I have lost my muse.

[Sojuku]

Hello to all concept art members, I have a bit of a problem as a fellow artist, and perhaps you guys know what it is?

After my first year of art college, I was turned upside down, around, and out the window so much, that now I feel completely befuddled to the point where I've gone backwards in my abilities after being filled with so many contradicting facts. Now I've forgotten how I found my own path in the first place!

One of these problems- is that I am told on one hand, drawing from life and references is the only way to perfectly render a sense of naturalism,
while others say that doing so will make a drawing static, and relying on imagination is the true key in being a fantasy illustrator, which is where I'm hopefully headed to. (John Howe, Brian Froud, and Ciruello were my childhood inspirations.)

As I recall from reading in John Howe's Workshop book, he stated that you should always start from your sketch, and check back with references in order to convey a sense of realism. Yet my sketches themselves are, at best, "the worst song played on the ugliest guitar". I do not know what is wrong with me, but I can no longer create a decent sketch- even when drawing from life, I am unable to make swift gestures and render things in a timely matter. It takes me at least an hour of study to get the figure right, and then after all that, I cannot retain the knowledge I had gained from that moment.

Drawing things in life as I walk around now seems almost impossible, and fruitless no matter how earnest I am in learning, and I know that it is a major component to learning.

Although no path of an artist is the same, and we all find our way through our own means, I ask of advice on what I could do to improve upon this- or what I should be looking out for as I sketch to retain the figure better, to draw more loosely, and to sharpen my visual perception? Is it that I lack a stable mentor to provide me guidance?

Also, is it bad that I go through an entire sketchbook, and still not complete a fully rendered piece? I've butchered entire forests, and have only come up with half rendered ideas and doodles, and perhaps after a long while, manage in my mental constapation, produce one decent piece of work. I feel that not only have my abilities gone stagnant, but my ability to think conceptually has died with it as well as my confidence in my abilities- I used to pump out works like a chocolate factory made candy bars.

What can I do to release myself from this ditch and improve upon these problems to regain as sense of myself? To feel inspired again? I am at a lost, and need a push in the right direction, because without being able to express myself visually as I did before, I feel somewhat empty inside. :thinking:

Thanks in advance.

[Hyskoa]

Also, is it bad that I go through an entire sketchbook, and still not complete a fully rendered piece? I've butchered entire forests, and have only come up with half rendered ideas and doodles, and perhaps after a long while, manage in my mental constapation, produce one decent piece of work. I feel that not only have my abilities gone stagnant, but my ability to think conceptually has died with it as well as my confidence in my abilities- I used to pump out works like a chocolate factory made candy bars.


1) Start a sketchbook if you want advice.
2) A few sketchbooks is hardly a forest of paper, come back when you start measuring in office cubicles.
3) Just draw.(From life, from where ever, whatever, whoever, whenever, where ever, doesn't matter.)

[Grief]

Hello to all concept art members, I have a bit of a problem as a fellow artist, and perhaps you guys know what it is?

hiya.

After my first year of art college,
Now, this is a story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down
And I liked to take a minute
Just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air

you're in luck i think i've heard this before, chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool etc.

One of these problems- is that I am told on one hand, drawing from life and references is the only way to perfectly render a sense of naturalism,
while others say that doing so will make a drawing static, and relying on imagination is the true key in being a fantasy illustrator, which is where I'm hopefully headed to.

slow down there, the only way to achieve naturalism? whenever someone says there is only one way to do anything you should realize they are making generalizations. emulating real life to get a sense of real life, thats common sense more than it is a concrete rule.

the 'static' issue is even more at fault of being erroneous. let's say i'm drawing a still life of some flowers. just by utilizing different stroke, color, lighting, perspective, etc i can make the flowers appear dramatic, or i can do it simply straight-forward and blandly. but the information i'm reading from the still life isn't changing, but the creative thinking is changing.

finding creative solutions to problems is more 'the key' in my opinion. if you opt for obvious solutions you probably aren't giving enough thought into the piece, and yes the outcome can be static and stagnant.


As I recall from reading in John Howe's Workshop book, he stated that you should always start from your sketch, and check back with references in order to convey a sense of realism. Yet my sketches themselves are, at best, "the worst song played on the ugliest guitar".

achewood reference aside, think of your sketch like your blueprints. there will be alterations from initial concept to finished product, but the sketch should still convey the most basic aspects of the design, so if you feel you are detracting too much from the original idea you can fall back on the groundwork to get an idea of how things should be relating. the sketches do not need to be high-quality, they only need to make sense to you and give you the information you need to later extract upon. cripes, they're called sketches, don't lose sleep over them.

I do not know what is wrong with me, but I can no longer create a decent sketch- even when drawing from life, I am unable to make swift gestures and render things in a timely matter. It takes me at least an hour of study to get the figure right, and then after all that, I cannot retain the knowledge I had gained from that moment.

there's a common misconception. you are learning each time you pick up the pencil, sure you may not be breaking down barriers and exploring uncharted terrain with each drawing, but you are learning. this is the essense of practice, the process of creating will familiarize you with the habit of doing actions by rote. make the practice based on good habits and you'll be on your way to further artistic proficiency.

Drawing things in life as I walk around now seems almost impossible, and fruitless no matter how earnest I am in learning, and I know that it is a major component to learning.

stop being so goddamn weak and draw. right now you have learned enough to know how little you actually know about art. don't let it overwhelm you. the humble 'i am not worthy of the complex world around me' attitude should not be taken to such an extreme that it prevents you from pursuing it.

Although no path of an artist is the same, and we all find our way through our own means, I ask of advice on what I could do to improve upon this- or what I should be looking out for as I sketch to retain the figure better, to draw more loosely, and to sharpen my visual perception? Is it that I lack a stable mentor to provide me guidance?

you have conceptart, you are not without allies.

Also, is it bad that I go through an entire sketchbook, and still not complete a fully rendered piece? I've butchered entire forests, and have only come up with half rendered ideas and doodles, and perhaps after a long while, manage in my mental constapation, produce one decent piece of work. I feel that not only have my abilities gone stagnant, but my ability to think conceptually has died with it as well as my confidence in my abilities- I used to pump out works like a chocolate factory made candy bars.

they're sketchbooks! stop treating them as tough theyre made of some invaluable material. fuck them up, try new things, make a mess, get chaotic, make doodles, generate bad ideas, do tests, research new methods. stop treating it like its an empty bible where your personal scripture is to be recorded.

What can I do to release myself from this ditch and improve upon these problems to regain as sense of myself? To feel inspired again? I am at a lost, and need a push in the right direction, because without being able to express myself visually as I did before, I feel somewhat empty inside. :thinking:

Thanks in advance.

read the stickies about getting your ass kicked by inspiration. get jacked up on art and uppercut motherfuckers. art is awesome and youre being a total wuss about it, letting it slap you around. go fuck up some sketchbooks and stop listening to whatever music is making you so soft. life is really damn short, and there is no reason to spend any moment of it being less than 100% intense. apathy, weakness, self doubt, and all this pathetic shit you've gotten into your head only wastes time you could have been using to create some badass art shit. don't act like the pencil is too heavy, shit will be hard in life and the sooner you realize this the sooner you can get around to using that pencil to attack the problems of the world.

now go draw.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/ninjau1/Grief.gif

[Ilaekae]

Sojuku, this is not politically correct. It is not diplomatic. It is not going to sound nice probably. But...

FUCK WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE THINKS IS THE PROPER THING FOR YOU TO DO.

You're still young and you're learning with every stroke and every idea you attempt. Everybody else is full of shit. That includes your authors, professors and just about everybody that offers advice here (INCLUDING ME). You will get older and better and successful, and then you'll be full of shit, too. It can't be helped. It a result of biases and methodologies that we develop as we learn through working.

Learn to absorb what is written and said, then sort through it to see what makes sense in a useful way to you AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME in your life. The importance of such information will change relative to your experience and maturity as you move through life.

There are flaming assholes on this forum and just about every other art forum that still don't recognize how important some unknown 3500 bce Egyptian tomb calligrapher, some folk singer from the forties, or Paul Klee, and a million other non-traditional references has been to the way they approach art. That comes with maturity and recognition.

Take your sketch book and a few reams of paper and just DO. Try something. If it doesn't work, try a different approach. Don't try to operate according to what others demand is THE proper formula to do the RIGHT THING the RIGHT WAY. Fuck 'em. They're not in your head, and it's your life, complete with the freedom to make mistakes, not theirs.

[Grief]

blokes like me only go up to 10, Ilaekae goes up to 11.

EbVKWCpNFhY

[XanaChama]

Lol 11

[kool-ka-lang]

fuck them up, try new things, make a mess, get chaotic, make doodles, generate bad ideas, do tests, research new methods. stop treating it like its an empty bible where your personal scripture is to be recorded.

This.

[AdventDawn]

FUCK WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE THINKS IS THE PROPER THING FOR YOU TO DO.



I second this.

[Sojuku]

Thanks guys, you really put this in perspective for me. I was so caught up in trying to make everything I did perfect for the proffessors, I forgotten that I'm still a student and I should have fun experimenting, and do art because it makes me happy, not to impress or modulate others.

[XanaChama]

Well, it is still nice to impress others occasionally, haha. But the biggest person you should impress is yourself. Most professors and supportive peers would just be happy to see you improve. The most important part of being an artist is the journey, not just excellent work I think. And even still, you will never produce "perfect work". The frustration will always be there no matter how far you progress, because it's a learning process until you die. Look at those older and with more experience, because the battle is still the same no matter how you go and they came from where you are. As you mature, you will get rid of preconceptions about things, yourself, others and you'll do what comes natural. But there is no secret answer to everything, that is just life. Your path should be completely your own choice not based on anything else, because then it's out of your hands as to where it goes at that point.

[riceface]

i find it hard to draw cute girls, because i was so use to drawing ugly average women lol

[Aaron Death]

I wanted to say something useful but Ilaekae said everything now.

It should be put into every single textbook so that people would understand. But sadly they don't, that's an important reason for all the stupidity and madness.

[dTb]

Advice like that is one of the reasons I think this webpage and everyone here is so inspiring, alot of artists here aren't afraid to follow their own paths and quite possibly be considered unsuccessful by many other people's standards. It takes alot of courage, I guess, to decide what you want for your art, then do it despite what might be considered fashionable among your peers and teachers.

[Nibras]

Grief and Ilaekae, I think I cried after reading that advice. It was one of best things I've seen here in a while.
That said just believe in yourself as well

[Arshes Nei]

I wanted to say something useful but Ilaekae said everything now.

It should be put into every single textbook so that people would understand. But sadly they don't, that's an important reason for all the stupidity and madness.

Considering your post followed riceface's I think it was useful :P