[EktoDude]

Hey...I ask this cause I'm feeling like I cant create anything. I haven't gone to an art school like most people here, I'm still in HighSchool. I think I have a creative mind, I just cant turn my visions in something that remotely resembles them...
Although, with a 3D program I can "sort of" do this. I can't get shapes right, shadows, highlights, colors(in comp), and everything in between.
Please GUIDE me...
I'm also fustrated @ the fact that I cant come up with a creative and good name for my own site...geeeeeeezzzzzz i'm hopeless!

[Danny]

As with most things in life it's a blend of multiple things if you ask me. A simple static answer to this doesn't excist. It's not 100% education, 100% talent or 100% tools.. Succes lies in having/achieving the right mixture. One that works... There is no singular recipe to succes. The variety this forum brings together is proof of that.
The right mixture of ingredients are needed to bake a tasty cake... Heh... it's late.. maybe I'm just hungry..

Danny


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Trust in Trance

[aquamire]

I strongly believe that art can be learned by anybody who happens to have two halves of a brain, and fairly good eye-hand coordination. It is not a god-given gift.

A book that seems to get mentioned a lot on this board is Drawing on the Right side of the Brain, by Betty Edwards. I highly recommend this book. It does teach a little bit about the basics, but most importantly, it teaches you to get into the right mode of thinking. Drawing seems to have an effect on people, thats almost like meditation.. I know it does for me. You know your in the right mode when time seems to vanish, and your totally absorbed in what your doing. The book very much explains how to get into that mode, and it will not only expand your creativity, but teach you how to teach yourself by observation.

Most of the raw talent on this board, as you will notice, sprang from when these artists were young.. IE:, Freds old stuff. Some would say he is gifted, and he is in a way, but he stumbled upon these techiniques at a young age, without even thinking about it. I believe it can be learned at any age.

The true secret to learning how to draw well, as well as paint well, or do anything visually, is simply patience, and observance.

I cant explain much more without writing a novel, but I would sincerely suggest you go read that book, even if it is a little old. I believe there's an update to it as well, but I forget the title.

Hope this helps



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/Aq
[email protected]

[Flexible Elf]

I've always thought that if you take an interest in it, you can excel at art.. the thing that is if you haven't started early, that's a lot of practice you're missing out on, and the older you get, the less patient you are with the beginning stages. I've heard of people learning to paint well late in their lives with little more than doodles on phone books up to that point. Patience and practice =]

Some of us have been creating since we were toddlers... and are still perfecting our craft. I know I am

-Flexible Elf

[EktoDude]

Thanks for the advice...
Well I'm 16 now...and i have been using PS since version 3

[Lukias]

The *science* of art, if you will, can be taught, though talent and creativity is natural. We'll actually I suppose you can teach people to be creative, I mean...humans can be taught anything to a certain degree. You say that what you see in your head is not what appears on paper. Some say that this is one of the hardest things. Again, I suppose if you practised visualising things it would become easier. The hardest part is to see the image and yet focus on the entire thing with detail...its real fucking hard. You'll find that when your in bed and you've had your eyes closed (longer the better) you can visualise things a whole lot easier. lately I have been able to visualise images in 3d lines, like generated figure/skeleton maps (not sure what there called) before they apply the skin, though I usually fall asleep without sketching it out.
anyway some are born with the skills and some aquire them, but natural talent is a definite advantage. I have a funny feeling that all your favorite artists are naturally talented. Some don't know they even have talent. A friend of mines grandfather picked up a paint brush at 78 and produced some of the most unbelievable portraits I've seen, he'd never done any art of any sort in his entire life.

[HumanClay]

Passion breeds art.

The talent lies in how much passion you put into your creations.

Edit: I made a typo

[This message has been edited by HumanClay (edited August 23, 2000).]

[Visigoth]

I say it's a mixture of both... Some people are born more "creative" than others. Some are born more mathematical...Some are born more muscular...I say it's a tradeoff. It's in your genes, but it's also in how you approach it, just like everything else. I mean, you can be good at math naturally because of your thought process...But you aren't going to become any more knowledgeable unless you take it upon yourself to learn. Same with art.

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Your car is a fiberglass penis extension.

[Silico]

konwing your art is like knowing your girl... cept the art you might learn to like it better, art can be fustrating(i can't find girls fustrating, just.. i find myself feeling like they aren't who they say and... read EktoDude's post on what tablet to get...)

but yeah, every one is different, you can't really copy a style to great, and you have to go your own separate direction but there are a few basic things that we all can help each other on like physics, shading, lighting type stuff and such but as for other garbage, alot of it is how you've grown up drawing and stuf. i dunno, i have no clue i'm so SO MAD. girls.... hope i can rest this pain off

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`~*Silico

"He who lives by the sword, will eventually be wiped out by some bastard with a sawn off shotgun."

[Wiked Ewok]

I'm in High School as well, but I'm not depressed that I can't draw remotely close to what Spooge or Fred or any other professional here. WHat I do is try. And I"m proud of my work. I think of it as a step to getting to the professional level, and each step makes me one step closer, to something I can become. Hey, the old saying practice makes perfect..Its true

[Fred Flick Stone]

What I have found is that we all have the ability to do-anything. What most of us lack is a thing called confidence. I can use myself as an example, my family has always been art driven, I was never discouraged to Not Draw...or that I SUCKED and my parents told me so. It was quite the opposite. My parents encouraged me as much as possible, so I have never had a confidence issue with whether or not I can do it. But, lately, I have had confidence issues with myself, because I may not be doing what I want, or I am working with other great talent, and I want what they have too...

I totally agree though that raw talent is one thing, but it needs to be trained, if it isn't the talent will always have potential to be something, but never aspire to that level of greatness it was originally destined for.

As an art instructor, I know that there is foundation, and it is important. But that is only half the picture. The other parts are the confidence, and an active imagination, creativity. This part is also innate, cannot be taught, but it can be cultivated. A very creative mind can show not so creative thinkers how to see abstractly. It is up to the individuals learning this to let go of things he or she holds dearly to in truth, religion,society, and family to really let go and start thinking openly. This is creativity. I have hang ups in life, but I never went to church, so I have no religious wars with myself. I didn't go into the military, so I have no hang ups here. I have liberal parents, so I have always experimented with life, and they encouraged me...I have had a family, disfuntional, but still there. With this thought, and being that I was artistically inclined I became a social introvert, and even cut off my own family from my head. I don't do this anymore, but I know how to. So, I have no hang ups in life that will hold me back from absolute creativity.

What will hold me back is myself. This is, whats that word...oh yeah, confidence. The word I started all this with. Cnfidence is the killer in us, or the superstar. Learn to gain confidence, it will make you a better person, and it will drive you to try new things. If you have seen one person do it, why can't you? It may not be as poetic or graceful, but there is no reason why you can't. Only you fighting yourself to try, that is all...Wicked Ewoks post applies to this paragraph here...

Whew I feel like I am writing a dang essay...I am stopping now before I lose a finger...

[spooge demon]

One thing to keep in mind is the fun part is learning. Ya know all that new age crap about process.

If you don't know much now, you have a lot to look forward to. I remember the first time I painted a head and it kinda looked like a head. I could not sit down for 2 days.

[Rinaldo]

If you have read "Drawing on the Right side of the brain" by Betty Edwards. you will know of the Left/Right brain thing. While you may not agree with the naming and scientific principals. The results and methods she uses are very interesting. Get the book to better understand what I'm talking about. I would imagine fillowing the left/righ train of thought that those whom we see as having natural talent, just have a better ability to "see" or ignore the left brain from an early age. once you to get this out of the way, the learning how do draw from imagination is a lot easier.

[Frost]

Fred: I can't beleive that someone of your knowledge/experience/talent still has confidence problems about your work. It's as if Spooge would be saying that -- it just doesn't seem right to me.

Of course, I'm not good enough to see the flaws in your work as you or someone else of your degree would, but, even (if I may consider myself that) as an artist, I think your work is nearly flawless, and I am somewhat trained in seeing these things - now image the general public for whom you generally work for? But I understand where you com from -- it's all about yourself, which level or scale of proficiency you aspire to be in and to whom you compare yourself to.

I suppose I should not be shocked at you saying this, since art/drawing/painting is a life-long learning experience. I wish you wouldn't be so hard on yourself if you ever are. We all have our periods where we stop and look at ourselves, and see how full of shit we are, and sometimes if these thoughts linger, this is where you'll end up killing some of the self-esteem... which can become a motivator in itself, if you're the positive person...

You have great talent, and you wouldn't be where you are now if you didn't -- don't forget that. I honestly wish I was as good as you, or Spooge, or even Joachim or Micke, but I'm not... maybe one day I will if I work at it... IF.

Only you know where you want to be. Personally, I can't see what more you would like to learn or do better as it all looks like stuff I could never do.

cheers,
frost.

[ceenda]

I think that the ability for craftmanship (i.e. the ability to draw realistically) is available to anyone who has the patience to learn what is involved.

However, only Constable can be Constable, Turner can be Turner, Fred can be Fred etc. etc.

I think alot of people tend to want to imitate other artists whilst repressing their own 'style' which makes them unique.

[chumps]

I notice a funny trend.

Most of you here who are obviously talented (innate or otherwise) stress that it can be learned just like anything else, which I agree with wholeheartedly. Sure, there are the Michael Jordans and Tiger Woods of the visual art world, but it doesn't mean people can't go and learn and play and enjoy basketball, golf, or art.

But talk to any average joe, and they will say you have to be 'born' with it or something. Our society has no qualms expecting people to understand rocket science, brain surgery, or how to play the works of beethoven, yet they deem VISUAL art strictly the domain of the 'gifted'.

It's rather queer, at least here in the states. I know that in my native country (korea) that basic principles of drawing are taught in public schools.

Regards.

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Stroke my ego.

[AliasMoze]

I generally believe what Fred is saying.

I have never believe in inherent talent. People like to pull that excuse out to say "I wish I had your talent" and so on. But all good artist have different backgrounds, experiences, etc. The thing they have in common is training and practice. You simply can't get good without it.

I do believe there's a difference in technical skill and creativity itself. Spooge, for example, has a stranglehold on technique. The quality of his work therefore varies in the idea and execution of the idea. When I look at his stuff, I marvel at his technical prowess, but mostly I go "how did he think to do that."

Anyway, it can all be learned. Nobody starts out good. I remember the first time I went out drawing to the zoo. I went with a group of disney-type animators. It was ugly and incredibly ego destroying. But you get better. Like Spooge said, learning is fun. There's nothing funner to me in the world than learning new things.

Learning to paint is whipping my ass, but it's still fun

[Chapel]

I'm a strong believer that everyone is an artist. Just a majority of us give up art after First Grade. Some people say things like "I'm an art buff." or "I'm really into the arts.". I think if they truly were.. they would have never gave up.

[Blind]

I just went to Barnes & Noble looking for Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain, and I found that there's a new version of it that came out last September!! It's called (of all things) The New Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain.

It supposedly has 50% new material in addition to the whole book being re-worked, and all sorts of new stuff regarding the science of drawing. I grabbed the paperback edition for about $16 USD including shipping (available within 24hrs). I can't wait to get my grubby little mitts on it >8)

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- Blind
[email protected]
Clan Shred Company

[synj]

ehehe when I sit down to create soemthing new i don't even know what I'm going to do. I feel like I've lost it. Then I start it up and i am like yayy weeee (usually). I think it can be a combination of answers. you can just have the knack for it, have half the knack for it and study a bit, or have no knack for it and study a whole ton. or, have alot of knack for it and study alot. or something. it all depends said me to you. i made a big speech so now i have to put a picture at the top ehehe.

-synj www.synj.net

[Isric]

I see it like this:

Art is like playing the Violin. Anyone can learn, but it takes that one-in-a-million master to really make it sing.

Some of the people here, are simply people rich enought to afford a pen tablet, so they draw some crap. Others, have drawn on envelopes when there was no paper, used small peices of broken lead on their own walls, just to get en idea down.

It's inside of you. Some have more, some have less, anyone can learn. But it takes a master to make it ART.

[Speve-o-matic]

I think it was Glen Vilppu (Worked at Disney for 18 years) who once said . . . "There is no magic, only hard work."

- Steve

[LethargicBoy]

I Agree with a lot of things you guys are saying here, expecially about confidence. I think having a lower level of it at an earlier age helped me turn inward and perfect my skills, people always say "geeze. why can't i draw like that!" It's all about how you use your energy. I've always had the motivation to focus on a skill or topic and cram on it, for example, when i was a little kid i used to sit in my room and read all these books about dinosaurs and make little reports, I did the same thing with my drawing. It all comes down to your determination and motivation to become the best you can be.

[Visigoth]

I think it's the interest in the art, that breeds the master. I believe we're all born with adequate motor skills to produce pieces as fine as Craig or Shane... but it takes self motivation to develop those motor skills where they properly put forth what your imagination envisions.
I agree; Any idiot can play a violin... But it takes a truly great violinist to make enjoyable music.
Same with art. Any idiot can draw a stick figure...But not every idiot can do pics off the top of his head, like Mr. Mullins.

~{V}~

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Your car is a fiberglass penis extension.