Avoiding Perfectionism

Recently, I was excited to finally meet and have a photo shoot with my very first famous person. I wasn't so much nervous about meeting a celebrity, but I was anxious about getting all the reference information I would need and thoughts about the potential benefit to my career were buzzing in the back of my mind.

I had worked long and hard to first contact and then convince this person to agree to pose for me. You would think, given the importance I had assigned to this painting, that I would immediately and unceasingly work on it. However, I have had a surprisingly hard time with the progress of this piece and have found all kinds of excuses to do anything other than work on it.

Fortunately, since the holiday season has ended, the kids have gone back to school and external demands on my time have decreased, I have finally gotten into the groove and back into the studio most days of the week, with the painting progressing well.

How have I overcome the perfectionism that was stalling my progress? I have decided to do an adequate job and just enjoy the process. Once I start painting, I am in the moment, and no thoughts of grandeur interfere with the process.

Procrastination due to fear of failure is at the heart of most avoidance behavior when it comes to artistic endeavors. I had built up in my mind the extreme importance of creating a masterpiece with this commission. Telling yourself that this painting must rival the work of Rembrandt is a sure way to become frozen with indecision and fear.

So, get into your studio and just do it. No one can predict whether the end result will be amazing or mediocre, but getting in the flow and letting the magic occur will guarantee that you enjoy the process and isn't that really what painting is all about?

Art and Fear - Overcoming Procrastination, Perfectionism and Paralysis to become more Productive

I have been thinking a lot about this subject because unless I have a deadline, nothing I do is ever finished.

Why? Because I always think I will be able to improve it some day. So the paintings that have not left my studio remain unsigned, unvarnished and unframed.

What leads us to delay completion? I am no psychologist (unless you accept my armchair degree in self-help reading) but I have come to the conclusion that I believe I can improve on my mostly completed paintings, but I am also afraid to completely mess them up - and believe me that has happened more than once!

So I procrastinate - I start a new painting, take another workshop, read a book, cook something, make a phone call, travel somewhere, go shopping or any other activity, rather than knuckling down and addressing whatever it is I think needs to be changed and tackling it with courage and skill.

I think that is why I like the start of a work - it is easy to be completely free and change things with abandon. Nothing is precious. Right eye 1/8 of an inch too high - paint it out and start over! Don't like the color of the background - change it!

I have a full library of books on the subject, so I know I am not alone in this kind of avoidance behavior. Julia Cameron has written a very funny cartoon book entitled, How to Avoid Making Art, and exposes some of the silly ideas we use as excuses for not working when we ought to be working.

Right now I have two portrait studies that need a few slight tweaks and have been patiently waiting for my attention for months. So here I am, writing a post and drinking coffee instead and dreaming of my next painting.

Today I am going to head down to my studio and finish something. Nike has it right - let's all just do it!