/art/ - Art & Creative

There's not really a way to do it that works for everyone. Threads like this are pretty frequent as evidence that many people are effected the same. This doubt is something that stems from anyone when they confront something about themselves and can usually get very personal. Only the people that don't let this stop them or use it to their advantage become the greatest in their fields.

One has to stop seeking instant gratification. Art is among many of the subjects which requires one to spend much time in (think years) to become very good and maybe at least one year to get decent. This is with consistent practice and concentrated study too. You need to consider if doing art is the right decision. If all you want is a nice looking picture, you have the option to commission someone. This is also part of the reason why good artists are unhappy with prices. They spent all their time getting good, and they will get paid in pennies (exaggeration) by people who don't understand what artists have gone through to get to where they are. Those people don't think the drawing is worth their money. I feel that artists are abused a lot in the Western culture.

Another is learning to enjoy the process. Every study you do and every drawing you make increases your skill. Getting better is an ongoing and gradual process. It's okay to not be complacent with your current level of expertise such as the people found at deviantArt but beating yourself over it won't help. /ic/ is riddled with faggots that are only able to progress slowly because they off load their own self-doubt onto others instead confronting it and working on their own skills. Have fun tackling the problems with making a good art piece such as how people can have fun working on their math homework.

If you make it to the point where you are good, then you'll have reached self-doubt and fears of a different kind. I won't be going into what some of those are. I'll just repeat again: Only the people that don't let this stop them or use it to their advantage become the greatest in their fields.

(I wish something like this would be stickied)

>>1411

Isn't it mass media that has made good art seem trivial?

>>1417
Mass media might be a contributor, though I believe (most) mass media in general usually represent views of society or an agenda. It can't perpetuate views that never existed in the first place.

I get the feeling that it is similar to how even skilled trades are frowned upon, even if (to my understanding) that the salary can be quite high. The reputations and works of the artists that reach the news for shock value certainly don't help either.

This is also my own theory, but I think it also comes a little bit from a backlash people have when they try out art. People certainly participate in the art field much more than in past and historical times. There is a much larger amount of free time to engage in other pursuits. When people try to draw and fail to produce a work that looks good, they blame the field of art instead of facing the truth. They aren't prepared or don't understand the amount of time for improving their skills.

I think its similar to how people brag about being bad at mathematics or cooking. You can even see this effect within the community of artists themselves. Look at how many artists right now bash anime/manga. Many treat getting better as "growing out of the anime/manga stage." Which is right in one sense, but likely wrong if they believe that there is something inherently wrong with anime/manga that can be blamed for not improving.

I guess another reason why is most people aren't educated enough about it. They think art skills appear out of nowhere and is an inborn "talent". Which is a word thrown out so many times as if it magically resolves personal responsibility via an uncontrollable factor. I'm under the impression that the majority of people don't know a single thing about how art is drawn or the skills involved. A lot of people can only judge things with their own experience and knowledge because its easier not to consider the unknown. The unknown is scary to many because they do not understand how to cope with it. Which artists themselves also aren't immune to. I'm sorry to drag out the example again, but one can see this with the treatment of anime/manga. A strong basis in fundamentals are hidden behind seemingly simple illustrations. This understanding escapes many people who go on to bash.

Seeking knowledge, respecting knowledge, and understanding that what one knows can be insufficient. These three things will help a person grow in any field and as an intelligent individual of society. Unfortunately, a healthy respect for all fields of knowledge and having an open mind are a scarce thing.

>>1419
Thank you anon, that was a great read.