02-24-2014, 05:51 PM
Thanks for the response man, really cool to get a look into your mindset here! I definitely agree with your thoughts on thinking, it's so easy to mindlessly copy the reference that's in front of you and wind up not learning what one could have from it. Working at it form imagination, trying to understand what does what, really internalizing the thing your focus on is certainly the way to skyrocket to improvement!
I think the place our ideas part ways in in the artist's vision and source of inspiration. I think a lot on the question "where does art come from?" and what I've arrived at for now is that nothing created by the artist is really unique, or entirely a product of their own mind and inclinations.\
I think when art resonates with the viewer, it's because the artist was able to observe something in life that made them feel something and they then managed to capture that and relay it to the viewer. We distort what we say, mold it to make it fit our particular tastes or some popular movement, but it comes down to sharing what we feel about our experiences, and about the world. I think of the artist as a lens, we need some source of information and feelings to refract, and that's why I believe it's so important to have reference. Not necessarily a photo or a book pulled up that you're looking at, but some inspiration you're drawing from that's not just your own mind. Be it life, research, or somebody else's art. I can't speak for you or anyone else, but my mind's a really dang boring place and I don't think I can trust it to make anything cool on its own.
That being said I agree with your first comment, art is subjective and this is all coming down to basic philosophy, don't expect your nor anybody else to totally agree with me. As long as we improve and make good art, that's all that really matters in the end. I almost wish I had been drawing instead of thinking about this XD
You're definitely improving, keep rocking and doing what works for you!
I think the place our ideas part ways in in the artist's vision and source of inspiration. I think a lot on the question "where does art come from?" and what I've arrived at for now is that nothing created by the artist is really unique, or entirely a product of their own mind and inclinations.\
I think when art resonates with the viewer, it's because the artist was able to observe something in life that made them feel something and they then managed to capture that and relay it to the viewer. We distort what we say, mold it to make it fit our particular tastes or some popular movement, but it comes down to sharing what we feel about our experiences, and about the world. I think of the artist as a lens, we need some source of information and feelings to refract, and that's why I believe it's so important to have reference. Not necessarily a photo or a book pulled up that you're looking at, but some inspiration you're drawing from that's not just your own mind. Be it life, research, or somebody else's art. I can't speak for you or anyone else, but my mind's a really dang boring place and I don't think I can trust it to make anything cool on its own.
That being said I agree with your first comment, art is subjective and this is all coming down to basic philosophy, don't expect your nor anybody else to totally agree with me. As long as we improve and make good art, that's all that really matters in the end. I almost wish I had been drawing instead of thinking about this XD
You're definitely improving, keep rocking and doing what works for you!