Posts tagged inspiration

I’ve seen a few blog posts on this, but a month or so ago, I was suffering from what I’ve deemed “over-inspiration.”  I’ve defined this as when an artist or individual is so focused on viewing other peoples work, they just can’t bring themselves to create.  With the age of digital distribution, the internet, and countless number of resources, I find a lot of times I spend all my time consuming, and not actually doing.  This is both a blessing and a curse.  Lately I’ve come to believe the more great art I look at the worse off I am.  I shouldn’t compare myself to great artists who have been doing this 50 years day in and day out.  But it’s hard not to want to be like them, to steal their styles, and hurry up and get to the good stuff.  I’m not 100 percent sure why I go thorough these periods of self-doubt, but I believe it’s because I’m so worried about screwing up, taking a wrong turn, failing.  I also believe it’s because it’s always easier to view something someone else made, rather than your own.  It’s easier to critique it, to see the errors, to judge.  But that’s part of being an artist or programmer, or whatever.  You make mistakes, but you learn.  You don’t learn by watching someone code, or by watching someone draw.  Sure it can be extreemly helpful, and you can learn great things from it, but you have to pick up the pencil, or peck on the keyboard.  Don’t always judge yourself off of the greats, they were once in the same boat as you. They are no different from you.  Keep up the good work, plow through the tough times, it’s not always going to be easy.  And if it was, you would move on to the next thing.  Keep your head up.  Also, read this post.

I wanted to post a short link to my Daily Draw.  It finished last month, and although I was going to keep going, I have some programming work to finish.  I have been drawing quite a bit though, have no fear.  Still only drawing heads.  I’m starting to get it, but I still have quite a few bad drawings to make.  I hope you enjoy.

Also a couple of lazy pics from the sketchbook.