Bad Art and Why it's Important for You to Make It.

Why can making bad art be a good thing? Because hesitating and not creating is worse.

More often than not, when we stare at a blank page or wonder why we didn’t try something it’s because we’re worried about if it will turn out well. Even if we aren’t trying to achieve perfection, or self-doubt and value for a nice outcome can be the reason for fear and lacking the will to create. We all make bad art, there is no exception, even the best of us look at a sketchbook page after completion and wonder what the heck was going on in our head. Why are these colors off we ask ourselves? How come there’s no balance? What was the point of this? We don’t always like our work and it can be tempting to see this as a sign to stop. Largely in fear of making more bad art. It’s the reason we are afraid to try a lot of different experiences like new hobbies or classes. We don’t want to be bad at the things that we try. It’s embarrassing, anxiety-causing and scary at times.

What if I told you that bad art is the answer to those concerns. The solution to your doubts.

Learning to accept our own negative reactions, or even look forward to them, can open a world of possibility. When we enjoy making bad work or mistakes, our will to create and personal development race forward. Bad art doesn’t have to be disappointing. By putting more value on the process of making than the end result, we can even love it. Even art we don’t love the look of brings us one step closer to the next thing we get to create. Bad art doesn’t have to sell or be shared if you don’t want to. The journey we take in making it can be all that it’s for. The end product is allowed to be just for you. When we accept that and thank a piece of art for giving us the chance to express ourselves it opens ourselves to creating more. Learning requires trial and error, if you got something right the first time you’d be missing out on 1000 other possibilities that come from within you. Bad art encourages us to retry things, experiment and see things for what they are. creating something you love.

What qualifies as bad art

Bad art, while usually a matter of taste, can feel frustrating when it’s our own. Art that you don’t initially like, whether a quick sketch, DIY project or longer investment, can feel like a waste. It would be easier for me to say that there’s no bad art and everything is beautiful. But we’ve all made things that don’t sit right with us. Bad art is real, it’s the page you want to throw out and the picture you won’t hang on your wall. But that’s okay. And while not beautiful, we can still use it. Bad art is the creations that don’t match our expectations. Making things without having a plan beforehand leaves us with no hard feelings if it doesn’t work out. That’s why it can be twice as frustrating when you do have a vision in mind that just isn’t coming to life. Unfortunately that is what you might call bad art.

Why is bad art useful

Mistakes and bad art are both things to learn from. We progress towards our goals and best creative self by making something instead of nothing. In the process of trying things that scare us we release feelings and express ourselves. As creative individuals we need this. If we put down our tools everytime we feel unsure, our well-being would go down the drain as we become more limited, fearful and anxious. Bad art also gives us something to look back on later as we discover what does work for us. It allows us to check in with ourselves, see progress and decide what we do and don’t want to repeat. You probably fell a lot when you were learning how to walk. But that didn’t mean walking would never be useful for you or that it was a waste to try. I’m guessing you also had someone supporting you every step of the way through that too. Try and see what you create now as that encouraging voice. You may not be a fan of what you’ve created or failed at, but that can be exactly the motivation you need to try again. If I’m honest, being successful every time you make an attempt can cause any interest to become boring. Which is the opposite of encouraging, especially when your goal is to create more.

How to make more bad art

Continue trying new things, or styles that you’re not used to. Focus on quantity over quality for a day if you usually don’t, maybe sketch in a moving vehicle. Time yourself. Copy other artists. Draw things you’re usually bad at. Use unexpected colors. And despite your initial reactions to art that doesn’t turn out, don’t throw it away. Draw on top of it tomorrow and turn it into something else or write what you learned in the process. Whatever you choose, remember that the only secret to making more bad art and ultimately progressing in your creative career is to ignore your fears. Focus instead on what you learn from each moment of the process. The same goes for other things in your life when you face new opportunities. When you’re not sure if things will work out exactly how you want it to, don’t hold back. If we really want to push ourselves as creative individuals then we need to seek out experimentation, mistakes and even bad art. Because somewhere in the midst of exploration and struggle there will be pieces that can carry out a lesson or remind us of the growth we have ahead of us. And that’s something I want to remind myself of frequently.

Bad art is better than no art and it brings us closer to creating more of what we love.

EXERCISE: If you want to make bad art today to push yourself and loosen up follow the steps below.

1. Pick an object from your home that you don’t usually use for art, like a sponge, fork, napkin, hairbrush, or really anything that comes to mind.

2. Choose a medium next, (limited colors if you stick with pain) It can be any liquid that stains, like coffee or a dark juice if you want to try something different.

3. Cut out several small pieces of paper so you can quickly try things and move on over and over to new pieces. But if you’d prefer using a large piece of paper, go really big, something outside of your comfort zone, and fill the page with mistakes.

4.Set a timer or rule for yourself to create some limitation. Then go for it, making marks, prints or patterns with no expectations.