I give up

Squeaky · Post by **Squeaky** » Tue May 31, 2005 8:53 pm

Seriously all I do is work on my website and my artwork. I just draw and draw and color and color and its just never good enough. Everyone says I'm sixteen and I should give it time but I'm tired of it all. I started a keenspace comic and had all these great ideas and really awnted to do it but I don't have the motivation anymore. My website isn't working, my gallery wont show up and I can't figure out how to fix it.

I can't stand "just trying" ALL THE TIME. I want to actually make something "beautiful" or "stunning" or something that I can just be proud of... I give up I'm going to go sleep.

KODAMA · Post by **KODAMA** » Tue May 31, 2005 9:02 pm

draw realism.

Faub · Post by **Faub** » Tue May 31, 2005 9:06 pm

Is it something you like doing? If so, why stop?

You want to be a great artist without going through the intermediate steps. I can't really help you there. It's not something that actually happens.

As far as your website and artwork goes, you sound frustrated that you want to be more and aren't living up to your expectations. What I see could use some improvement, but I wish I drew like that at 16. That frustration gives you a path to follow. You want to make yourself better. Same goes for your HTML. Make yourself better. Go out and learn how.

The motivation thing is something you'll have to work out on your own, though.

Squeaky · Post by **Squeaky** » Tue May 31, 2005 9:25 pm

Nevermind.

Levi-chan · Post by **Levi-chan** » Tue May 31, 2005 9:28 pm

Wow. You drew better than I did when I was 16. I wish I could draw like that, when I was your age.

Yeah, the want to create something kickass and awesome is okay - but it isn't a switch you can just flick. More than often, you won't meet your expectations. That's a part of it. But does that mean you have to stop?

But yeah. Maybe you just need sleep.

(Edit: Also - if you hit a brick wall, art/HTML/anythingelse-wise, you can always ask. There'll always be someone to help.)

-L

Eunice_P · Post by **Eunice_P** » Tue May 31, 2005 9:30 pm

Your art looks 10x better than me when I was your age.

Levi-chan · Post by **Levi-chan** » Tue May 31, 2005 9:34 pm

Eunice_P wrote:Your art looks 10x better than me when I was your age.

But...but...your art is super-awesome! Tell me your secret, or else...

LibertyCabbage · Post by **LibertyCabbage** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:00 am

draw pr0n

really though, i think your art's great and you're worrying too much. just draw and enjoy it and don't worry about other peoples' expectations.

for html, http://www.lissaexplains.com seems to be pretty useful, or you can always ask for help on the forums.

Jackhass · Post by **Jackhass** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:26 am

Sheesh...don't quit already.

You aren't going to become a fabulous artist overnight. Most good comic artists only gain their skills through years of practice.

Now maybe you don't really feel like having the pressure of updating a comic over you...that's fine. But don't give up drawing if you enjoy it.

Asuria · Post by **Asuria** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 1:10 am

I can help you out with the html if you want to. That's no biggy.

And about the art: just give it some time. I know, that was exactly what you didn't want to hear, right? Like others said before, it's not something that's going to happen in one day or one week. It takes time. Your art is allready very good, so within a couple years you'll probably be a good webcomicartist (who knows even more than that

), but you just have to keep hanging on now.

And besides, I thought your realism was already stunning. The St. Bernards, your selfportrait, the tigre on your site... beautiful!

Jackhass · Post by **Jackhass** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 1:25 am

Yeah, for someone starting out your stuff is pretty damn good.

Heh, go read a few horrible webcomics by beginners filled with stick figures and terrible Dragonball-Z rip-off art and you'll feel better about your stuff.

Phalanx · Post by **Phalanx** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:10 am

Actually the fact you're going through a frustration point is a good sign.

Improvement (for me at least) isn't linear. It tends to go in plateaus (whole periods of seemingly no improvement and even retrogression) and after that slopes (sudden rush of improvement and OMG I UNDERSTAND!).

I was frustrated and moaning about my art skill in the chat room the other day (In the plateau stage) and now I've finally started on the slope stage (learning new stuff). It's just the way it goes, you get periods of crazy frustration and then dizzying rushes of improvement. The thing is that you must make it through the frustration periods. Usually for me, being at frustration point is a good sign there's a slope coming up.

Also, me at age 13-14:

Me at about 15-16:

I think it goes without saying you're still ahead.

I did fine art back in my A Levels. I had a crazy art teacher who constantly criticised everything I did (to the point of tears) and rarely ever praised my work. It wasn't until the end of the course when he explained the reason he did it was because most artists give up too easily, and are too reliant on praise and instant gratification to go on. That usually resulted in them convincing themselves "they had no talent and couldn't do it" when the going got hard and they felt they weren't making the progress they felt they should have acheived... and he wanted to make sure none of his students would turn out that way. I remember hating him desperately for the length of the course, but at the end of it I realise he was right.

I don't have a single one of my finished pieces to show for it because they sent them off to Cambridge and my teacher trashed them after they came back. One and a half years of backbreaking work painting in acrylic and charcoal and watercolours and mixed media... just thrown away.

Strangely enough I didn't mourn over them, because they were by-products of my learning. The important thing is I learnt to teach myself, and I always can draw more.

So chill out. there's no rush. You've got the whole of your life to improve. Just slow down and enjoy the process. You don't get good because you give up. You get good because you draw and draw and draw until it starts looking more like what you want, even if it takes time and effort to get there.

And if you can't get through the plateaus, then sorry, I don't think you'll get to the peaks. We here can give you encouragement, but ultimately it takes more than that.

The biggest mistake you can make in learning art is drawing to get a good picture. You should be drawing to learn how to get a good picture, even if the end product is something crappy, you learn something, you throw it away and start again.

Ok, I'm doing with the prattling.

Sam_Charette · Post by **Sam_Charette** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:50 am

faub wrote:I wish I drew like that at 16.

I wish I drew like that now, at 29!

KODAMA · Post by **KODAMA** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:12 am

man when I was 16, I totally rocked.
http://looks.keenspace.com/d/20020208.html
http://looks.keenspace.com/d/20020327.html
http://looks.keenspace.com/d/20020417.html
I rocked when I was 15 too.
http://www.soojinkim.com/imggall/olde06.html
I sort of rocked when I was 14 too.
http://www.soojinkim.com/imggall/olde24.html
http://www.soojinkim.com/imggall/olde25.html
http://www.soojinkim.com/imggall/olde28.html

Now I rockarock.
My archives are so broken.

Beyonder_alpha · Post by **Beyonder_alpha** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:35 am

trying leads to improvement, improvement leads to a hunger for more, that hunger leads to trying more in an insane manner, insane trying leads to insanity, insanity leads frustration, frustration leads to more insanity and so on.

And when the frustration and insanity are about to explode, you improve.

RPin · Post by **RPin** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:36 am

I can't find any of my 16 year old doodles but the point would be the same. I sucked hard back then.

I know people who rock at their sixteens. I know people who are always looking for improvement even at their fifties. One of the things those two people have in common is the love for what they do. The gratification you get from appraisal, readership and positive feedback is nothing if first you don't make art for the sake of loving it.

Sput · Post by **Sput** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 8:07 am

don't you DARE give up. I can understand the frustration as I'm going through it RIGHT NOW AGNAGNAGNGN but we are -young- :D I've gone from stick figures to where I am now in a year and a half. You're awesome, and I will have to slap you if you dare quit. Or track you down and continue to nag at you until you give in and start drawing again. Don't let something you love die. Take a break, draw in a different style, do something wild- paint with food or something. Just, don't give up. :(

Squeaky · Post by **Squeaky** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:06 am

Kodama.... you are SO full of yourself.

(that's said with affection)

Err... I'm embarrassed and I apologize...

I know that my frustration is just making me work harder and I cant become amazing overnight. I'm not giving up on my art, thats all I do, its who I am. It's just so sad when I have these amazing images in my head and I just cant get them out.

I just have depression issues and everything seems to be going wrong. I usually dont go whining online. I tried to delete my post immediately but my internet explorer is having a problem and closed every time. Oh well.

thanks

*sigh* ttyl

RemusShepherd · Post by **RemusShepherd** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:32 am

Squeaky wrote: It's just so sad when I have these amazing images in my head and I just cant get them out.

Heh, heh, heh, heh....

Every artist and writer feels like this, you know. This is the central torture we all suffer through. And every artist and writer lets hints of this pain out in their work, eventually.

J.R.R. Tolkien wrote:A Elbereth Gilthoniel,
we still remember, we who dwell,
in this far land, beneath the trees
thy starlight on the western seas.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote:A damsel with a dulcimer
in a vision once I saw.
It was an Abyssinian maid,
and on her dulcimer she played,
singing of mount Abora.
Could I revive within me
her symphony and song.
To such a deep delight 'twould win me,
that with music loud and long,
I would build that dome in air!
Thy sunny dome! Those caves of ice!
and all who heard should see them there!
and all should cry, Beware! Beware!
his flashing eyes! his floating hair!
Weave a circle round him thrice,
and close your eyes with holy dread!
for he on honey-dew hath fed,
and drunk the milk of Paradise.

John Myers Myers wrote:I invoke the Commonwealth!
I know what was in Orthraerir;
Orthraerir was in it,
In it, it was hoarded,
Hoarded, it was stolen,
Stolen, it was spilled,
Spilled, I caught it,
Caught, it was given away,
Given away, it stays my own,
My own is the Commonwealth.
I invoke it!
The land may not be hidden from its lover!

...with the Othraerir itself being a nordic myth from centuries ago about the magic and pain of creativity:

Nordic Myth wrote:From the son of Bolthorn, Bestla's father I mastered mighty songs nine, and a drink I had of the dearest mead, got from out of Othraerir.
Then began I to grow and gain insight, to wax eke in wisdom: one verse led on to another verse, one poem led on to another poem.
Runes wilt thou find, and rightly read, of wonderous weight, of mighty magic, which that dyed the dread god, which made the holy hosts, and were etched by Othin, Othin among Aesir for Alfs, Dain, Dvalin for the dwarfs, Alsvith among etins, (but for earth-born men) wrought I some myself.
Know'st how to write, know'st how to read, know'st how to stain, how to understand, know'st how to ask , know'st how to offer, know'st how to suplicate, know'st how to sacrifice?
'Tis better unasked than offered overmuch; for ay doth a git look for gain; 'tis better unasked than offered overmuch: thus did Othin write ere the earth began, when up he rose in after time.

You will never make your dreams real. It's a sad fact of our reality. The best you can do is paint a shadow of them so that others may look at them and wonder.

But if you need to be cheered about it, just remember -- your land will never be hidden from you, its lover.

KODAMA · Post by **KODAMA** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:40 am

Squeaky wrote:Kodama.... you are SO full of yourself. :wink: (that's said with affection)

haha. Glad to know it was understood the right way.