concentrate on developing good drawing habits for now. Masterpieces will flow from this solid foundation in time.
Perfectionists are detail-oriented by nature. We not only love details, we home in on them! When drawing & painting, though, always work from large to small, saving the details for last. And beware of falling in love with one area of your drawing or painting too soon. This often happens when we lavish (a) too much attention (b) on one small section (c) too early in the process. Chances are it will need to be changed later & we’ll be reluctant to make the sacrifice.
Draw lightly; you’ll be more apt to make any necessary changes & it will be much easier to do so.
If you’re experiencing anxiety around your drawing sessions, just commit to, say, 15 minutes at a time. No matter how much – or little – gets done, give yourself credit for showing up & facing off with the discomfort.
Practice restating any anxious or self-critical thoughts. For example, think in terms of “making new decisions” rather than “fixing mistakes.” While this may seem somewhat affected, it does accurately frame the drawing process as a visual exploration instead of something with a clear-cut, right-or-wrong trajectory.
As confidence grows, it becomes much easier to enjoy & even relish the art-making process rather than rushing toward the goal of a finished drawing or painting. In my case, I was finally able to surrender completely to the pigment & let it take me in unexpected & exciting new directions. When that happened, I was free to experience what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls “flow,” the subject of a future blog.