What I Discovered When I Quit Comparing My Art to Everyone Else
For the longest time, I believed I was genuinely enjoying art—and in some ways I was. But only partially, because I was constantly comparing myself to other artists. Over time, I realized that comparison was quietly stealing that joy from me. There were times when the pressure I was unconsciously putting on myself started to demotivate me from painting. I kept thinking, ‘What’s the point? It will never be good enough or better than this or that artist.’ And the more I compared my work to others, the further I drifted from the simple happiness art once brought me.
Every time I finished a painting, I felt proud for a moment — and then I’d open social media to post. And, within seconds, someone else’s artwork would make mine feel small🥺Their colors looked more polished, their anatomy looked perfect, their lighting felt magical… and suddenly everything I worked so hard on didn’t feel good enough anymore.
I never said it out loud, but it hurt—more than anyone would have guessed. And if you’re an artist trying to find your way, I know you’ve probably felt that same sting. You’re not alone. So in this post, I want to share how I slowly shifted my focus from comparing my art to others to simply improving and growing at my own pace—and what an incredible difference it made, and how powerful that shift can be.
The shift
There wasn’t a big moment where I suddenly stopped comparing my art to others. It happened quietly, over time. It started with one small thought:
What if I focused on comparing my art to my own past work instead of everyone else’s? The truth is, most of us know this is what we should do, yet we still end up doing the opposite—often without even realizing it. So I started a simple practice: whenever I saw an artwork that made me feel like mine wasn’t good enough, I consciously reminded myself that I have no one to compete with except my past self. Instead of giving in to the urge to compare or criticize my art, I repeated that thought. I know
It’s not easy as it sounds, but when I started doing it consciously, over time I noticed that the more I practiced it, the less I felt the need to compare, and the less pressure I put on myself to make my art “better” than someone else’s.
That thought stayed with me. Some days I followed it, other days I slipped — but I always returned to it. Slowly, I started noticing changes in the way I created and how I felt while making art. Those small shifts ended up changing everything. The most important part was staying consistent, and now I realize that’s what truly helped me move away from comparison.
What changed for me
1. I finally started noticing my own progress
Once I stopped constantly comparing my work to others, I had the space to actually see how much I was improving:
🖤my lines were getting smoother
🖤backgrounds didn’t intimidate me anymore
🖤my color choices felt more confident
🖤and I could clearly see growth from one artwork to the next
My art wasn’t suddenly perfect — I was just being kinder to myself. And most importantly, it finally felt like me🥰
2. I started enjoying art so much more — without feeling drained or pressured.
I stopped obsessing over whether my finished piece would look as good as someone else’s, and once I let go of that constant comparison, I realized I was genuinely having fun again. Time started passing quickly again, just like it used to.My mind felt calmer and less heavy. Drawing became peaceful instead of stressful.
And in that space, I remembered why I loved making art in the first place.
3. Other artists slowly became inspiration instead of competition.
Instead of telling myself, “they’re better than me,” I started asking:
🖤What can I learn from what they’re doing?
🖤What exactly do I admire about their style or technique?
🖤How can I explore something similar in my own way?
This shift made a big difference. Comparison used to make me feel discouraged, but approaching other artists with curiosity helped me grow and enjoy learning again.
4. My art style began to take shape, slowly and naturally.
At first, I was so desperate to have an art style that I kept trying to copy other artists. It left me drained and constantly frustrated because nothing ever felt like me, and I hated that feeling. But when I slowly stopped forcing myself to mimic others and let go of the obsession with “finding my style,” something changed. It felt like a weight had finally lifted. I began drawing the way I naturally draw. My favorite colors, the subjects I love, the kind of lighting I’m drawn to — they all started to appear on their own. I didn’t have to force anything or plan it out. It just happened.
It just felt real, like my art was finally reflecting me.
The most important thing I learned
Letting go of comparison didn’t suddenly make me the “best” artist — but it made me feel like an artist again.
Most of that comparison actually came from scrolling on social media, and it wasn’t easy to stop that urge. So I started reminding myself, every time it happened, that the only artist I need to be better than is my past self. We all come from different backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and personalities, and all of that shapes how we create. Comparing myself to someone else is like comparing two different fruits— they’re both fruits, but they’re not meant to taste the same. And just like people have different tastes, there will always be people who connect with what I create. And realising that made a huge difference for me. And, gradually my work started coming from me — my emotions, my curiosity, my ideas — instead of from the fear of not measuring up to someone else.
And that change in perspective changed everything.
If you’re going through this too,you’re not alone.
So many of us feel this way — we just don’t always say it out loud always. Here’s something I believe we should always remember- You can’t compare your beginning or your middle to someone else’s chapter ten. Just as flowers bloom in their own season, artists grow at their own pace. When I finally stopped comparing myself, it didn’t magically turn me into a “great” artist —but it did bring me back to joy, confidence, patience, and authenticity.
And honestly, that’s worth far more than perfection. I hope you found this helpful, and I’d love for you to share any tips of your own that might help a fellow artist.
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