@darkartexorcist's post on Artfol
Does anyone have any advice on how to stop hating your own art? Or stop being so much of a perfectionist?
Like anytime I start sketching I hate what I’ve done, I can’t even get to the fun parts of drawing cuz I stop before since it just doesn’t look “perfect”.
I have so many things I wanna draw but at the same time I can’t and I hate it so much.Sep 25, 2022
Like anytime I start sketching I hate what I’ve done, I can’t even get to the fun parts of drawing cuz I stop before since it just doesn’t look “perfect”.
I have so many things I wanna draw but at the same time I can’t and I hate it so much.Sep 25, 2022
#question
Comments
I think it really comes down to just telling yourself over and over again to not hate what you make and that it doesn't have to be perfect.
It's going to be tough and it's often going to feel like you're not making any progress but you are!! The only way to get better is to push through.
If I feel discouraged, I like to look back at my old art and compare and see how much I've improved
It's going to be tough and it's often going to feel like you're not making any progress but you are!! The only way to get better is to push through.
If I feel discouraged, I like to look back at my old art and compare and see how much I've improved
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It’s a slow process, but for me it’s the same way you change any negative thinking slowly over time - focus more on what you do like about it! Write down every single good thing about your pieces, even if it doesn’t seem like very much. Take notice of and praise yourself for the good work you’ve done and the bad parts won’t seem so bad anymore over time 
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That’s just a normal way to feel and it part of the growth process. It’s okay to be critical of your art, but don’t forget to be kind to yourself as well. What you have is a amazing skill. If one way of drawing is frustrating you, change it up or do something you know you’re confident in to get a change of pace!
Don’t limit yourself because you feel you can’t do what you want to do, because if we left it to ourselves we would never be ready!
Don’t limit yourself because you feel you can’t do what you want to do, because if we left it to ourselves we would never be ready!
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I think it's important to realize that what you think may not be actually true. You might think that your drawing is the worst thing ever, but other people will love it instead. Seeing drawings that I really hate getting a ton of attention made me just stop caring about whether my drawing is perfect or not. Nothing is perfect and there is a chance that people might still find something neat in the drawing, even if you don't like it.
I think it's also important to understand that you're a human and you can't make everything perfect. Treat yourself with respect and let yourself try no matter how bad something will turn out.
Another thing that I would like to add. I'm not sure if it will actually help, but my drawing teacher at college always tells us to draw as if we are gonna throw away the drawing anyway. It helps to relax a little bit and stop focusing on mistakes
I think it's also important to understand that you're a human and you can't make everything perfect. Treat yourself with respect and let yourself try no matter how bad something will turn out.
Another thing that I would like to add. I'm not sure if it will actually help, but my drawing teacher at college always tells us to draw as if we are gonna throw away the drawing anyway. It helps to relax a little bit and stop focusing on mistakes
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How about you reflect about yourself a bit ? Like, WHY do you hate it? Is it because you compare it to something? Someone?
Perfectionism is always the striving to create something beyond criticism -even if that's literally impossible. Everyones taste is different and even if something was 'perfect' from a technical pov people world still criticize it.
So who's critique do you want to avoid? And why do you think you deserve criticism in the first place?
Perfectionism is always the striving to create something beyond criticism -even if that's literally impossible. Everyones taste is different and even if something was 'perfect' from a technical pov people world still criticize it.
So who's critique do you want to avoid? And why do you think you deserve criticism in the first place?
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It's basically what everyone else has said but..
Trust your gut, if you don't DO anything, you won't get anywhere. Sometimes the answer is as simple as DO IT ANYWAY. And that's hard, trust the process even if it looks bad, because every arr piece has an ugly phase before it gets looking good again. And as you are in the middle of the process, just delving right in, eventually you will completely forget about everything else.
While I'm in the middle of drawing, I completely forget about how I think it looks bad or my fear of drawing, and I just focus on what I need to do and get happy about how it's actually starting to look nice. Completely pushing out other people's art and opinions.
Also, limit yourself.
I've learned something recently, that digital art makes me a perfectionist. For years inwas trying to master digital art. But then when I tried traditional art and painting, it went away.
Here is why,
There are limitations.
With digital art you can go back and fix everything as much as you want. The only consequence being time.
With traditional art, there is only so much you can try to fix something until you begin running out of supplies, time, and you have to restart completely because you ruined the work.
With traditional art and with limited time to work on it in school everyday. I had to choose what to do wisely. And also not be so picky about my brushstrokes. Yes, it looks imperfect but that is why it IS perfect. Yes this isn't blended or shaded, but that makes it pop out more.
And what helped me the most was painting a POINTILISM painting. No strokes, no blend, no gradient, no layers. None of that extra crap, just my paint and my brush. And dabbing on the canvas everywhere.
I struggled because i felt like I was wasting time. It looked terrible. That I need to do more. I almost broke down several times. But it turned out to be the best piece I have ever made up to this point. And trust me it looked like GARBAGE at the beginning.
So experiment
Trust your gut, if you don't DO anything, you won't get anywhere. Sometimes the answer is as simple as DO IT ANYWAY. And that's hard, trust the process even if it looks bad, because every arr piece has an ugly phase before it gets looking good again. And as you are in the middle of the process, just delving right in, eventually you will completely forget about everything else.
While I'm in the middle of drawing, I completely forget about how I think it looks bad or my fear of drawing, and I just focus on what I need to do and get happy about how it's actually starting to look nice. Completely pushing out other people's art and opinions.
Also, limit yourself.
I've learned something recently, that digital art makes me a perfectionist. For years inwas trying to master digital art. But then when I tried traditional art and painting, it went away.
Here is why,
There are limitations.
With digital art you can go back and fix everything as much as you want. The only consequence being time.
With traditional art, there is only so much you can try to fix something until you begin running out of supplies, time, and you have to restart completely because you ruined the work.
With traditional art and with limited time to work on it in school everyday. I had to choose what to do wisely. And also not be so picky about my brushstrokes. Yes, it looks imperfect but that is why it IS perfect. Yes this isn't blended or shaded, but that makes it pop out more.
And what helped me the most was painting a POINTILISM painting. No strokes, no blend, no gradient, no layers. None of that extra crap, just my paint and my brush. And dabbing on the canvas everywhere.
I struggled because i felt like I was wasting time. It looked terrible. That I need to do more. I almost broke down several times. But it turned out to be the best piece I have ever made up to this point. And trust me it looked like GARBAGE at the beginning.
So experiment
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•Find another reason for drawing. Like, some people just draw because they want to be an artist, so they stress out over being perfect. But if you have a secondary reason for liking to draw, it can help you focus less on the perfectionism part.
For example, my sister and I really like our OCs and get super excited about the plots and stories we make. When we draw, we're so excited to see our stories and characters represented that we stop caring about how good the actual art is.
Try to find passion for the subjects of your art so you stop stressing out about the skill level of it.
For example, my sister and I really like our OCs and get super excited about the plots and stories we make. When we draw, we're so excited to see our stories and characters represented that we stop caring about how good the actual art is.
Try to find passion for the subjects of your art so you stop stressing out about the skill level of it.
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A trick I've used is drawing with pen when practicing. Then you're stuck with your choices and able to move on or come up with clever ways to fix the picture. Ultimately it's going to be practice though, both with improving your skills and patience with yourself<- which is also a skill
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I used to hate my drawings as well, but I just force myself to finish them even when it looks bad ! Trust the process you know 
You’ll get better eventually, so you shouldn’t take bad sketches to heart
You’ll get better eventually, so you shouldn’t take bad sketches to heart •
I’d say try set a time limit. An hour here an hour there. Instead of perfection it becomes getting something good enough. Giving a pretty bad piece by your standards and doing a redemption round with the same subject is also fun.
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I often have the same but at some point it's really just trusting the process. Also what iunoi said is smth I do too I just tell myself it's practice anyways and it can look shitty often when you then continue it can become better
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aaa i have the exact same issue 
the way i deal with it is i tell myself this is practice- if i finish this drawing and put effort into it, the next one will be better than the last. my biggest motivator is that i adore the drawing process itself, so the end result doesn't need to be perfect for me to take joy out of the drawing, even if i feel ashamed of my result. so find a style that you enjoy working with, it's important! <3
the way i deal with it is i tell myself this is practice- if i finish this drawing and put effort into it, the next one will be better than the last. my biggest motivator is that i adore the drawing process itself, so the end result doesn't need to be perfect for me to take joy out of the drawing, even if i feel ashamed of my result. so find a style that you enjoy working with, it's important! <3•
