I'm not really interested in talking about age in years (I'm 26 if you're curious). I'd rather talk about growth as an artist. I don't believe I have any more right to poke at this subject than the next person, I just have some things I thought might be nice to share that I've recently, and not so recently realized. I've typed blurbs like this up before but I never think I can revisit the subject enough because it reminds me of some things I think are important to remember.
The following is a blurb that I will be typing in an attempt to stay awake because I don't want to take a nap. Please excuse it.
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I've spent a good portion of my life wondering if creativity is something you're born with. I still don't have an answer for that. I think things have to be learned, I don't think they're bestowed upon you by a mystical force and I don't think they're the byproduct of luck, but I do think some people have slightly better odds than others.
I think, I think, I think, I'm not sure about much, but I KNOW you have to work for it. Learning to recognize shapes and how to put them on paper was not something I or any artist I know got right on day one. All arts, music, sculpting, writing, drawing, etc require an investment of time.
Mistakes will be made. I know some other things to be true of most young artists that are a major 'taboo'. Tracing, for example.
I traced.
Oh god I traced so much. When I was young my life was based on the reasoning that 'if I could draw it anyway, I may as well trace it'. Tracing is not great, or very good, it's ability to teach is severely limited. However, it appears to be one of the slightly off the beaten path stepping stones of growing up. You don't have to go there and it's not on the recommended path but some of us just can't resist walking ALL OVER THE ROAD instead of in a straight line.
My intention is not to make this sound like it's okay to do, I don't feel that way, but I do believe that it's just another phase. It'll come and go and provided it doesn't go too far it's not something to think of as a scar on your record for the rest of your life. Honestly. When I think back to my tracing days I laugh. How bad the art was and how funny and 'oh gosh how in the world did I think no one could tell'. (My Mamaw called me out on it before anyone else. She was an observant little lady).
Referencing is more on the beaten path. I remember one of the fist things my teacher Steve told me and it's stuck with me. It's not an uncommon phrase in the art world. 'Draw what you see'.
You can't afford to think in straight lines. The world bends. It comes forward and falls back, rises and lowers, bends and turns. One of the best things you can do for yourself is learn to remember to look for those tell tale signs of how a shape is constructed. Eventually this becomes second nature (though an occasional reminder may be needed). It doesn't SEEM like something you would have to learn. Of course I'll draw what I see! I'm looking at it. But it is.
If you ever took art lessons like I did then you were probably introduced to the same image of a man sitting in a chair. As a student I was expected to turn that image upside down and draw it upside down. I had to draw what I was seeing, and not what my hand thought I ought to.
Art is referencing. You've got to learn to draw the real world before you can retrieve that information from your mind and reconstruct it. True, it takes caution. You don't want referencing to graze the 'tracing' line and you don't want to exhaust your abilities on the work of others. Remember, there's a real world to work from.
I've read and experienced this one for myself. If you step outside and sit on the porch and just draw little scenes from real life, you'll find them MUCH easier to recall later. Think of it like opening a little file cabinet in the back of your mind. You might flip through cabinet photos the first day and find out a lot of them appear to be photocopies of each other and not exactly what you were looking for. You've got to add more. You've got to do some life drawing. Your brain (your blessed brain thing) will store that information whether you realize its happening or not. You'll be able to open the imaginary cabinet later and it will be packed full of new material.
Learning is not immediate. When you sit down to practice you won't feel an immediate change. It will be helluva frustrating. You have to remember that when you pool your resources and attempt to learn, you have to have faith that those resources and what you draw today will come back to you later when you least expect it.
Books are good to have. I have many. I wish I thumbed through them more. I learned most of what I know from other artists, though. I got my backbone in books and then I made it stronger by exploring the things other artists were willing to try that I never thought of before. I'm a self-taught artist. Steve gave me the tools I needed (and I am forever grateful), but you don't need a personal teacher to learn. I know plenty of artists who didn't have that luxury and excel at what they do.
I have no doubt in my mind that if I tried to climb into the professional world I would be horribly, obviously self-taught, but I can't say I mind. I'm willing to change and I'm willing to learn.
In recent years I find myself not hungry to be the best, but hungry to
learn. I don't care about rank. I care about that feeling of satisfaction I get when I finally get something right. You have to be willing to be confident in yourself. Art will be frustrating. You have to be keep trying.
Until a couple of years ago I didn't realize the benefit of having art 'friends'. I never realized how much I am influenced by the artistic people I meet until I found myself in a room with them, drawing together for the first time. I live in a small North Texas town so this was a new and wonderful experience for me. It was like nothing I'd ever known. How cheesy and dramatic that must sound but it's so true. I have learned so much from being around others. They motivate me to draw and they motivate me to try harder. I learn from watching them, and I hope they learn from watching me.
Joining a group won't hurt. Sometimes socializing with other artists is an intimidating experience (I still feel a little inferior to some of the people I know) but it's worth it if you can find a few buddies or an environment that's right for you. Art groups can provide an avenue for growth. Try them.
The kids (I'm an aunt, not a mother) are awake and making their various small noises so I'm going to wrap up here. If you're still reading, thanks for poking around with me.
Edit: Hur hur removed the unused scrap text at the bottom.
I'm not interested in joining any contests, sorry.
