Ah, perfectionism. My old frenemy. The little art goblin that sits on my shoulder, whispering, “This could be better,” every time I dare to think a piece is finished. And honestly? Sometimes, it’s right. Perfectionism pushes me to refine my skills, to make each illustration better than the last. But other times, it’s the reason I’ve been staring at the same digital painting in Photoshop for three days straight, tweaking a shadow by 2% like it’s a matter of national security.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve been there too. That fun little dance between striving for excellence and completely paralyzing yourself because nothing is ever good enough. So, let’s talk about it—the double-edged sword of perfectionism, how it helps, how it ruins everything, and most importantly, how to wrangle it before it eats your soul.
When Perfectionism Works for You
Okay, let’s give perfectionism some credit. Without it, we’d all be pumping out half-baked sketches and calling it a day. It’s the reason we improve. The reason we spend the extra time refining light sources, adjusting color balance, and making sure that one tiny highlight on the nose actually makes sense. Perfectionism is why we don’t settle for “meh.”
Greg Manchess, in his Muddy Colors article, puts it perfectly (pun intended):
“Nobody wants to fail. Failure is what you get on the way to succeeding. It is a necessary component of success. One cannot avoid it or there simply is no growing from it.”
That’s the good side of perfectionism—it makes us want to reach that next level, to create something honest, something real. But then, there’s the dark side.
When Perfectionism Hijacks Your Workflow
You know what’s not helpful? Spending five hours fixing a single strand of hair while deadlines (and sanity) slowly slip away. Or zooming in to 400% in Photoshop to fix a pixel no one will ever notice. (Don’t lie, you’ve done it.)
For me, the biggest downside of perfectionism is speed—or lack thereof. I get so caught up in making sure everything is just right that my output suffers. A painting that should take a week? Suddenly, it’s a months-long ordeal. Meanwhile, other artists are cranking out full illustrations like some kind of mystical art wizards.
And let’s not even get into the emotional side of this. If you let perfectionism run wild, you start tying your entire self-worth to whether or not your painting is “good enough.” It’s a never-ending battle because guess what? It will never feel good enough. There’s always something to tweak, something to improve, something to fix.
The Art of Letting Go (Before You Lose Your Mind)
Art is about expression. It’s about sharing your perspective with the world, flaws and all. Sometimes, the best parts of a piece are the “mistakes.” Happy little accidents, as Bob Ross would say. Ever notice how some of the most captivating illustrations have rough brush strokes? Or how concept artists leave loose, unfinished edges that somehow make the whole piece feel alive? That’s because art isn’t about making everything clinically perfect—it’s about making something that feels right.
In her recent Muddy Colors article, Vanessa Lemen talks about her process of purposefully wrecking and rediscovering by painting over large portions of her work:
“This is what it is to grow, wrecking in order to find something else, something different, something new, something that feels like we’re learning and gaining an understanding.”
Starting over is hard for me, because I feel like I’m throwing away all the hours I’ve already invested in the piece, but sometimes we need to fully let go in order to find something more fresh and authentic. Just don’t get caught back in the same trap of endless tweaking like before. At some point, you just have to put the stylus down. That’s right. Step away from the Wacom tablet. Take a deep breath. Resist the urge to “just fix one more thing.” Finishing a painting isn’t just about technical skill; it’s also about knowing when to stop.
Final Thoughts on Putting Down that Double-Edged Sword
At the end of the day, perfectionism isn’t the enemy—it just needs to be kept in check. Let it push you to be better, but don’t let it stop you from actually finishing things. Because done is better than perfect.
So, next time you’re stuck in Photoshop, obsessing over the tiniest details, ask yourself: Is this making the piece better, or am I just stalling? If it’s the latter, close the file, go touch some grass, and remind yourself that your work is already good enough.
And hey, if you still struggle with it, don’t worry—you’re in good company. Tell me all about it in the comments below.
