Why You HATE Your Art! And How to STOP

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 I can vividly remember time in my life (not so long ago) when I absolutely couldn't stand how my art looked. I always thought that something was off, my paintings were never worth keeping. I would draw something in my sketchbook, look at it for far too long, crumple it up and throw it away. Looking back, I probably should've just kept them. But the point is to say that this feeling isn't uncommon among artists. This article looks to explore some of the reasons you can't stand the art you make and how you can go about changing that. 

1. You Revere Perfectionism

The first reason why you aren't happy with your art is not perfectionism itself, but the fact that you may think perfectionism is a good or cool trait to have. Wanting your work to be as good as is can be is fine, but when you begin to think that the time you spent painting or drawing was worthless because it's not perfect, it is no longer conducive to feeling good about your work or yourself. It's very common to hear people joke "I'm a bit of a perfectionist" or to hear people down talk themselves in order to not come off as stuck-up in conversation. And that can be fine, but if your ability to feel proud of your art is clouded by the presumption that perfectionism is a virtue, then there's an issue. The main point is, you don't have to be a 'perfectionist', you can  be proud of the time and effort that you spent on any piece of work, good or bad.

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2. Plateau of Latent Potential

In the book Atomic Habits, Author James Clear coined the term "Plateau of Latent Potential". Essentially, this 'valley of disappointment' exists in an area where your effort is high and your results are low. You may be practicing anatomy, shading, and color theory every day for a month and see very little change.  In a lot of people, this is where they figure the juice isn't worth the squeeze and they quit. It's all a game of expectation and reality. Imagine you sign up for a one mile race, then once you finish they tell you that the race, last minute, was changed to a three mile race. So, to combat this, you'll need to have realistic expectations for yourself. Realize that "nothing of great value comes easily"- Norman Vincent Peale.

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3. Skill vs Eye Disparity  

Similar to the Plateau of Latent Potential, this reason is also a game of expectations. When you are learning to do essentially anything, there is a gap in your ability to recognize how to do said thing well, and you ability to actually to it well. This is no different for art and it can be incredibly disheartening for beginners. You know a great painting when you see one, you have favorite artists you respect, you could even give someone tips on how to improve what they're doing, but when it's your turn, you can't do it. This is nothing to feel bad about and pretty much all artists go through it. I honestly still feel like I'm going through it. But If you can realize what's happening and appreciate the journey to proficiency you'll be much happier.

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4. Content Consumption

Let's face it, since Covid-19 we've all been on our phones for far too long. And with that, you've spent nearly three years looking at artist that are better than you are at art. And oftentimes they are far younger than you. I can't tell you how many times I've seen artists that probably haven't even graduated high school but paint like masters. I don't know what they've been feeding these children but I think I missed out. In all seriousness, though it can be very tough to keep everything in perspective, just realize that you art always better than someone and someone's art will always be better than yours. Jealousy is very dangerous to your own happiness and is also terribly difficult to work past. But recognizing that you don't have to be the very best is a good first step. 

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5. You Place too much Value on Art

When I was in high school I can genuinely say that art was kind of all that I had. My art, in a way, was my identity. And that's probably when I was the most critical of my art. Now that I have gotten a bit older, art is just one thing on a list of others things that I care about. I've begun to realize that my quality of my art has nothing to do with the quality of me as a person. So in conclusion, just chill out. Art is only as serious as you make it. I can honestly say that I have no intentions of  becoming the best painter or drawer, and I think I'm better off for it. 

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