art
I've been surrounded by a lot of art recently, and it's left me really inspired to sit down and work on what I do. I've kindof realized what I want to try doing with my characters, backgrounds, and art in general; such as, trying to put more depth into my art. Not that this last year hasn't been really productive; because it has. I have been mostly doing backgroundless female figures; basically the same thing over and over but at this point I can draw a female from most angles and poses without much trouble and pretty damn good anatomy. And then, my technique when it comes to digital and traditional pencil work have vastly improved as well. (Note, I am really against art classes; I've learned so much more by just being friends with a productive artist and letting myself be inspired to work on it, than I have ever in a class room; same with language, but, that's another story altogether...). So the next step, for me, is to work on what is behind the people I draw and trying to work on a little more difficult of a level.
Because I feel like my art lacks depth, and because I want to improve it, it has made me wonder what the point of being a little anime artist is, even. I'm not drawing important people or events, I'm not really drawing for anyone but myself (even if I am trying to fix it by having an art booth at Sakuracon next year and opening myself to commissions...). I am simply drawing cartoons in a style I like; and a pretty common style at that. Where can this path even really take me? Until recently, I have only really thought of it as a hobby, no potential for anything huge. and I still kindof believe that. I really don't think I will go beyond greeting cards and stickers and conventions.
I think because of the internet and how relaxed our lifestlyes are, people are a lot more prone to become artists because a lot more people have the opportunity to. That's the first thing holding a lot of people, like me, back, I think. Because people look at others around them and say, "Im not as good as them...wow their style is so good...wow I am just drawing cartoons and they are doing deep spiritual paintings that're taking days and i am just drawing little girls with big eyes on paper and showing them off like gold..."
Art has always gone through cycles though. For a long time it was all/mostly realism; people, things that happened; sculptures, paintings. but throughout time, accessability, opportunity, and style have vastly expanded and changed; i mean, there are so many types of art, so many types of artists, and so many different ways to show off and produce art now. The art world is HUGE now. And I think it is hard to feel like a "good" artist. So I am trying not to feel discouraged. I am starting to see that even cartooning is a huge part of art; and is a really important part of it.
In any case, I was thinking about the different styles of art and things, because I was trying to imagine what my art would look like to someone in the future. Should I portray my own world? Should I portray how I see my world? What's interesting to me? Or should I try to work ahead of my time, so that when people look back, they will see that I understood where the world was going? But i decided that I try not to think about it so much.
On that note, I have realized how interesting non-realistic art is. Or well, art that doesn't have to do with real people, real situations, or anything like that. I guess that's like, fantasy? I don't really know any art terms for the kind of art I am talking about...but I think that stuff is really crazy, because it does not portray the time you are in, generally. It is still somewhat easy to trace, but I think it is interesting because the subjects of art that isn't related to real life, are just things the mind made up; and looking back at them 20 years later doesn't make you think; "wow that an old idea / style / etc", I think it has a lot more potential to inspire or make you wonder about the person. I think I just mean that making up a world shows someone's mind in a very interesting way that I think is even more crazy than how someone sees their own world-- I say this not really because of realistic art but how accessable photography is, so most things are documented pretty easily. The feelings behind situations and people are not always documented this way, but I think photography makes art of this kind a lot less interesting. It's interesting to see what people think the world was like or will be like, or what parts of the world they are in are worth replicating in comparison to things they decide to make up or represent. But, I am not saying the same doesn't go for more traditional things; because even that can have super crazy composition and can mean a lot in the very same way.
My definition of art and what makes art important is really circular... Like my definition of the world. But I guess it makes sense because art is a definition of the world.
Because I feel like my art lacks depth, and because I want to improve it, it has made me wonder what the point of being a little anime artist is, even. I'm not drawing important people or events, I'm not really drawing for anyone but myself (even if I am trying to fix it by having an art booth at Sakuracon next year and opening myself to commissions...). I am simply drawing cartoons in a style I like; and a pretty common style at that. Where can this path even really take me? Until recently, I have only really thought of it as a hobby, no potential for anything huge. and I still kindof believe that. I really don't think I will go beyond greeting cards and stickers and conventions.
I think because of the internet and how relaxed our lifestlyes are, people are a lot more prone to become artists because a lot more people have the opportunity to. That's the first thing holding a lot of people, like me, back, I think. Because people look at others around them and say, "Im not as good as them...wow their style is so good...wow I am just drawing cartoons and they are doing deep spiritual paintings that're taking days and i am just drawing little girls with big eyes on paper and showing them off like gold..."
Art has always gone through cycles though. For a long time it was all/mostly realism; people, things that happened; sculptures, paintings. but throughout time, accessability, opportunity, and style have vastly expanded and changed; i mean, there are so many types of art, so many types of artists, and so many different ways to show off and produce art now. The art world is HUGE now. And I think it is hard to feel like a "good" artist. So I am trying not to feel discouraged. I am starting to see that even cartooning is a huge part of art; and is a really important part of it.
In any case, I was thinking about the different styles of art and things, because I was trying to imagine what my art would look like to someone in the future. Should I portray my own world? Should I portray how I see my world? What's interesting to me? Or should I try to work ahead of my time, so that when people look back, they will see that I understood where the world was going? But i decided that I try not to think about it so much.
On that note, I have realized how interesting non-realistic art is. Or well, art that doesn't have to do with real people, real situations, or anything like that. I guess that's like, fantasy? I don't really know any art terms for the kind of art I am talking about...but I think that stuff is really crazy, because it does not portray the time you are in, generally. It is still somewhat easy to trace, but I think it is interesting because the subjects of art that isn't related to real life, are just things the mind made up; and looking back at them 20 years later doesn't make you think; "wow that an old idea / style / etc", I think it has a lot more potential to inspire or make you wonder about the person. I think I just mean that making up a world shows someone's mind in a very interesting way that I think is even more crazy than how someone sees their own world-- I say this not really because of realistic art but how accessable photography is, so most things are documented pretty easily. The feelings behind situations and people are not always documented this way, but I think photography makes art of this kind a lot less interesting. It's interesting to see what people think the world was like or will be like, or what parts of the world they are in are worth replicating in comparison to things they decide to make up or represent. But, I am not saying the same doesn't go for more traditional things; because even that can have super crazy composition and can mean a lot in the very same way.
My definition of art and what makes art important is really circular... Like my definition of the world. But I guess it makes sense because art is a definition of the world.