Today I’m outlining a case for making bad art and why that’s so important.
Now I can be kind of a perfectionist by nature so this goes a bit against the grain- if you’re a perfectionist as well, just hang in there with me!
It may seem silly to make bad art on purpose, but there are several reasons why is not only unavoidable but should sometimes even be encouraged.
A Case For Making Bad Art
1- Bad Art Is Necessary
We won’t make great (or even good!) art on our first try every time. It’s just not accurate to expect that of ourselves, even if we’ve been honing our craft for years and years.
This means that as long as we are creating things, some of our art will be less than good.
We don’t want this bad art to paralyze us, though! It’s simply a natural part of the creative process.
We can all be perfectionists at times and it’s important we don’t let the fear of bad art stop us. Intentionally creating bad art can be excellent practice in letting go of perfectionist standards.
2- Bad Art Can Be Good Practice
I know, I know. We should be practicing good art in order to achieve good art, right?
Well, yes and no.
Sometimes in order to become great we need to first allow ourselves to be really terrible.
It means trying new things that won’t necessarily succeed. It means putting colors and designs on our page that we’re not sure quite go together. It can mean experimentations in story structure that don’t quite pan out.
Some of these experiments will land solidly in the bad art camp. Yet, having the freedom to stretch and play with our art (without being afraid of failure!) can be so crucial in developing what will lead to great art down the road.
3- Bad Art Is Still Art
There is value in creating, even if what we make isn’t all that wonderful.
Sometimes creating keeps us sane and sometimes the habits of sitting down to make something is valuable, regardless of the quality of our work. Just doing something is important.
4- Bad Art May Be Good Art
Sometimes we are the worst judges of our own work and we just want to throw it all out.
In fact, if you feel like burning your writing, you’re not alone! Many famous artists and writers have attempted to destroy their own work for a variety of reasons, including self doubt.
Yet some of these same pieces of work have since been recognized as some of the world’s greatest masterpieces!
Sometimes it’s hard to know the worth of our work in the moment. And sometimes we don’t know what we are trying to make until are able to look back at what we’ve made from a distance.
Giving ourselves permission to make bad art sometimes can allow us to make new and wonderful creations, and it can allow us to accept what we’ve created instead of writing it off (pun definitely intended).
5- Bad Art Is Fun
There is something very freeing in just making a mess of things!
As the great Ms. Frizzle says, it’s time to “Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!”
Making bad art is a type of play. 🙂
Whether you call it self-care or just messing around, it can be both relaxing and rewarding.
So here’s a creative challenge for you- go make some bad art today!
It’s time to go write the worst scene of dialog, a mind-numbingly boring first line of a story, or maybe a ridiculously dreadful poem. Maybe write a song that is painful to listen to or draw a picture that makes you cringe.
And have some fun with it! 🙂
