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on Becoming an artist v the internet.
13 years ago
General
Always open for commissions. Stream:http://piczel.tv/watch/Foxena
Alot of people ask me how long i've been drawing. I get this question at least once a week.
The answer is i've been drawing since i got my motor skills and was never discouraged to stop. From the moment i started drawing, I never stopped. But that's not the point. The point is that it takes a long time to master a craft, and i would never consider myself a master of anything, especially not art. Im always working always improving always striving to be better. I'm fortunate however.
Why?
I was born in 1985, i began drawing around 1987 in 1998 i put my first peice of artwork on the internet. no-one ever saw it but the few friend i'd made in various chatrooms, i was 13. This was my first real experience with the internet. It was still very much in its fledgling state, and during this time i POURED over places like Yerf.
Then for about 4 years my family went without having a computer. I was 17, once again i began to put my work online again.
im gonna let you digest that for a second.
for 15 years i was doing artwork with ONLY my close friends and family to support and ecourage me. (and in some cases discourage me) but i KNEW the people who discouraged me. i knew what my standing with them was. Whether they hated me and everything i did, or wether they liked me and wanted me to draw for them, or if they cared at all for what i was doing and wanted me to suceed. FIFTEEN YEARS and i had only a small pool of people from which i could draw upon for support and encouragement.
In this day and age of internet awareness we strive to become recognized, encouraged and adored. And if the people seeking that recognition fail to get it from thier family and friends around them they seek the internet. .... this is a bucking dream killer for someone whose just starting out. the internet has standards, they don't know how old you really are, how long you've been doing something, and even if that information is divluged its not common that it's beleived. So many people get discouraged by this because even your friends DON'T know how long youve been trying, how far you've come and how much you want to be encouraged. They see your work, and only your work and they judge based onthat.
i was fortunate. for 15 years i was encouraged by people who knew me, who saw how much id improved, knew how long i'd been drawing. Its an experience that, sadly i see less and less of and artists who have potentail give up because the praise and encouragement isn't there.
Now this isn't always the case and im not purporting that this is the "problem" with people who "give up" on being an artist. But i offer more than just lessons to my students, i offer encouragment. I offer the reward of knowing "YES you are getting better and im PROUD of you." thats what everyone really needs. For the people they care about to be proud of them, to care about what they're doing.
so remember guys, whether your a pro or just starting out, remember that you just need the right amount of perserverance and you'll get there. don't let the jerks put you down.
This is your little reminder, Hug an artist and tell them they're awesome, and bonus points if its a beginner.
The answer is i've been drawing since i got my motor skills and was never discouraged to stop. From the moment i started drawing, I never stopped. But that's not the point. The point is that it takes a long time to master a craft, and i would never consider myself a master of anything, especially not art. Im always working always improving always striving to be better. I'm fortunate however.
Why?
I was born in 1985, i began drawing around 1987 in 1998 i put my first peice of artwork on the internet. no-one ever saw it but the few friend i'd made in various chatrooms, i was 13. This was my first real experience with the internet. It was still very much in its fledgling state, and during this time i POURED over places like Yerf.
Then for about 4 years my family went without having a computer. I was 17, once again i began to put my work online again.
im gonna let you digest that for a second.
for 15 years i was doing artwork with ONLY my close friends and family to support and ecourage me. (and in some cases discourage me) but i KNEW the people who discouraged me. i knew what my standing with them was. Whether they hated me and everything i did, or wether they liked me and wanted me to draw for them, or if they cared at all for what i was doing and wanted me to suceed. FIFTEEN YEARS and i had only a small pool of people from which i could draw upon for support and encouragement.
In this day and age of internet awareness we strive to become recognized, encouraged and adored. And if the people seeking that recognition fail to get it from thier family and friends around them they seek the internet. .... this is a bucking dream killer for someone whose just starting out. the internet has standards, they don't know how old you really are, how long you've been doing something, and even if that information is divluged its not common that it's beleived. So many people get discouraged by this because even your friends DON'T know how long youve been trying, how far you've come and how much you want to be encouraged. They see your work, and only your work and they judge based onthat.
i was fortunate. for 15 years i was encouraged by people who knew me, who saw how much id improved, knew how long i'd been drawing. Its an experience that, sadly i see less and less of and artists who have potentail give up because the praise and encouragement isn't there.
Now this isn't always the case and im not purporting that this is the "problem" with people who "give up" on being an artist. But i offer more than just lessons to my students, i offer encouragment. I offer the reward of knowing "YES you are getting better and im PROUD of you." thats what everyone really needs. For the people they care about to be proud of them, to care about what they're doing.
so remember guys, whether your a pro or just starting out, remember that you just need the right amount of perserverance and you'll get there. don't let the jerks put you down.
This is your little reminder, Hug an artist and tell them they're awesome, and bonus points if its a beginner.
... if only that kind of thinking got you anywhere in the work-force these days >.<
And well... When people complain they can't draw, baaawwwww, I tell them that it's bullshit, it only takes effort and practice, and I plan on being really good in 2-3 years, tops. Period.
and I think that encouragement should also include helpful, costrunctive, and honest critic. the somber, neutral kind, telling it how it is. the kind that also includes what does work, what already looks good. I always try to give critic like that, mainly because I had to work for way too long completely without it.
(that the receiving end should at least listen without going ballistic or retreating into a snailhouse is a given. I will not waste my time on someone of that mindset, no matter how talented)
Something about the internet I've noticed; quality is superior to quantity, and that applies to the number of persons in the networks that you use. Deviantart is an oversized cesspool that I personally find stifling to creativity and socializing; people on there take criticisms/suggestions as personal attacks, say something that somebody doesn't agree with and suddenly you're tagged as a goddamn troll. FA ironically, has far less drama. I honestly don't know why some people hate this site, it has some flaws, but perhaps some people take themselves (or god forbid, the fandom) too seriously to actually realize its potential. And I absolutely believe that one of the best ways to become a better artist is to not take it seriously and just let the talents of the trained subconscious flow.
I draw cause, ya know, even if nobody was looking I would still draw :) I don't even post but maybe a quarter of what I put up.
Also, I need to schedule another lesson with you one of these days! This weekend I've got the kid all weekend so I'm not going ot have a lot of undistracted afternoon time :D But maybe the weekend after when everyone's at FC, mwah.
I'll send ya a note when I know my schedule a lil better! :D