foolbackwards:

arielries:

it’s not something i really need to wonder because it’s not like i popped out of the womb with immense talent? I remember what it was like every step of the way working to get my skills where they are now. 

second part: I don’t think people are born inherently more “creative” than others but I think they can be subtly socialised from an early age to be more creative. My parents took me to a lot of museums and galleries when i was young and just forced me to really look at a lot of art. I had absolutely no interest in it at the time but i think it fostered in me an interest in visual mediums. I also liked pokemon a lot, and wanted to be able to draw pokemon, and stared at the official art for ruby and sapphire for like hours and hours, and from about age 8-13 I spent about 16 hours on the weekend drawing. I drew my first oekaki drawing when I was 9 and was active on various oekaki boards until I was probably 14, and in all that time I looked at a lot of art (even tho a lot of it was bad) and it inspired me to improve.

I think a lot of people who start to get interested in art at a later age assume everyone started from that same point, and get discouraged that they are not at the level of other people their age, but you know what? most of those people have been drawing since they were like 5. But it’s not impossible to become a great artist if you decide to draw when you’re in your late teens or even 30s. my friend annaxiin only started drawing properly like 2-3 years ago and is now one of my absolute favourite artists!! you should see how much they’ve improved in that time! I think it’s reductive to say someone like that just relies on “natural talent”, because I know they put a lot of work into studying and observing from life and deconstructing what they admire in other artist’s work. 

If you want to improve as an artist, you have to invest the time. Use reference, draw from life, draw from photos, go to life drawing, and look at loads and loads of art. 

Hi anon! Hi arielries!

Please arielries, I don’t say this to target you or be rude. You and many other artists have worked hard in the “traditional” way, as you’ve illustrated for us above. By practicing through repetition studying what the “masters” have studied, applying these studies to your craft and your style with further repetition, and honing in your unique take on these studies and using the realizations you have come to on your journey to help your work stand out from the rest. You have worked for years and sacrificed much.

I have a great respect for your diligence and hard work.

I would just feel bad not trying to reach out to this anon.

Seeing this response above about art and learning the craft repeated so often by so many artists who work on the more traditionally and historically valued aspects of art just rings a certain way and I want to try and break it down. Because this method doesn’t work for all and the more that it is painted as “THE way” to become a skilled artist, the more discouraging it will be for others wishing to enter the field.

Anon I hope you see this! Waring for a long read, though. If you want to skip down to get a TLDR before diving in then skip to the very bottom.

(cut so it doesn’t clog people’s dashboards)

For a long time I was like this anon and I was wondering why responses to this air didn’t ever seem to answer my questions.

I found my answer in studying art history and in dissecting and examining the way art is TAUGHT and how creativity and skill are defined and why some art is valued more highly than most. (to be honest there is a LOT of history to this and I can’t go into it all in one post but I will try to discuss what i believe will be pertinent to you or any others that could stumble upon this post)

Anon, first I would like to say that you are right and wrong about some people not being “technically capable” and the reason I can say this is because your definition of technically capable is explained by you in the next line “like really drawing” and by aries in their answer.

Anon what you have grown and been taught (overtly or subconsciously) to identify as technical drawing skill is in reality a very very narrow definition of drawing and of artistic skill.

I want to be honest here, lots of people don’t learn math or science or history or languages in the same way that it is taught in schools. Many people struggle learning through “traditional” methods.

And to be very frank here, traditional skills like the ones mentioned above that are learned through strict repetition and adherence to realism is not for everyone.

Anatomical precision is not necessary, Realism is not necessary, an understanding of value and composition and contrast and hue and perspective is not necessary. It is valued? Yes, but by who? And why?

Many artists have spent years toiling and struggling through “”traditional”” methods of learning only to abandon it later because it was not the right fit for them.

I know this is all reading as very bourgeois “what is art” bs. I apologize for that. And this is already reading like an essay so I’ll try to wrap things up here.

Arielries is very right when they say many successful artists have been working since a young age, and that there are also PLENTY of artists who start later in life.

Anon I’d like to give you (CHEESY SORRY) an assignment.

Ask yourself what kind of art you value most and why.

Then I want you to look for artwork by older artists. Artists who got a later start in life.

And I want you to look for work by artists who are not white.

And I’d like you to look for work by artists who are not able bodied and work by artists who are not able minded.

And I want you to look for work by artists who may not put a lot of clout in what “”“the art community”“” has to say about learning and what art is “good”.

I want you to recognize how different their art IS and how varied their skills are and how all this artwork is important for different people and for different reasons all over the world.

Then I want you to recognize who the critics are and who is defining what art is “good” and “bad”. (usually stuffy rich white people :S)

Here’s the secret:

There is no “good” or “bad” art.

Maybe it’s because I’ve always had learning problems. Maybe it’s because I don’t have the best motor skills. Maybe it’s because I’ve been passionate about art since I was young but have never had the support or the opportunity to learn in a way that I could understand.

But for the longest time I felt I wasn’t good enough either, and that art wasn’t for me because it’s only taught one way. Reference. Measurements. Repetition. Realism.

Recently I HAVE made strides with these drawing methods and with the skills that are appreciated by these methods, But I still don’t feel like they are the right fit for EVERYONE. So from this experience and from what I’ve seen studying art, I want you to know…

Please know you aren’t alone in your feelings. And know that whether you chose to make sacrifices to learn the way Arielies or their friend has, or whether you go your own way that your art isn’t BAD.

It may not be where you want it to be but you can experiment in any way you want to improve it and you can try different mediums and methods! You dont have to draw to be an artist. And creativity comes in lots of different ways. And people learn differently. And you aren’t bad for not being skilled they way another person is. Don’t let it stop you from drawing though if drawing makes you happy okay?

I had to learn this myself a while ago and some of this never even dawned on me till recently. So IDK it’s really important to me to share this.

:::TLDR:::

No art is “good” or “bad”.

No one’s art is inherently better than someone else’s art.

There is no “correct” way to learn. And that goes for art too! So if you have a hard time practicing and improving using “”traditional”” methods then don’t feel too bad.

If you want sort of a beginner’s explanation to why this is go ahead and give all this a read. And sorry if it’s long and loops cause im not the best at talking or explaining.

***addition***

Also lots of artists work hard.

And I often see it said that people who don’t appear as “skilled” are just “lazy” and “don’t practice enough”.

Artists at all stages of their journey could be hard workers. How a piece looks does not necessarily divulge how much work was put into it.

If you work hard on something then feel proud. You are putting forth the effort. Don’t let others define your ethic for you.

This is a really really great addendum! As a neurotypical person I definitely have a habit of not considering the experiences of people such as yourself, and I’m sorry. I’d really like to improve at that! 

I percieved this question quite selfishly in retrospect. When anon said “drawing” i immediately believed they meant “drawing like you”, but there are many ways of learning and drawing that are just as valid. Also i should have clarified that I don’t believe being classically trained or even drawing from life is the only way to get “good” at art, I am not classically trained and have never aimed for realism or accuracy in my studies, but as an animation student it has been helpful for me personally. I should have also said that those 16 hours on the weekends weren’t spent studying anatomy and classical drawing concepts, but emulating the art of people I liked. I didn’t even think about art theory until I was at least 16. 

Most of my favourite art isn’t actually in the realm of classical or roman ideals. I’m deeply interested in asian architecture, mesoamerican art, and inuit sculptures. I also love design like that of the original tamagotchi art. My greatest influences for witchy lie in south-east asian sculpture, japanese woodblock prints, and chinese watercolour. when i said it’s good to study other artists, I definitely didn’t intend for it to sound like I purely meant western or “classical” artists. 

I guess the main message that I wanted to get across in my original reply was to surround yourself in other art and influences, but I realise now that that wasn’t the case. TY foolbackwards, your ideas regarding art are super valid and super valuable, and will definitely help the way I discuss art from now on.