Do I need to be creative?
11mo
Robert
Hi, I picked up drawing again December last year. Following the Drawing Basics Course to get my fundamentals down. weird questions: I am not very passionate about drawing. I find art interesting and I am fascinated by good art. I sometimes feel like I want to also be able to make pretty pictures but that's it. I don't really have a reason to do art in the first place and I have a hard time coming up with things because I don't have anything I want to communicate. Is that an issue I can resolve? Is it a deal breaker for doing art in general? Would like to hear your advice on this.
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Liandro
6mo
Here's my personal take on your questions, @Robert: the only deal breaker for making art in general is simply not wanting to make art, not feeling moved by or interested in the act of making it. If, for any reason, at any given time, you somehow felt compelled to start making art, that should be enough to justify making it. You say you don't really have a reason to do art in the first place, but I think that the mere fact that you somehow got interested in learning drawing fundamentals, even if just mildly, is enough of a reason. Sometimes, we don't even have a rational explanation for why we make art, we just "feel" that we want, need or should. The way I see it, art is a sort of existential practice. Of course, it can be a job or a career path, too, but not only and not necessarily. We make art because it makes us feel good, human, connected, valued, significant in some way, whether big or small. We make art because, on any level, making art matters to us. Of course, growing as an artist is a lifetime journey, and figuring out what we wanna say with our art (or if we have anything at all to be said) is part of maturing our skills, our minds and ourselves throughout that journey. The feeling of "not having anything to communicate" at the moment could be a sign that there are other aspects of art-making that we might need to grasp before finding our own voice: maybe we need to level up our knowledge of the fundamentals, or our technical skills, or maybe we need to keen up our critical observation of the world and consider how our art could have an impact on it, or maybe tune into our own emotional and subjective motivations, or maybe we need to get to learn more about other artists and see how their shaped their journeys so that we can have some models of what can be done, the possibilities. We don't need to have a precise route all the time, but just constantly reassess our journeys, see if we like where we're headed towards and let our intuition guide us to readjust whenever necessary. Scott McCloud (a famous comic book author) compares an apple to the process of maturing as an artist: the desire to make good art is often the red shiny surface; as we go deeper, we start to deal with the other layers (fundamentals, techniques, influences...), and the ideas, "what we want to say" with our art, the major purpose of doing it, is in the seeds, and might only reveal itself after some time. Bottom line, you don't need to force yourself to be creative, and you certainly don't need to force yourself to have your own artistic voice figured out early on. As you keep learning, practicing and evolving, the need for creativity and personality might gradually emerge, and you might naturally feel the calling to start making more and more sense of it.
@lekserkman
11mo
If you dive into art without feeling the need for a grand purpose right away you’ll let your interests evolve naturally. Think of it as an adventure for personal enjoyment and experimentation. Explore different styles, draw inspiration from what captivates you, and set small goals for a sense of achievement. Stan reminding us that growth comes from challenges. I’m also noob, but trying to keep a positive mindset, be patient with myself, and focus on gradual improvement rather than perfection. IMO it worth to let your interests evolve naturally, and remember, the joy of creating is the reason enough. No need for pressure, just go with the flow and enjoy every stroke. ^-^
JR Anderson
11mo
Lots of practice and doing your fundamentals are key to finding out if drawing is right for you. It's never a deal breaker to have fun and that's what art making is all about. Take time to view and follow Stan's instructions! In time you will have your beautiful pictures to be proud of.
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