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So you want to be a better artist...
10 years ago
It takes a lot of work. It's like a constant seesaw of "yes, I'm finally getting better!" and "I'm not good enough". It's overwhelming to look at your own work and see only the flaws, and then to look at a superior artist and have it feel like that kind of level is just so far away. But it's something that exists whether you're a beginner or a working professional... there will always be a sense of inadequacy. What makes a good artist is whether or not that challenge scares you away or motivates you to become better.
What do you want from art? Be honest. Do you want to be a professional? Then you need to understand you're going to need to draw every. Single. Day. It takes 10,000 hours to become a master at something, so if you're serious about art, you need to be real with yourself.
Look at your artwork. What's wrong with it? How does it compare to the work of the artists you most admire? It's probably a daunting list... but take that list and you work through it one by one. It's hard and annoying and most of all frustrating, but when you look back six months down the road and see how much closer you are to achieving that level of artistic ability, it'll only fuel you to become better.
I know I'm certainly no master, but I'll get there. Just have to grind every day and chip away at that ten-thousand-hour block. So long as you understand that your goal is achievable, but whether or not you achieve it is entirely up to you. That mentality can be applied to absolutely anything you want to achieve in life.
/MOTIVATIONAL RANT
But seriously. If you guys really want to be better, you've got the entire internet at your fingertips if nothing else. Tons of tutorials at your disposal. If you need help with a path or some instruction, I do offer one-on-one classes and personal mentorship so I can help to steer you in the right direction, but it's up to you to do the work!
MWAH luv u work hard & take breaks don't be unhealthy about it
What do you want from art? Be honest. Do you want to be a professional? Then you need to understand you're going to need to draw every. Single. Day. It takes 10,000 hours to become a master at something, so if you're serious about art, you need to be real with yourself.
Look at your artwork. What's wrong with it? How does it compare to the work of the artists you most admire? It's probably a daunting list... but take that list and you work through it one by one. It's hard and annoying and most of all frustrating, but when you look back six months down the road and see how much closer you are to achieving that level of artistic ability, it'll only fuel you to become better.
I know I'm certainly no master, but I'll get there. Just have to grind every day and chip away at that ten-thousand-hour block. So long as you understand that your goal is achievable, but whether or not you achieve it is entirely up to you. That mentality can be applied to absolutely anything you want to achieve in life.
/MOTIVATIONAL RANT
But seriously. If you guys really want to be better, you've got the entire internet at your fingertips if nothing else. Tons of tutorials at your disposal. If you need help with a path or some instruction, I do offer one-on-one classes and personal mentorship so I can help to steer you in the right direction, but it's up to you to do the work!
MWAH luv u work hard & take breaks don't be unhealthy about it
...You get +1 internetz!
thank you!!
Seriously great speech though, applies directly to me. I'm gonna save it and look back when I need it.
But no, really. It is true. We all feel this way, and I have currently been struggling through high levels of inadequacy myself, recently.
>_<
It makes me smile and facepalm when I look at my art from 2-3 years ago, so that is something. I am getting better.
I am way too lazy to look up tutorials, and end up flying in the dark, which is a double edge sword of frustration and satisfaction. Like, "OH YEAH. I CAN DO THIS IF I JUST PUT MY MIND TO IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM DOING." By no means am I saying that I am "too good" for tutorials or better than those that do use them, but rather... I don't like comparing myself to others, especially if I fail to meet their level. Yeah, that is my bad, and kinda silly. Like thinking "If I visualize playing the guitar, I can be a pro." After only taking it out of the box. I am rambling now, huh? I don't know, I am sure you get it.
I guess I do not have the patience for tutorials, and want to try things my way.
Anyway.
With every piece I strive to get better. I take my time and pour myself into it. (at least the full color stuff, sketches and the like are more or less just fun to do, and don't take much out of me). My heart and everything I am is in my artworks, and to look back and see what I have become, and look forward to what I might become is exciting. :)
I'll never give up.
Kudos to this journal!
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17072808/
Thanks for the rant. TheBlackRook and you are helping to motivate us idiots and I appreciate it. :3
THROW ALL THE MOTIVATION AT PEOPLE.
Like.... this just made me grab my tablet and start working on commissions after having been on an art block for about 2 weeks. Thank you <3
SOON. SOON I SHALL CONQUER THE FIRST THING ON MY LIST. THEN.... THE WORLD! cx
Just as an example, I had quit school to become a professional artist. I had been a drawing major and so had very little experience in color, composition, digital art in general etc. This was my last picture before my mentorship started: http://pre15.deviantart.net/e2df/th.....oe-d80n8xc.jpg About six months after studying under my mentor, I finished this: http://pre00.deviantart.net/82e1/th.....re-d8rk6eg.png
Obviously I didn't improve solely because of the mentorship but if you add that on top of working consistently then you will improve much faster. One of the most difficult aspects to improving is knowing where to focus on and what to pay attention to. For things like composition I never would have thought of things like overlapping and tangents but they are both incredibly important and can make a huge difference.
One important thing to remember, though. Remember the importance of breaks. Once you get used to working frequently, it can be really easy to burn yourself out. Really important to learn how to both avoid and deal with burnouts so you don't wind up quitting. Apparently it's a huge issue for people just about to break into the professional scene.
Let's see...search for 'Drawing classes'.
"Did you mean Black cocks?" - Ted 2 (joke)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ResTHKVxf4