Holy f*! I was listening to you saying that over and over "you are not inside your visual field" and I was not getting what you meant. Then I payed attention to what I was seeing and realized that that image is a generation of my brain and I can't really see where my body is right now. it's unknowable to me. I have a cold feeling through my spine and stomach now. Thanks, Steven, I hate it. But I love it.
idk maybe I'm out of my mind here, but I would love to see you and Dr. K from healthy gamer have a talk about anything really spirituality, meditation, perception, identity, art, personal life even... no matter the topic it would be gold and I have a feeling that you two would enjoy the conversation
Keep as one channel. This channel has helped me have a healthy relationship with my art. I enjoy the monologues as I do my daily sketches. Finally just bought the course. Cant wait to get started on my next day off.
I think this is important to keep these analytic videos about Art on this channel rather than separate it from the more literal practice of Art. These videos are informative, inspiring, help us pay attention to our own observation abilities and also make great material to listen to while drawing.
Please don't stop talking about it. The more I study art, the more it feels like studying philosophy, like how learning logic and rhetoric makes you see more of the arguments and speeches. Also, I kept thinking about this quote by Betty Edwards: “One of the most encouraging new discoveries that the human brain has made about itself is that it can physically change itself by changing its accustomed ways of thinking, by deliberately exposing itself to new ideas and routines, and by learning new skills.”
Oh dude this is fucking fantastic. Exactly the kind of thing i need related to the art practice. You consistently release the kinds of videos I think artists need; not tutorials but speaking to the heart of this practice as a lifestyle. Thank you!
Hi Steven. I came to find your channel in the middle of the pandemic back in 2019 (I think). It was a rough moment in life for all of us, and I was struggling a lot with art and myself. At the time I had entered a Discord group that had the goal to study art together and push eachother on the right direction, but now I see that group, although provided a lot of free resources for studying the fundamentals and the technical part of art, had a very harmful and demeaning mentality, that set me back in my journey for quite a while, to the point that when I realized I needed to leave the group it felt as painful as a toxic relationship, as if I was 'betraying my collegues'. I remember the fisrt time I listened to one of your videos, I was practicing a still life in pencil in my room. I don't recall which video was it, because I have listened to all of them by now, but the way you used sarcasm and a satired mockery to made me reflect on how ridiculous the anxiety about what the piece was supposed to be, and how that leads us to spend more time worrying and wondering instead of practicing as if that would fix anything was admirable. It just felt so right, so peaceful. Just do the picture. 'What does the picture needs?' it was so humble, and It aligned me to what I felt I was capable of. I was so excited for that insight, and I remember bringing that video up to my discord group and explaining that new philosophy that felt so right for me, but they warned me that, that was a dangerous thought because it could bring you to lack productivity and neglect on your studies. But I was so done with studies, Done with endless exercises and never having one full piece to show. not one image, not one story to tell. I left the group, kept listening to your videos and in between I started painting with oils, which just clarified more the connection with the process, that is so important and I think it is the very reason why we all do this. The philosophical part of art wasn't just important for me, it saved me. I need to understand it, and the more I do, the more I want it. To questin not only why I wanted a job as an artist, but why I wanted to make art at all is what made me realize that not enjoying the process is the best way to commit artistic suicide. And all of that came in between those moments where I was listening to your wonders about art or when I was wondering on my own. I honestly feel the need of a group that would enjoy these kind of debates, most times I feel like I'm wondering alone. I have a friend who also like art and philosophy but he doesn't draw, so most experiences I describe are one sided. Your Videos are very welcome, and much needed in the current art community situation. with AI and all these layoffs and unstable careers, I think it will be natural for every artist to question the very nature of their practice, and maybe that philosophical part of the practice becomes more common within the community. I don't think it's a good Idea to separate your channel though, first of all, because as YT policies have changed, and the 'philosophical art nerd community" is even smaller than the regular "art community", it will be absurdly difficult to have your videos reach a higher public, second because I believe this channel is not only a reflection of your work but of yourself as an individual, and these ideas are coming from you as much as your drawings. People who are not interested in this kind of contend may just not watch it. Not clicking is always an option. Maybe you could just give a name for this kind of content so that people know what to expect from it. But keep it together, someone who is not mature enough to develop an interest in these videos may grow interested in about two or three years, if that happens, it will be easier to find them having all your content in one place. Thankyou for all the work you've been giving back to the community.
Steven… you are the art guru. You will state the obvious a thousand times… a thousand different ways. To dispel the darkness, so that we may create, create, create. 🙏
I think this kind of conversations belong to this channel because this is who you are, part of your practice, and as you say, the kind of thoughts people experience when they spend a lot of time working on their art. I also think that it is valuable for the future generations of artists to experience these kind of thoughts instead of just trying to master rendering. I have been watching your streams mainly for the snippets when you are talking about these kind of topics because they make me feel seen and connected. Sadly, I don't have people around me that I can talk about this kind of topics and how years of art practice changed who I am, what I aim for, and how I look at the world. I think your well thought videos might even help people who are in love and lives with an artist. And we all need that. My wife recently read the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, and I think by doing so she understood me better. Thanks for keeping me company.
There was always a spiritual, philosophical and metaphysical aura that came along with art especially needing to learn about anatomy and physics and how the human perceives life. Makes sense since we’re trying to recreate life and things we interpret in life. Ever since your first few videos I was ecstatic that someone could grab these idea and explain them instead of me just having them floating around in the back of my head. This perspective of art feels like a renaissance in art thinking while we just had a "medieval times of art{social media} " non stop consumptions and needing to pump out art as fast as we can and only thinking about what we can get out of art. Instead of the meaning of creating art. Thanks you for being an art shaman. The modern master with disciples wanting to learn the hidden secrets. Please make more of these videos. There are few people I trust to mend my brain with this perspective of life and philosophy of art.
I wish that every single artist could hear this message. The amount of agonizing over "mistakes" for young artists these days comparing themselves to everyone online is not healthy. These types of videos remind me to take a step back and observe the mind, rather than taking my thoughts as reality.
27:03 an absolute classic. It's hard to see what you're not aware of :) I'm getting a lot of joy listening to this! Thank you for making the video, Steven.
So long as there’s a clear separation on the channel between the more contemplative videos and videos that focus on a specific skill/technique/process etc, I think I’d personally prefer if you kept it all on one channel. Separate playlists would be the ideal! That way us viewers know where to find the type of content we’re looking for and can easily access it, without having to go to another channel. And there will be no confusion to newcomers as to who you are and where your content can be found. People are more apt to seek out content from a source, rather than allow the algorithm and subscriptions to feed it to them, if they know the source is well-organized & readily accessible. I’m on the outside looking in though, so do what fits with your life, brand and relationship with are! Your wisdom is invaluable. Your awareness is powerful. I’ll be watching regardless, for years to come 🙏🏻
I think posting this here make total sense as you already been sharing your drawings and philosophy talks on this channel in many videos for a while, I think its brave and vulnerable yet inspiring and im not surprised that you wanna help people and give perspective through sharing your thoughts, which isn’t really different, at least for me, from sharing your art with us. It might even help the viewer navigating through similar feelings or things meanwhile you get to share your thoughts to us. I find it therapeutic and imo it’s important to have spaces for such conversations, as it is about us, humans, who lives in this current era weird S era especially in platforms like these who pushes things without much attention nor effort but mainly for money value and with these type of videos you essentially documenting your feelings just like a journal and people who stumble upon this might find it helpful and can learn, disagree or agree and this mutual engagement can be more helpful in more ways than we think. I appreciate this post.
So, so interesting. I remember when I moved beyond the 3-point perspective model. It felt so novel, like a lot of the reflections and experiences you spoke about, regarding perception and stuff. It changed the way I thought about perspective, and how i saw the world. Thank you for this video. It was not only reassuring, but gently challenging and thought provoking.
I’ve been learning art over the last 3 years and documenting/sharing what I learn online. And I would say I’ve been experiencing and having these EXACT insights that you’ve discussed in this video. My background is in Computer Science so my brain was already wired in a process/systematic thinking way. But that underlying mental,intuitive and mystical experience I’ve gotten from this journey so far has been soooo fascinating and I thought the topics I talk about is something that never really gets talked about on art TH-cam because it’s not the typical fundamentals speak, once you unpack those deeper layers a new world of perception unfolds. One phenomenon I’ve been trying to wrap my head around is I get this Deja vu everytime I do a drawing and wonder if this is something you experience also! It’s so amazing and I’m glad I started this journey. Also your experience on design I relate too as well, looking into the design of nature lead me to sacred geometry and the experience I got just staring into those patterns and recreating them I’ve gotten the insight of how to make fairly unique pieces that also fit in with the “whole” and how the whole is the the piece all at the same time… sheeeshhhh it’s hard to put into words it’s a if you know, you know type thing
Hey Steven, I'm schizotypal and used to be blessed/cursed with magical thinking. Sensory, perception and metaphysical sensations are totally okay to be embraced. Tangenticall thought and ideating is one of our most beautiful tools as artists. When we draw, when we make, we form a language we refine that language like a novel, sometimes we indulge in it like slang. Science is what gives truth to the power of these insights, I think everything about perception is fascinating and important to talk about in bio physiology and art. You laid a good ground work, you made sense. You understood how this insight could be perceived. It was fascinating. And when ya know you know. We are perceptual, emotional blenders. And when you sit with yourself what's revealed is terrifying and beautiful.
“You are not inside your visual field.” This statement aligns very well with neuroscience, as well as with the teachings in Buddhism and the practice of meditation. This idea also applies to other sensations, emotions, and even thoughts themselves. "You are not your thoughts." I would also say that this transcendent widening of perspective isn’t accomplished by accumulated knowledge, like learning anatomy (though it helps). In my opinion, knowledge does not equal awareness. The concept of “having no head,” as described by Douglas Harding, is the best example for illustrating what you are describing here. It was a total game-changer for me in perceiving myself, my consciousness, and the world. I like your particular angle and really appreciate opening up this kind of conversation. Keep it up!
20:54 😮 I do omit things in a sketch that I dont understand.. everyone else that sees my art like the simplicity and yet detailed sketches i do... But i know Ive omitted things and focused on others and my mind is leaving things out.
I cant quite wrap my head around the person who is actually interested in your channel and isnt here for this sort of thing. Really whatever youre more comfortable with.
This feels to me like it very much belongs on this channel. In my estimation, what distinguishes your channel from other art education channels is that your pedagogy foregrounds praxis - the interweaving of practice and philosophy/theory. Will hope to see more content like this.
Whenever you decide to continue posting these here or elsewhere, please do share them. I personally think this is part of art, even if it can be part of other things also.
I clicked just to test the waters and 30mins later I’m struggling to leave the video lol. It’s so deep! Keep it all on the same TH-cam page. Fascinating talk!
Steven I'm salivating over the idea of hearing more about your perspective on this....... I'm pretty far out too I suppose because I also view how someone thinks and feels as very intertwined with their art 😂 I've been going through this idea of art vs the self already so I love it
Steven, your drawing meditation videos were how I first came to know your channel and it pulled me in, so I welcome your revisitation of such content. I will always support your personal decisions as to where you choose to take your channel’s content and I appreciate your authenticity. I applaud you and will more than likely, always subscribe to your channel and work. Cheers
I feel this is definitely related to art, and a really great talk, also liked the more casual setting. personally would like to have it all on one channel
Hi, Stephen. Thought I’d crawl out of the Lurker Den and share an opinion. Personally speaking, anytime my favorite creators have split their content among multiple channels, I’ve almost always lost track of not only their side content, but also their main channel. Among the plethora of other videos TH-cam is trying to suck me into, I think it can create an “overwhelm” for viewers. Additionally, I think the drawing meditations and the nature of your content provide a unique niche in the Art-o-sphere of TH-cam. There are endless channels that offer “How-To” tutorials on drawing, but few that delve into metaphysical domains and tie it in with art. I think the people who are here for your content are on a journey, and this talk blends perfectly with your other material. Conversations about the metaphysics of reality, our perceptions, consciousness, ego, self, identity, and reality itself are applicable to every facet of life. As Jiddu Krishnamurti alluded to, awareness is omnipresent and always with us, whether we’re drawing, doing the dishes, or with friends and family. So, I think it would be silly to try and distinguish your material between the two. I hope you keep this kind of content forthcoming. Some viewers may perceive craziness from this video and gawk at the depth of your analysis, but for anyone going through something similar, it could ensure them they are not going insane and that they are not alone. It might even be a stepping-stone for an individual to realize that the journey they’re on is indeed the journey they’re on. It's strange, at 42:20 you talk about how something in your personal consciousness presented itself simultaneously in your life in the greater collective sphere. I had a similar phenomenon listening to this video. As if the contents jumbled in the web of my mind were suddenly expressed, eloquently and precisely, “out there.” I think some insignificant little peevish pupil of Herr Freud came up with an explanation for what you’re describing. Gung? Karl Gung? Hm. I don’t know. He might be onto something. Called it Syncing or something. And as someone who came back to art later in life, I just wanted to thank you. The death of my father, who shares a similar conclusion on his trip in this world as your father did, sent me down a spiral into depths I could not have imagined. My condolences to you and your family, Steven. But I sense the pain and subsequent healing brought a plethora of compassion and love that is often buried in such tragedies. And for my final point, I fundamentally disagree with you about free will and your deterministic mental image. That’s right, Mr. Determined… All truths are but half-truths! And I won’t argue with you… because you yourself do not believe in the complete absence of free will as you said it yourself around the 15:00 mark: “you can literally edit the way you precieve the world.” There in lies I think the heart of the matter. I feel like much of my life, my way of thinking, my intellect, my moods, and my actions, are happening without my egoic will’s say-so - “pre-determined” - but in the observation of these “pre-determined” ways, I’ve observed organic change occur, by fostering or “editing” a new perception, and the new perception, maybe with a sprinkle of empathy… determines a new course of action…
This totally fits with the rest of your videos. I feel it's so powerful to include the pursuit of these kind of experiences and states in an art practice (which inevitably becomes a way of life). I'd be really curious to hear more about it, it's the kind of stuff I've been talking more and more with my artist friends over the last couple years and I do agree that more people seem ready to go into it.
Well i thoroughly enjoyed the video. Some of my favorite subjects to talk about with fellow artists. Myself, i found a whole lot of visual benefit in my perception from going plein air painting, and bouncing that back and forth with work from imagination or studio, heavy sketchbooking, staring at nature, and discussing it with friends. Analyzing it, work shopping it, and actively going back to studying it intently in art from life to make sense of it makes fast progress for visual perception in my own experience.
Hi Steven, I premise that I answer to your initial question before seeing the whole video; I believe that the psychological / metaphysic aspect is a core part of the artistic journey of a person. I saved one of the answers you gave to me on a live stream, because it was purely focused on the inner thought, the inner voice that created in me (and supposingly many others) an almost insormountable obstacle to progression... Until you literally made the comment that made me view this struggle under a different light. You gave to the public a tool to solve not a practical aspect to drawing, but an aspect that inevitably everybody faces internally. I wasn't aware that in your initial videos you discussed more this area, so by analogy, another viewer might not know this information going forward if it's in the main channel. I believe that a good option to reach this information could be to have a secondary channel dedicated to this topic, and a link (always identical to limit maintenance) in the description of the videos in the main channel. As you said: not everybody is in for this talk, and having it mixed in the main channel could (in my opinion) create a bit of confusion. By having the link in all the descriptions though you may create a very fast and reachable entry point for this whole area of content for beginners. Thank you for your content
Art prepared me to have a spiritual experience of life. Be attentive to subtle nuances of color and value led me to be able to feel the dual state of spirit, be timeless essence and timefull experience. I am grateful for art way past the point of having landed a great illustration job some years ago. It taught me how to love life, and smelter life meaning through effort, discipline and beauty. Steven, I know about you ever since the first livestreams with Ahmed, and I'm grateful for being able to listen to you and him. I wish Life is gentle with the learning opportunities it offers to you! Thank you, my fellow human!
I was going to write you (steven) a quite lengthy email about this but your discussions on spirituality in relation to art, along with the more "unsettling" aspects of art have really shaped and changed the way that I think about my own art and out into words the things that I've believed since I've been drawing but didn't have the words to put it into. I feel like an absolute crazy person about art most of the time and sometimes it feels like I feel way too deeply about artwork even though I mostly just draw characters I make. It really has helped me to slow down and focus on drawing g what makes me happy instead of drawing to finish pictures and it's absolutely changed my relationship with art and I'm really glad there's someone out here talking about this stuff even though it can be very mentally uncomfortable to think about. Would love to see more content like this on your channel. I don't quire have the words to express my gratitude for what you've done for my art journey but thank you
This is soooooooo good. Glad you have this here. It absolutely has everything to do with art (to me). I got an intuitive feeling that you were a deep thinker based on how you talk in your videos.
Steven! I have been following you for a few years, 4 years to be precise. It was during the quarantine that I met and fell in love with your channel. At that time I lived alone in an apartment in Argentina, and I wanted to make a living from art, without knowing how my future would turn out. I was anxious and desperate, but your videos of drawing meditations, and your talks about the spirituality of this path reminded me why I do it. So firstly, thank you, very very much. And secondly, I would love for these talks to happen through this medium. See you around Steven!
I very much enjoy talks like this, because I do indeed end up pondering a lot and more when drawing and painting. There is the flow state of creation, yes, but there are also these longer rendering phases where the mind wanders and is prone to explore these various truths - and this is what I love about art so much and why I've always been drawn to it. But you also outline it well - that it can be scary, frightening, uncomfortable for those that aren't ready for it. There is a LOT that lurks beneath our surface mind, and we inevitably must confront it.
I'm extremely interested in the crossroads between art and philosophy. Another channel that has done this well is the Cave of Apelles. I highly resonated with this rambling and would like to hear more. Thanks Steven
This is in line with what you make here. It reminds me of your content from a few years back when I found you. I think it will be beneficial for artists and creatives. Have a good one!
The perceptual dimensional shift that Art practice initiates leads inexorably to mystic vision, in my experience, for which I am eternally grateful. Thank you for talking about this. I've been involved in mental calisthenics trying to decipher how to talk about both Art and mystic experience in the same breath. I do believe it impossible to relate this experience to anyone who hasn't tasted it. I love to hear it, and I would love for more people to blissfully experience this sacred space. I don't believe the topics really need separation.
I think this is art, but I will watch and share these no matter where you put them. Thank you for putting this into words in a way people can conceptualize. I'm so here for your instincts and insights. So many people ask you how to take their art to the next level and I see this as you answering that in the most complete and honest way possible. Heck, I would love to know more about your experiences like this even when they are not so obviously related to the art
Steven, please do more of this kind of talks. For me this is the esence of art. You've described very eloquently many of the experiences and reflexions I've had over the years and I too feel like Im crazy when I try to explain this ideas to my friends haha Thank you for every thing~
I rly love to listen to stuff like this. It makes me feel less alone in this 😂 I am very happy to finally pursue the way of an artist. And I can already tell, that what you say about how Art changes how you see is 100% true. I sometimes feel like I awake from something, it's crazy....but very beautiful
I loved it! For me this video cover a big and very important aspect in Art, keep it as one channel, for sure. In my experience we draw with our mind, using your hand/the entire arm, so the way we experience/see things is super important for the entire process, because we config our software to be optimized for the art process. And first, for reprogramming our brains we need to understand it.
Hey Steven, I agree that these topics can evoke emotions like fear and discomfort. And maybe its not necessary, however I think anyone with even the slightest interest in art has already drunk from these waters (inherently) some more than others and curiosities builds as you delve deeper into art. For those who find it difficult to digest currently will at some point in the future, I believe seek it out and benefit from you presenting these ideas. Also keeping it to one channel is best.
Where I am in my life right now, with my art/spiritual path, and just in general (its all one thing anyway), means that much of what you mentioned resonates with me and has me wanting more. Personally, this is a part of art for me, but I relate too much to what you say to have an objective view I think. Either way, please keep talking about this. Thank you for sharing
When you started talking about science and stuff ,my heart just droped and i was like " im not getting the art in this mahn!!??" but like you sed, it only starts to make sence once you experience it. I guess i havent reached that level of perception in my art practice so ill take it slow till im there. Your content is absolutely pivital and i think it should be in a single place . Thanks again for the insight.
when thinking about art i think and feel about it in a much more broad sense than just the actual doing of the art. everything even in the most abstract and cerebral sense ties back to art in some way for me, and for that reason i see no reason for there to be a separation between this and everything you've shared with us on this channel
Steven, your drawing meditation videos were how I first came to know your channel and it pulled me in, so I welcome your revisitation of such content. I will always support your personal decisions as to where you choose to take your channel’s content and I appreciate your authenticity. I applaud you and will more than likely, always subscribe to your channel and work. Cheers. P. S. I live at the deep end of the ocean and I agree that the deepest, most intense journey of introspection, can give us a cleaner view/window to the world around us.
One of the most important aspects of art - whether creating or examining a work, regardless of medium - is the teasing out what “is” the human condition. Your videos helped inspire me to return to drawing after many years not creating anything. Part of what drew me in was your presentation and the ideas you shared. Why should any “weirdness” - perceived or otherwise - take away from a meditation on thinking about creating? Most artists I know are weird. Most people I know are weird. If your ideas starting out on this channel went against the grain of art advice, they also helped you grow a larger audience.
Whether these kinds of discussions stay on this channel or go to another…. This is in fact a discussion of art and its beautiful mystery. Count me in Steven!
I have honestly tried to have this same conversation and what I came to was art was the gateway to seeing and then from there it expands into many other things outside of art. It started for me as you said with this obsessiveness with anatomy to then observing EVERYTHING to where as you said perception does change. Excellent video!!
I feel this awareness(or attemt) gives me a abstakt form of peace, I'll take what i found in this video as a gift, Thank you steven, when you said that those where the most important experiences, i really felt that!
this was the reason i subscribed to ur channel and started doing art in the first place. i t seemed like something that i can use as a spiritual practice/hobby and possibly also make money from it. i didn't know for sure if it had to offer what i was looking for but ur channel is what helped me make an informed decision. nobody talks about this stuff. and the main reason i subbed was for this exact thing. the drawing skills is cool and i wanna learn that too, but This, whatever this is, is why i'm here. edit: u probably already know this but just beware of what people would call "spiritual ego" where u create in image in ur mind that somehow ur superior to others cuz u can see something most people don't, or superior cuz u have less ego, which has its obvious irony. i've done this before which is why i'm pointing it out, it doesn't seem like you have that problem though but figured i'd mention it just in case. please make more of these vids, i love them
Lovely. Absolutely lovely as usual Steven. This channel is good for it, I'll be honest I put your video's on for the (well informed, perceptive and philosophical) rambles. The art is sick too. I wonder what books you are reading from regarding your more metaphysical thoughts?
Hey Steven. Your level of reflection is much deeper than most of us. I appreciate your thoughts and have actually helped me to understand myself. I love the quality of your work but I follow you here on youtube for your insights. From my perspective, this kind of video is what I'm here for. I also like that you do traditional work because I also do that myself. My medium is mostly acrylic paint but I do drawing to put down ideas and for structure before painting. Your work helps me with painting because I also care about forms the most and colors are secondary. One thing I care about and I don't see you speak about a lot is finding your artistic voice. You did mention that you found yours by writing about it and really analyzing what you find to be good shapes, forms, etc. However, that part is not as clear as I would like it to be and haven't found anyone with very deep insights. I know that in the end, the answer is inside of us but it is so hard to find. Thank you for all you precious content!
Just keep posting here! I find these kind of content tremendously valuable. I am so interested in your thoughts on how the practice of art can be a vehicle for meditation/self discovery/understanding of reality/spirituality. I hope you can explore more of these “out of the page” aspects of drawing in your videos. How the act of art making can shape other parts of the human experience is something needed to be discussed more.
Without reiterating too much of what others already said, definitely joining on those that would surely be happy to see/listen to more of these talks; I feel that most of the audience gathering here are either on a similar path or very interested to this approach to art, as in living it more as a personal experience and journey into understanding reality and expressing one self. Personally speaking these thoughts are crucial to free myself of the intrusive thoughts that clog and or burden my daily life at times. Being able to detach myself from the chaotic illusion of superficial information we are told we should care for truly allows me to be at peace in the eye of the storm, always. Finding the quiet joy of tracing a new line now that you see the muscle underneath, and the bone, and feel the body tension yourself, all the while pondering on how evolution reached that point in time and space that you are now able to admire and slowly comprehend. And I'm not shy to say that your channel helped me reopen the doors of perception in that sense, refocusing on what truly matters and slowly learning to keep the buzz away. So yeah!
Just one Chanel...like a human being have alot of faces and personality a Chanel can be the same a full spectrum of a human being that love create...keep you good work sir
listening and learning the more theoretical and philosophical side of art that I'm already actively creating, also feels like it makes me see/understand stuff that I never did before. love these type of videos from you Steven, also for some reason it's almost like your videos where you talk/explain were made to be listened while drawing; when I'm watching or listening to anything else while drawing, I can't really focus on either. but your videos and the way you talk is just right to be focusing on both, not sure if it's even intentional. can't wait to see more of these videos on this very channel!
Whoa this is here already!? Man I gotta pick up the pace! I see you have a lot of positive comments, which you deserve! That is going to help a lot of people :)
This was awesome! I’m in my late 30’s and started to learn how to draw a few years ago. I didn’t grow up drawing and I relate to a lot of what you say about the art journey. It’s crazy because it’s stuff that I haven’t fully thought about, but as you put words and ideas to it, it’s like this “light bulb” moments go off for me!! Thank you for your contribution to this world! 🙏🏽
Absolutely KEEP the channel as one!! These insight-nuggets and their weirdness is what attracted me to your channel years ago and are, to me, intrinsic to the art practice. I think more people need to hear these things and I believe mixing more videos like this into your rotation on this channel can reach a wider audience and hopefully catch the interest of more people!
keep as one channel!!! i love when you get into the weeds. it's what made your channel stick out. i'm sure lots of talented artists on YT have deep relationships with art/process, but they don't know how to describe it
Yes it's art, contemplating how existence forms sensations, perceptions to eventually memory and concepts for the interface with reality & truth is beautiful. However like you said timing and fortitude is also key, not all cuts are swift and painless sometimes it can get messy. Loving the cryptic weirdness instead of the common definitions .. the whole non-self, non-duality, etc. thing brings to many preconceptions and extra work.
love this type of stuff. wherever you put it i’ll watch! Reminds me of Aesop Rock saying “Some try to combat any kind of odd force tryna make contact, nah, let it in let it in”.
I think its safe to keep on the channel, people don't have to agree with your takes. At the end of the day it's your channel. I personally have my own view on the meta stuff due to years of LSD, weed, and eventually stopping all that stuff and came to the beginning of really understanding the things that Jesus was talking about, but I still like to hear people's opinions on the deep stuff. One thing thing I highly agree with though is that art becomes almost like camera filter, for example I can visually put things in boxes at very low opacity because of studying perspective. It's actually pretty cool.
your drawing meditation playlist help me DAILY actually, i started watching them a few months ago as a way to reconnect with my creative voice and i still do. They help entering a more genuine profound space within the creative time. I think this is essential to the creative practice in general and in line with your creative beliefs so it should go on the main channel. Thank you for all you do
“The sense of the world must lie outside the world. In the world everything is as it is, and everything happens as it does happen: in it no value exists-and if it did exist, it would have no value. If there is any value that does have value, it must lie outside the whole sphere of what happens and is the case. For all that happens and is the case is accidental. What makes it non-accidental cannot lie within the world, since if it did it would itself be accidental. It must lie outside the world” -Wittgenstein great video steven :)
man id love to sit down with you some day and talk about some of the weirder views on art and metaphysics that you were hinting at. sounds like a great time.
I haven't finished watching the video yet, but I want to say that I will watch anything you want to post, and it would be great to see it all on ✨️one✨️ channel
I’m interested in any kind of discussion that you post here. Everything I’ve watched so far has been new to me, and fascinating. Looking forward to what’s next .
Hahah brother Steven, for reference I have been meditating since 2003, and reading occult books since about then too (I would love to share my digital occult library with you if you can send me your email somehow, or I’ll find yours, it has thousands of books with millions of pages), I can still feel and sense and hear you editing yourself to try and appeal to the more general crowd, which is so funny to me, I wish there was a space where you could just fully unhinge and disclose what you really deeply think and feel without the need to have to explain pre-requisites to the audience. I find often with people I have to explain several prerequisites to people that are building blocks for the concepts I’m really wanting to tell them about or discuss, which I feel you’re doing here. Maybe your more private channels are a more suitable venue for that, if you have a discord or something. So glad to see this kind of content here. I feel we both have the same mission in life with our art and our modus operandi or reason de existence, which is to expand, heighten, and deepen the perception of our viewers! Bravo mate.
Appreciate this video very much and think videos like this should be on this channel due to how they link with your art teachings. Profoundly grateful for the information you provide, much love 🙏
Holy f*! I was listening to you saying that over and over "you are not inside your visual field" and I was not getting what you meant. Then I payed attention to what I was seeing and realized that that image is a generation of my brain and I can't really see where my body is right now. it's unknowable to me. I have a cold feeling through my spine and stomach now. Thanks, Steven, I hate it.
But I love it.
Trying to explain what I felt: it is like I detached from what I was seeing. That the image is not the world anymore and that I'm separated from it.
There it is, baby. Journey well my friend.
idk maybe I'm out of my mind here, but I would love to see you and Dr. K from healthy gamer have a talk
about anything really spirituality, meditation, perception, identity, art, personal life even...
no matter the topic it would be gold
and I have a feeling that you two would enjoy the conversation
yes!
big true
Keep as one channel. This channel has helped me have a healthy relationship with my art. I enjoy the monologues as I do my daily sketches. Finally just bought the course. Cant wait to get started on my next day off.
Thanks for the feedback Aisha! And thank you for picking up the course, hope it helps you!
i agree. it's all part of the zapata experience...
Ya hear them
This does feel like art as much as watching you create physical art.
I think this is important to keep these analytic videos about Art on this channel rather than separate it from the more literal practice of Art.
These videos are informative, inspiring, help us pay attention to our own observation abilities and also make great material to listen to while drawing.
Please don't stop talking about it. The more I study art, the more it feels like studying philosophy, like how learning logic and rhetoric makes you see more of the arguments and speeches.
Also, I kept thinking about this quote by Betty Edwards: “One of the most encouraging new discoveries that the human brain has made about itself is that it can physically change itself by changing its accustomed ways of thinking, by deliberately exposing itself to new ideas and routines, and by learning new skills.”
Drawing meditations Remastered.. we need it
Oh dude this is fucking fantastic. Exactly the kind of thing i need related to the art practice. You consistently release the kinds of videos I think artists need; not tutorials but speaking to the heart of this practice as a lifestyle. Thank you!
I really like this kind of talks, personally I think it suits this channel, no need to upload on a secondary one
Baby, this is exactly what I’m here for.
Hi Steven.
I came to find your channel in the middle of the pandemic back in 2019 (I think). It was a rough moment in life for all of us, and I was struggling a lot with art and myself. At the time I had entered a Discord group that had the goal to study art together and push eachother on the right direction, but now I see that group, although provided a lot of free resources for studying the fundamentals and the technical part of art, had a very harmful and demeaning mentality, that set me back in my journey for quite a while, to the point that when I realized I needed to leave the group it felt as painful as a toxic relationship, as if I was 'betraying my collegues'.
I remember the fisrt time I listened to one of your videos, I was practicing a still life in pencil in my room. I don't recall which video was it, because I have listened to all of them by now, but the way you used sarcasm and a satired mockery to made me reflect on how ridiculous the anxiety about what the piece was supposed to be, and how that leads us to spend more time worrying and wondering instead of practicing as if that would fix anything was admirable. It just felt so right, so peaceful. Just do the picture. 'What does the picture needs?' it was so humble, and It aligned me to what I felt I was capable of. I was so excited for that insight, and I remember bringing that video up to my discord group and explaining that new philosophy that felt so right for me, but they warned me that, that was a dangerous thought because it could bring you to lack productivity and neglect on your studies. But I was so done with studies, Done with endless exercises and never having one full piece to show. not one image, not one story to tell.
I left the group, kept listening to your videos and in between I started painting with oils, which just clarified more the connection with the process, that is so important and I think it is the very reason why we all do this.
The philosophical part of art wasn't just important for me, it saved me. I need to understand it, and the more I do, the more I want it. To questin not only why I wanted a job as an artist, but why I wanted to make art at all is what made me realize that not enjoying the process is the best way to commit artistic suicide. And all of that came in between those moments where I was listening to your wonders about art or when I was wondering on my own. I honestly feel the need of a group that would enjoy these kind of debates, most times I feel like I'm wondering alone. I have a friend who also like art and philosophy but he doesn't draw, so most experiences I describe are one sided.
Your Videos are very welcome, and much needed in the current art community situation. with AI and all these layoffs and unstable careers, I think it will be natural for every artist to question the very nature of their practice, and maybe that philosophical part of the practice becomes more common within the community.
I don't think it's a good Idea to separate your channel though, first of all, because as YT policies have changed, and the 'philosophical art nerd community" is even smaller than the regular "art community", it will be absurdly difficult to have your videos reach a higher public, second because I believe this channel is not only a reflection of your work but of yourself as an individual, and these ideas are coming from you as much as your drawings. People who are not interested in this kind of contend may just not watch it. Not clicking is always an option. Maybe you could just give a name for this kind of content so that people know what to expect from it. But keep it together, someone who is not mature enough to develop an interest in these videos may grow interested in about two or three years, if that happens, it will be easier to find them having all your content in one place.
Thankyou for all the work you've been giving back to the community.
Steven… you are the art guru. You will state the obvious a thousand times… a thousand different ways.
To dispel the darkness, so that we may create, create, create. 🙏
I think this kind of conversations belong to this channel because this is who you are, part of your practice, and as you say, the kind of thoughts people experience when they spend a lot of time working on their art. I also think that it is valuable for the future generations of artists to experience these kind of thoughts instead of just trying to master rendering.
I have been watching your streams mainly for the snippets when you are talking about these kind of topics because they make me feel seen and connected. Sadly, I don't have people around me that I can talk about this kind of topics and how years of art practice changed who I am, what I aim for, and how I look at the world. I think your well thought videos might even help people who are in love and lives with an artist. And we all need that.
My wife recently read the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, and I think by doing so she understood me better.
Thanks for keeping me company.
Thank you. The Alchemist is a lovely book! I did a bunch of designs for it as a class project back in college actually.
There was always a spiritual, philosophical and metaphysical aura that came along with art especially needing to learn about anatomy and physics and how the human perceives life. Makes sense since we’re trying to recreate life and things we interpret in life. Ever since your first few videos I was ecstatic that someone could grab these idea and explain them instead of me just having them floating around in the back of my head. This perspective of art feels like a renaissance in art thinking while we just had a "medieval times of art{social media} " non stop consumptions and needing to pump out art as fast as we can and only thinking about what we can get out of art. Instead of the meaning of creating art. Thanks you for being an art shaman. The modern master with disciples wanting to learn the hidden secrets. Please make more of these videos. There are few people I trust to mend my brain with this perspective of life and philosophy of art.
I wish that every single artist could hear this message. The amount of agonizing over "mistakes" for young artists these days comparing themselves to everyone online is not healthy. These types of videos remind me to take a step back and observe the mind, rather than taking my thoughts as reality.
27:03 an absolute classic. It's hard to see what you're not aware of :)
I'm getting a lot of joy listening to this! Thank you for making the video, Steven.
So long as there’s a clear separation on the channel between the more contemplative videos and videos that focus on a specific skill/technique/process etc, I think I’d personally prefer if you kept it all on one channel. Separate playlists would be the ideal! That way us viewers know where to find the type of content we’re looking for and can easily access it, without having to go to another channel. And there will be no confusion to newcomers as to who you are and where your content can be found.
People are more apt to seek out content from a source, rather than allow the algorithm and subscriptions to feed it to them, if they know the source is well-organized & readily accessible.
I’m on the outside looking in though, so do what fits with your life, brand and relationship with are! Your wisdom is invaluable. Your awareness is powerful. I’ll be watching regardless, for years to come 🙏🏻
I think posting this here make total sense as you already been sharing your drawings and philosophy talks on this channel in many videos for a while, I think its brave and vulnerable yet inspiring and im not surprised that you wanna help people and give perspective through sharing your thoughts, which isn’t really different, at least for me, from sharing your art with us.
It might even help the viewer navigating through similar feelings or things meanwhile you get to share your thoughts to us.
I find it therapeutic and imo it’s important to have spaces for such conversations, as it is about us, humans, who lives in this current era weird S era especially in platforms like these who pushes things without much attention nor effort but mainly for money value and with these type of videos you essentially documenting your feelings just like a journal and people who stumble upon this might find it helpful and can learn, disagree or agree and this mutual engagement can be more helpful in more ways than we think. I appreciate this post.
So, so interesting. I remember when I moved beyond the 3-point perspective model. It felt so novel, like a lot of the reflections and experiences you spoke about, regarding perception and stuff. It changed the way I thought about perspective, and how i saw the world. Thank you for this video. It was not only reassuring, but gently challenging and thought provoking.
I’ve been learning art over the last 3 years and documenting/sharing what I learn online. And I would say I’ve been experiencing and having these EXACT insights that you’ve discussed in this video. My background is in Computer Science so my brain was already wired in a process/systematic thinking way. But that underlying mental,intuitive and mystical experience I’ve gotten from this journey so far has been soooo fascinating and I thought the topics I talk about is something that never really gets talked about on art TH-cam because it’s not the typical fundamentals speak, once you unpack those deeper layers a new world of perception unfolds. One phenomenon I’ve been trying to wrap my head around is I get this Deja vu everytime I do a drawing and wonder if this is something you experience also! It’s so amazing and I’m glad I started this journey. Also your experience on design I relate too as well, looking into the design of nature lead me to sacred geometry and the experience I got just staring into those patterns and recreating them I’ve gotten the insight of how to make fairly unique pieces that also fit in with the “whole” and how the whole is the the piece all at the same time… sheeeshhhh it’s hard to put into words it’s a if you know, you know type thing
Hey Steven, I'm schizotypal and used to be blessed/cursed with magical thinking. Sensory, perception and metaphysical sensations are totally okay to be embraced. Tangenticall thought and ideating is one of our most beautiful tools as artists. When we draw, when we make, we form a language we refine that language like a novel, sometimes we indulge in it like slang. Science is what gives truth to the power of these insights, I think everything about perception is fascinating and important to talk about in bio physiology and art. You laid a good ground work, you made sense. You understood how this insight could be perceived. It was fascinating. And when ya know you know. We are perceptual, emotional blenders. And when you sit with yourself what's revealed is terrifying and beautiful.
“You are not inside your visual field.” This statement aligns very well with neuroscience, as well as with the teachings in Buddhism and the practice of meditation. This idea also applies to other sensations, emotions, and even thoughts themselves. "You are not your thoughts."
I would also say that this transcendent widening of perspective isn’t accomplished by accumulated knowledge, like learning anatomy (though it helps). In my opinion, knowledge does not equal awareness.
The concept of “having no head,” as described by Douglas Harding, is the best example for illustrating what you are describing here. It was a total game-changer for me in perceiving myself, my consciousness, and the world. I like your particular angle and really appreciate opening up this kind of conversation. Keep it up!
I don't even draw and I can't get enough of you talking about stuff like this
20:54 😮 I do omit things in a sketch that I dont understand.. everyone else that sees my art like the simplicity and yet detailed sketches i do... But i know Ive omitted things and focused on others and my mind is leaving things out.
I eat whatever you feed us, Mr. Zapata!
I cant quite wrap my head around the person who is actually interested in your channel and isnt here for this sort of thing. Really whatever youre more comfortable with.
This feels to me like it very much belongs on this channel. In my estimation, what distinguishes your channel from other art education channels is that your pedagogy foregrounds praxis - the interweaving of practice and philosophy/theory. Will hope to see more content like this.
Whenever you decide to continue posting these here or elsewhere, please do share them. I personally think this is part of art, even if it can be part of other things also.
I clicked just to test the waters and 30mins later I’m struggling to leave the video lol. It’s so deep! Keep it all on the same TH-cam page. Fascinating talk!
Steven I'm salivating over the idea of hearing more about your perspective on this.......
I'm pretty far out too I suppose because I also view how someone thinks and feels as very intertwined with their art 😂 I've been going through this idea of art vs the self already so I love it
Steven, your drawing meditation videos were how I first came to know your channel and it pulled me in, so I welcome your revisitation of such content. I will always support your personal decisions as to where you choose to take your channel’s content and I appreciate your authenticity. I applaud you and will more than likely, always subscribe to your channel and work. Cheers
Steven this literally has everything to do with art! Please keep posting things like this 🙏
I feel this is definitely related to art, and a really great talk, also liked the more casual setting. personally would like to have it all on one channel
Hi, Stephen. Thought I’d crawl out of the Lurker Den and share an opinion. Personally speaking, anytime my favorite creators have split their content among multiple channels, I’ve almost always lost track of not only their side content, but also their main channel. Among the plethora of other videos TH-cam is trying to suck me into, I think it can create an “overwhelm” for viewers. Additionally, I think the drawing meditations and the nature of your content provide a unique niche in the Art-o-sphere of TH-cam. There are endless channels that offer “How-To” tutorials on drawing, but few that delve into metaphysical domains and tie it in with art. I think the people who are here for your content are on a journey, and this talk blends perfectly with your other material.
Conversations about the metaphysics of reality, our perceptions, consciousness, ego, self, identity, and reality itself are applicable to every facet of life. As Jiddu Krishnamurti alluded to, awareness is omnipresent and always with us, whether we’re drawing, doing the dishes, or with friends and family. So, I think it would be silly to try and distinguish your material between the two. I hope you keep this kind of content forthcoming. Some viewers may perceive craziness from this video and gawk at the depth of your analysis, but for anyone going through something similar, it could ensure them they are not going insane and that they are not alone. It might even be a stepping-stone for an individual to realize that the journey they’re on is indeed the journey they’re on.
It's strange, at 42:20 you talk about how something in your personal consciousness presented itself simultaneously in your life in the greater collective sphere. I had a similar phenomenon listening to this video. As if the contents jumbled in the web of my mind were suddenly expressed, eloquently and precisely, “out there.” I think some insignificant little peevish pupil of Herr Freud came up with an explanation for what you’re describing. Gung? Karl Gung? Hm. I don’t know. He might be onto something. Called it Syncing or something.
And as someone who came back to art later in life, I just wanted to thank you. The death of my father, who shares a similar conclusion on his trip in this world as your father did, sent me down a spiral into depths I could not have imagined. My condolences to you and your family, Steven. But I sense the pain and subsequent healing brought a plethora of compassion and love that is often buried in such tragedies.
And for my final point, I fundamentally disagree with you about free will and your deterministic mental image. That’s right, Mr. Determined… All truths are but half-truths! And I won’t argue with you… because you yourself do not believe in the complete absence of free will as you said it yourself around the 15:00 mark: “you can literally edit the way you precieve the world.” There in lies I think the heart of the matter. I feel like much of my life, my way of thinking, my intellect, my moods, and my actions, are happening without my egoic will’s say-so - “pre-determined” - but in the observation of these “pre-determined” ways, I’ve observed organic change occur, by fostering or “editing” a new perception, and the new perception, maybe with a sprinkle of empathy… determines a new course of action…
Thank you for the great comment.
This totally fits with the rest of your videos. I feel it's so powerful to include the pursuit of these kind of experiences and states in an art practice (which inevitably becomes a way of life). I'd be really curious to hear more about it, it's the kind of stuff I've been talking more and more with my artist friends over the last couple years and I do agree that more people seem ready to go into it.
This is a very important piece of perception, that people rarely talks. Keep it in the same channel, you talk about this shit anytime anyway
more of this please. the art world needs this right now.
Honestly keep it together, the drawing meditation has kept me drawing for the past 2 years, and talks like this is all part of art and the art journey
Well i thoroughly enjoyed the video. Some of my favorite subjects to talk about with fellow artists. Myself, i found a whole lot of visual benefit in my perception from going plein air painting, and bouncing that back and forth with work from imagination or studio, heavy sketchbooking, staring at nature, and discussing it with friends. Analyzing it, work shopping it, and actively going back to studying it intently in art from life to make sense of it makes fast progress for visual perception in my own experience.
This belongs on this channel because it is all part of your artistic practice and informs us as much as watching you work and talk informs us.
Hi Steven, I premise that I answer to your initial question before seeing the whole video;
I believe that the psychological / metaphysic aspect is a core part of the artistic journey of a person.
I saved one of the answers you gave to me on a live stream, because it was purely focused on the inner thought, the inner voice that created in me (and supposingly many others) an almost insormountable obstacle to progression... Until you literally made the comment that made me view this struggle under a different light. You gave to the public a tool to solve not a practical aspect to drawing, but an aspect that inevitably everybody faces internally.
I wasn't aware that in your initial videos you discussed more this area, so by analogy, another viewer might not know this information going forward if it's in the main channel.
I believe that a good option to reach this information could be to have a secondary channel dedicated to this topic, and a link (always identical to limit maintenance) in the description of the videos in the main channel.
As you said: not everybody is in for this talk, and having it mixed in the main channel could (in my opinion) create a bit of confusion.
By having the link in all the descriptions though you may create a very fast and reachable entry point for this whole area of content for beginners.
Thank you for your content
This is exactly what I like about your channel here.
Keep it as one channel....can't really imagine this stuff being excluded when speaking about being a creator. Great talk ❤
I think this absolutely feels like art and I would love to see more stuff like this on this channel
Art prepared me to have a spiritual experience of life. Be attentive to subtle nuances of color and value led me to be able to feel the dual state of spirit, be timeless essence and timefull experience. I am grateful for art way past the point of having landed a great illustration job some years ago. It taught me how to love life, and smelter life meaning through effort, discipline and beauty. Steven, I know about you ever since the first livestreams with Ahmed, and I'm grateful for being able to listen to you and him. I wish Life is gentle with the learning opportunities it offers to you! Thank you, my fellow human!
I was going to write you (steven) a quite lengthy email about this but your discussions on spirituality in relation to art, along with the more "unsettling" aspects of art have really shaped and changed the way that I think about my own art and out into words the things that I've believed since I've been drawing but didn't have the words to put it into. I feel like an absolute crazy person about art most of the time and sometimes it feels like I feel way too deeply about artwork even though I mostly just draw characters I make. It really has helped me to slow down and focus on drawing g what makes me happy instead of drawing to finish pictures and it's absolutely changed my relationship with art and I'm really glad there's someone out here talking about this stuff even though it can be very mentally uncomfortable to think about. Would love to see more content like this on your channel. I don't quire have the words to express my gratitude for what you've done for my art journey but thank you
This is soooooooo good. Glad you have this here. It absolutely has everything to do with art (to me). I got an intuitive feeling that you were a deep thinker based on how you talk in your videos.
Steven!
I have been following you for a few years, 4 years to be precise. It was during the quarantine that I met and fell in love with your channel.
At that time I lived alone in an apartment in Argentina, and I wanted to make a living from art, without knowing how my future would turn out. I was anxious and desperate, but your videos of drawing meditations, and your talks about the spirituality of this path reminded me why I do it.
So firstly, thank you, very very much.
And secondly, I would love for these talks to happen through this medium.
See you around Steven!
Please continue this. There is not nearly enough people going that deep and we need more of it.
I really appreciate that you are making that effort.
This is EXACTLY the kind of videos I want from more artists!!❤❤❤
Don't doubt yourself! 😉
I very much enjoy talks like this, because I do indeed end up pondering a lot and more when drawing and painting. There is the flow state of creation, yes, but there are also these longer rendering phases where the mind wanders and is prone to explore these various truths - and this is what I love about art so much and why I've always been drawn to it. But you also outline it well - that it can be scary, frightening, uncomfortable for those that aren't ready for it. There is a LOT that lurks beneath our surface mind, and we inevitably must confront it.
I'm extremely interested in the crossroads between art and philosophy. Another channel that has done this well is the Cave of Apelles. I highly resonated with this rambling and would like to hear more. Thanks Steven
This is in line with what you make here. It reminds me of your content from a few years back when I found you. I think it will be beneficial for artists and creatives.
Have a good one!
The perceptual dimensional shift that Art practice initiates leads inexorably to mystic vision, in my experience, for which I am eternally grateful. Thank you for talking about this. I've been involved in mental calisthenics trying to decipher how to talk about both Art and mystic experience in the same breath. I do believe it impossible to relate this experience to anyone who hasn't tasted it. I love to hear it, and I would love for more people to blissfully experience this sacred space. I don't believe the topics really need separation.
I think this is art, but I will watch and share these no matter where you put them. Thank you for putting this into words in a way people can conceptualize. I'm so here for your instincts and insights. So many people ask you how to take their art to the next level and I see this as you answering that in the most complete and honest way possible. Heck, I would love to know more about your experiences like this even when they are not so obviously related to the art
Steven, please do more of this kind of talks. For me this is the esence of art. You've described very eloquently many of the experiences and reflexions I've had over the years and I too feel like Im crazy when I try to explain this ideas to my friends haha
Thank you for every thing~
I rly love to listen to stuff like this. It makes me feel less alone in this 😂
I am very happy to finally pursue the way of an artist. And I can already tell, that what you say about how Art changes how you see is 100% true.
I sometimes feel like I awake from something, it's crazy....but very beautiful
Keep on the same channel! 😁 Your philosophy(or lack of) has always been really valuable 👍👍
I loved it! For me this video cover a big and very important aspect in Art, keep it as one channel, for sure.
In my experience we draw with our mind, using your hand/the entire arm, so the way we experience/see things is super important for the entire process, because we config our software to be optimized for the art process. And first, for reprogramming our brains we need to understand it.
Hey Steven, I agree that these topics can evoke emotions like fear and discomfort. And maybe its not necessary, however I think anyone with even the slightest interest in art has already drunk from these waters (inherently) some more than others and curiosities builds as you delve deeper into art. For those who find it difficult to digest currently will at some point in the future, I believe seek it out and benefit from you presenting these ideas. Also keeping it to one channel is best.
Where I am in my life right now, with my art/spiritual path, and just in general (its all one thing anyway), means that much of what you mentioned resonates with me and has me wanting more. Personally, this is a part of art for me, but I relate too much to what you say to have an objective view I think. Either way, please keep talking about this. Thank you for sharing
You made me think, made me feel and made me cry. I appreciate everything you said. Thank you!
When you started talking about science and stuff ,my heart just droped and i was like " im not getting the art in this mahn!!??" but like you sed, it only starts to make sence once you experience it. I guess i havent reached that level of perception in my art practice so ill take it slow till im there. Your content is absolutely pivital and i think it should be in a single place . Thanks again for the insight.
when thinking about art i think and feel about it in a much more broad sense than just the actual doing of the art. everything even in the most abstract and cerebral sense ties back to art in some way for me, and for that reason i see no reason for there to be a separation between this and everything you've shared with us on this channel
Steven, your drawing meditation videos were how I first came to know your channel and it pulled me in, so I welcome your revisitation of such content. I will always support your personal decisions as to where you choose to take your channel’s content and I appreciate your authenticity. I applaud you and will more than likely, always subscribe to your channel and work. Cheers. P. S. I live at the deep end of the ocean and I agree that the deepest, most intense journey of introspection, can give us a cleaner view/window to the world around us.
One of the most important aspects of art - whether creating or examining a work, regardless of medium - is the teasing out what “is” the human condition. Your videos helped inspire me to return to drawing after many years not creating anything. Part of what drew me in was your presentation and the ideas you shared. Why should any “weirdness” - perceived or otherwise - take away from a meditation on thinking about creating? Most artists I know are weird. Most people I know are weird. If your ideas starting out on this channel went against the grain of art advice, they also helped you grow a larger audience.
This fits your channel perfectly I'd say.
Whether these kinds of discussions stay on this channel or go to another…. This is in fact a discussion of art and its beautiful mystery. Count me in Steven!
Most of us are here for your words. We just happen to enjoy your drawings alongside.
I have honestly tried to have this same conversation and what I came to was art was the gateway to seeing and then from there it expands into many other things outside of art. It started for me as you said with this obsessiveness with anatomy to then observing EVERYTHING to where as you said perception does change. Excellent video!!
I feel this awareness(or attemt) gives me a abstakt form of peace, I'll take what i found in this video as a gift, Thank you steven, when you said that those where the most important experiences, i really felt that!
this was the reason i subscribed to ur channel and started doing art in the first place. i t seemed like something that i can use as a spiritual practice/hobby and possibly also make money from it. i didn't know for sure if it had to offer what i was looking for but ur channel is what helped me make an informed decision. nobody talks about this stuff. and the main reason i subbed was for this exact thing. the drawing skills is cool and i wanna learn that too, but This, whatever this is, is why i'm here.
edit: u probably already know this but just beware of what people would call "spiritual ego" where u create in image in ur mind that somehow ur superior to others cuz u can see something most people don't, or superior cuz u have less ego, which has its obvious irony. i've done this before which is why i'm pointing it out, it doesn't seem like you have that problem though but figured i'd mention it just in case. please make more of these vids, i love them
Lovely. Absolutely lovely as usual Steven. This channel is good for it, I'll be honest I put your video's on for the (well informed, perceptive and philosophical) rambles. The art is sick too. I wonder what books you are reading from regarding your more metaphysical thoughts?
Hey Steven. Your level of reflection is much deeper than most of us. I appreciate your thoughts and have actually helped me to understand myself. I love the quality of your work but I follow you here on youtube for your insights. From my perspective, this kind of video is what I'm here for. I also like that you do traditional work because I also do that myself. My medium is mostly acrylic paint but I do drawing to put down ideas and for structure before painting. Your work helps me with painting because I also care about forms the most and colors are secondary.
One thing I care about and I don't see you speak about a lot is finding your artistic voice. You did mention that you found yours by writing about it and really analyzing what you find to be good shapes, forms, etc. However, that part is not as clear as I would like it to be and haven't found anyone with very deep insights. I know that in the end, the answer is inside of us but it is so hard to find. Thank you for all you precious content!
Just keep posting here! I find these kind of content tremendously valuable. I am so interested in your thoughts on how the practice of art can be a vehicle for meditation/self discovery/understanding of reality/spirituality. I hope you can explore more of these “out of the page” aspects of drawing in your videos. How the act of art making can shape other parts of the human experience is something needed to be discussed more.
Without reiterating too much of what others already said, definitely joining on those that would surely be happy to see/listen to more of these talks; I feel that most of the audience gathering here are either on a similar path or very interested to this approach to art, as in living it more as a personal experience and journey into understanding reality and expressing one self.
Personally speaking these thoughts are crucial to free myself of the intrusive thoughts that clog and or burden my daily life at times. Being able to detach myself from the chaotic illusion of superficial information we are told we should care for truly allows me to be at peace in the eye of the storm, always. Finding the quiet joy of tracing a new line now that you see the muscle underneath, and the bone, and feel the body tension yourself, all the while pondering on how evolution reached that point in time and space that you are now able to admire and slowly comprehend.
And I'm not shy to say that your channel helped me reopen the doors of perception in that sense, refocusing on what truly matters and slowly learning to keep the buzz away. So yeah!
Just one Chanel...like a human being have alot of faces and personality a Chanel can be the same a full spectrum of a human being that love create...keep you good work sir
listening and learning the more theoretical and philosophical side of art that I'm already actively creating, also feels like it makes me see/understand stuff that I never did before. love these type of videos from you Steven, also for some reason it's almost like your videos where you talk/explain were made to be listened while drawing; when I'm watching or listening to anything else while drawing, I can't really focus on either. but your videos and the way you talk is just right to be focusing on both, not sure if it's even intentional. can't wait to see more of these videos on this very channel!
Whoa this is here already!? Man I gotta pick up the pace! I see you have a lot of positive comments, which you deserve! That is going to help a lot of people :)
This was awesome! I’m in my late 30’s and started to learn how to draw a few years ago. I didn’t grow up drawing and I relate to a lot of what you say about the art journey. It’s crazy because it’s stuff that I haven’t fully thought about, but as you put words and ideas to it, it’s like this “light bulb” moments go off for me!! Thank you for your contribution to this world! 🙏🏽
Perfect timing! Speak your truth!
Absolutely KEEP the channel as one!!
These insight-nuggets and their weirdness is what attracted me to your channel years ago and are, to me, intrinsic to the art practice.
I think more people need to hear these things and I believe mixing more videos like this into your rotation on this channel can reach a wider audience and hopefully catch the interest of more people!
keep as one channel!!! i love when you get into the weeds. it's what made your channel stick out. i'm sure lots of talented artists on YT have deep relationships with art/process, but they don't know how to describe it
This is great Steven, I think that you should keep it on this channel and keep talking about "weird" things.
I watched this a couple of days ago but I keep thinking about it.
I like these videos, keep it on the channel I think
This is definitely a video I’ll need to watch a few times to understand, love it
Yes it's art, contemplating how existence forms sensations, perceptions to eventually memory and concepts for the interface with reality & truth is beautiful.
However like you said timing and fortitude is also key, not all cuts are swift and painless sometimes it can get messy. Loving the cryptic weirdness instead of the common definitions .. the whole non-self, non-duality, etc. thing brings to many preconceptions and extra work.
love this type of stuff. wherever you put it i’ll watch! Reminds me of Aesop Rock saying “Some try to combat any kind of odd force tryna make contact, nah, let it in let it in”.
I think its safe to keep on the channel, people don't have to agree with your takes. At the end of the day it's your channel. I personally have my own view on the meta stuff due to years of LSD, weed, and eventually stopping all that stuff and came to the beginning of really understanding the things that Jesus was talking about, but I still like to hear people's opinions on the deep stuff. One thing thing I highly agree with though is that art becomes almost like camera filter, for example I can visually put things in boxes at very low opacity because of studying perspective. It's actually pretty cool.
your drawing meditation playlist help me DAILY actually, i started watching them a few months ago as a way to reconnect with my creative voice and i still do. They help entering a more genuine profound space within the creative time. I think this is essential to the creative practice in general and in line with your creative beliefs so it should go on the main channel. Thank you for all you do
1 hour of pure unadulterated Zapata wisdom.
“The sense of the world must lie outside the world. In the world everything is as it is, and everything happens as it does happen: in it no value exists-and if it did exist, it would have no value. If there is any value that does have value, it must lie outside the whole sphere of what happens and is the case. For all that happens and is the case is accidental. What makes it non-accidental cannot lie within the world, since if it did it would itself be accidental. It must lie outside the world” -Wittgenstein
great video steven :)
man id love to sit down with you some day and talk about some of the weirder views on art and metaphysics that you were hinting at. sounds like a great time.
Ohh… This video is going to be a treat! With perfect timing!
Your channel is something special
I haven't finished watching the video yet, but I want to say that I will watch anything you want to post, and it would be great to see it all on ✨️one✨️ channel
I love this. I will listen wherever you decide to put it
I’m interested in any kind of discussion that you post here.
Everything I’ve watched so far has been new to me, and fascinating.
Looking forward to what’s next .
I'd love to see more stuff like this! Gave words to feelings I couldn't describe.
Hahah brother Steven, for reference I have been meditating since 2003, and reading occult books since about then too (I would love to share my digital occult library with you if you can send me your email somehow, or I’ll find yours, it has thousands of books with millions of pages), I can still feel and sense and hear you editing yourself to try and appeal to the more general crowd, which is so funny to me, I wish there was a space where you could just fully unhinge and disclose what you really deeply think and feel without the need to have to explain pre-requisites to the audience. I find often with people I have to explain several prerequisites to people that are building blocks for the concepts I’m really wanting to tell them about or discuss, which I feel you’re doing here. Maybe your more private channels are a more suitable venue for that, if you have a discord or something. So glad to see this kind of content here. I feel we both have the same mission in life with our art and our modus operandi or reason de existence, which is to expand, heighten, and deepen the perception of our viewers! Bravo mate.
Appreciate this video very much and think videos like this should be on this channel due to how they link with your art teachings. Profoundly grateful for the information you provide, much love 🙏