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How to survive being an artist.
15 years ago
Lot's of people have been posting their words of guidance and encouragement about being an artist. Here is mine:
(
kyu reminded me of a key point I wanted to put in here. I use drawing and visual art as an example in this because it's what I'm familiar with, but I really think it applies to EVERY SINGLE type of creative endeavor.)
Don't worry, progression doesn't happen overnight, you just have to keep at it. Artists with beautiful work have slogged through years of improvement to get to where they are. Some start earlier and some start later, but you can learn any time.
Everyone makes ugly drawings! For every piece that is inspiring and awesome, you can bet there are at least 20 pieces (finished or not) that the artist will tuck away and they will never see the light of day. Don't be embarrassed by these. As
chrisgoodwin put it, "love all of your children, even the ugly ones". In the same way a bad life experience always teaches you at least one positive lesson, every drawing, including the bad ones, teaches you something positive that you can use in the future.
Do not confine yourself to a mental vacuum! Constantly expose yourself to new art and ideas (get outside of the furry fandom for a breath of fresh air). Even if you don't feel like you gain something DIRECTLY from doing so, your brain will be happy for having new things to think about. If you don't know where to start looking at art, check out a local library and find their art book section. That or ask a friend or an inspiring artist who their sources of inspiration are. Also, make it a point to surround yourself with as many artists as you can. Learning directly from someone else how they work is enlightening and invaluable.
Develop your visual vocabulary! Once upon a time I was looking at one of my good friends James Jean artbooks (a sketchbookcompilation). I was absolutely BLOWN away by the amount of things it seemed he could just CREATE from his mind. The EPIPHANY was that although some of them were straight from his mind, they didn't start out that way!
People in the furry community seem to have this idea that reference is a BAD THING. Copying someone else's painting or photo line for line and -calling it yours- is bad form, but reference is ESSENTIAL!! I cannot stress this enough. So many people seem to be under the impression that because they've looked at a dog or trees or whatever, that they should be able to draw them straight from their head at a later time. In my experience, this is not true! How can you expect to be able to draw something from your head when you've never tried to draw it WHILE looking at it? Only after you've learned to draw something from reference (be it a photo, real life, or potentially other artwork if you want to incorporate someones style) will you be able to mentally synthesize it and put your own spin on it. There are always exceptions to this rule, and I think that after you've practiced with reference, drawing things that you HAVN'T referenced may become easier.
Challenge yourself! If you wish you could draw backgrounds better, go look at some photos or art and try to learn. If you want to be faster at working, try to do some speed painting. Our brains are VERY flexible and nothing is -truly- beyond you. I find it incredibly rewarding when I work and work to learn something new and then have that first moment where I realize that it feels totally natural. This is a really good thing to do when you feel like your work is stagnating. It is also really fun to stretch your abilities and try something new when you just don't know what to draw (last night I tried to draw a car and it SUCKED, but it was fun!).
With all of these, you should try your best to view it as something interesting and exciting to do rather than a chore. I know a lot of us have taken an art class where they say "draw this apple and this chair". While this is valuable, it is dangerous because it can make us feel like learning new things has to be boring.
It is also important that you are AWARE of your strengths and weaknesses and learn to work WITH them rather than fighting against them. I get frustrated that I don't often create highly detailed "I spent 50 hours on this" work. I know that if it's something I really want, I can work to improve that skill, but I don't let it discourage me and make art too frustrating. Instead of giving up, I've learned a way of working that goes WITH my lack of patience or attention.
Making art is bound to be frustrating, even painful. I've been told that you should only do art if you really love it, but I think it's hard to follow this to the line. Physical exercise is good for you and may become a positive habit after doing it for a long time, but starting out can -suck-, and you'll always have days when it just doesn't feel good. Sometimes by we can work ourselves out of a rut, but sometimes it just leads to more frustration. I feel that "only make art if you love it" is "make art because YOU want to, don't worry about what other people thing (to the degree that it's possible, I know from experience that it's tough), and expect to have good and bad days." Art doesn't have to be all pain or all reward. As with -everything else- in life, it will always be a balance between both.
Even though there's always going to be hard times, do your best to have FUN! Even if it's just stupid doodles or random lines on a page that mean nothing, you're conditioning yourself to associate art with fun. This will make it will make it easier to get through the rough spots. I often try to enjoy the simple things; the feeling of the pen across the paper, the smell of colored pencil shavings, how good it feels to have a sketchbook.
Although learning and growing is important to art, you have to balance it with drawing what makes you happy, even if it means periods of "lots of the same stuff over and over". Drawing something you're comfortable with is pretty rewarding, but it's important to expand your skills when YOU feel that there is something lacking.
I read this funny article that was stating that art is just like sex. Sure the orgasm is great and everything, but everything leading up to it can be equally enjoyable. I know it's said frequently, but it bears repeating; Art is about the process, not the end result. Always keep that in mind.
There is always going to be someone "better" than you. Art is subjective, and creative people generally look at their art in a ridiculously harsh light. Sometimes I get caught on the idea that someone is "so much younger than me and way more talented", but I always have to keep in mind that everyone's situation is different. Maybe they were encouraged in the right direction when they were younger. Maybe they were exposed to a more mature artistic community at a younger age. I do accept that raw talent has something to do with it, but it's really important to realize that NOBODY is the same and not feeling that you're as talented doesn't mean that there is something wrong with you.
Do your best to give your art and yourself the love it deserves, persevere the best you can and forgive yourself when you just can't make it work. Try to have as much fun as possible, because there will always be good and rewarding moments <3
( WHEW! Congratulations if you made it through that whole thing. )
(
kyu reminded me of a key point I wanted to put in here. I use drawing and visual art as an example in this because it's what I'm familiar with, but I really think it applies to EVERY SINGLE type of creative endeavor.) Don't worry, progression doesn't happen overnight, you just have to keep at it. Artists with beautiful work have slogged through years of improvement to get to where they are. Some start earlier and some start later, but you can learn any time.
Everyone makes ugly drawings! For every piece that is inspiring and awesome, you can bet there are at least 20 pieces (finished or not) that the artist will tuck away and they will never see the light of day. Don't be embarrassed by these. As
chrisgoodwin put it, "love all of your children, even the ugly ones". In the same way a bad life experience always teaches you at least one positive lesson, every drawing, including the bad ones, teaches you something positive that you can use in the future. Do not confine yourself to a mental vacuum! Constantly expose yourself to new art and ideas (get outside of the furry fandom for a breath of fresh air). Even if you don't feel like you gain something DIRECTLY from doing so, your brain will be happy for having new things to think about. If you don't know where to start looking at art, check out a local library and find their art book section. That or ask a friend or an inspiring artist who their sources of inspiration are. Also, make it a point to surround yourself with as many artists as you can. Learning directly from someone else how they work is enlightening and invaluable.
Develop your visual vocabulary! Once upon a time I was looking at one of my good friends James Jean artbooks (a sketchbookcompilation). I was absolutely BLOWN away by the amount of things it seemed he could just CREATE from his mind. The EPIPHANY was that although some of them were straight from his mind, they didn't start out that way!
People in the furry community seem to have this idea that reference is a BAD THING. Copying someone else's painting or photo line for line and -calling it yours- is bad form, but reference is ESSENTIAL!! I cannot stress this enough. So many people seem to be under the impression that because they've looked at a dog or trees or whatever, that they should be able to draw them straight from their head at a later time. In my experience, this is not true! How can you expect to be able to draw something from your head when you've never tried to draw it WHILE looking at it? Only after you've learned to draw something from reference (be it a photo, real life, or potentially other artwork if you want to incorporate someones style) will you be able to mentally synthesize it and put your own spin on it. There are always exceptions to this rule, and I think that after you've practiced with reference, drawing things that you HAVN'T referenced may become easier.
Challenge yourself! If you wish you could draw backgrounds better, go look at some photos or art and try to learn. If you want to be faster at working, try to do some speed painting. Our brains are VERY flexible and nothing is -truly- beyond you. I find it incredibly rewarding when I work and work to learn something new and then have that first moment where I realize that it feels totally natural. This is a really good thing to do when you feel like your work is stagnating. It is also really fun to stretch your abilities and try something new when you just don't know what to draw (last night I tried to draw a car and it SUCKED, but it was fun!).
With all of these, you should try your best to view it as something interesting and exciting to do rather than a chore. I know a lot of us have taken an art class where they say "draw this apple and this chair". While this is valuable, it is dangerous because it can make us feel like learning new things has to be boring.
It is also important that you are AWARE of your strengths and weaknesses and learn to work WITH them rather than fighting against them. I get frustrated that I don't often create highly detailed "I spent 50 hours on this" work. I know that if it's something I really want, I can work to improve that skill, but I don't let it discourage me and make art too frustrating. Instead of giving up, I've learned a way of working that goes WITH my lack of patience or attention.
Making art is bound to be frustrating, even painful. I've been told that you should only do art if you really love it, but I think it's hard to follow this to the line. Physical exercise is good for you and may become a positive habit after doing it for a long time, but starting out can -suck-, and you'll always have days when it just doesn't feel good. Sometimes by we can work ourselves out of a rut, but sometimes it just leads to more frustration. I feel that "only make art if you love it" is "make art because YOU want to, don't worry about what other people thing (to the degree that it's possible, I know from experience that it's tough), and expect to have good and bad days." Art doesn't have to be all pain or all reward. As with -everything else- in life, it will always be a balance between both.
Even though there's always going to be hard times, do your best to have FUN! Even if it's just stupid doodles or random lines on a page that mean nothing, you're conditioning yourself to associate art with fun. This will make it will make it easier to get through the rough spots. I often try to enjoy the simple things; the feeling of the pen across the paper, the smell of colored pencil shavings, how good it feels to have a sketchbook.
Although learning and growing is important to art, you have to balance it with drawing what makes you happy, even if it means periods of "lots of the same stuff over and over". Drawing something you're comfortable with is pretty rewarding, but it's important to expand your skills when YOU feel that there is something lacking.
I read this funny article that was stating that art is just like sex. Sure the orgasm is great and everything, but everything leading up to it can be equally enjoyable. I know it's said frequently, but it bears repeating; Art is about the process, not the end result. Always keep that in mind.
There is always going to be someone "better" than you. Art is subjective, and creative people generally look at their art in a ridiculously harsh light. Sometimes I get caught on the idea that someone is "so much younger than me and way more talented", but I always have to keep in mind that everyone's situation is different. Maybe they were encouraged in the right direction when they were younger. Maybe they were exposed to a more mature artistic community at a younger age. I do accept that raw talent has something to do with it, but it's really important to realize that NOBODY is the same and not feeling that you're as talented doesn't mean that there is something wrong with you.
Do your best to give your art and yourself the love it deserves, persevere the best you can and forgive yourself when you just can't make it work. Try to have as much fun as possible, because there will always be good and rewarding moments <3
( WHEW! Congratulations if you made it through that whole thing. )
Dear god this <3
It made me want to draw again drawing humans and actually helped me a lot with anthro anatomy and heads x3
Very nice words there, it was a good read thanks n..n
When it comes to animation, I have to act out my poses. I have to use reference...its essential. Very nice write up here.
also, i've already been copying other's art to see how each lil bit fits together, and feeling sorta guilty for doing so ^^; so i'm glad to see someone thinks it's okay x3
this'll certainly help me keep drawing and practicing, thankyou ^_^
some days i get lost in tedious drawings that consume the whole day without realizing it, and other days i'm just slathering paints of all colors in artrage for fun, but i always thought the latter was a waste of time
chris's journal taught me about embracing all art i create, and that being frustrated doesn't mean you're not learning. no matter how bad the drawings turn out to be, they were fun to make, and are valuable steps towards improving
your journal has taught me about expanding my artistic horizon, doodling, and using references. i too had the delusion that i should be drawing everything from my mind, i thought it would be cheating otherwise, but it is essential. thanks
I like what you said here in the whole paragraph of Making art is bound to be frustrating.
Part of my own personal demon with this is I haven't been enjoying the process, I also can't seem to let it go either. There are gaps in what I know and skills that need to be learned of course. Part of the questioning myself has been the you should do it because you love it, and finding I am not loving it. This has been something stuck in my head. Its a chore, or perhaps its a chore to start a piece LOL. I do enjoy it when its done But I haven't been doing it either. I am attempting a push now, of course settling on one type/medium of art might help too. I even recently quit WOW (A huge time sink) and while fun is empty. To see if I didn't have that 'fall back' to just fill time what can happen.
So thanks for the post, makes me think.
Sunkra suffers 22k damage (28k overkill).
Sunkra dies.
Sunkra is slain by ssirrus.
But joking aside, very thorough and well explained.
Thank you for the guidance by experience. :)
The competitiveness of art is an interesting thing to me. I think in a lot of cases it has something to do with being RAISED as an artist or finding social fulfillment by making something creative. Encouragement is good, but it seems like too much of it at the wrong time can leave a person having their art tied into their ego.. maybe a little bit too deeply. That can so easily lead to "my art isn't good enough = I'm not good enough as a person". It's pretty tragic..
Keep on truckin!!
Great article!
I'd love to hear some of your art heroes are. James Jean is one a lot of us can probably share ^_^ Maybe I'll start by listing some of my own and try to pass it around, meme-style. Could be a nice way to hear about some new rad artists I've missed <3
<3
Art is a creative process. Just like cooking füd, building houses, engineering rocketships. Requires practice, research, outside perspective and looots of trial and error. Just like almost everything in life. No vacuumes!
Yes yes, try new things and strive to have fun with it.. SO AGREE.
Earlier today, I believe two of us accomplished both of the above by attempting to doodle out some scenes from a story we found.
References... definitely agree and I could go into my thoughts on it with the logical half vs. the creative half of the brain but it's not necessary. xD
Rock on!
Ooh, and on a positive note: Always aspire to the better artists you admire. I know that I feel my talents have surpassed some of the people I've admired for years and that's a good feeling, not because I've beaten them, but because I've achieved a goal that seemed unattainable when I first had it.
This is my new style!
I'm trying out this style...
Don't touch my style!
I can't seem to find my style.
This crap is coming from kids who aren't even 15. A professional might have a preferred method of working, but you're more likely to be taken seriously as an artist if you can grasp a variety of styles rather than just one (especially if the one is your own). A 20 year old nothing like myself isn't going to find a job because she renders wolf ears a certain way, they want variety because I'll be asked to work on a number of projects with a number of ways of doing things. My style, if I have one, means absolutely zilch. It won't be until I'm much older and, if I'm lucky, in high standing in the art community that people will come to me for MY way of doing things. My "style" will have developed organically, not because "oh I want to look unique", but because people start recognizing that subtle stamp that says "This is Siegel's work".
There's not much else that I could say.
Well, I could add something at least:
You should put that sentence in bold
"(get outside of the furry fandom for a breath of fresh air)"
Very reassuring and encouraging, and we all have those down times when we could use some words of advice.
Thank you.
Draw a picture, then click new layer, now click where it says "normal" and change it to "Color".
Then do a paint bucket to change the tint of the picture. If you use grey, it pretty much becomes black and white.
I just thought I'd share.
======================================================================
I read all of what you said, and I agree with it all, however, I must add:
With each piece try something new. Whether it be a new tool, a new technique, or new something, something you've never done before.
Always try to expand on the skills you have.
I also recommend doing a little bit of art every day, even if it is for a few minutes.
Try to Force yourself to do at least 5 minutes of drawing a day. You'll see improvement within a few months time.
It's exciting! :D Thank you
Thank you so much.
Totally!
I'm fond of the saying "everyone has 10,000 bad drawings in them, and they all have to come out before the good ones start flowing." It's not exactly true (because you can certainly STILL get bad results even after you think you've become "good," haha) but it's certainly a reminder of how much work really goes into this craft over time.
This. I -agree- with the fact that reference is essential, and still find myself going "oh, it's cheating to use photo references" but that's a bad though to have. How you can draw believably if you don't know what is believable?
An illustrator is only as good as his clip file -Unknown, possibly Robert McGuiness
In the world of comics and other professional illustration, if you tried to make it without your reference archive, you'd be a freak. It's just part of the tool set.
Too bad we can't fav journals, you've got some good advice in here!
I managed to get myself out of it, but I was in a terrible depressed rut with my art for months >_< this would've helped a lot D=
/agree
Thank you so much for wonderful words. I know it was directed to everyone, but reading it.. it was like you wrote it for just me to read. mind = blown. lol!
thank you again.
Thank you for saying all this. Sometime, even if you know this already, you need to hear a few people say it in order to keep drawing!
like during a class period i just randomly started drawing berry gejinka's and a crazy banana dance guy. i didn't see that even though they are just random fruit doodles, they will also be part of the big whole picture of my improving.
and i will challenge myself to draw stuff even if i can't draw some things now, i will need them experience maybe for later or right away.
i say thank you, thank you for opening my eyes more and give me even more reason to draw and enjoy it.
thank you for writing this and being so inspiring
Thank you very much for providing those words for me and everyone else. You are a special person.
Some of the things here I have told myself at times, but for some reason it is nicer to hear (or read) it from others.
Maybe because I do think everything I draw sucks, but I'm slowly giving myself more credit.
I'm sure the FA art community can all relate to the things mentioned.
I think that you mite have goofed on the seventh paragraph
"make art because YOU want to, don't worry about what other people thing (to the degree that it's possible,
Is that suppose to say "think?"
It kills your art career, just like it's doing mine.
Thanks for writing that though. It's nice to hear that not every super gifted artist is an arrogant arse.