Artist problems
- Thread starter Xerolin
- Start date
Prepare for a grand list of a person who breathes art:
- Artist's block or lack of motivation... like my god. Or, procrastinating because I don't feel like doing art. That's even worse and I hate when it happens. Sort of like today, planned to draw all day but in the end got around to it at 4AM.
- I am mostly a digital artist so losing my eraser doesn't ruffle me that much (I rarely traditional) BUT. But. I always lose my tablet pen somewhere in the abyss known as my bed. Not that big of a problem, though. What is more annoying though, my tablet drivers often freak out (gg Wacom) and instead of drawing I have to fiddle with stuff until it works again.
- "Art lows" where I am frustrated with how my style looks and generally thinking my art is poop. I get very irritated and no matter what I draw, feel like it's not good enough.
- Being unable to get something right when drawing or having trouble putting my concept down on the canvas. Sometimes I have an idea but just can't find the right way to portray it.
- Not feeling like drawing commissions, ever. When I feel no attachment whatsoever to what I am drawing, it's very hard to get into it and even though I try my darn best, those drawings often come sub-par to my personal art.
- Being slow.
- Sort of feeling insecure due to not getting recognized on art sharing sites. I am a shy butt so I am really bad at marketing myself.
- Starting a drawing and putting it away for later and then never finding motivation to finish it. I have like 50 WIPs just from this and last year.
- My back being ouchie from uncomfortable positions I tend to automatically get in while focused on drawing.
- The biggest and actually serious problem, which is also a warning to all the younger artists out there. I am a freelancer, which means my only means of getting money at the moment is drawing for people. Which equals to having to put a lot of work into it at times. Back in summer, when I wasn't studying, I had tons of work and overworked myself. It killed my wrist. I've had wrist pains ever since then. So, to everyone, please remember not to strain yourself and take breaks.
This is not a complete list but I've pulled an all nighter so my brain is potatoes now.
- Artist's block or lack of motivation... like my god. Or, procrastinating because I don't feel like doing art. That's even worse and I hate when it happens. Sort of like today, planned to draw all day but in the end got around to it at 4AM.
- I am mostly a digital artist so losing my eraser doesn't ruffle me that much (I rarely traditional) BUT. But. I always lose my tablet pen somewhere in the abyss known as my bed. Not that big of a problem, though. What is more annoying though, my tablet drivers often freak out (gg Wacom) and instead of drawing I have to fiddle with stuff until it works again.
- "Art lows" where I am frustrated with how my style looks and generally thinking my art is poop. I get very irritated and no matter what I draw, feel like it's not good enough.
- Being unable to get something right when drawing or having trouble putting my concept down on the canvas. Sometimes I have an idea but just can't find the right way to portray it.
- Not feeling like drawing commissions, ever. When I feel no attachment whatsoever to what I am drawing, it's very hard to get into it and even though I try my darn best, those drawings often come sub-par to my personal art.
- Being slow.
- Sort of feeling insecure due to not getting recognized on art sharing sites. I am a shy butt so I am really bad at marketing myself.
- Starting a drawing and putting it away for later and then never finding motivation to finish it. I have like 50 WIPs just from this and last year.
- My back being ouchie from uncomfortable positions I tend to automatically get in while focused on drawing.
- The biggest and actually serious problem, which is also a warning to all the younger artists out there. I am a freelancer, which means my only means of getting money at the moment is drawing for people. Which equals to having to put a lot of work into it at times. Back in summer, when I wasn't studying, I had tons of work and overworked myself. It killed my wrist. I've had wrist pains ever since then. So, to everyone, please remember not to strain yourself and take breaks.
This is not a complete list but I've pulled an all nighter so my brain is potatoes now.
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Mega_Cabbage
Meh
-Not having enough money to buy art supplies *whispers*(Copics)
-People expecting you to draw things for them just because you're good at art
-Your doodles on scrap paper is better than when you actually want to try
-People expecting you to draw things for them just because you're good at art
-Your doodles on scrap paper is better than when you actually want to try
That third one is so true ;-;
Dis...
This is super annoying, because you don't ask a chef to cook you a free custom meal or such. Huge pet peeve, especially if someone insists and gets mad at you for refusing. Fortunately, the people around me know art is my job so they don't ask for free stuff, but my friends deal with this attitude very often and it's honestly frustrating.
Not to mention it also hurts the market for those who are trying to make money off art, because entitled folks come in and demand free art instead of paying. I kid you not, I had a guy who paid me half of the price and when I finished the work for him, refused to pay the other half because "you should do this for free!"
Grumble.
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GalacticGhost
.-* elusive clown *-.
- Procrastinating and having absolutely zero motivation to do art. I have a few art requests to do but I haven't even started them because of this uggggh
- Traditional drawings turning out like **** because your colouring pencils are ****. Hasn't really happened to me before, but I worry about it happening.
- Not being able to do digital art because you can't get decent stuff for it - the best I've managed to get is the paint mode in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and some drawing app on my phone. And neither of those are great for drawing (in fact, I can't even draw on Smash anymore). I really wish I was able to do digital art because like I mentioned before, **** colouring pencils. Also it's a much better quality than traditional art.
- Being absolutely awful at drawing poses. I can't even draw people facing sideways. And the worst part is that I have no idea how to improve.
- Traditional drawings turning out like **** because your colouring pencils are ****. Hasn't really happened to me before, but I worry about it happening.
- Not being able to do digital art because you can't get decent stuff for it - the best I've managed to get is the paint mode in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and some drawing app on my phone. And neither of those are great for drawing (in fact, I can't even draw on Smash anymore). I really wish I was able to do digital art because like I mentioned before, **** colouring pencils. Also it's a much better quality than traditional art.
- Being absolutely awful at drawing poses. I can't even draw people facing sideways. And the worst part is that I have no idea how to improve.
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> people comparing your art to another art that has a totally different art style (heck even a different medium)
> taking a long hiatus from drawing and coming back to it a couple months after forgetting how to hold a pencil
> when you're cheap and your laptop's old and crashes mid-project
> when the linework on point and your coloring skills sht
> people rushing you
> taking a long hiatus from drawing and coming back to it a couple months after forgetting how to hold a pencil
> when you're cheap and your laptop's old and crashes mid-project
> when the linework on point and your coloring skills sht
> people rushing you
(Yes, I am gonna stalk this thread cause artist problems is my life. xD)
Maybe I can give some advice, hopefully it can help you:
- Perhaps try to get a cheap drawing tablet? Either save up for one or ask for one. Wacoms start at around $70 if my conversion rate is right, but there are much cheaper alternatives from other brands. And there is some really decent art software that is completely free to get (FireAlpaca, namely. It's really nice for a free program.) It's really best to get a drawing tablet, since drawing on apps doesn't compare to the amount of capabilities you get with doing digital art on the computer.
- As for drawing poses and not knowing how to improve: the only way to improve is to tackle these. Try looking at photos and referencing drawing faces, study how they look. If figuring out is hard at first, perhaps some tutorials might help you. You probably heard it but honestly, key to improving at whatever you're lacking at is practice, practice and more practice of that particular thing (vexy needs to work on backgrounds here.)If you ever need critique or advice feel free to message me, I am not an expert but I always try my best to help.
Maybe I can give some advice, hopefully it can help you:
- Perhaps try to get a cheap drawing tablet? Either save up for one or ask for one. Wacoms start at around $70 if my conversion rate is right, but there are much cheaper alternatives from other brands. And there is some really decent art software that is completely free to get (FireAlpaca, namely. It's really nice for a free program.) It's really best to get a drawing tablet, since drawing on apps doesn't compare to the amount of capabilities you get with doing digital art on the computer.
- As for drawing poses and not knowing how to improve: the only way to improve is to tackle these.
Try looking at photos and referencing drawing faces, study how they look. If figuring out is hard at first, perhaps some tutorials might help you. You probably heard it but honestly, key to improving at whatever you're lacking at is practice, practice and more practice of that particular thing (vexy needs to work on backgrounds here.)If you ever need critique or advice feel free to message me, I am not an expert but I always try my best to help.
- Got into the habit of swiping my drawings with the side of my hand every now and then, so when I work on a charcoal piece, by instinct I swipe and smear all the work. (I just use paper towels under my hand now so it's not really much of a problem anymore.)
- Prismacolor tips break too easily.
- Leaving indents on the next page.
- Slicing my fingers when working with linoleum.
- Getting marker, paint, oil, pastels, charcoal, or pencil all over my clothes cuz I'm too lazy to put on a smock.
- Prismacolor tips break too easily.
- Leaving indents on the next page.
- Slicing my fingers when working with linoleum.
- Getting marker, paint, oil, pastels, charcoal, or pencil all over my clothes cuz I'm too lazy to put on a smock.
I don't know why but every time I sharpen prismacolor pencil crayons the crayon always ALWAYS breaks off. I don't know if it's just bc I suck at sharpening or I'm using the wrong sharpener.
- artist block
- I can't draw anything unless I'm in "that mood"
- when I draw something I can't reapeat it, you get me?
- I can't draw hands
- angles. it's very hard to learn how draw from different angles
- I suck at drawing backgrounds
- I'm still a beginner at photoshop, and I don't know how to use a drawing tablet yet
- I can't draw anything unless I'm in "that mood"
- when I draw something I can't reapeat it, you get me?
- I can't draw hands
- angles. it's very hard to learn how draw from different angles
- I suck at drawing backgrounds
- I'm still a beginner at photoshop, and I don't know how to use a drawing tablet yet
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Are you using a sharpener with a big hole? The one that looks like its for those preschool color crayons? If not, try the big hole and go slow. Stop just before you think its sharp enough.
KaydeeKrunk
The Late Great Turt
Have you ever worked with the scratch art paper? One year in my AP art class we had to do a project with it and I literally was covered in tiny black speckles, all over my face and arms and they wouldn't wipe off so I went through like all of two days at school covered in tiny black specs till I got home... it was horrible...
Also when my "artist bump" (aka the little callus you get on your "resting" finger) hurting like crazy after working on something for a long time, especially when using traditional pencils with the flat edges... it also hurts more when I am sculpting and using like a textured tool like my xacto that had like the waffle pattern, it digs in to my finger so bad...
Speaking of sculpting, when you are getting rid of the finger prints on one part and leave prints somewhere else, and then when rubbing those out you leave them somewhere else, etc, etc, etc.... or god forbid a tiny hair or something get embedded and you have to stab it to get it out and smooth the wound out and usually get the freaking hair embedded back in and you want to die.
Mega_Cabbage
Meh
I would recommend using this sharpener. If the problem isn't that the lead itself is broken inside the barrel, then this should get the prismacolor premier pencils to a nice point. It's also a lot cheaper than the one actually designed for premier pencils.
Prismacolor Scholar Sharpener
My biggest problem is having no motivation. When I do draw, I love it but I can't seem to get around to draw as much anymore. Because I haven't drawn in a while, my skills are really rusty which adds to my frustration. I also struggle with going out of my comfort zone and trying new things.
We're in a similiar situation. If that helps though, I suggest pushing yourself to draw new things anyway - fresh stuff brings excitement and motivation, since you're doing something new and are curious about it. It might reignite your passion and make you learn new stuff, too. Double win!
Perhaps try taking on 100 themes challenge or using a random prompt generator if you're out of ideas?
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