Stop Whining, Start Working

[HP]

The article itself is not new, it's more than a year old actually, but I don't think it has ever been shared here, which is the perfect place to post this, if you know what I mean.

http://www.noahbradley.com/blog/2011/stop-whining-start-working/

Mark Dygert

Couldn't agree more.

GrevSev

That instantly reminded me of Girs thread Click Here pls

DashXero

Perfectly valid and well said. I think people are a little too worried about wasting their time doing what doesn't work. So worried, perhaps, that they easily forget that most of what does work comes from eliminating what doesn't.

Think about sword styles back in the day. When the first dudes forged swords, do you think there were a ton of schools and styles readily available to teach folks how to cut fools down? Heck no. Back then, if you carried a sharpened piece of metal, you needed to have the balls to hack it (please pardon the pun). The first masters of the sword didn't ask "Which edge-type should I use? How many strokes does it take to kill a man? Where do I strike?... etc." They went out and caused some trouble. "Oh. I lost an arm in that encounter. I think I need to develop my footwork." "This gaping wound on my chest can't be good for me. I think I'm gonna need to present a smaller target." "I keep getting hit. I should probably learn to block."

Applied to art:

"What materials should I use?" Go out and use some materials. Buy, borrow, steal, whatever. Do you like 'em? Use 'em. Hate 'em? Screw 'em... Or make a hobby out of learning to use them.

"Am I too old to start learning?" Are you dead? No? Do you have some kind of degenerative brain disease? No? Then start learning.

"Why does it feel like I'm not improving?" Because you're taking the time to ask such a question when you could be working on your craft.

Bottom line:

Don't be afraid to waste your time doing what doesn't work. You probably would have wasted it anyway.

Mcejn

Yep.

I've noticed people get stagnant or "blocked" because they're always trying to make something perfect and are afraid to just make a fucking decision or fuck up. The best way to improve is to just start.making.art.

The faster you're willing to put in the effort and just do something, whether you fail or succeed (ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T SUCCEED), the faster you will be able to learn from it and move on - becoming better as a result.

daphz

I've been a fan of this one for a while

[HP]

ahah, that's genius.

Ace-Angel

Yet, alot of 'veteran artists' threat people who want to learn all this stuff like this:




(EI: I was once an inept person who wanted to learn stuff, so I did, but now I scoff and laugh at my peers if they try the same).

[HP]

Well, isn't that what we're all trying to do here? One of the ways to teach people, is to tell them about the mistakes you did. Maybe, just maybe they wont make the same mistakes you did.

Torch

Great article, concise and straight to the point. Should be stickied!

EDIT: When I read the title, all I could think of was...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL8e2ujXe8g

Rockley Bonner

I work on multiple prodjects, draw comics illistrate as well as 3d. I find that having multiple prodjects going on keeps me fresh as well as the benifite of each peice being better because I have longer to spot mistakes as well as longer to dwell and stew over a peice to make it better and sense im constantly motivated im more productive. Not to sound douchy but, I have also never had artist block and ive been an artist sense I was 16, im 23.

PixelMasher

hahaha all i could think about every time i see those threads is this:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EY7lYRneHc"]Chopper Reid - Harden the fuck up, Australia - YouTube[/ame]

oXYnary

At the same time it's also disrespectful, judgemental and very basic to think those asking such are not working. What they may be doing is not living up to your standards.... yet.

They did find this site. So at least give them the credit of trying to ask in the right place versus not having anyone in RL to relate. This is how places like AI survive, because they offer answers for those that can't or won't find the right people to ask.

You know what I would counter with such attitudes? Either help give inspiration to the person asking questions with personal stories in the same situation (and saying you just buttoned down and got to work doesnt count. You actually need to descibe the process that allowed you such), or just don't answer. Telling them the above is counterproductive.

Hey, I know most of the world is made up of assholes (myself included). They will get all they need of this without your "help" here. If you must speak, point them to things like the mentors thread.


BTW As much as I hate the guy he does show you can get away with imagination alone and still be considered an artist. ... Jeff Koonz.

reverendK

But Jeff Koonz work ethic is "stop whining and take the credit for other people's work based on your rediculous ideas"

Heck, if I had an army of craftsmen at my disposal I could think up some pretty weird things to do with them, too. And never lift a finger.
also: that would drive me insane. Which may explain Koonz...

But yeah: sometimes an artist gets in a funk. Get to work and practice...but sometimes there's just no will to do that either.
so a quote from Gir's thread about this:
"just make a gun like the rest of us"

WarrenM

The trouble is not the thread itself, IMO, it's that there are 3 more just like it every week. Nobody searches - they just post. You get tired of posting the same, "You can do it!", inspirational speeches into each one. A little tough love is cathartic.

reverendK

Honestly - If i'm in a state that leads me to post that kind of thread i'm not likely to search and find out if anybody else has done so already so i can see the comments THEY got.
People get bummed out sometimes. they're people. Artists are especially prone to this kind of thing when they're trying to get recognition in their field but haven't landed a job yet...they feel like all their hard work and passion is getting them nowhere.
I've felt that way before. I'm not typically one to post that in a forum, but that's me.
Thing about the internet - it's like a wall you can scream at when you're upset and just need a vent or a bitch-session...a wall that sometimes answers back.

We're a community here. Sometimes people get down and they need somebody to pick them back up. They need comfort or tough love, or somebody to slap them in the head and tell them to shut up and get to work - they're doing what they need to, they just need to do it more. That's what a community is for. Friends, family, whatever. The anonymity of the internet makes things a little easier to expose and i suspect that's why we continue to get a fresh thread like that every so often. No blog post, regardless of how true, is going to stop that from happening. If your bummed you want to have that support directed at YOU, not see it having been directed at somebody else.

My opinion is this: if it bothers you, don't post on those threads. If you want to help, then help...if you want to berate them for being soft and squishy, hell, do that too. because they're not going to stop.

Selaznog

I agree with the Reverend more or less. We've all been there, and the thing Noah wrote just makes him look like someone who was born special, without any of those common artist insecurities.

We're a community, let's help out when we can

WarrenM

I don't get that from Noah's post at all.

I get the same message from his post as I got from a talk that Chet from Valve gave about getting into the industry - his message was basically the same. Start. Make something. GO! The computer you have, the software you have and the knowledge you have are fine ... MAKE SOMETHING.

I think Noah is simply saying the same thing. Stop fretting and start creating. You aren't going to get it perfect the first time and you don't have to. Stop trying to do that and make something.

Joseph Silverman

They’re worth discussing at times, and are things that you’ll eventually figure out. But by and large, you’ll figure them all out for yourself by working. Notice a pattern here? Don’t be afraid to ask questions and research things, but be sure you’re not doing it at the expense of actually learning things.

This seems like the primary takeaway. I don't see the need for all the nastiness -- art (of any sort) is a solitary, lonely, time consuming endeavor, and it's not any surprise why beginners and intermediates frequently feel lost. Tough love is fine, but barking at them isn't going to help them understand what they're up against.