Where is the beauty in imperfection?

When was the last time you saw a figure not as a body but as an expression of emotion living in form?

“The artist must train not only his eye but also his soul.” – Wassily Kandinsky

Figure painting is more than anatomy; it’s about breathing in and then breathing out. Life through posture, color, light, and shadow. As artists, we can often find ourselves stuck muddling with proportions, but the real magic happens when we allow ourselves to paint not just what we can see but what is being felt.

Think of the works of Egon Schiele. His figures: raw, distorted, and imperfect—were alive with emotion. He didn’t merely paint bodies; he was painting in response to our human condition. Every line, every color spoke of vulnerability, strength, and the beauty of imperfection. Can we approach our own figure paintings in this way? Can we get out of the way and allow the figure to tell its own story through our brushstrokes?

For Egon Schiele, the anatomy became a wordless story.

There’s a certain vulnerability in painting the figure. You’re not just drawing a person; you’re capturing their presence. It’s a dance between technique and intuition, between control and letting go. What if we let the figure and the paint itself guide us? What if we set aside perfection and instead, paint what feels true for us in that moment?

The next time you sit down (or stand, or lie on the floor) to paint the figure, let go of the idea of getting it “right.” Focus on the rhythm, the emotion, the story behind the pose. Capture not just what you see, but what you’re feeling, maybe even what you imagine your model to be feeling. Allow the figure to become more than just a body—create the space you need to have an experience. Create a painting.

How can you express emotion through the human form?

What story is the figure telling in your work? Have you tried telling that story?

Where is the beauty in imperfection?