Artist Perseverance

A comic about overcoming perfectionism

Art description: 6-panel comic about the process of creating art and overcoming perfectionism. The panels illustrate a cartoon figure trying to capture an idea an artist easel and feeling like a failure when it doesn't live up to what she imagined. In the last panel, she dips a roller in a bucket of white-out and begins the editing process. Titled "Artist Perseverance," 2026, by Connie Sun.

I love coming up with ideas. That’s my favorite part of the creative process, even when it’s messy.

Over the years, I’ve gotten less hung up on perfection and I’ve even grown to love the wildness of ideas that aren’t formed yet. They are full of possibility and potential.

That’s only part of creating though. I’m less practiced with editing ideas to get them to a finished stage. My sketchbooks and journals and full of ideas that need more work.

Longer projects, like the book I’m writing, are even more challenging. Today’s cartoon is basically a metaphor for my writing process. I have years of work and research under my belt, multiple drafts, and — much more editing and honing to do.

It’s getting closer — but pushing toward “a finish” is harder than I ever imagined.

---

This is a cartoon sketch I drew from 2011 - No. 10 of my daily sketchbook “status messages” that started my journey as a cartoonist. That’s when I decided I would stop making excuses and just make art everyday, no matter how small.

At the time, I was working full-time at Columbia University and I promised myself I would draw something every morning before work and blog it, no matter how good or bad. I kept it up for 8 years, before I scaled back daily posts to learn new skills. I haven’t quit — I still draw everyday, but I don’t need to post everyday to stay motivated.

The Tina Fey quote that inspired that 2011 drawing of cartoon me trying to white-out an absurd amount of spilled ink still rings true: “There are no mistakes, only opportunities.”

I’m learning to embrace the “mistakes” that got me here and will get me to where I want to go. Thankfully, I have a healthier mindset than I did in 2011. I also keep a more realistic amount of white-out.

Thanks for reading and being here. May we have infinite opportunities to learn and grow.

Art description: 6-panel comic about the process of creating art and overcoming perfectionism. The panels illustrate a cartoon figure trying to capture an idea an artist easel and feeling like a failure when it doesn't live up to what she imagined. In the last panel, she dips a roller in a bucket of white-out and begins the editing process. Titled "Artist Perseverance," 2026, by Connie Sun.

Ways to support this independent publication: Subscribe to once-a-week posts, Share with a friend, Support CartoonConnie on Ko-fi, Follow on Substack or Instagram. Art prints and gifts are available in my shop.