Here are some gesture studies inspired by a fortune cookie. The starred one best communicates the concept of "accepting support graciously" -- too much distracting and contradictory stuff going on in the others.
In the spirit of accepting support graciously, I'd like to admit to a worrisome problem of mine, in the hopes that my art peers might offer their advice. It involves follow-through, or a lack thereof. Above are two ideas that, were I to take the time and "buckle down", could lend themselves to finished illustrations. Yet I have no interest in doing so.
I blame this on one (or a combination) of the following :
1) I have mentally "solved" them, so they no longer present a sufficiently stimulating challenge.
2) I am fearful of "killing" drawings by replacing spontaneous, energetic lines with resolute, dead ones.
3) I am hiding in my roughs because, deep down, I know I haven't the skill or patience to render.
4) My short attention span is the result of a mental defect for which I require medication.
5) I am lazy.
Doubtless there are others who struggle with similar issues. I'm curious to hear solutions.
9 comments:
I usually avoid finishing roughs when I can help it, and for me, it's almost certainly due to a lack of confidence in my ability to nail it down with the "right" lines. If that's your problem, the only solution I know of is practice. If it's a matter of not having the patience -- remember that patience is a skill, so practice.
But you're a vastly better artist than I am, so take it with a grain of salt. :)
If there is an answer to our problems I would looove to hear it.
I try to use the "just do it anyway" method. Doesn't help in the least, results in crappy images that I hated before i spent all the hours on them or me not doing anything at all =\
I was discussing my plight with a friend over lunch, and he had a suggestion that resonated : Involve someone else. The more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Whenever I'm working with another person, whether collaboratively or independantly (like an art challenge we're both involved in), there seems to be more incentive to finish. There's usually a mutual deadline established which helps structure time and workflow. Also, my competitive spirit tends to surface, as does my need to impress. ... At the very least, it's comforting to know you're not totally on your own, and at the end you get to compare results, giving you a completely different take on the assignment.
I can understand the difficulty in taking a piece from a rough sketch to a more "finished" state, it's something I find that I don't do enough.
I keep reminding myself of a statement made on your blog, "sketchy process and or/experimental art isn't worth squat without more finished pieces to show for it."
It's a reminder that I don't want to let myself get too lazy and that I need to push myself where I can.
That being said, I've been following your work for a while and I really appreciate all the roughs you share. I find myself appreciating such pieces more and more, as it gives insight into a particular artists process and shows me ways I can improve.
I'll also throw in my two cents that I find that your "roughs" feel finished. They have a lot of life to them and I don't find them lacking.
The idea to work off other people is definitely a great one. One suggestion is rather than feeling a need to finish sketches, find a moment where you're interested in doing a color or lighting study and work towards that. If that makes sense.
Cheers and thanks for sharing your work!
I definitely suffer from this. Generally for me I think it's just the universal artists' curse that we can't satisfy the ideas in our heads so we're always disappointed. That's what drives us to be better but sometimes it's a bitch to get past. The sketch only takes a few minutes, is at least unfinished/has potential and so it's the least disappointing. It's hard to be motivated when you're already unsatisfied and there seems to be nothing gained from investing more time. Maybe when your idea can be sculpted into a living breathing creature that fucks your brains out we artists will finally feel satisfied by the execution of our ideas. Pun intended.
I made a post on my blog blabbing on and on about this--
http://donflaws.blogspot.com/2009/12/no-pictures-just-words.html
Well youire not lazy. i think its because when you started the work you visualized the finish as a rough. All your excitement for the subject matter was captured in the rough.
The rendering just feels like something youre adding on because "you have to".
If you began the work visualizing a color rendering (complete with color shifts, highlights..drops of sweat..etc) then you would be excited to get the rough done and get on with the fun part.
i think youre just more interested in gesture, caracature..etc at the moment.
Some good advice here. But here's some real incentive to create a completed illustration:
Money & Contracts!
I know you don't like letting people down. So if you accepted a freelance gig for a client, however big or small, you'd follow through.
Even if you hated the art at the end you'd have a finished piece because that's what you were hired to do. It's not a romantic or glamorous bit of advice but it's a real world reason to finish art. I have dozens of illustrations that no one will ever see again but I still finished them because I signed a contract and I needed to get paid!
Well that certainly sparked a lot of feedback, it appears that you are not alone.
I think your friend's suggestion about accountability is spot on, you need a strong motivator to finish work because, honestly, finishing work is the hardest part.
That said, there's nothing wrong with producing many sketches, since everything you learn experimentally will inform finished pieces.
Any of the above mentioned could be the culprit.
And then...it could also be the subject matter. As much as you love to mess around with the t & a maybe the lack of a focal point is to blame. No setting, no story, no specifics to character are defined.
Then again, only you will know and overcome.
I say, break some shit, lock yourself in a room and don't come out 'til you face the problems. :)
=s=
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