My vision is there - general advice from self-taught artists?

[peanutspathtotruth]

Hey guys,

so in the last week something incredible happened. I have been struggling with finding a "life purpose" for roughly 4 years. There have been times where it drove me nuts, then I thought I had something but it turned out not to be and then other times I trusted in God to reveal my way when I'm ready to receive it.

And with that attitude of surrender and trust I went in and dove into consciousness work deeper than ever for the last month or so and perfected my daily habits and stuff. I have been feeling a deepening connection to Truth every single day since then. And last week, in the middle of a Wim Hof session, it just hit me out of nowhere:

All this energy, all this potential that I see unfolding in me through consciousness work - I want all that to flow into a translation of that creative energy in the form of art. I want to master visual art! 

And there it was, right in my face, no way to deny what was so clearly calling me. Ever since I did some inquiry on many doubts I instantly built up. And I could dissolve some of those already. I built a vision around this insight and started strategizing. On monday (after exam and night shifts) I will start a 100% dedicated regime to pursue mastery in art.

Now, I would love to hear some general feedback regarding some factors. I just started studying psychology and I feel like I should stick with it. The degree would give me opportunities to combine art and counseling or even art therapy or something like this. Also, it gives me financial advances (as in no taxes, I only have to work half time). If I stopped studying to have more time for practicing, I would at the same time need to work a full time job to earn enough for a living. That's another pro for the studies: with a degree I could get a better paid job and maybe would only need to work part time -> more time for practice.

One additional info: I'm at point zero. I did have a short phase of learning art but that's not worth mentioning. So basically I can draw stick figures, nothing more. This created many doubts, but I found out for myself that this is no barrier. Van Gogh started at 26. I'm 23, and I feel like starting way too late but yeah, I think it's no problem at all.

That means that I would first have to build my foundations. I am willing to spend years only getting the basics down. But I'm super dedicated to do this for hours a day. So I also thought about tracking my progress and - through combining that with serious consciousness work - maybe writing a book about my journey 5 or 10 years down the line or even later. I could show other people who doubt themselves what's possible. And letting God create through me, I feel, is a big and important part of this whole journey.

So what do you guys think about this? Where should I be careful? Do you think some thinking of mine is astray? Should I quit studying and work in an art department and only practice and do my sadhana for the rest of the time? I'm seriously open to everything right now. I never felt so right about something. 
Also, do you have strategic advice? As in, how to proceed, what is important to keep an eye on? Maybe you self-taught artists have some ideas.

Edited March 5, 2019 by peanutspathtotruth

[Lostguy360]

Well done. I'm very happy for you

I hope you already liked drawing before you came to this conclusion. I hope it was a hobby of yours. Usually life purpose is something you love to do. Something that actually has the power to get you of bed every morning.

If art is that for you. Then all power to you.

Definitly continue your study. And get a well paying Job. You will need this as a foundation and to live a stable life.

The formula for mastery is 1 hour a day of dedicated practice, your goal should be to become better everyday by 1%. For about 10 Years. Wake up an hour before you usually do everyday. Or what ever time suits you best.

BUT NEVER SKIP A DAY. NEVER MAKE AN EXCUSE!!!!

Studys show that 10 years is usually the time where Great artists start producing there best work.

So dedication focus and practice is what you should apply to this journey of yours.

I wish you the best of luck

 

[peanutspathtotruth]

2 hours ago, Lostguy360 said:

Well done. I'm very happy for you

I hope you already liked drawing before you came to this conclusion. I hope it was a hobby of yours. Usually life purpose is something you love to do. Something that actually has the power to get you of bed every morning.

If art is that for you. Then all power to you.

Definitly continue your study. And get a well paying Job. You will need this as a foundation and to live a stable life.

The formula for mastery is 1 hour a day of dedicated practice, your goal should be to become better everyday by 1%. For about 10 Years. Wake up an hour before you usually do everyday. Or what ever time suits you best.

BUT NEVER SKIP A DAY. NEVER MAKE AN EXCUSE!!!!

Studys show that 10 years is usually the time where Great artists start producing there best work.

So dedication focus and practice is what you should apply to this journey of yours.

I wish you the best of luck

 

Hey man thank you for the reply

No it was not a hobby of mine. As said I have zero experience. The thing is I had a phase of about one month where I put 8 hours a day into 3D modeling, texturing, also some drawing (but only for this one month). I stopped because I didn't want to pursue something that requires working on the computer all the time. That's just not my thing. So I dropped all this for a year. But what I learned and what now came back out of nowhere was this: if there is anything I admire deeply and more than anything else (besides truth itself) then it is the beauty of the visual world, form, color, light. 

It just came to me: this is what I want to create. Now, the getting to learning to draw is a consequential step towards this, derived from my vision. Maybe I will specialize in some other field but now it's about the foundation. And drawing is crucial for that. Also I remember how much I enjoyed it last year. As Leo said you have to pump your passion until it's primed. I am the one to choose being passionate about something. And if it takes me 1-2 years of hard work until I enjoy it more than anything else, then that is okay. I learned through the years that this doesn't come from nowhere and you suddenly have a passion. No it is important to try stuff out and then decide on a direction. That's what I did, and it really came from my intuition. 

And about the work put in: you're absolutely right. But 1 hour a day isn't nearly enough. I will dedicate ALL my free time to this. Except for consciousness work and exercise etc., this I see outside of free time already.

There is no going back, this thing is decided. And I know why you might say I should have drawn for some time to be able to make this decision. But it's not true for me. There is just call to be a creator, the process is seen separately. Vision first, everything else follows. 

Give me 6 months of dedicated effort and joyful creation and I will know if I enjoy it

Thank you so much for your opionion, it's always important to get an outside view and reflect on decisions. 

[JohnnyBravo]

Sounds good. Trust yourself, dont worry bout advise (its all mind based nonsense thats gonna steal from the purity of your art).

Draw/paint for yourself, dont worry about an audience. Showcasing is fine, dont get into the number counting or paint for status game.

Glad to hear you got your insight. Im sure more will trickle on from this in the year.

Id also say, if you feel your direction change, dont feel guilty or like you need to 'honour' this initial burst of inspiration. Drop it when it feels tedious and you have run its course, go elsewhere if inspiration says so, and as i said if none of that then wait for God patiently.

People think they need to take effort to find God and seek Him out; the reverse is truer- God is trying to find you.

[peanutspathtotruth]

2 minutes ago, JohnnyBravo said:

Sounds good. Trust yourself, dont worry bout advise (its all mind based nonsense thats gonna steal from the purity of your art).

Draw/paint for yourself, dont worry about an audience. Showcasing is fine, dont get into the number counting or paint for status game.

Glad to hear you got your insight. Im sure more will trickle on from this in the year.

Id also say, if you feel your direction change, dont feel guilty or like you need to 'honour' this initial burst of inspiration. Drop it when it feels tedious and you have run its course, go elsewhere if inspiration says so, and as i said if none of that then wait for God patiently.

People think they need to take effort to find God and seek Him out; the reverse is truer- God is trying to find you.

Great advice, thank you so much! 

Yes, showcasing and stuff will come later, I don't think about that now. I will get the feedback I need for growing - but from teachers and professionals. 

Good points about intuitive direction change, will keep that in mind!

[Nervtine]

 Defiantly stick to your studies, but still pursue drawing on the side. I love the idea of combining psychology and the arts, and think that would be the best route. Don't ever limit yourself to just one rigid view for life purpose- you can and should do both. Dip your foot in every pond while you are at it- there are so many different forms of it-even two people drawing the same apple in front of them while be entirely different- don't just settle for one.

Undoubtedly, you will have this surge of feeling like you've found your calling many times in your live. I affectionately call this Purpose Flash. It would be best to test run these (like you quoted from Leo, prime the pump) before sticking with them. Especially at this age, we are still developing: really, we don't ever stop, but I akin it to milestones of development we've reached in previous stages. 

At one point I was sure I wanted to be a Physicist and general pursuer of the sciences. Then I had a vision for being a author/artist combo, and like you said, I thought for sure I had something. Then bam, another purpose flash and now I wanted to be a activist and so on and so forth. I think this cycle is important for everyone to go through. In some way, it helps teach a healthy amount of non-attachment to your passion. 

Coming from someone who has been drawing for more than a decade, I am rooting for your success in the art world if that's what revitalizes you. It's not an easy road to go down. In fact, you may find some parallels between improving in it and in personal development. Even the thing that fills us with this charging energy can also drain us when the going gets tough.

It's important to remember when you feel you've failed at something to:

1.feel your feelings- I've found doing the counter-intuitive thing and even letting the sadness temporarily break you. (remember, it is your ego breaking, not your true self) This sends me back rearing with inspiration once I realize after sitting on it how, when looking at things objectively, how I messed up 

2. Know that every one success is built on the foundation of 1,000 failures. In fact, it is a luxury to feel uncomfortable with your current stage of development- it means you have found a journey to go on! And really, who doesn't love a journey? 

3. And at no point will you stop improving. There will be others who try and convince you otherwise.  

4. And finally, take it easy. You won't become a phenomenal artist overnight. In the same vein of I can't wake up the next morning and be world renowned for mastering mathematics when just the night before I was having trouble remembering how to multiply fractions. You will desperately try and shoulder through and improve as fast as you want- I haven't met and artist who wasn't immune to this. But we all have to take baby steps. We only get to take this journey once, so we might as well take it at a fitting pace and admire the scenery of it as we trudge along. 

 For now, I suggest working on the basics of art-no one has ever gone from stick figures to realism through the power of wishing. Perfect the stick figures, then make some magnificently flawed realism sketches-flaws really are what make a piece, and another name for flaw is style. Even buy a separate sketchbook and doodle in it when you are stressed. Aim to complete one piece of art a day. At first, it will seem like your practice doesn't show. But it you keep to it, ability will bloom and grow. 

 Hope this was helpful! By either helping point you to what you think you should or shouldn't do! And remember to take care of yourself! 

[NoSelfSelf]

This guy has great insights and is self thaugut artist take a look 

 

[peanutspathtotruth]

50 minutes ago, NoSelfSelf said:

This guy has great insights and is self thaugut artist take a look 

 

This guy's latest video popped up in my newsfeed two or three days ago. It's over one hour and he talks about his whole process. I'm exactly at where he started. This gave me SO much encouragement and inspiration. The video you posted is also very inspiring, thank you for sharing that  
I even sent him an email because this video came just so perfectly timed. Damn... Anything is possible 

[peanutspathtotruth]

2 hours ago, Nervtine said:

2. Know that every one success is built on the foundation of 1,000 failures. In fact, it is a luxury to feel uncomfortable with your current stage of development- it means you have found a journey to go on! And really, who doesn't love a journey? 

3. And at no point will you stop improving. There will be others who try and convince you otherwise.  

Exactly, very true. I heard that a lot already but I think I will have to live these frustrations to really integrate what is being said here. But it's immensely helpful to keep as a reminder. 

2 hours ago, Nervtine said:

4. And finally, take it easy. You won't become a phenomenal artist overnight. In the same vein of I can't wake up the next morning and be world renowned for mastering mathematics when just the night before I was having trouble remembering how to multiply fractions. You will desperately try and shoulder through and improve as fast as you want- I haven't met and artist who wasn't immune to this. But we all have to take baby steps. We only get to take this journey once, so we might as well take it at a fitting pace and admire the scenery of it as we trudge along. 

 For now, I suggest working on the basics of art-no one has ever gone from stick figures to realism through the power of wishing. Perfect the stick figures, then make some magnificently flawed realism sketches-flaws really are what make a piece, and another name for flaw is style. Even buy a separate sketchbook and doodle in it when you are stressed. Aim to complete one piece of art a day. At first, it will seem like your practice doesn't show. But it you keep to it, ability will bloom and grow. 

This point is so important. I know myself and out of my motivation for something I want to improve too quickly. This time though, I'm taking it slow. 
My goal for the next 1-2 years is to become very good at the absolute basics. That's all I'm aiming for. I know the foundation will be necessary for anything else, so I'll start there. I already got some resources to start from, will probably enroll in New Masters Academy in 1-2 months and do their absolute beginner class. If it takes me longer than suggested to do it correctly, that's okay. This is the point from where i will dive into other territory like figure drawing. 

I think this is going to be the hard part: Even if I put in 3-5 hours a day, I will progress very slowly and that might feel frustrating. Your words are very helpful. I will keep the most helpful tips I collected from different people, write them down and stick them to the drawing table so I never forget  
Thank you so much <3 

[NoSelfSelf]

@peanutspathtotruth yeah his way of speaking about mastery is on point no bs just pure this is how it is just do it

[peanutspathtotruth]

14 minutes ago, NoSelfSelf said:

@peanutspathtotruth yeah his way of speaking about mastery is on point no bs just pure this is how it is just do it

Let's do this! 
After some months I will maybe create a thread to keep you guys updated about the journey. Your encouragement is deeply appreciated, thank you!! <3 

Edited March 6, 2019 by peanutspathtotruth

[NoSelfSelf]

@peanutspathtotruth great i even got inspired for art... but that would be a distraction for now.. keep us informed..

[Space]

@peanutspathtotruth So i've been an artist for as long as I can remember. It's always been my 'thing'. I guess I would consider myself self-taught. Its only recently that i've started to take it seriously and think about how it can make it into a viable career, but I think I can offer you some advice. 

Firstly, do not worry about not having any experience. You can build you skill level quite quickly with deliberate, focused and continual practise. Be deliberate in what you choose to study and practise. Focus on what you find the most challenging and also on what is most important for you to achieve your short and long term goals. And then practise, practise, practise. I could simplify this whole post and just say - practise! That is all that is required really. But of course, practising is a lot easier said than done. It's not always fun and relaxing. 

I think it's important to formulate atleast some idea about what kind of art you feel drawn to create. If you want to paint, then that will require different skills than if you want to create digital illustrations. Having some sense of direction in this regard will save you time in the long run. Saying that, learning how to draw properly is something that will be of use no matter what medium you choose further down the line. Drawing is really the foundation of most art. So learn how to draw. And draw a lot. Fill 20 sketchbooks with drawings! Expect to fail. Seek failure because failure = learning. Do not be afraid of failure, of making bad art. Learn to love your bad art. 

As a starting point I would set yourself some small projects to work on, whilst simultaneously beginning to study the fundamentals (perspective, anatomy, colour theory, composition, practical stuff like using a digital drawing tablet or understanding oil paints etc). This will get the ball rolling and also give you a better idea about whether this is really the right path for you. These are called 'small bets' and they allow you to test the waters before making this a real serious life-long commitment. I would advise not making any drastic changes to your life situation at the moment, like quitting your current studies etc. You need actual experience in this field first. So devise some projects for yourself. Maybe you could aim to produce 10 finished drawings or paintings, or whatever medium you have in mind, based on this idea: 'All this energy, all this potential that I see unfolding in me through consciousness work - I want all that to flow into a translation of that creative energy in the form of art.'. Or challenge yourself to do 100 drawings from observation (random objects from around your house). Or you could do 10 self-portraits in 10 different styles. Something like this will increase your skill level quite fast and you'll begin to get an idea of the actuality of producing art, and all of the joys and sufferings that come with it.

Happy to answer any other questions you have. Goodluck!
 

[peanutspathtotruth]

@Space Hey thank you so much for your words. That's very encouraging  

16 hours ago, Space said:

I think it's important to formulate atleast some idea about what kind of art you feel drawn to create. If you want to paint, then that will require different skills than if you want to create digital illustrations. Having some sense of direction in this regard will save you time in the long run.

Yes, you're absolutely right. At the moment, I'm definitely more drawn towards classical 'analogue' painting. Digital is not that appealing to me (right now). And I have no clue about art really, so I don't know what's possible. So one goal for this next year would be to get a rough overview of the field, what directions there are, which styles there are and which of those interest me the most. I also think I will dig into some art history. Accompanied with dedicated drawing practice, this should be a nice introduction to this field.

Many other good points you made, I will keep them in my mind and my heart <3 

Edited March 7, 2019 by peanutspathtotruth

[moon777light]

this is EXACTLY WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW!!!! Ahhhhh

check this blogpost right here__> Mandatory that you read this. Now. Happy drawing fwend

https://noahbradley.com/blogs/blog/dont-go-to-art-school

i just read back and see that your at the level of drawing stick figures. Just make sure this is something you llove and have always loved. Life purpose almost always correlates with what you as a child enjoyed doing. Even hard stuff like engineering or natural born scientsists as child obviously werent studying cells or equations for fun but they loved questioning everything around them/ Van Gogh did start art school late, BUT in his childhood he did draw and paint. 

Ask yourself but did you enjoy as a child doing most. What qualities did people notice most in you as a child. 

If you truly love art then go right ahead, but practice EVERY DAMN DAY

Edited March 7, 2019 by moon777light

[Emerald]

On 3/5/2019 at 10:52 AM, peanutspathtotruth said:

Hey guys,

so in the last week something incredible happened. I have been struggling with finding a "life purpose" for roughly 4 years. There have been times where it drove me nuts, then I thought I had something but it turned out not to be and then other times I trusted in God to reveal my way when I'm ready to receive it.

And with that attitude of surrender and trust I went in and dove into consciousness work deeper than ever for the last month or so and perfected my daily habits and stuff. I have been feeling a deepening connection to Truth every single day since then. And last week, in the middle of a Wim Hof session, it just hit me out of nowhere:

All this energy, all this potential that I see unfolding in me through consciousness work - I want all that to flow into a translation of that creative energy in the form of art. I want to master visual art! 

And there it was, right in my face, no way to deny what was so clearly calling me. Ever since I did some inquiry on many doubts I instantly built up. And I could dissolve some of those already. I built a vision around this insight and started strategizing. On monday (after exam and night shifts) I will start a 100% dedicated regime to pursue mastery in art.

Now, I would love to hear some general feedback regarding some factors. I just started studying psychology and I feel like I should stick with it. The degree would give me opportunities to combine art and counseling or even art therapy or something like this. Also, it gives me financial advances (as in no taxes, I only have to work half time). If I stopped studying to have more time for practicing, I would at the same time need to work a full time job to earn enough for a living. That's another pro for the studies: with a degree I could get a better paid job and maybe would only need to work part time -> more time for practice.

One additional info: I'm at point zero. I did have a short phase of learning art but that's not worth mentioning. So basically I can draw stick figures, nothing more. This created many doubts, but I found out for myself that this is no barrier. Van Gogh started at 26. I'm 23, and I feel like starting way too late but yeah, I think it's no problem at all.

That means that I would first have to build my foundations. I am willing to spend years only getting the basics down. But I'm super dedicated to do this for hours a day. So I also thought about tracking my progress and - through combining that with serious consciousness work - maybe writing a book about my journey 5 or 10 years down the line or even later. I could show other people who doubt themselves what's possible. And letting God create through me, I feel, is a big and important part of this whole journey.

So what do you guys think about this? Where should I be careful? Do you think some thinking of mine is astray? Should I quit studying and work in an art department and only practice and do my sadhana for the rest of the time? I'm seriously open to everything right now. I never felt so right about something. 
Also, do you have strategic advice? As in, how to proceed, what is important to keep an eye on? Maybe you self-taught artists have some ideas.

A lot of people are recommending that you do art every day. This can be good advice but is definitley not a requirment. Being a great artist doesn't require that. Also, don't try to be a great artist, because this aim will make you miss your mark.

Learning about art and learning the basics is important, but it really comes down to what you're trying to communicate. It's not about competing to be the best artist. It's about birthing into reality, the internal contents in whichever way they want to come out.

I recommend taking a few months and really immersing yourself in the basics. Check out book, "Drawing on the Right side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards. This will teach you how to see (because you don't currently know how to actually see) so that you can learn to draw/paint realistically if you want. Also become acquainted with the elements of art and the principles of design. These are really all the basic groud-work knowledge that you absolutely need to start developing your skills. There are other things to learn as well about color and reflective light and other things like that, but these are great tools for groundwork.

Then, I recommend practicing with observation and drawing and painting. And with painting, learning how to mix colors to match the tones that your eyes are actually seeing. It's rare to use any colors directly out of the tube.

I highly recommend working with nude models, since the flesh is like a really dull mirror and gets its color from reflecting other colors around it. So, you can find subtle reds, greens, blues, purples, oranges, and yellows in the skin tone and having these colors in there is really the only way to make the flesh look realistic. Otherwise, your just using a bunch of tans and browns, which is what the illusion of flesh as a mirror makes it register as to the mind. But there's really a rainbow in the flesh. And to a certain extend, everything has this mirroring effect to where you can find unexpected colors in things if you really start to perceive what you're looking at accurately.

Then, after a few months of practicing and starting to have the insights necessary to have skill in art (which doesn't take very long), you can pick a topic to do a series on, so that you can explore a topic more deeply through your art. So, if you have a theme or concentration, each art piece can be like a staircase to descend yourself down into what you're hoping to communicate and birth into existence.

[moon777light]

20 hours ago, Emerald said:

I recommend taking a few months and really immersing yourself in the basics. Check out book, "Drawing on the Right side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards. This will teach you how to see (because you don't currently know how to actually see) so that you can learn to draw/paint realistically if you want.

i just copied this book. you can find out the pdf online for free!

also another thing i just read from an amazing art teacher:

ART= technical aspect of expression (50%) + emotional/intuitive aspect of expression (50%). 

Technical aspect of expression= FORM (70%) + COLOUR THEORY (30%). 

so keep in mind that just copying what you see in nature with absolute accuracy is nothing more than a photograph made by a human hand  Emotions make up 50%! so learn how to become more intuitive and connect with your feelings when seeing a thing, and try to bring that feeling through into the drawing/painting

[peanutspathtotruth]

@moon777light Wow the article is amazing, thank you  

On 7.3.2019 at 5:13 PM, moon777light said:

Just make sure this is something you llove and have always loved. Life purpose almost always correlates with what you as a child enjoyed doing.

This is a valid point and I am always keeping it in mind. But I also see that it developed into a limiting belief for me. No, I never drew. And because I never did, I didn't know what I was missing and I assumed I'm just not talented enough. The past shouldn't limit me in what I feel is calling me right now. I think that's super important, inquiring into it really freed me. But still, you have a point there. I think what I always liked as a child was thinking about how the human mind works and also existential questioning. This is what brought me to spirituality and why I'm studying psychology right now. That's why I want to combine all of those  

On 7.3.2019 at 9:11 PM, Emerald said:

Learning about art and learning the basics is important, but it really comes down to what you're trying to communicate. It's not about competing to be the best artist. It's about birthing into reality, the internal contents in whichever way they want to come out.

Yes, such a good point! In my mind, this is what scares me the most. The thing is, without fundamentals, I can't translate what I want to communicate into this medium. This is why I want to master this field. Just because it will allow me the best possible way to translate what I really want to express. This is the thought where this whole plan came from. Thank you for reminding me about this, after I have the very basics down, I will always try to do my own pieces while continuing to learn the craft itself  

@Emerald Very interesting other points you made. I do know about the book. But I'm a little overwhelmed even when reading what belongs to the fundamentals. I always remind myself: One step after the other. There are so many resources, I don't want them to hinder me in the journey. So after some research, I have the following plan for the coming months:
- Doing the full course from the book "The Natural Way to Draw". It's about one year of 3h daily exercises. It's supposed to be rough but I like the approach very much.
- At the same time, I'm gonna work through Lumis' "Fun with a Pencil". To really get into the habit of... just having fun drawing I heard a lot of good stuff about Lumis.

This is all I will tackle in the beginning. I don't want to take on too much at the same time. My plan (which might change) for after some months is to enroll at "New Masters Academy" and learn figure drawing, head drawing, color theory etc. there. When I feel comfortable in a year or two, I will start painting. You think that's a solid plan? Thank you so much for your advice already, it is highly appreciated. 

Edited March 9, 2019 by peanutspathtotruth