How To Beat Artist Comparison Envy
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- Ah, the curse of comparison envy. It happens to every artist and urban sketcher at some point or another, and recently I was struck down with it. In this video I share my experience of comparing myself unfavourably to a fantastic watercolour sketch artist, so much so that it almost lead me to radically change my entire sketching style... and the surprising outcome of what happened when I tried.
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Thank you, Donald, for sharing this experience. I have struggled also with thinking that the lettering I do isn’t as “good“ as the work of others that I see. But I love doing what I do the way I do it. Thank you for giving me the encouragement I need to continue. I really didn’t want to take up knitting, anyway! ❤
It’s definitely not an easy thing to avoid the comparison, but if you love what you do then it sounds like you’re on the right track. Thanks Susan 🙂
Wise words. There are some ignorant people who like to define art as something with rules. There are no rules for any kind of art. Art is freedom. In photography it is often said that we must learn the rules so that we can break them later. Be free and enjoy every little moment you are drawing and painting. That's art.
Well said!
Absolutely, agree with all of this. I love your phrase “art is freedom.” Thank you!
Ur sketches r really lively......nd i genuinely like ur style its funky nd cute nd reminds me of my childhood.
Thank you Stella, yes I do try to draw in the spirit of a child, it’s a lot of fun.
Cheers, Donald.
I'm glad you found your way back! I like your stuff and I learned I didn't like straight lines either. Thanks.
Thank you Peter! Yes, I went full circle and ended up back where I started. Too much doubting and not enough drawing. Art is exhausting 😅
Cheers, Donald.
Thank you so much for this. I needed to hear this, because I’d actually fallen into the comparison trap recently. I’ve not picked up a fine liner at all! I’d love to be able to draw like you! I took a course not too long ago, and it had the same outcome as yours did, but yes, your advice is helpful - “take the inspiration from it”. I was trying to paint like them, but, actually, I’m me. I should carry on doing what I do! Thank you SO MUCH for this. Wise words Donald! And I’m glad you’re back - you were missed!
Happy it helped. In my time doing art I have found the biggest hurdle has been to stop myself wanting to make art like someone else does. It has been a constant feeling, maybe because art was something that had just passed me by and now I kept seeing all these shiny new things! Probably it was worsened by trying to do a CZcams channel and wanting to be doing what the bigger channels do. Finally over that! Definitely keep doing your own thing, you’ll be flying in no time. Thanks a lot, appreciate it. Donald.
Thank you so much, I really needed that pep talk, seriously thanks
Excellent, it’s nice to know when this stuff clicks with someone. Thanks in return 😊
Comparison envy is tough and happens in many avenues, particularly with social media. I think you have a lovely style and I quite enjoy it. Also, I could have sworn I heard Steven Reddy say in his course to use one continuous line when drawing an object, no matter how wonky it may be. He's doing ok for himself. Hey, if you need a knitting teacher, I'm actually a very good knitter, but I'm glad you've found your way back to your style. I suppose I should stop watching videos and put pen to paper. I have a collection of fountain pens, and I may give it a go with one of them myself.
You’re right, pretty much anything creative will lead to envious gazing at what others can do. Seeing what others have accomplished is a good motivator to keep going though.
Yes Steven does go for solid lines too, I found his outlook very refreshing and tuned to how I was thinking.
Thanks for the knitting tutor offer, maybe someday 😄
It is tempting to keep watching videos and put off starting anything, but yes do give the drawing practice a go, it can be very enjoyable and relaxing once you get into it.
Cheers, Donald.
Because all up and coming hopeful artists use social media the ‘Artist Envy’ is inevitable. I had it with my photography and it was partly because I couldn’t get the images that other photographers were getting that I gave up photography. The main reason though was because of my mobility issues stopping me from getting out and about. I took up attempting art, I cannot call myself an artist anymore than I could call myself a photographer, simply because I have an inherent need to create something.
All artist/creators will see others as better than them and some will see others as worse than them it is simply human nature to do so. You have to remember Donald that many will look at your work and envy what you achieve.
I also took the course you mention. Not to copy his style but to try and work out how to loosen up a bit. I did actually do the pen work of the Parisian building but never painted it simply because watercolour is my arch enemy 🤣 I am now doing another lose sketching course that uses markers for colouring so I have high hopes of branching out into more expressive sketching 🤔
Just keep doing what you do Donald you don’t have to be anyone else if you are comfortable with what you do. Over time, you may develop a different style or even have multiple styles for different subjects and that is just as valid as the style you have already developed. Evaluation is a real thing and there is nothing we can do to stop it. Sadly, I seem to be taking as long to evolve into an artists as humans took to evolve from single cell entities………
Great to see you back and look forward to your next piece of art🙏
Instagram did change things I’m sure, it is great for people to be able to share their art with the whole world now, but also an added pressure. I don’t use any social media at all right now, unless CZcams counts, but maybe at some point I’ll try it.
We sound quite similar. Art, photography, mobility issues, infuriated by watercolour 😅 I’m terrified to try alcohol markers in case I like using them, they’re frighteningly expensive! Hope you enjoy the course.
You’re right it could evolve and hopefully keep improving through practice, which is what we’re all aiming for I suppose. I think now for me though it will be evolving things my own way, and it’s nice to finally have that clarity. We’ll all get there eventually 😁
@@UrbanSketchy I have just re started my Instagram account as it is the only way I can share my pictures. Currently I follow only one person, the guy who created the course I am on, I do look at other work though for inspiration and ideas but I have learned not to compare myself to others. I find having somewhere to share my pictures, even if no one sees them, is psychologically beneficial as it gives me a reason to draw them.
That’s good then, sounds you have the right approach to Instagram. Makes you realise how much talent is out there that you’d never have seen in the olden days.
I`ve done that course you mentioned Donald on Domestika by Alex Hillkurtz and yes whilst his style is amazing you have to remember he`s spent years formulating his skill set and going to Art School. It almost put me off too. Then I discovered Jeff Carter and Mark Rosenbohm (I think that`s right) on Etchr Studio. Both do a much more simplistic yet effective style (Well I like it anyway) of Urban Sketching and that got me back into the `I can do that` mentality. Anyway, eventually everybody develops their own style, and your cartoony style is great. I just may copy you! 😁
Hi Andrew, yes you’re right it is important to remember that the experts didn’t get to that level accidentally, it was years of practice and learning. I still can’t fathom how Alex can just do a few squiggles and make it look like an elaborately detailed building, yet I try the same thing and it looks like, well, a few squiggles.
Oh yes I noticed Jeff Carter’s etchr videos recently, I enjoyed seeing his method, proper wonky! Not familiar with the other name, I’ll have to look him up.
Ha, copy away. I’m not sure anyone will be getting comparison envy about my sketches anytime soon but stranger things have happened 😄
My perspective sucks too, but I'm not bothered by it. As long as I like drawing, I'll just continue with it ;-)
That’s the spirit 😀
Can you imagine if P Picasso listened to the art critics and stopped or changed his art! Seems his work was popular because of the critics.
Very true, every artist has probably faced the same thing for as long as people have been making art. Self belief is probably as important as ability or we would quit before we got good enough. Cheers!
@@UrbanSketchy 👍 yep
Love this. Stick to your guns! 😊
Thanks, I will from now on 🙂