Mediocre artist here. Spent years in an art course that barely helped me in my studies. Graduated with so-so skills. I'm miserable as fuck as I just turned 26 while great people younger than me are improving and getting to places. I regret spending 2-4 years of my life being miserable and I know that continuing this wouldn't be beneficial to me. I have no one else to blame but myself and I want to get over this...
How should I start again? Is it too hopeless? Too late? I know it's not my blog guys, just wanted to hear some sound advice I guess.
>>2389908
quit art. shit career in every imaginable way.
>>2389908
Kill yourself. No, really, do it, I will do so aswell, there is no place for us in this world.
>>2389944
I'm in.
What the fuck do you want to hear if you're not going to post your art?
You're going to get a bunch of vague hate comments and a few vague encouragements, and none of it is at all informed and won't help you in the slightest.
If you want informed opinions (or as informed as this board can manage) post examples of your work, or fuck off and stop blogging.
A few questions:
What do you want to do with your art?
It's important to know where you want to "get to" before you start beating your head against obstacles real or imagined. There are all sorts of markets out there for art,and lots of them don't require the Embracing-Fundamentals-Ultra-Realism that I see the sycophants in here espousing constantly. Getting Better is illusory : what you "need" to do is develope a distinctive style for yourself. If you can't draw Realistically,then explore Simplification and try making your pictures verge on abstraction but recognizable. Look at your average greeting card,look at the caricaturist art in Time and Newsweek. No fundamentals THERE,but artists making livings at what they do.
>>2389970
Something I did last year for a friend that wasn't finished. I couldn't finish it. I got stuck because I couldn't polish it. I feel severely insecure with my basics because I haven't had a proper classical learning. I went in an animation course and figured that there's something wrong with me. My mates were doing well both in animation and studies but somehow I'm just not making the cut. That and family deaths that happened almost annually got me severely depressed.
>>2389980
I want to draw well, classically, not realism or anything. I just want to be able to convey a point and apply it to illustation, comic, concept art design. I know I'm being vague, but I do know what I know I'm not into, generic cartoon art. I'm not trying to trash cartoons in general, I love good design, just not, Johnny Test-esque ones.
>>2390008
>classically, not realism or anything
I dunno what you exactly mean.
op, I've been on ic a few times and I gotta tell you you're already better than beginners. insecurities and depression are tough battles and I can't help you. just know that whatever you think you're missing, you have some experience and skill.
it's a great and humble (not insecure) thing to want to learn basics again. have you tried drawabox.com? try it out. it's well structured and pretty neat. i've drawn casually for a long time and only last year i started taking classes with classically trained. before that, i wasn't confident, nor was i good as you are. now, from learning IRL and drawabox and following /ic/ sticky stuff, i'm much more comfortable and confident in what i do.
op, I started teaching beginning drawing this week. in one of my classes kids are 3rd - 5th graders who are terrified to even speak up. in my other class, i have old ladies who have white hair who are afraid to even draw.
you're not late, you're not behind, and no one is ahead of you. you have the time and determination to start again. i'm truly sorry that your'e having a rough time. i wish you were in my area (KY) so we could go get coffee or something and talk it out and reassure you that everything's going to pick back up.
best of luck, man.
>>2390116
oops,
>classically trained artists/instructors**
there goes my suave exit
>>2390116
Can you post your art though?
>>2390120
I don't have a lot of recent drawings around but i've got some paintings
>>2390127
How long do you draw?
>>2390131
i've been taking formal art classes since last year. i've been copying manga comics all that for a long time before then.
honestly still terrified to make original work without references. i've gotten a lot confident in my lines over last year though.
last year
>>2390139
last year october? november?
>>2390139
Cool, good luck then.
>>2390149
thanks man, you too
>>2390144
Chill out you sound like a desperate fool. Get arregular job study art on your free time. Honestly your like one hardcore year away from being decent but you gotta slap yourself and get your shit together. Nothing matters anon so let go and start being happy
>>2390152
???
how do i sound desperate
>>2390154
end yourself or i will do this for you
>>2390156
no thanks
>>2389908
Try torrenting Zen Pencils or visit the site Zen Pencils
>>2390116
Classic kinda pertains to study of figure based on greek/roman/renaissance art I think, realism is more of stark realistic studies that points towards hyper realism. I'm not cut out for pure OCD mimicking, I'd rather delve into the form itself.
I haven't yet actually. Drawabox eh. Thanks for the heads up.
Shame, it would be fun to hangout with artists irl too. I don't really know too many people who'd like to do an artjam of sort.
Thanks for the sincere advice. I guess I'll just have to try and focus on what I want to do. You too man, gl on the classes as well.
>>2390191
>tfw I don't know if this is a legit tip or a sarcastic trap.
>>2390201
interested in grad school? ateliers? life drawing sessions in your area?
check out Drawing Lessons from the Masters by Robert Beverly Hale. It's not really recognized in /ic/ but it's a great book if you want to get into the classics. my da Vinci head study is from that book.
go to meetup.com and see if there are any artist gatherings at all. find life sessions or a group class at Michael's/craft stores and just go. anything remotely artistic, just go. finding and talking to artists IRL helped me build confidence and find even more opportunities.
you got it.
>>2390240
>That writing style
Dude, did you work in advertising or something? You seriously sound like an infomercial/commercial of sorts.
But hey, thanks for the suggestions. Really hoping that this isn't a shill.
>>2390243
ahaha
that's new to me
i like it when people give me specific advice rather than e.g. "go read a book." sorry if i turned you off.
i can't vouch for Michael's (i don't go there, i just know that their stores offer classes) but everything else was from my experience
>>2390245
Thanks for all the specific help, haha. I appreciate it.
>>2390201
whether you want to take the ZenPencils advice or not is entirely up to you
>>2390008
I'm actually kinda' sad you didn't finish that piece, OP. I think it looks really cool. If it were more polished, as you say, it'd look better as my new Twitch icon, cuz' I generally actually like your art. (blog/deviantart/LastArtistStanding?)
Also, that looks flat out fantastic anyway. Also, if you really love art, then don't stop. I confess that I don't know what it's like in your position, but I am familiar with the concern of being behind, and it sucks.
Here's the thing: screw everyone else (in their progress, not so much in what you can learn from them). Young, old, smart, dumb, talented, poor, their ability being better than yours doesn't matter. Only your skills matter. Learn from others, but don't be down on yourself just because they're better. There will always be better people than you, but that's why you keep at it. To get gud. And have fun along the way.
I'm sorry for your loss, and I know I'm rambling, but I really do hope you find success. You seem like too skilled a guy to just give up.
>>2390116
The world needs more people like you.
>>2390243
It was only missing "Other art teachers HATE him! Learn this one weird drawing trick..."
>>2390240
>>2390243
For the love of god, don't go to grad school. If you want to take yourself further, look for workshop-based learning. Ateliers, illustration master class, illustration academy, etc. If you posted more finished work, I could offer you more direct advice. A character on a black page is no illustration though. You need to get your composition and storytelling chops up to par. Assuming you're in the US, go to illustration conventions and get your portfolio looked at by as MANY people as possible. Everyone there was in your shoes at some point, and most are pretty open to giving advice.
You're a lot better than you think you are, but applying it well is a whole other story.
>>2389908
Doesn't matter how old or shitty you are. Just draw or go suck some big black cock. It's not that hard.
>>2391918
Yeah, I was looking into several ateliers instead. Currently looking at LAAFA because they seem to have a good trad thing going on. I'm not from US but I know I'd have to go there anyway, maybe it's foolish and selfish for me to want to study again but I'd feel more at ease with myself if I do this, I think.
And yes, I agree. I need to improve on my story telling/ compositional skills. I guess I'd start lurking around /ic/ again. This has been a great motivator for me. Thank you for the solid advice.
>>2391929
No big black cock around here so it's just art or me I guess.
>>2392646
/ic/ can be helpful, but if you go somewhere where you can get your work in front of professionals with tons of experience, you'll improve infinitely faster. So definitely do yourself a favor and hit up LAAFA or something. See if you can find people on social media who've gone and ask them about it/other ateliers/etc. The best part about going to any kind of workshop is the networking opportunities are massive both with the instructors and the up-and-comers you're in there with.
Definitely not foolish to continue your education -- being an artist is all about a continuous education anyway.
I will say, though: Be careful with ateliers. They're much more focused about drawing/painting "correct" which is fine, but it's very, -very- traditional. The modern illustration climate is incredibly diverse and a small amount of illustrators bother drawing classically. Composition, shape, silhouette, etc should all be some of your main vehicles for where you're looking to improve, not just drawing. You'll be able to draw and paint the pants off a lot of people if you go to an atelier and work hard, but I'm just saying that doesn't automatically translate into good illustration, is all. I know a few people who've gone to ateliers and have found it quite difficult to break away from the habits they picked up there. Not saying ateliers are bad by any stretch! Again, just be careful/self-aware if/when you go.
Good luck!
>>2389908
Van Gogh started at 27 so you got a year on him. Perhaps it would be beneficial for you to continue being self degrading in order to hit rock bottom. Then, when you are rock bottom, you exist in a state that is sans ego. Perhaps you will find inspiration in this process. Many great artists have and do.
Use your misery to fuel the fire of your shitty artwork. And then at the end of the day - either kill yourself or call it a masterpiece.
Also, don't linger in guilt about shit. Guilt is a infantile "emotion." A pleasure we transfer in place of our mother's cunt. Fuck that, OP. Do what you see and don't let anyone tell you it is wrong. Locate your strengths.
Control your life like rhetoric in a sentence. Know what the fuck you are saying and how you are saying it.
I hope you wanted to hear actual fucking advice and not a bunch of anons telling you not to give up. Because despite my advice, I dont think you have it,OP.
>>2393031
Nah man, if I wanted a hugbox to pat me in the back I'd go to tumblr. I'm glad that I went here instead. I actually am going back to basics so I don't mind re-learning things. Whether I have it or not doesn't really matter, it's pure hedonism for me from now on and making good art is my source of pleasure, so, here's to my future shit and to us.
>>2392937
Man, in my country ateliers are almost non-existent and the people who are into trads are arrogant assholes who want people to jerk them off instead of actually trying to learn and share the craft. Hence this. Either this or that russian place, but I can't into russian so it's LAAFA for me.
The fundamentals are so damn important, there are several ways to just hammer in anatomy, even online, but there's something about actually doing it irl that ingrains the thing in you. I think it's worth going to an atelier for this reason. I don't mind being "corrected". I don't mind biting my tongue if that means I could level up my game. Thanks for the heads up about ateliers and you too, I hope we all improve further on our works!
>>2393205
> I actually am going back to basics so I don't mind re-learning things
>The fundamentals are so damn important
> I don't mind being "corrected". I don't mind biting my tongue if that means I could level up my game.
wish every newcomer was like you
>>2390116
Not OP, but 859 reporting in. Wanna hang?
>>2391887
You know what man, fuck it. I'll try to finish that piece. I owe it to my friend and to you guys. Thanks for the idea, I just made a DA and I might join the Last Artist Standing. Just finishing a couple more of left over commissions and then I'm gonna dive right in. Thanks man. I hope you find success too. We're gonna make it.
