Well stated. :)

Yes, I like the part where he plain tells you to not bother about it.

Thank you.
I need to bookmark this and show it to people.

This is basically what I tell people every time they talk about not having any talent haha

Yeh, they shouldn't fret over it. I think I used to feel a bit that way, but the more new things I tried I realized that the key was just trying.

this is what I actually wanted to reply
http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instan.....0/21745133.jpg
An art student apparently responds like this everytime he gets that line :3

This is the kind of thing many people need to be told and something I wish I would've adopted a long time ago. I very much like the way it was put here and it's good that you add your own stake in this.

I tell you, I've been told a handful of times that I'm talented and I always tell them I'm not. It doesn't bother me that I don't think so either because like you said, it's about how hard you work on your shit. Growth will occur when it's nurtured, even if it's hard. Further more, people who appear to have a better start than others also have to work hard for what they make as well. Even one of my favorite artists admitted to sometimes feeling like he forgets how to paint when he has to start something new. It's seldom easy.

Very nice entry here.

Well you know, things take time to sink in. To let wisdom sink in is like admitting one is wrong and that's the worst thing. Actually the worst thing for me is being told something I already know.

Yes! And wouldn't you rather be complimented on your hard work, than some random talent you got? And like I might've said somewhere, that talent didn't teach you how to actually apply the paint, you had to learn that.

You have a point on both of those statements. Especially being told what you already know. Sometimes it feels like someone's insulting your intelligence in the worst cases and in others it feels like nagging. But, that's probably because of how you're NOT DOING what you oughta be. All a big clusterfuck. Still, what matters is that you learn. You say that wisdom needs time to sink in, which is fine and is also wise. I also like to say that it's best to have learned in the first place because there are many others that never do.

Seriously. The knowledge just isn't there when you put together a piece. Shit's hard sometimes and is rather taxing. Admittedly, it can be nice to hear sometimes, though if the one saying it is already knowledgeable about the subject. Hurr.

Where is a like button? This is very true, 8<

I can repost it on deviantart, you can LIEK journals there? :B

I prefer calling talent skill. You train and hone yourself everyday to have mad drawing skills. Talent comes from the way you percieve or meld certain ideas initially, at least in my mind. It is only a starting point that may aid your skill until you become a master.

It certainly is better to compliment people for their skill than their talent. A "starting point" is a good term for it, definitely, which is also why an artist can't really.. take credit for it?

All tho I pretty much agree with most of this... I still do believe that some are just better equipped naturally to grasp and understand certain things. About the same way some people are genetically pre-deposed to have great endurance, to more easily build muscle-mass... even getting bigger boobs on a slender frame and so on. Genetics applies to our brains to, not just the rest of our bodies. Many loves to say that everyone can get equally great at everything if they just take their time and practice. But I don't believe that is entirely true. Some just "get things" quicker the others, they are naturally gifted or talented on that area, while others are not and will struggle far more to reach the same level, perhaps they even never will no matter how hard they try! But off course, this natural advantage is just one part of what makes a whole and to blame EVERYTHING on talent is certainly not right either!

I definitely agree on some points here. Like, I normally struggle to comprehend large complexes of information, but if they are laid out visually it clicks into my mind with an IQ of 300. If that metaphor makes sense. At the same time I think it also happens because I have trained myself to do this since I was what, 6. So passion is a really big factor that people often ignore!! I do feel I have gifts, but I actually don't think they're in this area.
I've met people who insist on becoming artists even though they seem kind of useless at it, but I don't know what exactly hinders them because I didn't take time to observe their life, or what you wanna call it. I think the biggest hindrances would be (outside lack of eyes and arms) not having a sense of taste, and inability to change because of critique. So maybe they are trying hard, but they are trying wrong.

"inability to change because of critique" <= this is very true! Some people never reach their full potential cause the constantly focus on the wrong things and can't see past their own nose. I guess we can conclude with that no statement is completely wrong or right here, there's so many variables in play...

And I completely understand your first statement! I'm very much like that too! My brain seem to prefer visual information and, or information I can easily visualize. If that's not possible my IQ seems to suddenly drop... XD

"Talent" is what people cite when they want to give the actual person who did the work as little credit as possible.

I lust—hardcore—after that book.

I sent a note with a link to pdf

!!!!!!!!

Here in Norway, if you don't have a bachelor/master degree in art, you're not talented. That's fucked up.

The term "talented" bothers me too because anyone who spends enough time doing something will eventually be "talented" at it.

Whenever I get in the midst of a discussion about talent, I simply define talent as "too dumb to quit trying". I wasn't motivated to learn or explore drawing as a kid, I just continued to doodle and copy things in my (non-art) classes, and at some point realized it was fun and kept going. I'm a little more serious about it now, and recently saw my stuff stagnate, but I'm still not quitting, heh. I just can't stop for more than a couple days at a time, and a large majority of my breaks were because I wasn't feeling well or my hand or back was starting to get sore. Even then, I don't always stop. Yep, too dumb to quit. That's "Talent".

Talent is an interesting concept. I wouldn't say I get offended when people say I am talented. After all, they are trying to compliment me, but perhaps going about it the wrong way. To develop a skill through thousands of hours of practice - which you no doubt have - and to then have somebody label that as something with which you were born seems somewhat unfair.

Boy do I agree with getting out and trying. Though I also believe that there are other factors. Last year at a con someone said why don't you do mini painting. I have never really done it before, now did I think I had any talent or skill for it, especially because I do not have a steady hand. After sitting down and messing with it. I actually impressed a lot of people with my first mini. I didn't win anything when I tried for the speed paint contest, but I learned a lot and I don't think I ever would have tried to do it before then. If I had, I don't think the success would have been as great. I know, weird story.

I took my first art classes when I got to high school, and my high school drew its student body from three towns. I came in to this school and joined people who had art classes at their previous schools. I'd loved drawing but was massively discouraged when I saw the "talent" of the people I shared classes with. And then my art teacher told me something that I still hold true to today.

"There's no such thing as talent.. at least as far as you'll ever see."

He went on to elaborate that talent in art was something so rare that I will probably never actually see it in my lifetime. Because everything I am seeing is something I am confusing with skill. Talent is natural and one is practically born with it, but skill comes from practice and effort. So I had to get my ass up and get to work rather than whining about things.

Every person I have met who is damn good at art in a near inexplicable way, has given up something for it. A girl I knew who was phenomenal spent all her time in her room drawing. She spent her weekends painting. She spent friday nights doodling. Where was I? I was playing video games. Throwing dice at paper with RPG buddies. Dating girls....sometimes. Not a lot. Going to movies! And of course.. .sitting on my ass.

But she didn't do most of that stuff and when she did she would feel out of place, she still carried her sketchbook around. She still just wanted to be drawing and the first chance she was alone that's what she'd do.

Did she make a smarter choice in life then me? No. She made a choice and she had something to show for her hard work. What do I have to show for mine? I got some friends, I got some great memories, I got a lighter wallet, and I got some cool life experience. If it were an RPG she simply sank all her XP in to one skill, and I pepper mine across a bunch.

Then I learned in college that people like that seldom get jobs unless they have a means to socialize in crowds and network. If you lack ties to people, the so called talent only gets you so far, and an employer may take no issue with passing up the "uber talent" when they got a pretty good artist with social skills next in line.