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Simulation: 3 Ways to Take the Edge off Perfectionism

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Nikola Tesla, mental simulation, perfectionism

Simulation: 3 Ways to Take the Edge off Perfectionism

CategoriesUncategorized / Art Business / Fine Art / Resources

January 29, 2019

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by Michael Damico

Regardless of the kind of creative processes you’re into, nearly all of us struggle with the desire to nail it on the first try. You know what I mean. Perfectionism, in our case, is the hope of capturing the perfect shot in one take, landing a book deal based on an unedited draft, spreading brilliance on a canvas without a single cover-up.

But this desire for perfection right out of the gate can actually make it harder to achieve. Why? Because we end up putting pressure on ourselves and that blocks our creativity. So, whether you’re a creative professional or simply dabble as a hobbyist, I’ve got some good advice: remember the power of simulation.

simĀ·uĀ·laĀ·tion
/simyə ā€˜lāSH(ə)n/
noun
1. Imitation of a situation or process.

There are several kinds of simulation, but I’m just going to cover three that are particularly helpful for artists. They all serve the same purpose: to take the edge off the pressure to make it perfect on your first try.

Mental Simulation

The first type of simulation is mental. That is, spending time visualizing what you want your work to look like. Now, this type is a little harder to work with. Mostly because you don’t get any feedback from your body. It’s just this abstract thought in your mind. Nevertheless, it’s still a really helpful exercise. A little visualization before you start a piece can go a long way.

Nikola Tesla, mental simulation, perfectionism
Nikola Tesla is known for running mental simulations before engineering a project. He used this method to work out mistakes, errors in judgment, and more. Tesla was so gifted at the process that he was able to perfectly engineer each project on the first attempt. (Image: YouTube)

Sketch Simulation

This type is exactly what it sounds like: sketching out your project before you get started. For painters and illustrators, this is relatively straightforward. It may look a little different for a photographer. And it doesn’t even always require a pencil. You can sketch with whatever medium you normally use or whatever is convenient. The point is that using sketches to simulate your work helps you tackle challenges away from your finished piece.

practicing with sketch simulation, perfectionism
Work through potential challenges away from your final piece. Sketch simulations are an efficient way to achieve this. (Image: Dumielauxepices.net)

Detailed Simulation

This last simulation style is something I use pretty regularly as a painter. When I know my piece has some challenging parts, I’ll paint the details separately from the actual piece. This actually serves two purposes. First, it’s a low-pressure way to work through high-pressure problems. Sometimes I’ll have as many as ten different side detail pieces. I even use scrap materials for the simulation. They are always pretty small, usually about eight inches or so.

Detailed simulation, art practice, perfectionism
This artist practices details on a separate space. This is a sketchpad, but you can use scrap pieces of paper, metal, wood, glass, etc. (Image: alpha.paigeeworld.com)

Second, painting detailed simulations helps keep me excited for the final work in between drying times. In fact, sometimes I’ll have as many detail pieces as it takes for a layer of my oils to dry. It keeps me simulating and occupied on the same subject, so it’s a win-win.

It’s Worth the Extra Work!

The whole point of using simulations ahead of time is to relieve the pressure of perfectionism. It’s to take the edge off nailing it right out of the gate. But it also has an added benefit of putting you into the mode of ā€œpractice makes perfect.ā€ Plus, when you don’t have that pressure, you can really enjoy the time you spend on the finished piece. And believe it or not, using simulations frees you to let the final piece flow.

In other words, it’s a way to maximize creativity.

Yeah, it’s extra work. But it sure beats seriously messing up a piece and starting the project all over again.

Do you have your own method of simulation? Tell us about it in the comments!

Tags: perfectionism, art tips, practice sketch, art business, art planning, simulation

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