Personally, I found myself on the opposite side of this problem. I tried to push myself a bit too far out of my comfort zone, and while I'm happy with the results, I ran into a whole chain of problems. My pipeline is an absolute clusterfuck right now. It's taking me more than 20 hours to finish a single piece, and I get bored and tired halfway through, and I'm just not having as much fun as I used to from the process. As a result, I draw less and less, which slows down my progress drastically. Conclusion - we need to strike a balance. Good luck on your art journey, man!
What I've learned with artist talking about art, is that art itself is a process and it's a long and boring and perfectionist thing. Getting bored is really something that we will need to get used to. One thing that could help is not engaging in high dopaminic activites before art, if you go through youtube or tiktok before starting drawing is going to melt your brain for the day. Another thing is the 50/50 rule. For every minute you spend working or studying art , you need to draw freely the same amount of time too, sit down and listen to some music while just drawing what you want, all in the same day. Why? Because you need to associate art with something pleasurable, if you only study and work you will hate this, absolutely (I've learned that one in draw a box course)
I dug into myself a little bit, reflecting on the situation. Here's what I came up with. I wrote it for myself to sort things out, but maybe it will be useful for someone else too. My main problem is how much time I spend on one piece (is real lol). I have talked to other artists and they usually spend much less time than I do. The process is not always boring for me. I get tired halfway through, not from drawing in general but specifically from current piece. I want to move on to something new but I can't just leave unfinished work behind, especially if it's good, so I struggle. The root of the problem lies in my emphasis on theory over practice and my strange mindset. For me, I divide drawing skills into 3 categories. The first category is physical skills and acquired experience. The second one is theoretical knowledge. And the third category is observation, visual library, and the ability to analyze and find mistakes. It's important to maintain balance between these. I realized that I had been lacking practice (it's hard to calculate exactly, but for 6 years of drawing, I have probably spent about 2-2.5k hours). At the same time, my skills in the "third category" are much more developed. Because of this, I can immediately see if there is a problem with my work (and there always is), but I do not have the physical ability to draw exactly what I want right away. So, I end up spending a lot of time redrawing parts until I get what I like. As for mindset, for some reason, I put pressure on myself. The background of strong pieces leads me to fear of failure. I want every new piece to be at least as good as the previous one, if not better. That's why I spend extra time on each piece trying to make it the best it can be. My obsession with improvement has messed up my mind. I plan to fix this somehow. I need to stop trying to create my best work every time. Instead, I should just let it go and not worry so much about the result. Severely limit the amount of time spent on each piece and rethink my workflow. What's more important is to enjoy the process rather than just focusing on the result!!!
@@ancient_evil The accountability you've shown on your journey is nothing short of outstanding. It fills me with inspiration to witness the snippets of your unique path you've shared while holding tightly to your love for the craft .Thank you!
I have recently realized this truth myself. I worked so many hours on one drawing and then after a few days I just don’t like it, I over did it I was disappointed. I won’t make this mistake again. Great video , thank you for reminding me 🙏🏼
Idk why i got recommended this. I made massive progress almost insane within 6 - 7 months. Comparing myself to the best and calling my work trash and doing it again and again until its comparable, funny enough i find massive inspiration in this. Even if people diss my work, It just mean i gotta do better. Utilizing the "Blind method" has actually launched my progress. Gotta work on one thing at a time. and make sure its decent by the time ur done with it. If its bad just do it until its not. And It all comes down to mindset at the end of the day. Mindset and though process comes first before anything, if something is not working, change your perspective or think about it differently. Also something i want to mention is that the people who only focus on completing artworks that take a lot of time, improve the slowest. its better to work on small stuff, sketches. render spheres/cubes for different materials. and do it until it makes sense instead of winging it on long term artworks. For example just draw a leg or a arm and render that instead of doing the whole human with clothing. Hope this can help someone.
It's kinda crazy man, I started learning to be an artist in 2019 also! August 17th for me, I wrote it down on paper to mark the day even haha. I went through nearly the exact same problems that you did too, sooo many similarities here. There were three big influences that really got me to a point now where I started seeing consistent and dramatic progress since the beginning of 2024. I won't go too in depth, but one was an Inktober challenge in 2023 that really forced me out of all of my comfort zones. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done artistically, but it really proved I was capable of so much more than I thought possible. The second was making a very simple and approachable schedule, but one I could slowly build upon as it got easier - this allowed me to progressive overload my drawing just like you would weightlifting in a gym. The gains from that alone were huge compared to when I was forcing myself to draw for hours on end daily when I wasn't ready for that kind of workload and commitment. The third was discovering a new TH-camr (just started this year) who's guidance gave me the missing framework I needed, explained in a way that made sense and gave the instruction I needed to understand the tools I've been using hap-haphazardly for so long. A few months ago when I looked back and saw how much progress I've gained in such a short amount of time compared to the previous 5 years, I actually felt a combination of elation, relief, excitement... but also shame and disappointment that it took so long to get to that point. Especially when so many others had gotten so much farther in less time yeno? Why did it take me so long to figure this out? But I had to change my mindset - those 5 years weren't wasted. Those 5 years were still a culmination of so many other facets of learning art, self learning - learning what works for 'me' and what doesn't. I needed those 5 years to get to where I am now, and I probably wouldn't be the same artist if things had been different. I think this is really what they mean by "Enjoy the journey, not the destination". Now I look back at my old sketchbooks and I smile instead of feeling disdain, it just took me 5 years to start enjoying that journey in earnest.
Woooow bro! Sharing this means a lot to me not only because of the time and thought it took you, but it also allowed me to look at things from a positive perspective "Enjoy the journey, not the destination". I am truly thankful you shared this with me. Thank you!
@@moyhdehehe9493 LinesSensei! He focuses on the anime art style, so if that isn't your preferred style it may not work as well for you as it did for me.
@moyhdehehe9493 LinesSensei on TH-cam! He focuses on the anime art style, so if that isn't your preferred style it may not work as well for you as it did for me. But I think he's still worth checking out even if it isn't.
I think the only reason my art has improved so much over these 8 months is because I forced myself to try different things. When I look back at my old work, it feels so cringe that I once thought it looked good.🤢
The fact you're able to take accountability for your skill level is honestly a great thing. Lotta artists in your position will blame external things (usually claiming they're not talented) or just convince themselves they're a lot better than they actually are. Can't blame em too much tho, it's tough to recognize your own flaws, especially when you've been at something for years. I've been drawing for over a decade myself, I've had points where I've stagnated through that time, everyone has. But every time I've buckled down and tried to solve an issue I inevitably did get better at that thing. U just gotta hold yourself to high standards and work through something even if it's not working. And everyone else I've seen they've always figured it out to IF they really tried. every single one. But... most people don't really try. Some advice from me for you (and anyone else reading this) I've seen 4 things that everyone who improves does to some extent 1. Draw a lot 2. Study other artists 3. Study fundamentals 4. Find a mentor (or some way of getting feedback. but a mentor is good because you can just ignore everyone else. People will all say different things so a mentor is great to keep you on track.) You don't necessarily need to do all of these, but the more of these u do the faster you'll see those results you want.
yeh I have a friend I've been doing art with and recently they've been making some art that kind of gave me a reality check, it was almost a feeling of like, 'wait, we're allowed to do that' where I'm realizing it's almost like I've been waiting for someone to give me the "go ahead" to go and take my art to professional level rather then the lukewarm intermediate place I've been since forever.
I've been drawing for 20 years and I still feel the same way. I've had periods where I couldn't find the energy to draw, I've always felt like I draw too slowly and take too long to finish a piece, my art style still looks nothing like the kind of art style I wish I had. In the past year or two I've been trying to do more studies which has helped, but I still feel behind compared to people who have been drawing for a much shorter time than me. The thing that really matters is that we still love the process of making art.
I've been drawing on and off as a hobby for a long time but generally kept in my little comfort zone. Now I am actually trying to push myself and been doing consistent practice since June. Gotta admit, I have never been able to draw as well as I can now (still lots of things to improve) and honestly I think we came to the same conclusion. Gotta take risks, get out of the comfy things and keep challenging yourself. At random I just decided to take on art as I take on physical exercises. Grind daily and keep progressively overloading myself, ergo doing more challenging movements / going heavier as time passes. So for art it would be difficult poses, doing gesture studies 30 sec per pose and so on. Now Im refining head and general anatomy. And I can finally draw a nice looking male or female without a reference which is a big win for me as I never drew without reference in my life. BUt I swear on my grandma, rip, coloring is driving me crazy. I suck so much at it it's not even funny at this point. But at least I know what to focus on. Technically even comfy drawing can help us improve as we get more proficient at drawing lines, so keep drawing dudes.
This video is so on time. I can relate. I do believe to have the same personality. Only that myself I'm reaally (emphasis) lazy. This because I do so well on school just with my intelligence that I do not require to do hard work or put an effort at anything. What can I say to you is that your art is okey to the point that you can start selling it. So the next thing is more of a tip for myself but "now make an excuse to do it harder and longer". My way around it is to sell things so I require to finish an art.
great video great editing If I were u I would try something new, shake things up a bit maybe go outside and try drawing architecture. everyone has these moments the only way to get out of them is try new stuff and make mistakes.
Studies really help a lot if you want to improve quicker. There really is no shame in trying to draw from reality, look up clothing articles in Temu or wherever since the models there tend to be shot expertly. And if drawing from reality is difficult then you can study how other artists draw, follow that process and try to apply that process to real photos.
Perfectionism lead me to the same mistake 🥲right now i'm doing everything to push myself out of the "somewhat decent beginner" category as well. I found myself smiling by the end of the vid because your genuine vulnerability and undying desire to improve despite a huge setback, resonated with me. Let's gooo!!
I mean... if you're broke, and you truly love art, skip a meal and buy a some cheap printer paper and a ballpoint. If you can't get access to a computer to find photo reference then draw from life. You might even improve better that way. Lots of ways to still do art if you really want to.
Personally, I found myself on the opposite side of this problem. I tried to push myself a bit too far out of my comfort zone, and while I'm happy with the results, I ran into a whole chain of problems. My pipeline is an absolute clusterfuck right now. It's taking me more than 20 hours to finish a single piece, and I get bored and tired halfway through, and I'm just not having as much fun as I used to from the process. As a result, I draw less and less, which slows down my progress drastically. Conclusion - we need to strike a balance. Good luck on your art journey, man!
This is it right here! This is why its so important to here different perspective. I appreciate you
What I've learned with artist talking about art, is that art itself is a process and it's a long and boring and perfectionist thing. Getting bored is really something that we will need to get used to. One thing that could help is not engaging in high dopaminic activites before art, if you go through youtube or tiktok before starting drawing is going to melt your brain for the day.
Another thing is the 50/50 rule. For every minute you spend working or studying art , you need to draw freely the same amount of time too, sit down and listen to some music while just drawing what you want, all in the same day. Why? Because you need to associate art with something pleasurable, if you only study and work you will hate this, absolutely (I've learned that one in draw a box course)
I dug into myself a little bit, reflecting on the situation. Here's what I came up with. I wrote it for myself to sort things out, but maybe it will be useful for someone else too.
My main problem is how much time I spend on one piece (is real lol). I have talked to other artists and they usually spend much less time than I do. The process is not always boring for me. I get tired halfway through, not from drawing in general but specifically from current piece. I want to move on to something new but I can't just leave unfinished work behind, especially if it's good, so I struggle.
The root of the problem lies in my emphasis on theory over practice and my strange mindset. For me, I divide drawing skills into 3 categories. The first category is physical skills and acquired experience. The second one is theoretical knowledge. And the third category is observation, visual library, and the ability to analyze and find mistakes. It's important to maintain balance between these. I realized that I had been lacking practice (it's hard to calculate exactly, but for 6 years of drawing, I have probably spent about 2-2.5k hours). At the same time, my skills in the "third category" are much more developed. Because of this, I can immediately see if there is a problem with my work (and there always is), but I do not have the physical ability to draw exactly what I want right away. So, I end up spending a lot of time redrawing parts until I get what I like.
As for mindset, for some reason, I put pressure on myself. The background of strong pieces leads me to fear of failure. I want every new piece to be at least as good as the previous one, if not better. That's why I spend extra time on each piece trying to make it the best it can be. My obsession with improvement has messed up my mind.
I plan to fix this somehow. I need to stop trying to create my best work every time. Instead, I should just let it go and not worry so much about the result. Severely limit the amount of time spent on each piece and rethink my workflow.
What's more important is to enjoy the process rather than just focusing on the result!!!
@@kdz9581 That 50/50 is such a sick idea. I'm sure it'll be a major help in keeping the fire burning!
@@ancient_evil The accountability you've shown on your journey is nothing short of outstanding. It fills me with inspiration to witness the snippets of your unique path you've shared while holding tightly to your love for the craft .Thank you!
I have recently realized this truth myself. I worked so many hours on one drawing and then after a few days I just don’t like it, I over did it I was disappointed. I won’t make this mistake again. Great video , thank you for reminding me 🙏🏼
Well said bro, that's what this is all about!
Idk why i got recommended this. I made massive progress almost insane within 6 - 7 months. Comparing myself to the best and calling my work trash and doing it again and again until its comparable, funny enough i find massive inspiration in this. Even if people diss my work, It just mean i gotta do better.
Utilizing the "Blind method" has actually launched my progress. Gotta work on one thing at a time. and make sure its decent by the time ur done with it. If its bad just do it until its not.
And It all comes down to mindset at the end of the day. Mindset and though process comes first before anything, if something is not working, change your perspective or think about it differently.
Also something i want to mention is that the people who only focus on completing artworks that take a lot of time, improve the slowest. its better to work on small stuff, sketches. render spheres/cubes for different materials. and do it until it makes sense instead of winging it on long term artworks. For example just draw a leg or a arm and render that instead of doing the whole human with clothing.
Hope this can help someone.
It's kinda crazy man, I started learning to be an artist in 2019 also! August 17th for me, I wrote it down on paper to mark the day even haha. I went through nearly the exact same problems that you did too, sooo many similarities here. There were three big influences that really got me to a point now where I started seeing consistent and dramatic progress since the beginning of 2024. I won't go too in depth, but one was an Inktober challenge in 2023 that really forced me out of all of my comfort zones. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done artistically, but it really proved I was capable of so much more than I thought possible. The second was making a very simple and approachable schedule, but one I could slowly build upon as it got easier - this allowed me to progressive overload my drawing just like you would weightlifting in a gym. The gains from that alone were huge compared to when I was forcing myself to draw for hours on end daily when I wasn't ready for that kind of workload and commitment. The third was discovering a new TH-camr (just started this year) who's guidance gave me the missing framework I needed, explained in a way that made sense and gave the instruction I needed to understand the tools I've been using hap-haphazardly for so long.
A few months ago when I looked back and saw how much progress I've gained in such a short amount of time compared to the previous 5 years, I actually felt a combination of elation, relief, excitement... but also shame and disappointment that it took so long to get to that point. Especially when so many others had gotten so much farther in less time yeno? Why did it take me so long to figure this out? But I had to change my mindset - those 5 years weren't wasted. Those 5 years were still a culmination of so many other facets of learning art, self learning - learning what works for 'me' and what doesn't. I needed those 5 years to get to where I am now, and I probably wouldn't be the same artist if things had been different. I think this is really what they mean by "Enjoy the journey, not the destination". Now I look back at my old sketchbooks and I smile instead of feeling disdain, it just took me 5 years to start enjoying that journey in earnest.
Woooow bro! Sharing this means a lot to me not only because of the time and thought it took you, but it also allowed me to look at things from a positive perspective "Enjoy the journey, not the destination". I am truly thankful you shared this with me. Thank you!
whos that youtuber you found
which TH-camr?
@@moyhdehehe9493 LinesSensei! He focuses on the anime art style, so if that isn't your preferred style it may not work as well for you as it did for me.
@moyhdehehe9493 LinesSensei on TH-cam! He focuses on the anime art style, so if that isn't your preferred style it may not work as well for you as it did for me. But I think he's still worth checking out even if it isn't.
I think the only reason my art has improved so much over these 8 months is because I forced myself to try different things. When I look back at my old work, it feels so cringe that I once thought it looked good.🤢
Thats really cool bro! I'll be trying my best too on and maybe I'll gain similar levels of improvement too
i personaly think art is always good even when people think it isnt but theres a difference between good and great or excellent art
I agree whole heartedly, art is peak
Same here. My old characters are so stiff and messed up like roblox characters
The fact you're able to take accountability for your skill level is honestly a great thing. Lotta artists in your position will blame external things (usually claiming they're not talented) or just convince themselves they're a lot better than they actually are.
Can't blame em too much tho, it's tough to recognize your own flaws, especially when you've been at something for years.
I've been drawing for over a decade myself, I've had points where I've stagnated through that time, everyone has. But every time I've buckled down and tried to solve an issue I inevitably did get better at that thing. U just gotta hold yourself to high standards and work through something even if it's not working. And everyone else I've seen they've always figured it out to IF they really tried. every single one.
But... most people don't really try.
Some advice from me for you (and anyone else reading this) I've seen 4 things that everyone who improves does to some extent
1. Draw a lot
2. Study other artists
3. Study fundamentals
4. Find a mentor (or some way of getting feedback. but a mentor is good because you can just ignore everyone else. People will all say different things so a mentor is great to keep you on track.)
You don't necessarily need to do all of these, but the more of these u do the faster you'll see those results you want.
yeh I have a friend I've been doing art with and recently they've been making some art that kind of gave me a reality check, it was almost a feeling of like, 'wait, we're allowed to do that' where I'm realizing it's almost like I've been waiting for someone to give me the "go ahead" to go and take my art to professional level rather then the lukewarm intermediate place I've been since forever.
Same man, I relate to this so much
I've been drawing for 20 years and I still feel the same way. I've had periods where I couldn't find the energy to draw, I've always felt like I draw too slowly and take too long to finish a piece, my art style still looks nothing like the kind of art style I wish I had. In the past year or two I've been trying to do more studies which has helped, but I still feel behind compared to people who have been drawing for a much shorter time than me. The thing that really matters is that we still love the process of making art.
"The thing that really matters is that we still love the process of making art." Truly inspiring. Thank you
really good video bro, excited to see where this journey takes you! 🔥
This just changed my mindset dude thankyou
No problem bro. All love
Being loose is the key. It’s what I heard from the pros
Alrighty then, Loosey goosey it is!!
@@sketchreviews haha! Yes
I’m feeling ALL of this and it’s only been a few months for me
I've been drawing on and off as a hobby for a long time but generally kept in my little comfort zone. Now I am actually trying to push myself and been doing consistent practice since June. Gotta admit, I have never been able to draw as well as I can now (still lots of things to improve) and honestly I think we came to the same conclusion. Gotta take risks, get out of the comfy things and keep challenging yourself.
At random I just decided to take on art as I take on physical exercises. Grind daily and keep progressively overloading myself, ergo doing more challenging movements / going heavier as time passes. So for art it would be difficult poses, doing gesture studies 30 sec per pose and so on. Now Im refining head and general anatomy. And I can finally draw a nice looking male or female without a reference which is a big win for me as I never drew without reference in my life.
BUt I swear on my grandma, rip, coloring is driving me crazy. I suck so much at it it's not even funny at this point. But at least I know what to focus on.
Technically even comfy drawing can help us improve as we get more proficient at drawing lines, so keep drawing dudes.
No waaay! I scrapped a video about coloring because I was struggling so much. I feel this to my core bro
This video is so on time.
I can relate. I do believe to have the same personality.
Only that myself I'm reaally (emphasis) lazy.
This because I do so well on school just with my intelligence that I do not require to do hard work or put an effort at anything.
What can I say to you is that your art is okey to the point that you can start selling it. So the next thing is more of a tip for myself but "now make an excuse to do it harder and longer". My way around it is to sell things so I require to finish an art.
I thought you were a famous youtuber! You're really good! ❤
Aww, thanks man
W vid fr I’m gonna lock in now 🙏
Lets gooo
real
REAL
Would would would, absoluetly would
AWOOOGA AWOWOOOOOGA
LMAOOOO!! brooo
Bro got personal against those laptops lmao
Lmao
great video great editing If I were u I would try something new, shake things up a bit maybe go outside and try drawing architecture. everyone has these moments the only way to get out of them is try new stuff and make mistakes.
Appreciate you, I'm gonna touch so much grass
Studies really help a lot if you want to improve quicker. There really is no shame in trying to draw from reality, look up clothing articles in Temu or wherever since the models there tend to be shot expertly. And if drawing from reality is difficult then you can study how other artists draw, follow that process and try to apply that process to real photos.
I really appreciate the advice bro. Thank you
Perfectionism lead me to the same mistake 🥲right now i'm doing everything to push myself out of the "somewhat decent beginner" category as well. I found myself smiling by the end of the vid because your genuine vulnerability and undying desire to improve despite a huge setback, resonated with me. Let's gooo!!
I'm not the only one battling with this?!?! Thank you so much for sharing that you relate to my struggles bro. I feel so hyped now
💯
@@sketchreviewsI have the same problem, dude! Been drawing for almost 5 years
gigachad
Real!
I mean... if you're broke, and you truly love art, skip a meal and buy a some cheap printer paper and a ballpoint. If you can't get access to a computer to find photo reference then draw from life. You might even improve better that way. Lots of ways to still do art if you really want to.
Couldnt agree more. No real excuses
Pewdiepie's latest drawing progress vid pushed you to make this vid?
No, this vid dropped few days before, but i see the correlation
You can't plan an art career. Period. Relax ... just keep doing something. Take care. 😎
Thanks bro! I appreciate you
I see...