This one was actually after a series of thumbnails, -I'm not a master at composition and was unsure of my current skill or ability in making it into a portfolio piece. I appreciate the advice and long answer. I hope you understand that It's all i can do some days.
With the life I have and recovering from illness I am not always in the mood to share in depth commentary, despite knowing I should. I am trying to grow, my sketchbook is filled with crappy drawings that I don't even share here, and I'm struggling to be a better artist each day I've had to relearn things that used to be easy for me, and find other ways around others. All I can do is what I can on my own, since I can't rely on anybody else. My focus some days is just surviving. I wish I could treat art like many of you others do, I wish I could see life (and even art) without equal parts suffering, and knew that choosing the right direction was actually right for me. I wish my hands didn't fight me to make things I know I can make in my head. I wish I can be more than what I am, a respected artist. I wish I knew this, and my life til now would be all worth it in the end..
I'm just a former foster kid.with a.dream, but I try not to say things I don't know if I'm capable of anymore and not let myself down or others, I just want to be the best I can be, despite not having the talent or resources (or even quality materials) or people surrounding that could help me grow. Sometimes all it takes though is one person, to make a difference, thank you. My life isn't over yet, nor am I giving up.
Right now my computer is actually too slow for the kind of paintings I'd like to do in photoshop and everything takes 3x as long, which is a bit of a bummer, and was partly why I started doing pixel art instead.
You know getting a finish result is nice but problem solving is most of the battle those juicy portfolio piece come with alot of time and investment to back it up. Art is not easy without following the road build by were senior. If you have only yourself then you have to use that hunger to better yourself by staying curious and being ready to ask alot of question and sometime getting stuck with some of them..
If you wrap yourself in a pity party you gonna choke yourself.
The thing is people probably feel sorry for if you been a foster kid and it been something you been pretty familiar with for most of your life.But you cant let that be what feed you otherwise you will be a beggar. There a great chance you did not have stability on your side and that i cant hold it against you will build that over time with a good deal of sacrifice.
We are human we move on we struggle but above all we have to learn to get over the wall we build for were selves even if life as dealt us bad hand we don't let it define us. We don't let what behind us drag us into the abyss. We don't grow cold or bitter or engage in self defeat we grow wiser. You might not be able to fully accept those cold word yet but sometime those cold word ignite the fire that keep us moving otherwise no momentum is created and we sink into a rot.
Here my little guide because you cant keep going like that you need a change of mindset. You need a cold head not to be drag into your own e-motion otherwise they move you and you lose control .Even if they remind us of how much alive we are we cultivate an emotional intelligence so we can shed away the thought pattern that hold us back.
Here a small thread i made when i was finding the fire in me... when i was shifting my thinking... toward success and abundance https://crimsondaggers.com/forum/thread-6483.html
You will not give up . You will learn from failure you will learn from hardship. Growth is not an harmless journey it embracing necessary suffering will refraining form holding unto the unnecessary suffering of were trauma. Learning to forgive yourselves and other to move forward.
Glad to hear you're doing better! The latest update looks great. Like darktiste mentioned the silhouettes could be improved. Aside from that it's very well drawn, and the lighting is just fantastic, very dynamic and lively! Hope to see you develop it further, and I wish you a full recovery as well :)
Good job on keeping at it - just keep the gears moving, no matter how slow.
You don't have to ignore comfort peace and health, let alone forgive years of trauma just to keep up appearance. Pneumonia is horrible and it takes its toll for <i>months</i> - it did me.
There is no reckoning for not keeping up with 'respectable artists'. Just come to the party.
Sorry it's been so long, but expect a whole lot this year. I think in some ways I was never fully all in, until recently. Please look forward to it and give me whatever critiques and guidance you can. Truly thankful for this place. I may not always be in the best place health wise, but haven't let that stop me. It's truly time to change my life.
No art to post right now, well I have made a bunch but many if it has been exercises that aren't really as good for showing I guess, that and it's the middle of the night here. I may not have that much money, but I'm very glad I'm still an artist. I'm not sure I'd have made it this far or through all my struggles in life without it. There's so much beauty out there, and I have let myself be trapped by what I thought was the extent of my life, a small cage in a way, when the world and everything in it is still out there. I want to be a part of something cool or amazing one day, even if I'm just one small cog in the machine.
Good to see you back at it. Art is a choose remember that. Seek beauty, create but also live life is sometime how you bring new strength and story to your work.
Study and a cyclops. Honestly both are still pretty meh in general but thought I'd at least try something different. Gotta keep my passion alive sometimes by actually working on things i like to make. Wish it was easier to just work on my art everyday but life isn't always that easy. Glad I'm making time for it again though, there's a pinnacle I'd like to reach one day in this lifetime hopefully and maybe you'll be along for the journey, currently though I'm very rusty at most of the things I used to be decent at and I need to better target and improve my weaknesses. Thanks for stopping by my sketchbook
I injured my shoulder and back drawing and have been bed-ridden, much of it is my fault though because I'm extremely tall and had a terrible set-up, and stopped getting up to take breaks, go for walks or basically anything but coffee. I was just a man possessed I guess.
All I want is to be back on track and back to normal. And maybe this time find a real mentor and support. Thanks so much for everything, for viewing my sketchbook, and all the advice given here. I'm never going to give up. Outside of all this stuff I've been struggling with health issues and chronic pain everyday. But I've taken steps to improve my health and see doctors and chiropractors. It's all given me a long time to think about things and how I'm going to do better in every aspect of life.
Outside of everything here I was applying for hundreds of just normal jobs and doing freelance work (mostly unrelated to the type of art I share here). This time around I'm not going to half ass anything again and make a real portfolio and become the man I need to be.
Thanks for stopping by, and I'll post again with real work soon. It's been difficult lately, but it's given me a sense of clarity I've never had before.
Also for the first time I'll actually have a tablet with a screen and a more ergonomic setup. I was using the bare minimum tools all this time that made it uncomfortable and unenjoyable for me. I can't wait to be back on my feet, I'm going to work hard to make sure this never happens again
Hey man, sorry to hear that! I honestly relate, I used to sit on the floor with a tablet and work and it might seem silly but it can mess up your back. Unlike regular seated activities you're more tense and immobile and your hand and arm is in an unnatural position, too. I think standing while working is better for me, but it's not always possible.
Going through those periods where you're off track and feeling bad is really common. Don't be too hard on yourself. I'm sure you'll turn it around and things will be looking up soon.
I’ve definitely come to appreciate the safer, more sustainable ways of making art. Get up, take breaks, use the doorframe to stretch. The little things help.
I used to find it funny how so many art chats would somehow turn into gym talk and gains, but I get it now. When most of your day is spent head down in a book, sitting at a desk or staring at a computer, it makes sense to put some time into looking after your body, too.
It was easy to ignore in my 20s, but you start appreciating your body a bit more as you get older, and learning to respect its limits.
Maybe we got dealt a similar hand in the life lottery. I get how frustrating it is to go into a new year with all these ideas and plans, only for something to come along and throw everything off course.
If you need someone to body-double with or just talk things through, there are people here who’d be happy to do that.
You don’t have to figure everything out on your own.
