“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” – Scott Adams

Even after drawing for almost my entire life and considering myself an artist for at least the past few years, I am still an amateur.

Most likely, I will be for many more years to come. In the meantime, what this means is that my art contains mistakes, all of which I notice, most of which I try to fix, and some of which I see, ponder, and decide to keep. That doesn’t automatically mean that the mistakes I leave intact are particularly artful or that they add something to the drawing in any way. But the Adams quote above at least inspires me to think I’m doing something right.

Leaving some of my mistakes allows me to get used to dealing with the fact that not all of my art will turn out the way I want it to. And because I am fairly new to the game, it happens a lot. My imagination runs wild with ideas that I sometimes struggle to get out on paper. Other times, it works out better. But when it doesn’t, and I mess up or can’t articulate the picture in my head the way I want to, I try not to get too disappointed. I know I can’t be perfect, and sometimes being imperfect results in a work of art that I can still be proud of.

Realizing I am still growing and that every new piece is practice for the next can be tough, but reminding myself of that ultimately makes me a  happier artist. I no longer get discouraged like I used to, and criticism is easier to consider and take in stride. It doesn’t mean I’m never frustrated — because I certainly am. But in the end, I am able to see my drawings for what they are, and I become more and more encouraged by my talent as an artist with every new piece.