I really thought that if I looked it up, I’d see more anecdotes of this nature, but I found nada. My mother was always a huge fan of my art and was SO proud of me as a kid. Things I have heard about a million times, for example, are:

“You’re better at drawing than anyone. Anybody on Earth would be jealous of you. Come on, maybe other people are decent at art, but you’re way better than them.”

”Just skip college. It’s a waste of time. You are already the most talented artist in the world.“

”Everything you make is a masterpiece. Seriously, people would pay hundreds for this doodle in your sketchbook.”

This was extremely frustrating as I sort of believed this to be true, but I was also extremely unsatisfied with my art. I never once actually tried learning fundumentals or any sort of art lesson whatsoever. I don’t think I ever used a reference image throughout my entire childhood. I didn’t practice or correct myself because I figured I was too good for that. I just drew full images and became very very upset when they didn’t look anything like I wanted them to. (All of this was made a million times harder having undiagnosed ADHD, but that’s not really what this post is about.)

The truth of the matter, looking at it objectively now, I was decently good at drawing compared to the average kid. I was not particularly skilled compared to other kids who actually learned drawing. This is especially emphasized in my teenage years. Yes, I did get better as I grew up, but at a pace so slowly it meant nothing.

I‘m majoring in animation and illustration starting next year. I’m able to actually learn skills because meds no longer make it impossible. Before, a 10 minute video about learning how to draw hands would take hours and result in me crying and tearing up a page, and now it’s the kind of thing I do for fun if I have a few minutes to spare. I have actually started to learn the art fundamentals. I love learning! I am having so much fun noting my own mistakes and redrawing a better attempt. It doesn’t feel like the hardest thing in the world, and I no longer feel like it’s a statement on me as a person if I can’t get it right instantly (“shouldn’t I be able to as the worlds most talented artist?“)

I have improved in my art more in the span of the last two month than I have in the two decades I’ve been alive combined. Because I’m learning.

Here is something I love saying: I’m a begínner artist. Yes, I‘ve been drawing my entire life, but I never learned the beginning. Now that I can accept that, I can actually grow.

This isn’t a vent post, this is meant to be a genuine discussion because I’m curious if anyone else has a similar artistic learning journey. I would love to talk about it.

I was at a gallery opening yesterday and an acquaintance introduced me to the owner as a “breakthrough emerging artist” which is very nice, mostly false and also kinda put me on the spot lol

Anyway, we ended up chatting about technique and as said in the title, this very established fine arts person got a politely blank look on their face, took a second to think, then called my technique “creative.”

Basically, I prepare my palette, use a knife to put the colour I want into a shot glass with mineral spirits, then mix until I’ve got a runny pigment soup that behaves like ink. For the spirits to actually sink into the canvas without bleeding onto my table, I use a heavy cotton gabardine and only gesso the back, plus the edges near the tape so I can get crisp white margins. Because these watery oil washes soak directly into the raw cotton fibres and spread out on their own, I get these soft, blurred edges without having to blend with the brush.

While I personally love the results, I’ll admit that I know next to nothing about proper technique and the chemistry side of art. I ended up using two different varnishes on my latest painting because I didn’t realise the regular high-end one would sink in along with the paint…

So yeah. I keep telling myself my work speaks for itself, then I meet ‘real’ professionals and I’m reminded of how much I don’t know. Any other painter here with a similar technique to make me feel less alone?

Regardless of the type of art one does, painting, writing, filmmaking, photography, music, whatever… how does someone trusts that they can become good at it, maybe get lucky and make a living out of it?

I also want to read some thoughts about that “internal calling”. I feel it, I’m sure a lot of, if not all of you, feel it to, but I’m always wondering, is it an illusion?

It’s worth noting, I am referring to it career-wise. I know it’s not really healthy, and almost offensive to get into an art form with a professional mindset, but I can’t help it. I can’t imagine myself doing anything else besides creating art, even though I’m not particularly skilled at any form yet.

Hey everyone!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about whether I should be signing everything I post online like finished pieces, sketches and even quick doodles. I’ve heard some people say that you should only sign fanart or finished work, but others swear that signing everything is the best way to protect your art and make sure people can find you (is it even effective?)

I’m especially curious if anyone has noticed a real difference in their reach after they started consistently signing their work

And do you mind the style or beaty of the signature or it doesn't matter for you?

Personally I don't mind the style, but the signatures are veeery helpful to find the artist, but I don't like them on my arts lol

Thanks in advance!

I genuinely want to know if its normal or its just me. Recently ive noticed my art drawn when im sleep deprived is much better than the ones i do when i have full night of sleep. Like when im sleep deprived and draw id get into flow state immediately and i genuinely dont notice the tike when im drawing.
Lmk ur opinions

How long did it really take you to realize that you significantly improved in drawing?

Out of all time periods and regions, what do you think? Looking for religious pieces but anything goes.

I've been trying to look for 2d art(illustration or concept art)or even 2d animation for the fun of it on LinkedIn and indeed,and if you're not looking for graphic design its pretty much impossible,even if you cast the net wider and change the location to the UK.

Indeed has like 0 and LinkedIn has like 5.

I actually had to search for them on google jobs whereas other jobs/fields you wouldn't need to go that far.Everyone keeps complaining about the field being competitive and failing interviews and I'm wondering how in the hell thats possible in the first place.

Strangely enough it's quite bad if you're looking for software dev jobs

I’m aware there isn’t a specific number but I’m curious to see how many others have. I have about 6 main inspirations and then do studies of whatever I like that I see, as well as fundamentals ofc.

By inspirations I mean someone who influences your work and style— ex. I use artists like Van Gogh and Klimpt to use at references to create my own floral related works.

I learned to write with a non-traditional way of holding the pencil. If I were to get into drawing, should I use what I'm used to, or should I learn the traditional way?

Hello everyone, I would like to know if anyone of you already know if there is a good application (that can be on Windows at best) with which we can record the drawing and make a video or replay the drawing process with it.

Thank you!

I’m painting a large piece for my mom about 36 inches by 18 inches I live in a different country though and am trying to figure out how I can get it to her. I kinda wanna take it with me when I go meet her next so I can see her reaction as well.

I’m not sure how pricey it all ends up being. I was thinking of getting a stretched canvas and painting on it then taking it off the frame, rolling it and putting it in my luggage in some sort of protective something because she wants to get a custom frame for it. Idk what’s the right materials and any considerations I need to take.

I’ll be travelling in roughly two months time and want to figure out what I’m painting on and how I can take it over before I commit to the painting because it’s a large size. Worst case I’ll have to paint it at home which sounds very annoying since I wouldn’t have any materials there and would have to buy everything and spend a lot of time painting instead of with my parents and friends.

So my main questions:

1. How do I transport the painting? (Preferably in my luggage as that’s cheapest)
2. What considerations do I need to take? I’ll likely be doing acrylic painting as that dries easiest and I suppose I’ll varnish it once I get home.

Edit to change from feet to inches my b

Art can be expressed through various mediums. Such as film digital canvas or in physical. I’m curious to go further and find out very unique techniques and methods you’ve seen art get expressed for me it was sampling in music, I was always aware but when I dissected it from an Art perspective I see the same sample technique be applied in graphic design and even writing. So I just wonder what have yall seen or even perhaps done yourself and if you could provide links to study I would love to deep dive.

Is there somewhere I can find/buy high quality digital copies so I can print at home/printing shop?

Certain plates i want bigger than the A4 books they all come in.

I have seen a few stores that sell large individual plates but all are in the US... And it's quite expensive especially when adding shipping. (I'm in the UK)

I'm usually too excited to dive in and paint so I tend to neglect the preliminary stages, but I can see that they could be very profitable

how’s the experience?

i recently bought an OLED laptop and a screenless tablet about the size of the laptop screen, but turns out i’m not a fan of the OLED (ik, sounds like a waste of money when i specifically bought an OLED for color accuracy 😭 but yeah it hurts to look at sometimes 🫠)

so, i’ve been planning to buy an IPS monitor. is it a good idea to buy a large one? maybe around 22 inches? what are your thoughts and recommendations? i really really need advice as i don’t want to regret another purchase 🥲 thank you very much

How do you make it through fingers in ibis paint genuinely when it comes to proper proportions, poses and features ?

Would love to know. I feel like I’d benefit a lot from something like that.

Is really hard to get job in AU related with art without experience or getting popular in social media by doing general art,Idk how where should I start... As female with lil strict family I was really thinking to go to city in sydney to draw people but i dont have any experience but Im good at drawing people

I've made about 5 different designs so far, all of which always leave me feeling like a fraud. I feel like i always draw them too pretty or inaccurately.

I don't know if this is the right flag to use in this thread, but I hope so...

Well, my goal is just to draw a character without a background, because I always see nice sketches of characters and I want to try, but when I do that I feel like something is missing and then I draw the background again.

It's so uncomfortable to leave characters alone...

Is there anyone else here who also has this "problem"?

Do this, draw, no guidelines, just draw no erasing, and dont worry about outcome, or being good enough and especially notice how much you try to look away or blur your eyes, or think ahead, or go into your head.

Go against the grain. It will feel like lifting weights, its very hard, its about trusting, and letting go, draw that line and look at that line only, stop being so hard on yourself actively let go. If done correctly you should feel a valve opening up of shapes, 3d , curves, objects, clothing, themes, and basically the feeling of possibilities being very possible to make.

because ultimately you should be limitless, not always fall back into what is familiar or safe.

Its a practice, not one of memory or knowledge but of letting go and realizing you can and could always draw anything you wanted.

I have seen a lot of people say that beginners should not use the airbrush, blur tool, brushes other than default, or smudge tool. I feel like all my colors look really streaky because currently, I am using the default brush and changing the transparency. If beginners are not supposed to use these tools, what are we supposed to use? I feel like there is something I must be missing.

This is a genuine question. I posted a little suggestive art on my feed, 1 of them has some blood on it, and i intended for the artwork to be like a joke (in a silly matter). The other one is where one is shirtless with a little blood and someone else is biting their neck (but no showing genitals or anything!!) But i don't plan on posting anything extreme like straight up porn or gore at all, i keep in mind that my account is public and some minors follow me so i won't post anything worse than some blood and suggestive art.

But someone asked me a genuine question about it and i started thinking that maybe i should tone down the suggestive art i post even though i barely post suggestive art (i posted 3 suggestive artworks through time). Im not one to babysit minors and i know some teens can handle some violence and a little suggestiveness but maybe i should be more mindful about it. My account is pretty chill and i enjoy posting what i want but if what im doing is wrong then i'll gladly take down the posts.

I've also noticed that i haven't added trigger warnings but the posts i made aren't exactly gore or straight up nsfw in my eyes. Nevertheless i will be mindful to add them next time. Any advice is appreciated.