18 réponses à ce sujet

[onibontan]

Every artist has art block from time to time ... I often feel very insecure about the quality of my art and it keeps me from drawing more, because why bother? Other people are so much better, I'll never be as good as I want to be, nobody looks at my stuff anyways, and so on and so on, you know the drill. 

 

So my question is: What do you do when you have art block or lack motivation? Do you look at inspiring art? Do you look at the work you've done a year before to see how much you've improved? Do you talk about it with your art friends?

[QweenBeen]

Great question and good topic

Two Things: One superficial and one not

1) I see a pretty boy(s) and i want to draw them! Oh wait, 2nd is I see art from someone like greendelle and I think....wow...I could do that...I could imagine something and make it real! And then never leave my house again...

But seriously, my biggest motivation and what keeps me going is you guys. I just recently joined the BioWare forums within the year, but have loved the world for nearly...when did DAO come out..wow But always felt pretty alone in my fan-girling and never even thought to join BSN. No one I know loves it like I do and when I joined here, (particularly Cullenites which I stalked for months before I said hello ) , I felt welcome immediately. I can be myself! And I had never ever dreamed of sharing something so personal as artwork online, especially major WIPs or flops, but it's different here. You're all so very supportive, and encouraging, and we're all learning and helping each other together. My motivation comes from wanting to hear your feedback on my stuff, and wanting to see the great drawings you all do! Plus, you're all awesome

And we WILL learn to draw, DANG-IT! Okay, done being mooshy

[ACD101]

Think about it like this, at one time in our life, we all start out the same, as a blank slate. Some may grow to specialize in area A while others will specialize in area B. Some people can pick things up faster and some just need a little more time. When I started out I wasn't too confident as well, and a lot of my friends were really good, so I would always put my self down. I used to always compare my work to others, and if it didn't look as good I felt even worse. 

 

Now when I see really good work, I use it as a goal, to improve to that level. 

I know that it won't happen over night, or a year (depends on where you set the bar) but it's something to look forward too. 

 

Most of those amazing artists, draw a lot, and not just the same thing but different things, people objects, things in real life. Most of them also understand the basic structure of the human form, they know how bones are positioned, the shape of muscles, and basic proportions. And like all of us, started out with stick figures as a child, they just decided to continue drawing, while most of us don't.

 

It's ok to get frustrated, feel impatient, all of that. Look back at your older drawings, you may not see a difference right away, but I'm sure there was improvement, whether it be noticing/fixing mistakes, or becoming more comfortable with the media you use (pencil, paint...). Sometimes other people notice improvement more than yourself. Getting critiques from people can help sometimes, but it has to be constructive, useful, so that you can improve upon it.

 

All that and still the question isn't answered xD

 

Well when I have artist's block, watching tv/movies, listening to music, reading, video games, talking with friends, this art group, any sort of brain stimulation might work. Sometimes you just need to have a break from it and think of something else entirely. I had major artist's block when University became overwhelming, stress also does that. 

 

so yea these are my thoughts, 

 

 

If you guys wanna add to this, take away, or point out anything I said that doesn't sit right with you, go right ahead. Sometimes when I write things it doesn't come out the way I want it to, or it gets misinterpreted, or just anything lol 

I am not confident in my writing skills,

 

 

and whoaa I wrote a lot haha

[Vorathrad]

Thank you Qween for saying it first, I didn't know if saying my main motivation is this group would sound too cheesy

But seriously, seeing fanart on these boards was the main reason I decided to go back to drawing and this group is the reason I'm going on. I know some amazing artists and I know they are that awesome because they are drawing all the time. But I didn't want to do that; I gave up my childhood dream of being a professional illustrator because I realized that I wanted drawing to keep being that private moment with myself when I give shape to some products of my hyperactive imagination, not something that I would do 8 hours a day for money (I know it sounds crazy with the current obsession of "make a job out of what you love", but it's true) In time, I also picked up other hobbies I love as well (beading, sewing, baking) But it seemed like art was a all-or-nothing deal; either you practice several times a day and start producing something good, or stay out of it.

I had that feeling up until I found this group. Here I found people like me, who are not professionals but love drawing and are learning each at our own pace. I never had that and it's so helpful and inspirational. You guys are always so supportive and also help me learn so much; your comments are encouraging and help me correct my mistakes. These past weeks when I was too busy to draw and the last thing I did was screwing up Blackwall's drawing, at a different time they would have been followed by several years of not drawing at all. But the positive attitude in this group has taken the guilt out of drawing for me; now I feel ok with just turning the page and start another drawing, and taking out the pencils after some time feels like a joy and not a penitence.

So I can say with total honesty that my main motivation is you all ^^ Now I also look at artworks I like and feel inspired instead of intimidated. And I've learned to carry the artist eyes with me everywhere; I'm always trying to notice shapes, lights, colours... and it inspires me to get home and try something new. I've also found that fanart is great when I'm out of ideas but feel like drawing; when my imagination is on holidays, it's easy to just think of anything related to DA and go with it.

Soooo that's basically it for me

[Vorathrad]

Aaaand I agree with everything that AC said ^^

[QweenBeen]

Didn't mean to get as cheesy as I got was feelin' the feels agree with both of you too!

[procutemeister]

Great topic! 

 

When I have art block I usually just stop drawing for a while... it means that I need a break to refresh my mind and my ideas. I once had an art block that lasted nearly a year   However, I don't regret it, because after that when I started drawing again I could look at my work with fresh eyes and see how I could improve. 

 

One of my main motivations for drawing is that it's the one thing I really love to do, I want to have a career in art. I sometimes get discouraged when I see others' artworks that seem so much better than my own, but then I tell myself "You can do that! You can be that good!" because I know it takes a lot of practice and dedication. 

 

Being around other people who draw is also a huge motivator, like in this group.  It feels great to be able to interact with others who have the same interest, who are in the same situation of learning as I am, and who are so willing to help others out. 

[Teshayel]

When I get to a point where I am not quite sure what to do with a drawing, I just take a small break, and draw something quick. It can be any subject, but it has to take no more than three hours, and it must not have anything to do with the drawing I got stuck with. I also go through my art books and magazines to look for inspiration, or just the websites of my favourite artists.

 

Motivation is easier to find when I have friends who ask me to draw something for them, or when people respond well to my drawings. Makes me want to draw more I need less nudging with digital art - because I love the medium. But I need quite a bit of cajoling to work in natural media. However, once I get started with acrylics, it always ends up being a lot of fun.

 

And it is always great to stop by here, and see how hard people are working to improve. So, I want to work just as hard to improve my own skills

[Cerulione]

I'm not sure I can say anything on this subject since I've been drawing only since January... No major art block yet, only small fears everytime. And weird ones

 

Spoiler

You know what scares me most about this whole drawing things? A very good friend on mine (who's super talented) once said, no one knows the extent of potential one person can have. So... since nearly every drawing I made is the best I can do for that precise moment, have I already tap the very limit of my potential? What if this is already my topmost limit?  What if I can't even draw what I want as good as I want? The funniest thing is when I told her this yesterday her response was "what makes you thing you will ever draw as good as you want? You won't. Some people probably can but you won't ever be happy with whatever you'll ever draw. Get on with it" That kinda hits straight me TBH. Idk what to think at all.

 

Practically when I get these whole insecurities, art-block things I just avoid tumblr. That's rather depressing to say but sometimes tumblr makes me worries about things of no importance (-_-").

 

And sometimes when I have a huge lack of motivation to finish a drawing, I just switch styles to very cartoony styles. Switching between cartoony & realistic things often helps. For me at least, drawing my little elf with big head and her cat. Trying to bring her to life

[Vorathrad]

I think I didn't understand the words of your friend; is she implying that you cannot draw as good as I want because you always want to improve?

[Cerulione]

Guess that she just knows me too well...

 

That was rough translation from what I remember. The conversation wasn't in English. She was saying in any case I won't ever be happy with the result since it always is better in my head so better stop worrying. (Mission failed).

[Vorathrad]

Oh ok, I understand it better now. I guess even when you're an accomplished artist, what's in your head is never what comes out of your hands. I came across a very nice text about it on Brain Pickings; it's about writing but it can be applied to drawing too. You can read it here, but I specially like the bits about self-forgiveness and making a word of art as taking a butterfly out of your head and pinning it onto a board:

 

The ability to forgive oneself … is the key to making art, and very possibly the key to finding any semblance of happiness in life.

 

For me it’s like this: I make up a novel in my head (there will be more about this later). This is the happiest time in the arc of my writing process. The book is my invisible friend, omnipresent, evolving, thrilling… This book I have not yet written one word of is a thing of indescribable beauty, unpredictable in its patterns, piercing in its color, so wild and loyal in its nature that my love for this book, and my faith in it as I track its lazy flight, is the single perfect joy in my life. It is the greatest novel in the history of literature, and I have thought it up, and all I have to do is put it down on paper and then everyone can see this beauty that I see.

 

And so I do. When I can’t think of another stall, when putting it off has actually become more painful than doing it, I reach up and pluck the butterfly from the air. I take it from the region of my head and I press it down against my desk, and there, with my own hand, I kill it. It’s not that I want to kill it, but it’s the only way I can get something that is so three-dimensional onto the flat page. Just to make sure the job is done I stick it into place with a pin. Imagine running over a butterfly with an SUV. Everything that was beautiful about this living thing — all the color, the light and movement — is gone. What I’m left with is the dry husk of my friend, the broken body chipped, dismantled, and poorly reassembled. Dead. That’s my book.

 

It may sound a bit sad, but I think it's a good portrayal of that unattainable object of beauty that lives only within our heads. And that the sooner we accept the impossibility of it's living "as is" in the real world, the happier we will be about our art

[Cerulione]

Well, from that excerpt that lady had not actually answer the most important question (IMO): does she (despite the frustration) try to find a way to capture that light and colour and movement and everything else into her book, or does she just admit defeat and accept things as it is? I'm really curious to know.

 

Talking about motivations etc, there's a trick I used several times since last month & it kinds of work when I have problem concentrating: try to draw gestures or figure drawing or whatever it is from posemaniac or other sites. The 1 minutes to 2 minutes poses are perfect, usually doing about 5 to 10 of these clear my head effectively.

[Vorathrad]

If you read the entire piece, I think you can say that she learned to accept things as they were:

 

I never learned how to take the beautiful thing in my imagination and put it on paper without feeling I killed it along the way. I did, however, learn how to weather the death, and I learned how to forgive myself for it.

 

I believe, more than anything, that this grief of constantly having to face down our own inadequacies is what keeps people from being writers. Forgiveness, therefore, is key. I can’t write the book I want to write, but I can and will write the book I am capable of writing. Again and again throughout the course of my life I will forgive myself.

 

Ceru, you are the hardest worker on drawing earth. 5 to 10 poses, I don't think that I've made that many drawings since the beginning of the year! No wonder you are improving so fast  I dedicate this last quote to you:

It turns out that the distance from head to hand, from wafting butterfly to entomological specimen, is achieved through regular practice. What begins as something like a dream will in fact stay a dream forever unless you have the tools and the discipline to bring it out.

 

[Cerulione]

Vor, in 1 or 2 minutes it's stickfigures. I'm not joking, my sketchbook is filled with stick figures...

 

Also about motivation... guess that it's also important to share & discuss with other people who's trying to do the same thing (read: this group)... Knowing that there's people having the same struggle is somehow makes it feels less lonely...

[Vorathrad]

Vor, in 1 or 2 minutes it's stickfigures. I'm not joking, my sketchbook is filled with stick figures...

 

Also about motivation... guess that it's also important to share & discuss with other people who's trying to do the same thing (read: this group)... Knowing that there's people having the same struggle is somehow makes it feels less lonely...

 

Yeah for me it changed my drawing experience completely, I thought I was the only one having these troubles and seeing that each person has their own struggle made me less hard on myself and my learning process. And feel less lonely; the only people I know that like drawing are professional artists, before I found this group nobody I knew was going through the same process. Also how we support each other and the many things we share, I've learned more in these last months than in a lifetime of on-and-off drawing.

[onibontan]

I loved reading all your opinions. Art is hard! I guess it's important not to forget that as artists we are on the same path, and no matter how fast we are traveling or how far we've come on our journey, everyone started in the same place. It's very hard to remember that when I am feeling depressed though =( 

 

It's good to show your art and talk about your thoughts and feelings about your art with fellow artists. Chris Oatley talks about this a lot in his podcasts, he calls it a "circle of trust". You should definitely check out his podcasts, they're full of priceless information for aspiring artists (http://chrisoatley.com/).

[Cerulione]

He gets good stuffs on his tumblr blog

 

I really love this one: http://2dbean.tumblr...and-too-much-to

[Vorathrad]

I found about this quote by great Spanish violinist Pablo Sarasate, and I thought I'd share it with you. It's a good one to remember when we are frustrated and thinking "I'm not made for this, I don't have the talent..." This is what Sarasate replied to one critic that approached him and called him a genius:

 

“For 37 years I’ve practiced fourteen hours a day, and now they call me a genius!”