How Perfectionism DESTROYS Art & Creativity || SPEEDPAINT + COMMENTARY

[@petitsmacarons2373]

A teacher in art school once said "The image you have in mind is not the end product, it's the starting point" And I've never been happier with my art since. The idea that it is a template to change and have fun with, and if it's not exactly what I had in mind, it's normal, a template is never the end product, is very freeing imo

[@LadySkyLaaa]

This problem is also prevalent when it comes to being an animator AND a perfectionist Imagine working on an animation of some kind, but wanting each and every single frame to look perfect (even the in-betweens, which people will see for less than a second) So much pain...

[@thepuzzlemaster64]

Same. Always pushing myself to animate only on ones at 24 fps, with no holds on any frames, while a 1 month deadline looms over me. I die every time, yet I still keep doing it for some reason. Guess you can call me a masochist.

[@CloyMush]

Jesus

[@unripetheberrby6283]

Yeah....

[@SUTAZZZ]

Too real...

[@phantomangel4799]

It’s even a thing that applies to writers, being one myself as a hobby.

[@katrinkpunkt]

I might get tomatoes thrown at me for saying this, but digital art reaaaaaaaally invites this perfectionism (and it's one of the reasons why I don't like it much, because I tend to fall into that trap). The ability to finetune your line stbilizers to death, to rewind as much as you want, to zoom in - you need a lot of discipline to NOT do that. I notice with myself that I have no problems when there are little gaps or paint is spilled over linework in traditional art, while it bothers me to death in digital art. That's why I personally think mixing it up is good. Traditional art forces you to be imperfect, and for me, a main in traditional art, digital art forces me to discipline myself in setting myself an end point.

[@derpkipper]

Oh definitely. Intrinsically, digital art can 1000000% enable perfectionism. Especially if you already struggle with it. When you can fine tune everything to such a degree it can exacerbate perfectionism if you already struggle with it. I literally cannot do rough sketches digitally lol. Well, kinda. It just depends. Being able to rotate things when they're all fucked up instead of having to erase the goddamn thing and starting over makes things easier for me to understand. But my perfectionism hasnt really been made worse or better by doing digital art. It just tends to enable it a smidge. Thats not always a bad thing and there's workarounds. Perfectionism for me is just a character flaw I need to work on that I have struggled with for all my life

[@derpkipper]

I think digital artists who struggle with this should also definitely try to take up traditional mediums sometimes if they can. Ot at least, treat your digital art as if it *is* traditional and set limitations for yourself. But when habits are so deeply baked into your psyche...that is often easier said than done lol. Different strokes for different folks, as they say! Figuratively, that is. No pun intended, lmao

[@derpkipper]

Oh and also also lol. If you think thats bad, with digital art...try researching pixel art. Perfectionism is baked into the medium itself. 😂 man I've met so many self important facetious assholes in the online pixel art space... Hmm. Facetious isnt the word I'm looking for. Pretentious is more like it, but I also can't stand using that word when talking about art or artists. Since oftentimes that word is used as a way for someone to say "i don't understand the meaning behind this work of art therefore it is pretentious." Its so often used as a dig at a work of art simply because it goes over that persons head and that makes me so angry. . I guess that is, unless the person is indeed being pretentious, i.e. subscribing a level of self importance onto themselves to make themselves look good. *that* is what i mean here, lol

[@stargirl3455]

amen.. perfectionism is killing me. i only finish an artwork if it's up to my standarts. so many unfinished drawings and sketches, and so many covered up works in my sketchbook. art is so emotionally and mentally draining and exhausting for me, i have completely lost any sort of joy. i wasn't like this when i was a kid. but then i kept compating and comparing and now look at me. 20 year old burnout.. i can't even doodle. i literally don't allow myself to mess up. so it's all so exhausting. no joy in creating. i have no passion for it anymore. i don't get inspired either. what's the point of creating if it's not perfect been watching you since you had 3k btw, amazing how you've grown. your content is such a breath of fresh air

[@ChadScarbs]

My god that sounds horrible, hope you'll feel better soon and rediscover your joy again :(

[@thatwasverypunny.-.]

HOW IS THAT SHE COMES OUT WITH A VIDEO OF THE EXACT THING IM STRUGGLING WITH EVERY SINGLE TIME?? :0 literal sorcery

[@meronyach.]

Perfectionism is both a blessing and a curse. It can help you make the most beautiful work of art, but it can also cause you to lose your mind over details which are insignificant to the bigger picture.

[@jonelrobinson7432]

Facts!

[@DreamyAileen]

Something I started doing is looking really closely at artworks by artists I admire to search for mistakes or cut corners. It's really eye-opening -- even the most skilled professionals like Rosuuri or Icomochi leave tons and tons of little mistakes or unpolished spots in their final renders. Because time is money and perfectionism is a game of diminishing returns If WADARCO can make rough wobbly lineart and messy blobby shading look damn good for her Kronii artbook, ain't no reason you can't too :)

[@astronma_starheart]

Oh my goodness, I definitely dealt with this. ESPECIALLY when I started taking art seriously enough to want to be a comic artist in middle school. My self esteem (when throwing puberty in the mix) was super low. But as time went on and I grew? I’ve come to accept that I’m pretty lax on being too nit picky (though I do sometimes fall back into old habits). I’ve come to learn to love the panels I draw that may not be as strong as the ones on the page before it, to love that sometimes anatomy’s gonna be wonky when I draw over and over again, etc. Honestly, I think making comics/comic pages has helped me dismantle my perfectionism, and my five year long hyperfixation on Kingdom Hearts fueling my passion? I feel pretty satisfied with my art 😊

[@Jo-fo7tg]

This is me. I got minor recognition once, didn’t expect people at work to find out, people wanted free art from me that was well outside my skills and my perception of “acceptable” artwork. The idea of people seeing anything less than perfect art was so scary and mortifying… I completely stopped drawing. And writing. Perfectionism is a terrible thing at that level.

[@Chronodancer]

My main problem is that even when i'm not showing my art to anyone, i still feel the need to live up to my own expectations.

[@makamiuseless1954]

One way I deal with perfectionism is to always remind myself that: "This is just a test". To me (for now) Art is all about learning and experimenting, almost like any random tests or quizzes at school so mistakes are bound to be made. At the same time, that doesn't mean you can just slack off and not improving your skills so you must put your best into it. It's fine to make mistakes, because it's a test and try harder and better next time.

[@chillingeclipsed411]

Gods I feel this so bad- except, my perfectionism only fuels my depression, and if I can't meet that expectation, I feel like a failure to myself, and feel like what I'm aiming to achieve has become impossible. I guess that's where depression seeps in so instead of trying to "shoot for the stars" it's "well, time to sink into the abyss" 😭

[@sketchesofshay]

this was so helpful!! I recently went through a rough patch of being too perfectionistic and it resulted in me fixating over so many small details that didn't really matter in the log run. I will definitely be coming back to this video in the future, thank you for this video duchess 💖

[@yoavjacoby8246]

I have the opposite problem. I usually am too impatient to do all the little itsie bitsie details when the piece is mostly finished. Also I'm usually satisfied and even proud of 90% of the art I make. Just lucky, I guess... (I am very skilled so that helps)

[@sopheriette9324]

I had this problem for a long time, with an extent of losing my anime artstyle to the semi-realistic style, trying to make my art with 100% realistic proportions. But this lead to me completely burning out for a whole year, because one piece could take me a week of hard work, and even then it didn't turn out well. Only recently I've returned to drawing in a more anime-cartoony style and I feel so much better. Though, I still need to lower my expectations--

[@Autumchild]

If I may suggest something that I find helpful as well in escaping the perfectionist cycle. Looking at you older pieces from over 3 years ago. It's amazing how much improvement we make, that we don't realize it until we look back at older pieces. I use this when I feel that perfectionism setting in, and it gets me out of that cycle.

[@thepuzzlemaster64]

This! Also, looking back at your old art can give you epiphanies by making you realize what you've been doing wrong the entire time, or straight-up give you an inspiration for your next drawing. If you get past the cringe factor, your old art can become quite valuable at teaching you all your mistakes.

[@RailRide]

I went one better and actually _posted_ them. But I inserted them in a frame that clearly indicates they are old art. Most are from the 1990's, but I did find one from 1987 and 1988. My followers see them as historical curiosities more than anything else :D

[@MikeMozzaro]

I got to be honest; I don't understand this idea or point of view. I've tried this idea; and all that happens is that I end up hating myself even more. Because as far as I'm concerned; the fact that I *have* in fact improved; shows me that there is no excuse for my old art to look as bad as it does. I don't care that it was drawn 10 years ago; if I can do it now; there's not reason I shouldn't have been able to do it then. But I wasn't; because I suck.

[@Autumchild]

Which is totally a fair viewpoint. Not all methods are going to work for everyone. It's finding a method that works for you that's the difficult part. After all, we all experience anxiety in art differently. This is just an example that has worked for myself.

[@thepuzzlemaster64]

@@MikeMozzaro For me when I look at my old art, I get this rush of nostalgia of a time when I didn't know better, but still gave it my all. I also use my old art for studying on occasion, or just to give myself a refresher on how things were. Do I cringe at my old art. Absolutely! But at the same time I sometimes have these "wait, how did I do that?", or these "I was onto something there" moments that will sometimes inspire me, or give me new ideas for my new art. The way I look at it, is every drawing I make will have both a ton of mistakes that I won't notice until months later, and a sprinkle of fresh ideas that I won't notice until years later. However, if that still doesn't work-out for you, it's no biggie. just like @Autumnchild said: Not all methods are going to work on everyone. I just wanted to give my point of view on it.

[@mochachip_gacha217]

I feel like ever since I started uploading my work every time I sit down to draw it has to be for KZbin or social media. It’s funny because I don’t have a big following but I still feel like there is this pressure that every peice I make has to be for uploading

[@Grimreaper156]

OH MY GOD THE FINAL RESULT IS GORGEOUS ???!!!

[@deedeejoseph6749]

I thought i was past this but man. I'm back to the drawing board literally lol

[@GothicPhantomZero]

I watched another video similar to this topic years and years ago. You give great suggestions, but might I part with this one from the other video? The suggestion they gave well, mainly to the "going away and coming back to it with fresh eyes." Just before you close out of the piece, zoom into the piece as far as you can, close out full view windows that show the whole piece (if you have one open), if you cannot turn them off put a low-tack sticky note on it, next turn the piece upside down and invert it (horizontal flip/flip canvas), and then save and close out. Give it a good while before coming back to it, reopen the piece, and look at that for awhile. You trick your brain in thinking it's a completely new piece and treat it as such. Look it over. Red mark where you think "needs fixing" and if not. Flip the piece back over to normal and give it a look. I honestly, never thought this would work. I pretty much told the youtuber that it was a complete joke. I still feel bad about that. But still was able to right that wrong after I gave it a try for a few weeks. I could not believe how such an easy thing like that works! Well, I hope I can pass on my mistake in something that works and hopes it works for someone else as well :)

[@faerie5926]

This is super helpful- and something I want to say is take time to have fun drawing once in a while, my favorite moments have been playing drawing games with my younger cousin. It's so freeing to not have to worry about the drawing looking like how I want it to and instead focusing on doing something fun with my cousin. :3

[@NightStarGamer]

Perfectionism is something I definitely struggle in. It most likely stems from being mocked for not doing something flawlessly and I sort of carry that desire with me. I'll definitely implement some of this advice. Something that I also do that helps is allow myself time to warmup. So many times in the past I'd just jump into a project pencil eagerly in hand only to get caught up on a stupid line or curve not looking right then get tilted. But by warming up that has helped in getting the messy lines out of my system and having the free space to warm up helps to get the creative thoughts flowing.

[@tcpratt1660]

My wife was a crafting maven (cardmaking, in particular), and a lot of times, she showed me several different options for a particular project she was working on, and it seemed to me that she was doubting herself unnecessarily. I couldn't do what she did with various paint programs, and the cutting dies, and so forth - but when she asked me, I had watched her working with her paint programs, and the various cutting dies, and so forth, and I didn't try to look for anything other than significantly noticeable things which didn't make sense to my eyes. And, far more often than not, when she showed me several options, I was honestly able to say that all of the options she presented were very good. I, of course, if I noticed one was a little better, and I could say why I thought it was, I was honest enough to say so as best I could. If I had an idea about something that might make it even better, and I could state that idea clearly, I also would do so. I don't think she ever entirely overcame her self-doubt - but she did appreciate my honest feedback, although she did ask me once if I was giving her positive feedback because I was being a loving and supportive spouse. The answer I told her was the truth - yes, I was supporting her because I was her spouse, and I loved her very much - AND because, to my mind's eye, her work very rarely wasn't beautiful, AND even when she didn't get things quite the way she wanted, she learned, and improved. My wife and I had a distance-separated friend who was also a crafting maven, who ALSO has similar self-doubt issues, and we both gave her positive feedback, because she merited it, not because we were her friends. (My wife, sadly, is no longer with us, so for her, it was "had" - for me, it still is "have" - and, for our friend, I'm definitely sharing this video, not telling her that she must watch it, but hoping that she does, because this video will help her, as it would have helped my wife.)

[@lisarobles1889]

This video was exactly what I needed to hear, i’ve been struggling with burnout (caused by perfectionism) over the last couple of years- thank you for making me feel like those of us who are struggling are not alone in this feeling and also providing some really great advice!

[@dghtrofmoon]

I loved your video, I suffer from extreme perfectionism and it has destroyed anything that I make. it can be a normal resume about something I need to study, or it can be a drawing, I simply cannot do it anymore. I freeze. it really makes me sad that I don't draw like I used to, I just can't do it, and I don't know what to do seeing people with influence talking about it really makes me happy, because if I had people talking about it when it all started for me, I wouldn't be like this now (probably) love your videos, you're amazing! and love your work, too, it's beautiful! ❤

[@thepuzzlemaster64]

One thing that I taught myself when I took drawing more seriously is to always strive for "good enough". Nobody really cares that the pinky is a little floppy, or that the wrinkles on the shirt are inaccurate, or the proportions are slightly wrong. A huge chunk of people won't notice those mistakes, ever. (why do you think AI art get unnoticed by the masses) However! Those same mistakes that you hate are grounds for a quick training session. If you hate seeing those mistakes, then train yourself to find tricks and patterns that'll make you stop doing them (or at the very least minimize those chances). I do call myself a perfectionist, but unlike most I try to learn from my mistakes so they won't ever happen again, and I write these techniques down so I don't forget them later.

[@witchtale3159]

I also like to tell myself that to you, the art you made/make might look normal and like it’s nothing particularly special, but to someone else it might look super cool and amazing :)

[@pastelringz]

I clicked on this video today because the title and everything you are saying is true , I have a problem with wanting to perfect my art and I truly hate it

[@taylorbechstein1681]

There's no way this comes the day after i have the biggest realization about my perfectionism. I finally am able to cosplay my favorite character, and my perfectionism made the whole process grueling. Despite how much my family, friends, and even academic superiors said they adored what i made, i couldnt get over it. Then, i didnt finish the chainsaw prop before the con (i literally didnt paint wooden dowels) and just....went. i had fun and people told me how much they love my cosplay/props, and even the first wig i styled was said to look very good. Im so much prouder of my work now, and am so grateful for people who helped me. Gonna have to apply it to my art now!

[@Driftking0311]

I definitely just watched the video that made me feel much better about when I draw. I for one admit I’m a lazy artist and by hearing your advice on perfectionism it made me realized about how I should try to improve at. Not taking my drawing as a losing battle but to look away and take a break if you’d tried to make the drawing better. Appreciate the advice you said in today’s video.

[@nixy1244]

I’ve come to find what’s helps Is when you’re finished with a piece, put it out of your sight for a month and then look back at it. You’ll forget so much of what you wanted to be perfect that it’ll look better that when you just finished to you 😂

[@KiyoshiArts]

I used to have the mindset of wanting perfection but I had to keep bringing myself back. Perfect things don’t exist so I shouldn’t try to make something perfect. Now I aim for experience and not perfection

[@Gamingpandacat]

Ohh we got more perfection discourse this week, hell yeh, as a baby -line on paper- i'm constantly struggling with breaking out of the exercises and doing some actual drawings and art.

[@theofficerfactory2625]

My late dad told me to get a big project to 80% as you'll never be truly done if you try to get it perfect as there is always that one final detail to add or change.

[@KitKatbar168]

Ty I needed this

[@dlentera4092]

After trying to learn how to draw to draw for four days, this pretty much sums up why I never liked drawing in the first place

[@spiderversestyle]

I've comment something similar on your other video, but yeah I'm learning to be proud of my finish work because in the end my followers are going to eat it up xD

[@MelodyCrystel]

Probably not going to help others, but I found in 3D-Models (mostly VRoid) a great option to combat my frustration caused by perfectionism. 》I can always go back and edit or completely change things about the hair, eyes, clothes etc. --- even after completing whatever project I needed the Model for. Texturing things overall is also fun since more details pay off in the end, thus perfectionism doesn't get exhausting. And even though Blender's UI still intimidates me, I'm slowly getting used to it, too, which means my creativity in 3D-aspects can expand even more with less inner pressure~

[@Randomfnlover]

Very relatable

[@PWNDON]

if others are reaching for the finish line of perfectionism, then i'm at the pit stop or i'm driving at a mile per hour however i am acceptant of all of that for the time being 9:19-9:54 this, exactly. this is it. i like doodling a lot, particularly based off of situations i get in with my friends, and most of that art is pretty mid but i don't feel the need to fix it.

[@AdorableFennec]

YAY YOU POSTED!!!

[@gretschekunstmann6014]

Thank you for talk about this

[@essycogany2738]

Thank you for this video. It’s very helpful and encouraging. ❤️

[@JordanS-ww4eu]

Every one makes mistakes except for cats because they’re purrfect 😂😂😂😂😂 sorry just a joke

[@Artistjames2330]

i dont try to be perfect when i draw i just go with the flow

[@derpkipper]

6:37 From my perspective that is far from an exaggeration. That is reality. I think I need professional help, lol. Anyways, thx, I really needed to hear this

[@juneru2]

How I think of it is: It's better to draw everyday than to spend days drawing something. Even if you draw a doodle, you still drew something. Trying to aim higher and higher from the last will inevitably lead to burnout.

[@Imjustkendall]

This is the most underrated channel on KZbin omg

[@lovi9258]

I feel really called out ;,)

[@DudesOnline]

I had to stop what i was doing when i saw the notification

[@D3DBATZ_Art]

my art teacher say that perfectionism is a good thing

[@windraizou]

Short answer (for me): Yes.

[@lorelaimorace-kk1xz]

WOOOOOOOOOOO

[@unripetheberrby6283]

This is definitely me too... ahhh 😔

[@HortayaBorzaya]

Good video! :)

[@1psychebillie]

YEAAAAAAA

[@RubinaBlue]

ngl i have extreme paranoia of using cheats to make my process faster, like even though NO ONE will see it ill still be paranoid that someone might

[@mizubiart6230]

Perfection is a very flawed concept. I think every piece is a moment in itself, and instead of being driven by insecurity you’re driven by decision. If anyone has this problem, I suggest doing pure ink art, it makes you incorporate this mindset better.

[@regunachapex7838]

Real

[@KitKatbar168]

11:00

[@skyanimationsprodcuction4792]

Uh no not the moon 🥲 ok feew that was close one 😌

[@BennettInes]

How did you know

[@Sssssshinshi]

HAAII

[@ArmaBiologica35]

Yes, but so does mediocrity.

[@thepuzzlemaster64]

Something about the portraits you draw feels a little off to me. Your attention to detail, the proportions, the shading, even the reflections in the eyes looks beautiful...but the eyes themselves always look a little off to me...and I can't quite put my finger as to why. I don't know. If you like it, keep doing what you like, I usually just listen to the commentary while I draw anyways.