How many times have you ripped up or thrown away a drawing that you thought was a failure?
I’m guessing lots of times. I know I have.
In fact, when you stop to think about it, you probably think you’ve made more failed drawings than good ones.
What if I told you that those failed drawings weren’t failures at all? What if I told you that there is no such thing as a failed drawing?
What the perception of failure does to you
Whether you think a drawing or a painting is a failure is largely a matter of perception. But there’s no getting away from the effect the feeling of having produced a failure has on you:
You can become demoralised. You doubt your ability. Perhaps you start to wonder if you really have it in you to be an artist.
It becomes that much harder to get started again. If you’re trying to practice your drawing regularly, it can break your practice habit and stop you making progress.
But there’s another way to look at these pieces that has the opposite effect, a positive effect.
Reframing your failures
If you can view the pieces you do from the beginning as just another part of your learning process, another step along your path, it becomes much easier to stay focused on improving, to let go and move on to the next one.
Of course, that’s easier said than done, I know. It’s not like you can change your approach to your work overnight.
For me, my approach to what I do has changed gradually over the years.
At the moment, although I draw every day, I don’t try to produce any finished pieces at all. I’m purely focused on practice, keeping my regular drawing practice habit going above all else. Funnily enough, some of what I produce now is more beautiful (in my humble opinion) than what I produced when I was trying to create beautiful, finished pieces.
Yes, lots of what I produce isn’t beautiful. Lots of it is throw away, just trying things out. Or even, on my most difficult days, just drawing so that I can say to myself that I turned up and did my practice.
If you struggle with seeing much of your work as failures, here’s a few ideas on how you might be able to start seeing them a little differently.
How to see your failures differently
- Let go of the ideal by concentrating on the process. You probably have an idea in your mind of how you’d like your work to look. Perhaps you think a lot about artists who inspire you, and when compared to their work, your own seems insignificant. The best way I know to begin to let go of that kind of counter-productive, goal-centred approach is to really focus as much as you can on your process. Think about what it is about your work that you’d like to improve. Come up with a simple exercise to start stretching that skill, and do a little work on it every day. Here’s a few ideas for regular drawing practice exercises designed to help you stretch specific skills.
- Accept that it will take you years to reach your goal. Whilst it’s tempting to believe that some are born simply able to draw, it’s simply not true. It takes practice, and lots of it.
- Also accept that you’ll never reach it. There will always be another mountain you want to climb, another skill you want to improve. Although you will get to a stage where you become more satisfied with what you make – at least, I did – accept that this is not a sprint, it’s not even a marathon, because both of those have finish lines. This is a way of life, it’s about constant growth, and what you do with the time you have.
- Constantly remind yourself that progress comes through practice. You weren’t born able to draw. A failed drawing isn’t an indictment, it doesn’t mean you don’t have talent. It means you haven’t practised enough to produce work that you’ll be satisfied with yet. Drawing well is simply a matter of skill. Yes, inspiration exists, but I promise you, it won’t strike unless you’re actually at the easel, and then very rarely.
- Become used to failing by repeating it. Practice often. Every day if you can. It’s the single most powerful way I know to let go of your ideal. Because, you know, you’re just practising. And if you don’t produce something you really like today, you might tomorrow. And if you can keep up a regular practice habit, after a while you realise that every so often you do produce something you like. And over time, you see the improvement happening.
Fail often
I’ve produced many more drawings and paintings that I felt had failed than ones that I thought were successful. In fact, most of them could have been seen as failures in one way or another.
Here’s a drawing of my wife I posted on this blog, way back in 2006. As you can see, I was a little frustrated with the results.
Here’s another, also from 2006, that I was so distressed about that I actually ripped it up. I had to stick it back together so that I could post it!
If you want to know what was going through my head at the time, you can read the original post here.
Reading that post back now, I can see that I had the beginnings of the right idea about how to approach practice. But still, it was as if I was trying to hold myself back until I reached a point when I could finally let go and wouldn’t have to that kind of practice any more.
Now, I’ve realised that that kind of practice is the whole point. I’ve also realised that constraint isn’t something you subject yourself to until you’re good enough not to need it. It’s a necessary approach. Constraint makes for continued progress, and, rather than stifling creativity, can enhance it.
Here’s another portrait of Michelle I did a few years later. Now, I could never have produced this without that failed one, and many, many drawings like it. I see lots of problems with this one, too. But they don’t bother me. They’re just sign posts for what I’d need to improve if I want to do a better portrait of Michelle.
The irony is that without our failures, we won’t make progress and we won’t learn. So we need to be prepared for failure – for many failures.
Each and every one of your failed drawings has also been a success, because each one has moved you along a little and helped you progress.
That progress might be infinitesimally small, yes. But that’s why it’s so important to be drawing as regularly as you can.
So fail, and fail often, in the knowledge that those failures are really some of your greatest successes.
Just don’t allow them to stop you moving forward.
If you struggle with the idea of failure, I hope some of these thoughts help you.
I’d love to hear what strategies you might have that help you let go of the idea of failed pieces and embrace the learning process.
Best wishes, and thanks for reading,
Paul
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Falling flat on your face with over confidence, now that sounds very familiar.
I think it’s really helped on some of those Creative Triggers exercises when I’ve got the pad in front of me and before picking up the pencils I’ve said to myself “this is going in the bin when I’ve finished”. Removes that pressure to succeed and correctly places the focus on the task in hand.
Of course, many times you end up with something that justifies it’s existence and it’s saved from recycling. But at least the pressure wasn’t there from the outset.
Sometimes of course you will want to produce a finished piece, but then you can say to yourself at the start “if this doesn’t work then all I’ve lost is time and a sheet of paper” – that’s a bargain price for the lesson learnt. And if it does end well… a pat on the back. Those prior failures paid off!
Steve
Actually, making a conscious decision to throw something away before you start is a brilliant approach, and an excellent contribution, thanks Steve. I should have put it into the post!
For a good while I used to do that myself. When I was practising shodo, or doing breathing lines, I’d know the paper would be going in the bin when I’d finished, because the point wasn’t the piece of work, it was the doing of it.
You can get those magic pads for Chinese calligraphy practice, too – you draw with brush and water and it gradually disappears as it dries. There’s something very liberating about that!
Thank you Paul. I always enjoy reading your articles and this one really hits home. I’ll try harder to think of my mistakes less critical. Great timing.
You’re welcome Nancy. Thanks for letting me know you liked it.
Hi Paul,
Absolutely spot on! I so much needed to read this today. I do so much beating myself up and feeling horribly at times that I really have to do a tremendous job to keep at it. This is so helpful and it is good to know that you and others have also felt the frustration and discouragement. The key is to keep going and keep learning and doing.
Jl
We all feel this at some point I think. You’re right, the key is absolutely to keep going and keep learning. thanks for commenting.
Beautifully written piece. I think these ideas are essential for the development of every artist. They remind me of the concept of “beginner’s mind”.
Thanks you very much Ed. “Beginners mind” is completely relevant here. Since I’m not qualified to describe it, here’s a link for people who haven’t come across it before:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshin
This post is so true.
Ive printed this out and stuck it at my workbench to keep me sanity in check.
Lessons like these in confidence and (ill perceived) expectations are a must for all artist, beginner or season professional.
Why are we such perfectionist?
Thanks Phil, that’s wonderful to hear!
I have a feeling that our perfectionism may be a result of cultural conditioning. I wonder if it’s as prevalent in other cultures?
WOW I really needed this post! We look to the pros for inspiration, but often feel the bar is set so high by them that we will never reach it! It is very difficult to allow a work to be “just practice”. Like you said, somehow we expect it to be a finished work every time – that pressure is there whether or not we consciously think about it. I saw a blog by another great artist with a photo of him sitting in the middle of a large pile of drawings all over the floor. He wanted us to know that he too has failures and here they were – all around him! Gees they ARE human! We forget we only see the best ones in shows and websites, not the failures! That being said, it is a daily battle for me to “just practice”. I will keep your blog as a reminder to “let it go!”
That’s such an important point to make Melinda, thanks so much for adding it. We do tend to assume that people who make beautiful work do it effortlessly, day in, day out. But it’s just not the case.
I do wonder sometimes whether some artists like to perpetuate that myth. I salute the artist you mention. We need more of that kind of honesty!
Thanks for the post, Paul. Many famous artists were quite self-conscious about the quality of their work in their lifetimes. Michelangelo (1475-1564) burned several of his own drawings on two occasions–first, after finishing the Sistine Chapel ceiling (1513), and the second time was shortly before his death. Likewise, very few of the preliminary studies of Aubrey Beardsley (1872-98) survive today. For my part, I appreciate your advice on how to avoid perfectionism. Thanks again! : )
Thanks for these reminders. I actually graduated with an AA in fine arts a long time ago, but have had a love hate relationship with my art. Life brings so many challenges each day. I have diabetes 2 and hypothyroidism, and though i have managed them well, i still get the lethargy associates with them. Drawing and art making saves me from going crazy. I try to draw each day, and hopefully do colored work again soon. Thanks a lot, Paul!
I just had a couple failed paintings last night and your post help me look at the failures in a new light, thank you.
Hi there Paul!
I just stumbled across your amazing blog, because I was searching something different regarding drawing related to seeing and to our mind. And so I really find it very helpful in every aspect and for every art! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge so much from the heart! Very helpful, useful and uplifting. I keep reading and have saved it among my favourites!
I’ve also checked your post about books. Couldn’t agree more with you. Everything opened for me when I got in my hand the book from Betty Edwards. Very helpful too.
All the Best!
Thanks Dasha, I’m really glad you’re finding something useful here. You’re very welcome.
Hello! I was so stressed with my two failed drawings in a row. the first one was a great success, my motive while i was making that one was to keep myself busy. i haven’t drawn seriously for about a month or so.. or maybe more.
then after i finished the success one, i thought i’d make another one, with motive to post them and getting likes. and unfortunately, it failed. still not satisfied, i tried for the second time still on the same paper. it was good when i drew the eyes, and nose. but the lips and the jawline ruin everything.
i was kinda frustrated and finally found this site. your words bring me to realize that i need to practice more and i need to get used to fails.
thank you very much. i’ll keep drawing.
Paul,
I wonder if you have read a book called “Mastery”, by George Leonard. Wondeful little book from the point of view of a martial arts instructor but which applies to all human endeavours that require lots of practice, sacrifice and a love of the process as opposed to a love of the goal. You should check it out, although I’m sure you have a lot of this down by now. There’s a series of lectures on this book on youtube by painter Jeff Watts, and they’re highly recommended too.