Fear of Failure
Wednesday June 3, 2009
Do you ever think about drawing something... then decide you can't? Or maybe you don't actually decide you can't, but you find yourself procrastinating over it - event though it's a project you really want to do. You just sort of avoid it. Fear of failure can be paralyzing for creative people in every field. The problem is that the work that you create is rarely as perfect as your vision. It's even worse if you are a little rusty or still learning. You see the image in your head, but you fear that your skills aren't quite up to executing it. Don't let perfectionism paralyze you. So what if your piece is imperfect? Better an imperfect finished work than an idea locked up inside your head.
Sometimes it's the fear of failing in other's eyes. Artists are traditionally loners who don't care what others think, but I suspect that this is a bit of a myth: artists NEED to develop a thick hide and ability to walk the less-traveled path, but few people are naturally that independent. We care about what our family, friends and colleagues think. It seems to be par for the course that budding Manga artists find themselves told to do something 'less cartoony' while realists are told to 'loosen up'. And abstract art is still a mystery to most people, a century after Modernism. Film and Tv Guide Phil Breman's advice on Learning to Deal with Criticism is relevant to artists as well as actors.
Comments
Fear of failure is probably my biggest issue with drawing. I have started and stopped, even though I can clearly see progression in my work, because I’ll have an idea that I just can’t execute on paper yet. So I toss it all in and convince myself I’m terrible. It’s really a struggle.
I agree with Tony. I have also that problem. But I want to share something funny about me. It seems as some invisible artist sitting within me pushing me to draw or paint. He/she (?) gives me excellent ideas too. But I am unable to create those ideas on canvas. I am a housewife and painting and sketching is my hobby. So, as I do my everyday household job, my mind and that artist inside me sits in my little studio.
Isn’t it funny?
Absolutely true. I always used to see pictures and sketch them out. But I always have this interest that I should sketch out my Imagination. But fear of failure always discourages me. I tend to fear alots cuz i dont have a guidance in my work. neither I’m into any classes. I hope to overcome from it.
Fear of Failure holds me back badly. I have a very good imagination but how can i draw when i so afraid that i’ll mess up. So if you can help wit nice tutorials, I’ll be so grateful
Tony, it’s a good idea to keep your ‘failures’ – as you progress you can look back and see how far you’ve come. And sometimes, after a few days, the ones you thought were terrible don’t look so bad after all. I think it’s a case of allowing the work on the page to be independent of the idea.
Anita, your artist-in-studio-muse is a lovely idea!
Kalai and Michael, there are lots of tutorials right here and you’re very welcome to use the forum to post drawings for feedback.
What a relief, I am not the only one. I was taking a drawing class at the local community college and the instructor gave us a 4 foot long piece of butcher paper and a piece of black charcol. She posed a model, some draping material, a ball and a light. She gave us 20 minutes. She said if we didn’t like it we could just throw it away. We had to move quickly and no erasing. It was very freeing. You can start over on canvas, you will see a lot of the masters had layers under the final painting.
My problem is rather that I never see the image in my own own mind which ensures failure. If someone gives me an idea and/or tells me what to draw on the other hand I find it much easier, is that strange?