I’m about to drop some zen thinking on you, so listen up. Ready?
What separates the mindset of a seasoned artist from an amateur?
The amateur has fewer questions.
BaBOOM! (drops the mic)
…OK so… maybe that bears explaining a bit further. Everyone starts off with more or less the same vacuum of knowledge when it comes to art and the rules that govern the visual world. Beginners tend to focus on the immediate questions (how do I draw Batman jumping off a roof? What does his costume look like?) whereas experienced artists see the task before them with greater nuance (what’s the most effective composition? Is Batman foreshortened correctly? Is the lighting accurate?). The experienced artist realizes the depth of complexity even the most basic image can present in a way the beginner does not.