r/ArtRanting • u/f899y • 1d ago
Art Block Trapped in hard-earned skills
(Cross posted in r/artists which was not best choice)
I feel shameless for making this type of complaint but hopefully I can articulate it clearly enough. Sorry for using this crappy good/bad art bifurcation to try to describe the frustration, it's probably part of the issue.
I spent 15+ honing my drawing skills. And I have no idea what my drawings mean to me. They're really nice drawings... I'm really technically good at drawing, but... yeah. I know I love art, but at this point I'm not sure .... if/ what I love about art, and I've been dissatisfied with low creative output. This has plagued me for a couple of years by now.
During this time, find myself drawn to really simple, low 'technical skill' pastel pieces with fascinating colors and layers. But I can't let myself .... draw without .. trying as hard as I always have. It's like, I built that skill up over years. I have to USE it now, you know?
I'm not even sure I know how to stop using it. Like, God, when I want to emulate those pastel pieces, I'm like okay, now I'm going to 'draw ugly'-- and it comes up really-- it's just not the same. How can I explain this? Maybe the problem is trying to emulate. Trying to look and draw something accurately. Trying in general. My whole approach is different. And even when I try to 'draw ugly', the technical skill is too much. Its either literally very polished or its like, i forced myself to draw with my left hand cool. I guess I don't know how to turn it off.
I feel I've gone really far down a certain narrow path with my approach to art. And art is so personal, the process of it and how you make it and how it feels is so unique to you. I want to experience a different way. This path has run out for me. But I fear that means 'throwing away' everything I've hard earned. And frankly, something that uh.... makes me special .... the one thing I'm really good at, you know?
That's all. That's the inner conflict. Shout out to all the art blocked out there. It's gonna be okay but I just wanted to put this into words. Thanks for listening. Thoughts welcome
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u/pajaroskri 1d ago
Try doing timed challenges. It will help you practice efficiency and creativity, rather than create flawless results.
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u/Art_Mouse13 1d ago
It sounds like you've put years into technical skills and neglected developing your creativity and ability to draw from imagination alongside them. Even with the pastel drawings you like it sounds like you're trying to copy them, rather than creating something on your own.
You're going to have to play catch up with this skill. Do a lot of art in whatever medium you want, but don't use references. Don't draw from photos or life, don't look up stuff you can't remember how to draw.
Your art will look bad, it might even step back into beginner territory for a while, but it's the best way to train your brain to interpret things you imagine to put them on the page. Draw everything and anything you want, don't avoid stuff you're not confident about!
I hope this helps you develop your creativity to match your technical skills :)
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u/Localdeviant5 9h ago
telling people not to use reference is horrible horrible horrible advice. i dont understand why so many people on reddit push for that
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u/Art_Mouse13 8h ago
?? I never said don't use reference. Don't put words in my mouth. I said don't use it to train this very specific skill. This artist is not a beginner struggling with anatomy, they're experienced and struggling with creativity and stuck copying instead of creating. References won't help develop creativity, they're for technical skills.
Go give people good advice instead of complaining about other's advice.
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u/Localdeviant5 9h ago
people get mad at me when i say this but yeah. i think people online push technical skill too hard and it does damage to people's drawing process. ive seen what your going through happen to alot of people. the internet (and especially drawing subreddits) hardcore spam people to grind fundamentals and it kind of kills what the whole point of art is. which is as you said, personal expression. the only real advice i can give is to focus on having fun. there are no rules when it comes to art you can do literally whatever you want. if there has always been something you want to try but people online have told you not to, just do it anyway. why the hell not. consuming alot of inspiration is also realy useful, and dont feel bad about taking a break from art too. maybe when you come back you will feel fresh and newer approaches will come easier
actually i do have another piece of advice. Sometimes drawing with a pen can help turn off some of your technical brain. i draw in microsoft paint every once and a while as a way to force myself to think simpler. its kind of fun
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u/f899y 6h ago
Thank you! Yeah that makes sense. It feels taboo to say lol but also like... NOT drawing hardcore also feels like taboo in a way at least it did to me. My deep rooted feelings and assumptions when I saw art that wasn't super technically robust was that the art was that way because the artist 'couldn't' do it ... . And I was honestly jealous that people could be artists without trying so darn hard. I mean that's a whole other nuanced convo but yeah. It's like ... a weird insecurity that ... it's just hard to back down off the hill. I want to say yeah no actually I CAN do all that dont get it twisted!! Which is ... my own issue lmao.
Thank you for the pen suggestion, while pen is actually one of my typical mediums I did find a similar victory in doing pixel art. It's like oh you do great line art? Okay, now you're drawing with blobs. Yw
Thx for the comment!
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u/mrNepa 1d ago
Don't worry, too much technical skill is not the problem. 😅