finding 'yourself' through your art

[Mane]

Im having trouble lately getting motivated to paint draw or really anything in particular as I just think that all im doing is copying out a photograph etc and not adding any sort of personal meaning or touch to it. I look at other artists on this site and I often wonder where they get their own style or touch from as I just cant seem to create anything different.

Art, be it drawing, painting modeling etc has always been something I enjoy (my grandparents on both sides were brilliant painters and sculptors) and I know I want it to be something I do in my every day life.
The problem is I dont know what I actually want to do, I can really enjoy painting people, sometimes they come out better than others but I feel its not personal and afterwards I wonder if there was any point to it.
Im not trying for pity which I have seen in sketchbooks in the forums just wondering if others have this problem

Sorry for the rant needed to get it out of me, didnt mean to write so much just kinda carried on writing ha!

[Slash]

If you look at pretty much any artist and their progression, you'll find that throughout their development they had periods where their work looked a lot like "that" artist, then "this artist" and then "that artist's" hatching methods can be seen etc etc..

Its not a coincidence that a lot of french artists share qualities of moebius for example. Not that that takes away from their work or anything. Usually it takes a lot of practice and a lot of exploring before an artist settles into "his style".

[Illuminesce]

I completely empathize with what you're saying - though when I went through (and will go through) those stagnant phases of my art, what I usually do is bring my focus back to my own set of things I can do.

I used to think that where I grew up was a terrible place for an artist to come from, for it was boring, Bible-thumping, and well... normal. Now I realize there was a lot of really not-normal stuff that I used to think was normal, and I incorporate those kinds of things into my art.

My advice is to think of something that was really emotionally moving for you, and try to draw how you felt/what you saw/experienced at the time. If you can't get it just right, and you want to work more on it, you're moving in the right direction. :D

[Mane]

Slash, thanks for the post. I do find myself looking at others work and thinking it would be cool to try that out but thinking that I would just be copying them which in turn mean I dont tend to go anywhere artistically, I really should open up and experiment with others techniques.

Illuminesce, thats a brilliant idea thanks! I have been looking back through my old sketchbooks and seeing how I have improved over the last year which does help give you back confidence in yourself and your art.

[Farvus]

The problem is I don't know what I actually want to do, I can really enjoy painting people, sometimes they come out better than others but I feel its not personal and afterwards I wonder if there was any point to it.


Maybe you need to go deeper with that. What type of characters/personalities/looks do you find fascinating (in life, books, movies)? What is your favorite movie character? Are you more into humorous or more serious stuff? Do you like something more exotic and unusual or more natural in characters? Do you like stories with lots of action, raw energy or something with slow pace? There are many questions you could ask yourself.

Also it helps a bit when you're collector of stuff. Make a folder with your favorite illustrations, concept art, photos. Maybe even do photos of people yourself (I saw some in your sketchbook).

It will take some time before you develop something personal and you don't need to worry because it's inevitable. If you keep drawing, it will happen sooner or later.

[Lake]

Interesting thing I was once told by a teacher of mine:

When you draw from life, slight changes in your eye position or the subject matter will change the appearance of what you are looking at. The decisions that you make about what to change in your piece or to leave the same are a large part of what creates your "style," as you are the only one that can make those judgements.

[Blue Severin]

Find something you're interested in, and draw it. If you don't like what ur doing, then practice and get better.

[Enydimon]

If you look at pretty much any artist and their progression, you'll find that throughout their development they had periods where their work looked a lot like "that" artist, then "this artist" and then "that artist's" hatching methods can be seen etc etc..

Its not a coincidence that a lot of french artists share qualities of moebius for example. Not that that takes away from their work or anything. Usually it takes a lot of practice and a lot of exploring before an artist settles into "his style".

Agreed. I just try out different styles and methods just to try them, just to see if I can take anything away from them that might help.

[Mane]

this has been incredibly rewarding for me, so thank you everyone who has repeated. I realised last night I have a real interest in human emotions and I find my self really drawn to Edward hopper as a source of inspiration and luckily I have a healthy collection of art books which I can look through (very grateful for my grand parents for that!, some are over a hundred years old eeek!).

I love using photography to capture human expressions and emotions, im not the best photographer but it is very rewarding to capture something that could only be a fraction of a second .

Thanks for your time and I hope I didnt sound to much like a im-shit-give-me-lots-of-praise-to-make-me-feel-better type person.

Chris.

[PxelSlayer]

Feeling like you`re "stuck in a rut"? EXPLORE! There are so many different activities here at CA, be it daily sketch group or COW, ChOW, EOW...you name it! It`s a great way to start doing something you wouldn`t usually do by yourself, and it does wonders for creativity, imagination and inspiration (once those ideas start popping into your head...:rocker:)

Now go and have fun! That is the way of the Allmighty Nibru!

[Cam Sykes]

I find one thing that can really help is to try different mediums and experiment. Mixing media trying different tools too.
This isn't something that I've tried but for example, instead of using a brush try dipping a screw in paint and painting with the side of it for a rake effect or something. then You can overlay some old computer parts dipped in ink over the top.
Then out of such an experiment you might find some cool shapes or in your case you might see part of a human face that you could begin to detail out a bit more, and find that you have achieved a sense of randomness, and technique that can't be achieved with the camera.

[Jushra]

You can always take philosophies, mythologies, and belief structures that you find interesting and put a sci-fi/fantasy/antique/steampunk/space-opera spin on them. For example, how would Buddhism fare in a fantasy world; how can their mythologies and beliefs be manifested in characters, weapons, vehicles, props, etc. That kind of thinking can really get your mind going. Your drawing style is ultimately derived from lots of practice, it will develop on its own. Your creative style develops from observation, be it from life or other influences. Just make sure you stay original.

[Farvus]

Just make sure you stay original.

Forcing yourself to be original can just lead to frustration. I'd rather say try to avoid clichés. Also there is one wise thing Greg Manchess said on this topic in sidebarnation interview which is instead of trying to be original, try to be authentic. Seems like it can be much more profitable path for artist.

[Jushra]

Forcing yourself to be original can just lead to frustration. I'd rather say try to avoid clichés. Also there is one wise thing Greg Manchess said on this topic in sidebarnation interview which is instead of trying to be original, try to be authentic. Seems like it can be much more profitable path for artist.



@ Farvus: True. Point taken. I'll have to look up Greg's interview later on tonight. Originality and authenticity in art are very closely related tho, correct? It seems that they should work symbiotically.

Nick Pugh has a DVD through Gnomon discussing originality in design. His process of breaking clichés tends to work well, as long as the artist is willing.

[Chris Saksida]

For me, what you are trying to find is a life long process.

The way I see my art is this: I look at a LOT of artist of all kinds, and I make stuff in a style that is a mixture of every style I like, everytime I find an artist that I like, I try to decode what it is that I like so much about that artists work, and then I incorpore that element into my style, be it dinamism, a shading style, expressions, certain usages of color, composition, etc.

This way, my style becomes richer with time; and I like my own work even more, my art has elements of so many different artists, from humberto ramos, joe madureira, mcfarlane, carlos meglia, to hr giger, frazetta, ashley wood, to classical ones like bouguereau and sooooo many more totally different artists, I captured a little of every one of them.

I don`t try to be "like" any artist, just try to make the most awesome stuff I can, inspired by all the most awesome stuff I ever seen.

[Farvus]

Originality and authenticity in art are very closely related tho, correct? It seems that they should work symbiotically.


I see authenticity in art as just being honest with yourself about the stuff you love drawing and the way you like to do this. The subject matter or technique might be even considered as something not original but if you put lots of passion in it and every time try to make it a little bit more sophisticated, eventually it will reach a point where it gets it's own unique quality. It's sometimes hard to stick to your own not entirely developed vision when you're surrounded by so many accomplished artists though. I guess you just have to believe that in the end it will make complete sense and people will receive it the way you would like it to be received.

[Jushra]

@ Farvus: Thanks for breaking that down for me. I just wasn't clear on what you were trying to say. It makes a lot of sense. I dl'd the Glen Manchess interview you mentioned, I'll be listening to it later tonight. Cheers.

[bhanu]

DO know one thing, theres almost nothing that one creates, its just reassembly, but hey thats where all the fun lies.
You cant say something so profoundly alien and original , because then nobody would be able to understand you. Then they would have to come to you terms and then again the originality factor will be gone.
But , remember this , through DNA all of us humans are so alike , sooo goddamned alike, I know I share the same species as goerge bush and osama bin laden, but even then you are so different from the people around ,look at yourself in the mirror.
And believe in that little one strand of your DNA to make even your art unique and original in your own way.
sometimes they come out better than others but I feel its not personal and afterwards I wonder if there was any point to it.
About the 'point to it' part, if you look at it, theres no bigger point to a thing than the thing itself, people talk about things that are noble, have a higher purpose then themself. Well they dont realise that thats just the nature of those things , but even then those noble things and people are doing it all and exist for themselves, its only for their happiness and satisfaction that they do it, they just have a different route to salvation(if you wanna call it) than yours.
DO your shit well and you are no less great that Mahatma Gandhi.
I will tell you, if you take away art from our cultures we will actually go back to being cavemen, and also go away from the concept of 'noble' or ' thing that has a point to it.
So next time you draw and paint , maybe try looking at the painting as the gift to yourself and world.
And goddamed it you will be yourself.
I am also trying to be.