This isn't necessarily a NaMoPaiMo post, but I did think it was important to get it finished before the end of the month.
Every artists journey is unique, but we all share distinct similarities in the way we learn and process our creative achievements. Like most people, I was very young when I first started drawing.
My subjects were usually animals (horses obviously), and I was awful. Then in 2009 I got a tablet and it really did change my life. That yellow pegasus... thing was my first ever digital drawing and I was so excited at the time. The change in medium was quite drastic and I was so confused why you couldn't look at your tablet while drawing. I think it was just the resilience of childhood that kept me going. I think that it's a similar experience for most kids, it's just fun to do and the outcome didn't really matter.
Talent
What makes someone talented? I know a lot of Mares In Black (The Podcast) talks about this - it's the hours and hours and hours you put in to get better. I agree. I think that one piece of art that you create and finally say "Wow, I really like this!" is probably one of the most important times to grow as an artist. This racehorse drawing I did back in 2012 is a massive leap from that yellow pegasus. It was the first time when I felt really really proud of what I could create. It gave me confidence and gave myself a next step.
Support
I think, especially as you get older, there is an element that every artist must have present through their creative journey. Moral Support. During my early years, much before I knew that model horses had a whole world behind them, I was part of HARPG (Horse Art Role Play Game) - an online horse artists community where you drew what was happening in your stable. Oh man it was
incredibly fun and I learned a lot through
tutorials, live streaming, contests, and critiques. It was an extremely supportive community of likeminded young artists who either were just figuring out digital art or who were advanced enough to take on paid commissions. Actually, a friend helped red line that green jump for me (she's now a professional artist). Learning can be an uphill climb, but when you make it fun (like through NaMoPaiMo), it really doesn't seem like a chore.
Mediums
I think that switching up mediums is extremely important as well. Not only to rest your mind, but to also wade into new waters and get your hands dirty. I find when you look at new perspectives, you learn a lot. This post is mostly my digital works because they go back the farthest so you can see a comparison. The big time gap between the mare and foal and the portrait was because of model horses, personally I think this is one of the biggest leaps I'm made in my artistic career and I credit that to cross disciplinary art.
Reflection
Before you toss your art in the trash when it gets old, stop and think. You can't compare how far you've come if you can't look behind you. It so happens that with my online art community, I unintentionally archived my works (over 3 accounts) and therefore have 12 years of art stored! I posted everything from sculpture to paintings, to digital, to photos... and over the years everything improved. It was also great to take part in monthly challenges to see your progress over a year - annual art wheels were all the rage back then.
Being an artist is hard, but you will never improve unless you put yourself out there and try. Don't get scared away or too frustrated - always come back and try again. You know, the old saying about getting back on the horse. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither were you. Keep watching the tutorials, talking to likeminded people, try other mediums, explore new places, and definitely do not quit. Always keep doing creative things because it always helps in the long run.
Good Luck!
Here's a random compilation of works I've done over 12 years. Nothing is in order but you can still see vast differences.
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