AlCo's Sketchbook

[John]

I still blame the place where i live, the people I hang out with, my workplace, because they are not helping me getting better. I don't how much this sounds stupid. You know, I always dream of hanging out with cool people, creative people that do things and make stuff. None of the people are part of my life actually have some sort of "ambitions" or creative hobbies. Please tell me a lot of this is also my fault, because I can't face the fact that improving at art is a hell of a thing to do and I'm just too weak to admit it (perhaps I'm doing it and recognizing it).

This may sound petty to a lot of people, but, coming from a minority group in a third world country, I feel so honored just to be here and get to talk to you guys! Fellow artists! Who are into the same thing I'm into! Making great stuff for the entertainment industry! Or, at the very least, just making really nice painterly stuff.

I know that feeling of wanting to be with a certain crowd. To me, this forum, this group of people fills that void. I know it sounds silly, but I will take anything I can get. I swear I'm so thankful we even got internet in our place, regardless how clunky it is. And add to that, most importantly, I am super grateful for all the people I've interacted with here. I've talked to beasts! BEASTS! And I feel like am a lucky bastard who got the receiving end of tips and advice that I will forever treasure. I think they have no reason why they should reach out and help, but they did. That's why I will always feel indebted to all of them. I'm telling you, I've never been in a forum that is teeming with talented and accommodating nice people. It's nice to know there's still nice people out there.

And your sentiments aren't stupid. And, look, there's nothing wrong about feeling intimidated. Everybody gets intimidated.

Because, this *is* intimidating. The art game is a steep mountain to climb. I might even say, it is as if scaling a cliff! But, if you think reaching the top is worth it, ('top', meaning, making designs for Marvel, starting your own studio, making your own brand, or whatever it is you think the top is), I think anything that's worth having in the end is worth starting now.

When I hit a wall, or get into a Kobayashi Maru situation, I remember this. A great man once said: "Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion."

AlCo, as your online art peer, I will try to help out. I probably won't give you art critiques, because I'm not in the position to give good ones. I just hope I could help out by getting you into a better, a more positive frame of mind.

To getting better!