I’ve mentioned before that one of the reasons I didn’t dive deep into art in the past was because I thought I wasn’t any good at it.
And then I discovered that I simply hadn’t worked on my sketches long enough.
As I move into learning to add simple backgrounds, those same feelings of doubt and despair are there to greet me at every piece.
“You don’t know what you’re doing!” “You’re pretending.” “You’re not, and never will be, as good as THAT artist.” “This is a waste of time!”
Except now, I’ve learned the secret.
Those imperfect, ‘ugly’, unskilled pictures I draw? They are starting points. And as I’m willing to see the value that they hold— maybe a cute expression, a good gesture (jesture?), a nice composition —- and honour that, take it, and add to it. Refine it. Then I uncover pictures that become better and better. Nope, not perfect, but better.
The trick is just sticking with it.
A recent podcast from SVSlearn.com touched on this ‘time’ concept. Someone asked about winning art contests, and the hosts explained that there is a vast difference between the amount of time and effort those polished pieces take vs some of the other pieces. But, and this is the point I like, to keep submitting:
“There is a huge benefit to saying “This is as good as I’ve got right now.” Put your work out there, it will change you as an artist. Finish things and do that last 20% on your work.
Which do you want at the end of the year — 12 finished pieces that didn’t make it to the top 16, or 6 half-finished images that you never finished because you thought you wouldn’t place? Go through and finish things, and you will progress.”
- Rough sketch. I love the squinty puppy face that is happily getting water poured down it:
2. Redraw those lines over and over and over and over and over again. I’m hoping I have to redraw less as I get more practice, but so far I’m just becoming more okay with redrawing, lol.
[not pictured: all the ‘over and over and over’s]
3. Finally call it good enough at some point.
4.Start slapping some colour on.
I know I should be thinking about warm colours and values and such, and I kind of am (Red washing items! Dark dogs on a lighter background!), but for now I’m mostly just figuring out how to colour. How to get the painty look I’m trying for AND have a bit of background and foreground details. I’d still like to figure out better definition, but I see now that will just be a step in my learning, not a lack of ability.
“This is as good as I’ve got right now.” And I think he’s pretty cute.
Can’t wait to keep learning!
