Well, it's not like I didn't draw, I just didn't draw a lot, and it's hard for me to do a post that only has one drawing that's quality, you know?
I mean, I drew Tristan... And he's really... flat.
So instead of my traditional Picture Saturday, I'm going to talk about art.
- I might talk about my art process...
- I might highlight my favorite artists...
- I might scream about the price of art supplies...
- I might leave you with a really terribly filmed time-lapse video of me drawing the above Tristan.
Do you ever wonder if there's ever going to be another "Great Master," like Leonardo da Vinci, or Vincent van Gogh, or Rembrandt? I mean, back when they were drawing and painting and being amazing, it was so much harder to get your art out there for people to see and to like and appreciate. Whereas, now.... now we have the internet and instant satisfaction and there are so many incredibly talented artists who's art is beautiful. And the viewers aren't limited to people in your town, or state, or country--with the means that we have these days, the whole world can see one artist's work, and the whole world is filled with people who's art is mind-blowingly good.
So I wonder... I just wonder if, out of the hundreds of thousands of gifted artists, if there's ever going to be another person who the whole world will agree is one of the great masters. You know?
I want to go to an art museum and soak up the skill there.
Is anyone else getting really sick and tired of the whole "art isn't really that important" thing? Like, yes, hi, hello.... Art is hard, and deserves more credit! Agreed? Agreed.
For example, art should be taught in schools and it shouldn't take such a huge step back from things like math and science. Sure, math and science are all well and good and hurrah for you if you can understand the bloody things, but art is just as important. It's important for kids to learn to be creative. It's important for kids who are naturally creative to have their talents nurtured just as often as the kids who are good math and science. It's wrong to push everyone into thinking math and science are the only option once you graduate high school. Some people blossom better doing things like writing, or drawing, or making.
Fairly freaking sure God didn't create so many people with so many different skills only to have everyone latch on to two of the most "realistic" subjects, and push other things to the back burner.
IT BUGS ME.
The whole "starving artist" shouldn't be so accurate. You should be able to seek gainful employment doing art just as often as you can doing construction or chemistry. #endrant
Sometimes I look at other people's art and cry a little bit. Like I've been scrolling through tumblr or pinterest, and I'll find this artist who's so good, and so talented, and they're like... self-taught thirteen-year-olds who have skillz far beyond what I could ever hope to achieve.
And you get people who tell you stuff like, "Comparison robs you of your joy." And you're like, 'DARN STRAIGHT IT DOES. I HAVE BEEN DRAWING WHOLE LIFE, AND THIS PEON HADN'T EVEN PICKED UP A PENCIL UNTIL TWO YEARS AGO AND NOW LOOK AT HOW GOOD THEY ARE. I AM A FAILURE."
Like Burdge. Can we just talk about Burdge for a second?
How does Burdge even art? Even her super rough, super sketchy doodles have this gripping look to them and I want it. I want to capture people the way she captures people. I maddens me that wow, I'm hopelessly behind her, skill wise.
Or Ezelle Van Der Heever, (better know as EZ)....
Because wow the emotion you can feel in her art is intense it makes me want to vomit. Like come on, how do you convey so much with so little?? Look at their poses and their faces and how natural everything looks. It is killing me that I can't do this. I practice?!!? I should be that good!??
LIKE HOLY HOTNESS BATMAN HOW DOES SHE DO IT.
They have such great styles. *headdesk* I'm not saying I want to copy them or their art styles, I just sit here and admire them and cry a little.
But oh, speaking of style, let's get on that little roller coaster of a conversation!
Now listen! I don't profess to be all knowing about art or how to art or anything. I'm just a tiny cupcake in a big cupcake world and I know very little. HOWEVER I do know something about art style.
Some of the questions I get asked a lot on this infinitesimal blog is "how did you get your art style, is it something you practiced?" or "do you have any tips on how to make an art style?" "How long did it take for you to develop your style?"
And honestly guys, here's the deal: you don't really develop an art style. You don't have to work to get one. You just make art. The way you do it is your style, whether you're an old hand at it, or whether you pick up a pencil for the first time yesterday, if you make art, it's going to be in your style.
It's like handwriting. Everyone has different handwriting, some people's is beautiful, some looks like giant bubble letters, some people have chicken scratch, but everyone's handwriting is unique to them. It's the same with your drawings. Sure you can go ahead and copy people (with their permission) and imitate other artist's styles, but it's like tracing letters when you're learning how to write: you copy it and then you do it by yourself. It always looked different when you wrote on your own, right?
If you relax and draw, your style will come naturally. It's not something that you can make, it just comes. Your art will look like you. I've been told my art looks like me. Burdge's art looks like her. My sister's art matches her personality.
Art is very personal and it's ingrained into you, so if you draw, and you put everything you've got into it, it's going to have a style. It's going to match you.
And on that note, I think I shall call it a night.
Here, watch this terribly filmed, poorly lit, time-lapse video. It did not look that fast when I was editing it, it was about half that speed. I don't know what happened between the editing and the processing, but great heavens that's the fastest 28 second video you will ever see.
I apologize for the lousy quality. Next time I will use a tricorder and a proper editor. Thank you and goodnight.
Question Time!
Do you think there will ever be another 'great master'?
What are your thoughts on art in public school?
Do you ever get depressed looking at other people's art?
What's your drawing style like?
