This Advice Will Save Your (Creative) Life
For my first contribution to the site, I thought I’d start with the single best piece of advice I could ever give a creator.
You’re never as good as you think you are. And you’re never as bad as you think you are.
When you’re really impressing yourself with your work and starting to get a little big-headed, like you’re something special, here’s a reality check. You’re not.
You’ve done a great piece of work and you’re really happy with it. You SHOULD feel good. You SHOULD feel proud of it. Savor that feeling. Enjoy it. Because, honestly, that feeling doesn’t come along very often.
But don’t let it go to your head — and at first, you probably won’t even notice when it does. You’re not one of the top ten artists on deviantart, or one of the five best pencillers not working for Marvel Comics, or whatever other delusional title you bestow on yourself when you’re really happy with your work.
On the same note though, when you’re beating yourself up and second-guessing the piece you’re working on — which invariably leads to: Am I good enough to draw comics? Should I be drawing period? Am I even cut out to do anything creative at all? Do I deserve to even be breathing oxygen? — You’re never even CLOSE to that bad.
Whether you think you’ve got it all figured out, or you’re thinking of throwing in the towel, all you really need is a little perspective.
Best of luck!
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You can see more of Gabe Bridwell’s work at www.gabebridwell.com.
10 Comments
Too True, Gabe. One of the hardest things to do is have consistent perspective on your own work. Every time you come to the table you’re bringing all sorts of conceptions of what you WANT your project to be, it ruins the objectivity. Having someone you trust as a first pass editor is invaluable, they can really help with the quality control. Though, you have to be okay with criticism as well, sometimes its tough to hear the hard things that will make you better.
You are absolutely correct. When you draw, you should be proud of the good work you have done, but always remember that there is someone out there that is WAY better than you. Some of the best artists I have ever seen are the most humble, so it goes to show that you get better by being happy with your strengths, always, ALWAYS being aware of your weaknesses, and NEVER forgetting that your ability is a gift. As for me, I know that I’m better than the average Joe, but I don’t even come close to nearly every other artist I see on deviantART.
In fact, browsing deviantART is one of the best ways to bring an overinflated ego to healthy levels.
Thanks for the reality check. And for the encouragement!
Great article! As regards deviantART I would say that many people make the mistake of equating being popular to being good. They are good at one single thing, let’s say, drawing pin-ups of sexy elven warriors, and that’s all they draw, OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Of course they get tons of :+fav:s but if you want to improve as an artist I think that doing something that is hard to you and where you’ll receive some useful critique is much better than a thousand :+fav:s
I bow before anyone who can create a comic/graphic novel with stunning art and a compelling story on their own. Just the amount of work that must go into such an undertaking before the first panel is even drawn can be overwhelming. I created an 84 page children’s graphic novel titled Little Arthur’s Big Adventure that I had fun with over the couple of years it took to make. The idea of creating another one sounds exciting to me until I remember the amount of time it takes; time my life currently will not afford. Single illustrations have become my comfort zone lately but I know the truth is that every illustrator would love to tell the larger story of that single image.
You’re not the first one to say this, Gabe. Dave Sim said something similar too. But it still holds true.
I feel like every piece I make goes over the same roller coaster of emotion. I start out drawing/sketching and I couldn’t be more satisfied with the history I think I’m making. This feeling only gets more and more bloated and exaggerated as the process continues. When I finish it (or really, decide I’m done working on it) I am at the height of pride. Then, almost immediately, I start to doubt my initial idea and I start finding little flaws here and there. It’s a slow decline in regard from there on out.
The feelings involved in this process have definitively become more muted with more and more experience, but I still get the same twinges I got long ago. I’ll tell you what, it’s good motivation to start on the next project or piece.
It’s a really fine line, to be honest. I guess that’s the idea here. There’s always a point in a drawing when you can’t quite tell if it’s going to be good or bad, and it’s important to get through it and finish the thing, one way or the other, or you’ll get into the habit of leaving things unfinished. There’s nothing wrong with feeling good about your work. Self-confidence is really important. But moderation is important as well – plow that positive energy into the next project, don’t sit on it.
–M
Every artist compares his work against others. It’s one of the ways we measure ability, progress, etc. And I’ve heard it said that those people with “good taste” (obviously totally subjective) beat themselves up even more, because they artists they are comparing themselves to are the “best of the best”, and OF COURSE you’re going to fall short when you’re constantly comparing yourself to them. But I think comparing yourself to the best (and failing to meet their standard) is how you push yourself into developing your skills.
Tom & Mr. Average -
I feel there is a difference in how you feel when working on a specific piece, versus how you feel your overall artistic development is progressing.
On a specific piece, you’re definitely gonna feel that roller-coaster of emotions — “this is turning out great”, “that’s the best foreshortened leg I’ve ever drawn”, “OMG, why is ever face turning out like a rotten pumpkin today”… etc. You love it one minute, hate it the next etc.
But separate from that piece you’re working on, there’s how you feel about your work in general. How well you think your developing overall. And I think that’s where the you’re never as good/bas as you think you are advice really helps keep you level headed.