Fellow 3D/2D artists, how do you overcome mediocracy?

[Luc1nda]

Hello Actualized.org forum, not sure if there are many on this forum who're in the rabbit hole but, whether you're someone who's starting out, or on their journey or perhaps works in industry,

what's your journey been like? I'm particularly interested in art for films, animation or games.
So 2D or 3D art, like 3D Modelling & Texturing, Animation & rigging, VFX, perhaps even concept art.

In such a competitive industry, how did you make it/how are you making it?

Since, I'm doing a computer animation course, and I only started to really learn skills seriously about a year and a half ago, like using softwares like Maya, Zbrush, Unreal Engine 5 and Houdini. (Yes, not Blender! I have yet to learn it after my student subscriptions expire)

I think I've genuinely fallen in love with this craft, I had originally been set on wanting to do engineering or physics, but little did I know I would love this even more.

However, surrounded by so many people who had started learning years before me, or even started at the same time as I did(and are twice as skilled as me), I can't help but feel incredibly inadequate no matter how much I work. Even if I push myself, working often from the crack of dawn to midnight, I can never escape mediocrity in my work. Everything I make I hate, and don't want to show to a single soul (unless its for feedback for improvement). I'm not attached to my work, since I'm well aware the skills matter a thousand times more, but I can't help but feel so demoralized by everyone else who got an early start getting so much more approval, recognition and even guidance and help than me.

Now, I try not to compare myself to others, as I know its a massive trap, but it really is so devastating to work so hard, put so much effort, thought and love into your art and then people just think its "mid" or "okay", and for others to be praised and put on a pedestal for being top students. Sometimes being mediocre feels worse than being objectively bad. Yes, I have only been learning this for a short period of time, but, who else feels something similar? The immense pressure and anxiety (especially with all the discourse, lack of jobs in the industry currently) to improve and rise to the top in terms of skill. Sometimes it really feels like, as someone who's new, I really do not stand a chance competing for jobs against these child prodigies that learnt blender when they were 8, or could draw extremely well at a young age, or learnt to code the matrix fresh out of the womb. Yes, I need to work harder for a long period of time to get to where they are now, it just feels like theres a glass ceiling I have to break through.

My end goal is to get so good people will come to me to do their work, I want to be so efficient, skilled and knowledgeable so I truly have the freedom to create whatever art I want. I want to create art so deep with wisdom and substance, it'll influence people so deeply and rock their perspective on the world. My skills are my greatest asset, and I'm investing in them so one day I can create an animated series or comic, I've been wanting to do this for 5 years and only now I'm slowly acquiring the skills and knowledge to do so, this is my greatest battle, and I am EXTREMELY serious about this.

So, I'll re-phrase the question:

How do you overcome the need to overcome mediocracy?

Since, I don't want to give a shit what others are doing, whether or not they're beasts at what they do, will get snapped up for a job instantly, or are by miracle so much better than me despite working less. I just wanna focus on myself and making the things I love most and learn from those around me, but a part of me still can't let go of wanting to be the best, and its a form of self sabotage which is stopping me from focusing on learning and robbing me of happiness.

Anyone else had similar things?
Please let me know! I'm super interested in hearing anyone else's stories or obstacles they've had to overcome, whether or not you're even working in this industry.

Thanks for reading!

One last thing, any stupid comments about generative AI will be ignored, I don't care for AI unless it genuinely has something to do with this discussion.

[Hojo]

How can you say you only have been doing it a year and a half but you have worked so hard and so long?

No body cares about your art work but you,That means you decide if its mid.

You are doing it for social approval that dosent work with art.

The people who you think are good have been doing it for 30  years. Having experience with something over years part time will improve you x100 over grinding every day for a year. If you do both you become a God at it.

You need to do it for yourself. Simple answer is stop showing your art to other people and do art without thinking.

If you cant do it it will suck your soul, and if you do art for money it will suck your soul.

This man said when he was a kid he was angry and  hated the world so he stayed inside drawing all day for years and now he is a God of perspective.

 

Edited Wednesday at 11:46 PM by Hojo

[Luc1nda]

18 minutes ago, Hojo said:

How can you say you only have been doing it a year and a half but you have worked so hard and so long?

Since it feels like Its been one hell of a journey ahaha
I've had to overcome a lot of things. That and, I'm 20.
I have been practicing art in general for all my life every now and again, its only a year and a half ago since i've really started to take it seriously.

Quote

No body cares about your art work but you,That means you decide if its mid.

And yes, as the work I'm doing is no where near industry quality. Super stage orange to look at it that way but, Its helpful to know what will get you a job or not.

Quote

You are doing it for social approval that dosent work with art.

Yes and no, part of it is approval, but it all started as genuine inspiration and the need for expression and making some really cool things for self fulfillment.

Quote

The people who you think are good have been doing it for 30  years. Having experience with something over years part time will improve you x100 over grinding every day for a year.

Of course, however I'm referring to people my age who're insane at these kinds of things. 
 

Quote

If you do both you become a God at it.

My exact intention!

Edited Wednesday at 11:52 PM by Luc1nda

[Raze]

25 minutes ago, Hojo said:

 

This man said when he was a kid he was angry and  hated the world so he stayed inside drawing all day for years and now he is a God of perspective.

 

he died a couple years ago

[Hojo]

@Luc1nda The people who work in this field do not like their jobs. Doing art for other people is like talking to God through another person. It will crush your soul. It will be like having to sit at a computer for 12 hours a day wishing you got a job that you could be active in. The human body needs to be active or it will become depressed especially when your passion becomes a chore because you wont be making your own art.

Edited Thursday at 12:20 AM by Hojo