Artistic Doubt

[Ashley]

That feeling of 'am I kidding myself? Am I really ever going to be any good or am I destined for failure'?

 

Anyone else get this from time to time? It kind of comes and goes in waves for me. It tends to pass naturally but I'm just in the midst of it at the moment so I thought I'd see if other people suffer from it too and what they do to resolve it etc.

[Daft]

I've had this with music. It came to the point where proceeding would have cost more money than I could trust myself not to not fail with - I guess a real test of my commitment. I in part gave up and in part moved on so it wasn't too big a deal in some ways. I'd rather have explored that avenue though.

 

Never when writing. It's strange, when I was really young (I remember the uneventful moment, I must have been 10) I knew I'd want to write even though I wasn't very good at it. I just had this drive I couldn't really explain. I hated reading, I hated English, I found writing was a chore. I sometimes get a bit overwhelmed, like I can't capture what I want to say exactly. Like no piece of paper could carry what I want to say. I have become much better at it, people want to read what I write but lately, in the past month or so, I've become more aware of myself. I've got a similar feeling as to when I was younger and knew I was going to write, I can feel I'm moving closer towards something and that it's just going to take some time. I can't quite explain it, there's hint of Nirvāṇa to it.

Edited April 18, 2010 by Daft

[Guy]

I think that's common among artists, and nobody is exempt from feeling that way at some time or another. It's really easy to become discouraged when you see someone else producing work at a higher standard or suffer writer's block or hit some kind of creative barrier.

 

I think the important thing to consider in those circumstances is there will always be many people better than you and that's okay. Have confidence in your ideas, abilities and PLEASE TURN MOTIVATIONAL TAPE OVER TO SIDE B.

 

Click.

 

...above all don't ever allow fear of not progressing stop you from enjoying getting there. One of the nicest things to observe and experience is an artist developing the standard of their work and it rarely happens quickly. Sometimes it can be insanely motivational to take a look at the early work of someone you admire and realise they came a very long way to get where they are and so will you.

 

Example: go to any webcomic site or a user's Deviantart and click back to their first piece. Then hit next, then next again and watch them get better over time. It's brilliant. Then maybe go back to your earlier work and compare it to your most recent?

 

I'm not really one to give advice. I move along creatively with the pace and enthusiasm of a fat slug, but I do know if you want something badly and persevere you'll get there. With some talent it might happen faster, but if you keep moving forward you'll get there someday.

[Eenuh]

I think it's quite normal to feel that way for any kind of artist. You will go through phases where you feel you're progressing lots and getting better and better, then other times you'll feel you're not getting anywhere, or even getting worse.

 

I often feel like I'm wasting my time with art, wondering if I'll ever be good enough to compete with other professional illustrators. But then I remind myself that even those people started where I did at some point, just maybe some of them with a bit more talent or a quicker progress than me. I think if you just keep working at it, keep trying to improve yourself, you'll eventually get where you want to be, even though this can take years and years, or maybe even your entire life. But I guess that's the beauty of art, you can always try a different route, reinvent yourself, start all over.

 

As for how to deal with this sort of feeling, I guess everyone has their own way of dealing with it. You could try and find sources that inspire you, whether these are films, animations, books, music or even just things around you like nature and people. Find inspiration, it might give you new ideas for things to try out yourself. But above all though, just keep practising with what you're doing. You'll get there. =)

[nightwolf]

Eenuh = fact.

 

Everyone starts somewhere and I bet all my savings, my car, the house I live in that a lot of artists you look up to still have those moments of doubt!

 

You'll do great Ashley, you got onto that animation course after all!

[SPAMBOT4000]

I get this constantly when doing anything remotely creative. I look elsewhere and think "shit, I know I'm NEVER gonna be as good as them" and basically usually just give up. I think the key is realising that you'll never be the best at anything especially with things as subjective as art.

[Ashley]

 

You'll do great Ashley, you got onto that animation course after all!

 

Haha I think people have misinterpreted me ^_^ I'm not sitting in a pool of discontent and despair at the moment. I just had the feeling rush over me this morning (while cleaning the hamster cage for some reason).

 

I know it'll be fine in the end and I am still looking forward to the future. But it just hit and I thought I'd see others opinions on the matter.

 

Thanks for the kind words though guys ^_^

[Goafer]

Anyone else get this from time to time? It kind of comes and goes in waves for me. It tends to pass naturally but I'm just in the midst of it at the moment so I thought I'd see if other people suffer from it too and what they do to resolve it etc.

 

I get it in waves too. It's funny how the waves seem to sync perfectly with every time I check my RedBubble/DeviantArt views...

 

Oh woe is me. *Slash, slash, cry, Twilight fan fiction*

[Retro_Link]

I've always had quite a lot of confidence in my artistic abilities, whether that is misplaced or not I guess only come down to other peoples interpretation of my work.

But hey, some people are gonna like it, some aren't, same with many things in life.

 

I certainly know I can conciderably improve in every aspect that I do, and I hope that gradualy I am doing so.

 

When it comes to a possible career, that's where the doubt comes in, because you see and know of other peoples work that are so far ahead of your own capabilities, and you wonder well is there really much point if these people can already do it so much better.

 

But then you have to remind yourself that they were all starting out one day, and there's no reason why you can't get there yourself!

[Paj!]

Yeah, obviously as an art student I get this all the time.

 

*shrug*

 

Mine revolves around things never bein satisfyingly "done", or not thinking I can do something, so I don't, as opposed to ability. I think I can draw and paint decently (though, and people find this strange, I hate the way I paint...it's the opposite style of the kinds of Painters I love.).

[Grazza]

For me, art is about wanting to depict something, then doing your best to depict it. If it doesn't look quite how you want, find out why and try to alter it next time. You must enjoy doing it, though. There are many styles out there and nothing is right or wrong. I much prefer Popeye and Asterix to an Alex Ross painting, for instance, but many would feel the opposite.

 

They key is to draw what you like, because if you like it, someone else will too. It's a great thrill when someone you don't know on DeviantArt selects one of your pieces as a favourite of theirs.

 

As for self-doubt... I know I'm not professional standard, but that doesn't stop me because that's not what I'm aiming for. I'm trying to depict what's in my head. I usually think my stuff from six months ago is awful, and yet I thought it was great at the time. That doesn't matter though, because I always delude myself that my current stuff is great!

 

Basically: Enjoyment and Focus.

[Tissue Town]

Employers and agencies have said my work is good. Now it's simply the waiting game. And producing more work.

I am pretty sure I can do anything that is asked of me. Knowing that means I'm all good.

 

Also looking at other artists who are better than me I notice that they are also older than me, and therefore I know it's only a matter of time before I become shit hot.

Edited April 19, 2010 by Tissue Town

[Wesley]

I don't understand Tissue Town's post.

 

But!

 

I do understand how you feel Ash-Bash.

 

In all honesty I can't say much that other people haven't already said.

 

But I dunno, I kind of feel I can maybe relate a little better, I only just started an art/design focuses course 2 years ago and I've never done anything like that before... and I still doubt myself all the time, literally everyday.

 

But as long as you want to shut up that voice that's telling you you're poo then I think that's alright?

 

Maybe.

 

Maybe the nasty voice is really a friend.