Art Is Lifestyle

A quick 'Gonzo' style notebook entry:

Interacted with a fellow on Deviant Art, who ranted in a journal post about how they have been trying to be a good artist and I guess they are 20? Cause they said they realize it wouldn't happen even if he tried for another 20.  My first thought was, hes not drawing every day for 20 years if he feels hes not doing anything worth while. And that, to start with is subjective. Everyone's style, approach, interest, strengths and weaknesses are different. The point is, if you are truly trying to be an artist, there's two different kinds. There is those who wait for the right lighting, temperature and 'vibes' every other 3rd sunday of a month. Then theres the kind that live and breathe this stuff, it IS a life style. Even when this type is not drawing they are observing stuff as they're out and about, getting ideas, soaking in stuff. Absorbing exciting stimuli to apply to their daily discipline. Thats the most important point I believe which I'll make next as well, is the daily discipline. This fellow, for 20 years, would see a steady increase in ability, if he was actually drawing every day or every other day for 20 years.

I replied saying 'practice, trace, study, draw and practice over and over for 33 years THEN and only then if you actually do that and still feel that your not adequate, THEN you can give up... but not till then should you give up.'

He replied with a self-pity laden 'In this day and age, I shouldn't have to practice for so long I shouldn't have to [ put in the work ] - we have endless information and knowledge at our finger tips on the internet and with technology I should just be good.

I took a moment to chuckle to myself. There is no way, NO WAY anybody would be a 'good artist' from the tools alone and by the 'information' alone.

I replied with the following:

'Its more about muscle memory and brain understanding. Anybody can whip a pen around a paper, but takes years for your brain to develop the understanding of it all. And the muscle memory, the more time in between drawing you go without drawing, the more it degrades.

Art is kung fu. A daily discipline. You do not acquire anything by not practicing for at least a few minutes of sketching or more a day. Not a thing.'

And I re post here cause I felt this was important words to bestow upon anybody and everybody regarding being an artist, or anything your trying to be good at.

Do the work, you don't NEED computers, and stylus, and you can watch all the you tube tutorials you want. But in the end, you will not get better, if you do not practice, EVERY DAY. And when you are not practicing, you must STUDY the world around you, notice forms, shapes, depth, shadows, designs, type styles.

Art is lifestyle. Art is kung fu. Kung Fu literally translates as Chinese words for: Skill, Accomplishment.
Skill, and Accomplishment. These are developed with muscle memory and conceptual evolution of the mind through repetition and time.

Take it to heart.