Perfectly Imperfect: The Rise of “Bad” Art and Why It’s Everything

I wasn't hugely into school as a child, I was never going to be the best at maths, had an inability to remember historical dates, couldn't catch a ball and couldn't remember French for the life of me (except je voudrais une bière s'il vous plait... but that did not come up in my exams sadly). My only big love was art and usually when people say this they turn out to be an art prodigy that turned their lack of algebra skills into an ability to paint the Sistine Chapel, but jokes on you that wasn't me either. The thing I love about art is the freedom to do whatever you want. Whilst studying art you are often pushed to the right way to create but there is no right way and all this does is push creative kids away from creating in their own way.

So long story short we are saying goodbye to creating art school art and hello to making perfectly imperfect art!

Why “Bad” Art Is Actually the Best Art

For years, we were fed the idea that “good” art had to be precise—perfectly symmetrical, technically flawless, and polished to an almost sterile degree. But perfection is predictable. It’s safe. And frankly, it can be a little boring.

There’s been a massive shift toward embracing imperfections in design, fashion, and even social media (goodbye, perfectly curated Instagram feeds). Art is no different. The rise of wobbly, chaotic, and free-spirited creations reflects a growing need for self-expression that isn’t confined by rigid structure.

It’s Emotional, Not Mechanical – Traditional art often aims for realism and accuracy, the constant attempt to create something completely symmetrical and picture perfect. Imperfect art, on the other hand, captures energy and feeling. It’s more about the vibes than the technical execution.

It’s Playful – There’s joy in the unexpected. When you stop chasing perfection, you make room for spontaneity, happy accidents, and colours that clash in the best way possible.

It’s Human – People connect with things that feel real. Wonky proportions? A scribbly outline? Sparkly embellishments? That’s what makes art feel alive.

Moving Away from the Mathematical Approach

For so long, the art world has glorified symmetry, precision, and replication. But why should everything look identical? Life isn't balanced and uniform, so why should our art be?

Perfectly imperfect art rejects the idea that creativity should be a technical skill rather than a personal expression. Instead of obsessing over straight lines and even spacing, this style embraces the organic, the rough-around-the-edges, and the delightfully unexpected. Now to caveat all of this - I know many artists who create incredible art with the artistic accuracy I couldn't even attempt and this is in no way a comment on their craft. It is merely my reflection on a pressure I found put on me by school, Instagram, my own anxiety, the list could go on, and these pressures stopped me from creating and sharing my art. 

So, if you’ve ever held back from making art because you thought it wasn’t “good enough,” this is your sign to forget all that. Pick up the brush, pen, or fabric dye, and go mad. Perfect is overrated—make art that feels like you.