Art and insecurities

Nyan_sempai

,✨ ILLUSTRATOR ✨
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Artists are always most willing to draw whatever they are most willing to draw. I like to draw whatever I am feeling. But often, they are criticised by my mom for not being what she wants to see. This has made me really insecure about drawing what I really want to. It's not that my drawing is that bad. But still it's hard to draw something according the pressure and desire of others when you don't want to. What's your experience regarding this?
 

Broughtwaorld

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um... from my experience, If your mom doesn't catch you drawing hentai, you are gold.

Try mixing sceneries and stuff here and there as it can help you get a nice change of pace
 

Viator

Wandering Moon that conceals the tide
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I think it's pretty common for an artist to feel that way, but if you aren't careful it could ruin you for a time. I'm a writer, generally specific to poetry. All of my life I had gotten compliments for what I had written and pushed to publish my work. When I entered into college, I had a professor who had very specific ideas on what poetry should be. Those ideas did not match mine, but for the sake of the class I molded my ideas to his. They screwed with my head from many years. After the class, it took a very long time before I feel I could write anything decent again. I've always had self-confidence issues, and my biggest enemy has been myself. But that really set me back in my opinion. Art is subjective, don't let anyone tell you how you should do your art or it will KILL what makes your art special. It's natural to want to be liked, but if you let that drive you, one day you'll find that your art is empty.
 

bananapink

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Artists are always most willing to draw whatever they are most willing to draw. I like to draw whatever I am feeling. But often, they are criticised by my mom for not being what she wants to see. This has made me really insecure about drawing what I really want to. It's not that my drawing is that bad. But still it's hard to draw something according the pressure and desire of others when you don't want to. What's your experience regarding this?


It is really hard to find inspiration once you are pressured into something. Have you tried even once to follow what your mother wants? I mean, did you give it a chance? The more you resist, the more you will feel her words constraining you. I love to draw, but it's mostly childish scribbles, but when my relatives notice that I can draw they would often ask 'why not draw this?' or 'why don't you try this?' at first it really ticked me off but after some consideration (and change of mood) I tried. Several times actually. But yeah, it's just not my forte. I draw for leisure not for pressure ahaha. What I mean is, give it a shot first before deciding whether you really like it or not.

In time you will learn to ignore all these, for now just focus on what you love. Don't let anything hold you back or else you will not improve. I know most artists are prone to mood swings but you gotta learn to control it.

On the other hand, if you draw as a form of livelihood, you have to deal with a lot of pressure and yeah, the client's desire.
 

NiQuinn

ฅ/ᐠ ̳ .ᆺ. ̳ ᐟ\ฅ ~~ᴺʸᵃᵃ
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Artists are always most willing to draw whatever they are most willing to draw. I like to draw whatever I am feeling. But often, they are criticised by my mom for not being what she wants to see. This has made me really insecure about drawing what I really want to. It's not that my drawing is that bad. But still it's hard to draw something according the pressure and desire of others when you don't want to. What's your experience regarding this?
I find that one way to overcome this is to surround yourself with positive people. Constructive criticism is great and you should learn to find it from others - whether it be online or offline. People who do a good critic would point out bad staff about one artwork not because it's not up to their taste but because it's coming from someone who wants to help you improve.

For me, my art journey was rocky during certain times in my life but one thing I do appreciate is that I listened to my art teacher back in high school. He graduated from an art school in my country and so he would teach traditional art down to a T. Mind you, that kind of art style is far from anime/manga which was more to my liking. But, I still followed his lessons and it just helped me later on in my art journey.

I'm sorry that your mother is making you feel bad about your art. But, what is it about your art that she doesn't like? If you don't mind me asking, that is.
 

Nihilaine

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Artists are always most willing to draw whatever they are most willing to draw.

Ahh, how I wish I could do that... :blob_blank:

As a person doing art for a living I find that you often times must adhere to the preference of your client rather than what you desire instead.

Its great that ur mom at least let's u draw. Some parents just outright tell their child to stop pursuing art since in their minds its not a lucrative job.

Just draw what u want, but if u want to go pro then u gotta learn how to compromise. Nowadays the market is overflowing with god-like artist so u gotta be flexible as the wind.

Have 1 specialization (whether it be character design, landscape, pinups, etc) but learn to draw other stuffs as well. Don't be stuck on the mindset that u only have to adhere to one artstyle & not try anything else since in my opinion, it'll limit the scope of your growth as an artist.
 

tiaf

ゞ(シㅇ3ㅇ)っ•♥•Speak fishy, read BL.•♥•
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I always had a double life as an artist.

One for public and one for me and my circle.
Public was always school and expectations of others, I drew what was they wanted and maybe put in elements that I liked. But honestly, whenever I look at those “artworks” it’s more like studies. I couldn’t get them to look good in my eyes.

My personal works are something only I can dictate. After my mother nagged on me for the nth time in my early stages I simply stopped drawing in her presence.

Now, nobody talks into my creative business anymore. When my mom sees me drawing, she sometimes asked questions like “Why do draw that/where did the idea come from?” and my answer is just “because I felt like it”. Sometimes there is positive astonishment or compliment. That’s it.

As long as you get your life straight, who can rule over your hobby/passion? They can make suggestions or give ideas, however if I don’t like it, then I can only say “I could, but I don’t want to. There is no inspiration and it will end up half assed anyway, so don’t expect a good result.”
 

GDLiZy

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I'm not an artist but a writer and some other things. However, I have to say, it's your life and passion, who can control you? It's not like you would go out and make someone's life a living hell. So, draw all the fetishes you wished.

If you are pressured into doing something, then you are limiting your creativity and potential. Who cares if you write hentai? As long as you are a good person. It would be better if you can do commissions and get money from your hard work, then your mom would not even complain.
 

Llamadragon

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In my experience... that's a matter of what you aim to do. If you're drawing because it's fun, that's the only thing you should aim for - having fun. Skills and a wide comfort zone are good things to have, but not everybody wants to have them badly enough to pursue it and that's perfectly alright. Don't be pressured regarding you're hobbies. That's how we stop thinking of them as fun and relaxing and that's just unnecessary.

It's different only if you want to make money using art. Then, sure, you can't have too narrow of a preference. But for me that narrow interest went away automatically when I studied art - once I spent forty+ hours on a Bargue drawing, the subject didn't feel important to me anymore. Faces, hands, whatever, I wouldn't have batted an eyelid if I was tasked with drawing a turd because the subject was simply irrelevant to the process of learning how to draw and how to see.

I have preferences in what I like to draw of course. If I'm free and I am working on a hobby project, I work in certain genres more often than not. If I'm commissioned, well why not draw that space ship I would've never drawn otherwise? If I don't know how to draw something or how to render a specific material, it's good to learn.
 

FemmeFatale

O.O Skullie Did It O.O
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I saw the following meme and thought it might be inspirational for you artists....cheers. :)

1575512135549.png
 

FemmeFatale

O.O Skullie Did It O.O
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It's so true. I just kept on writing a first chapter of a new story until one caught fire with the audience.


Talent isn't the only reason people make it famous. Just to list a few ways to strike it rich in writing: Some is just historical timing. Other's exposure. And yeah...pure simple dumb luck.

I tell myself, that if I write what I like then eventually someone might find it interesting. But then, your way also works! There is no one path to publishing, but eventually you need to produce the goods....and reliably to a standard or fickle fans will frick off. ^.^
 
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MrDarkness1234

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Talent isn't the only reason people make it famous. Just to list a few ways to strike it rich in writing: Some is just historical timing. Other's exposure. And yeah...pure simple dumb luck.

I tell myself, that if I write what I like then eventually someone might find it interesting. But then, your way also works! There is no one path to publishing, but eventually you need to produce the goods....and reliably to a standard or fickle fans will frick off. ^.^
So true sometimes like for example the harry potter series was a huge hit the first published book was huge hit but for stepthen king he had to make and rewirte a lot books.but compared to me I'm just focusing on a anime and somewhat real feel that could have all the emotnal beats of the LN I used to read back when I was down in the dumps.And also I have to thank most of the people on scribble hub for helping me figure out how I could be a better writer even tho im still not so great at it.:s_smile:
 

BenJepheneT

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Sorry but the only thing I'm getting at here is "write a fuck lot, cross your fingers and pray to God".
 
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