Great advice for Creatives
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http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/great-advice-for-creatives
I've read stuff from Ira before and he always has this great insight, but this really hit me as a significant thing worth sharing. I've certainly felt myself going through the same scenarios he describes here, and its affirming to hear it's a normal thing. I hope this message helps some of you on your journey to becoming what you really want to be.
I've read stuff from Ira before and he always has this great insight, but this really hit me as a significant thing worth sharing. I've certainly felt myself going through the same scenarios he describes here, and its affirming to hear it's a normal thing. I hope this message helps some of you on your journey to becoming what you really want to be.
Replies
It's hard to accept that you have to work on it before you can use it. Especially when you've been fooled into believing you either can or can't. And if you can't, you never will. It takes a lot of will for me to overcome my anxiety to do these things, but when I do overcome it, I'm possessed by it and I pursue it without relent.
I know for me, I could spend a lot of time doing things repeatedly and benefit very little. I remember this one time I spent 2 months doing life-studies in front of a model, and basically learned nothing. Was one of the most frustrating experiences I had. And at the same time I would see people improve by leaps and bounds in a similar time-frame.
I don't think it's enough to just practice. You need to have something to practice. Some knowledge you want to gain, or some theory you want to apply.
Practice is the fire and theory is the fuel. Without something to practice, you're running on empty.
Luckily this is pretty straight forward though. It's usually pretty clear what you suck at, and what needs improving. So I think if one can isolate some specific thing they'd like to improve on, then practice just that, it would be much easier to improve.
I am the only one finding these motivational quotes and posters quite ... sad ? It make it sounds like it's all about "ambitions" and "being good" while suffering in the process ... but nothing about the pleasure of learning, the awe of figuring things out, and so on!
I know what you mean, but I don't think this is necessarily disregarding the fact that the learning experience can be rewarding. Rather, I think it's just addressing the fact that most people never get to experience that because they give up after their first try.
Love the quote, someone posted it here a while ago, have it in my desktop rotation now.
Was there ever a time, maybe early in your life, when most pages in your sketchbook were crap, pior? when your anatomy studies looked shitty and malformed? When no matter how hard you tried, everything you made looked like hell compared to other artists?
Starting out in a field where all that matters is quality, and seeing yourself unable to achieve it, can be pretty rough. Sometimes it helps to have supportive ideas and words from others, reminding you that it's not as easy as some people make it look, that everyone, even the masters, once struggled like you are now. I think it's mainly helpful for people in the early stage of pursuing art, to get us through that period between when everything you make sucks and the point where you start liking the occasional sketch you make, and practice really starts becoming fun.
I just find it more fun that way ...
As to the "beginning period", so to speak : I think it would be dangerous to ever consider oneself out of it. There's always parts that suck in one's body of work, and I think that's whats cool about it! Everybody is a noob compared to others, no matter the experience!
I think the whole art process is all about understanding, rather than sweat work. If one doesn't understand the structure of the face, that person won't ever improve, regardless of how many overly shaded graphite portraits from photograps that person does (you know the kind! The ugly ones with every strand of hair painfully drawn in, the spooky alien eyes, and the teeth with black outlines around them
I think part of this is the difference between people working towards becoming a commercial artist and supporting a family through it, and people who are just interested in becoming better artists, with nobody else relying on them becoming one at any particular point. There's a lot more stress/pressure on the former than the latter, and that likely causes the harsher self-crits.
Maybe you should make us a new motivation poster on how to improve as an artist without hating your work when it doesn't come out perfectly
cheers
This.
FEAR not because YOU ARE NOT ALONE but what is even more ANNOYING is the layout of these things