# One thing you should remember to have as an artist.



## mapdark (May 1, 2011)

MODESTY!

There's a difference between being proud of something you've done and being a complete douche about it.

Don't compare yourself to great artists of time past. Don't name drop and continually say you're spiritually guided by Picasso or something. It only makes you sound extremely pretentious and in general , artists who have some form of modesty are more popular in the fandom and outside because nobody likes pretentious and smug people.

Seriously , would you like watching someone on FA if each one of their posts were about how great their stuff is and how they're angry at being ignored because they're OH SO GREAT?

Also modesty will help you see your own flaws. If you keep saying you're THAT great an artist , you'll end up convincing yourself and will not work on getting BETTER. Being TOO SATISFIED with your art is what stalls every artists. 

So yes , don't sell yourself short , but don't over-glorify yourself either.


----------



## Taralack (May 1, 2011)

Hmm what brought this on?


----------



## Smelge (May 1, 2011)

My drawing is guided by the spirit of Mozart.

He sucked.


----------



## mapdark (May 1, 2011)

Toraneko said:


> Hmm what brought this on?


 
Not much really . I've just seen a few people lately that acted a bit too pleased with themselves.


----------



## Fay V (May 1, 2011)

Smelge said:


> My drawing is guided by the spirit of Mozart.
> 
> He sucked.


 
My spirit is guided by Alexander the Great. I shall rule over this forum!

Yeah that's pretty awful though. I'd say I'm surprised, but I just finished reading some ED articles about artists on DA. Furry and DA artists never cease to amaze me how retarded they are. literally, retarding their own talent with stupid shit like that


----------



## KatWarrior (May 1, 2011)

People need to remember that no matter how skilled you are or how much you improve, there always is or was someone with more talent than you. And the artists people claim to be "guided" by are probably rolling over in their graves. Poor Picasso. :C


----------



## FireFeathers (May 2, 2011)

I blame the internet for this one.  Like alcohol, it's the cause of and solution to all our problems. 

That or violent video games. 

But yeah, i agree. Pretentious artists are hard to deal with.


----------



## mapdark (May 2, 2011)

KatWarrior said:


> People need to remember that no matter how skilled you are or how much you improve, there always is or was someone with more talent than you. And the artists people claim to be "guided" by are probably rolling over in their graves. Poor Picasso. :C


 
The dude that caused me to write this post compared himself to Jacksn Pollock and Norman Rockwell (which makes no sense but oh well)


----------



## Smelge (May 2, 2011)

I don't have to worry about a lack of modesty or arrogance. I know I suck, I know I need to improve, I will improve, but it'll still suck in my minds eye. A few years back, if I'd known I'd be at the level I am now, I'd have been pretty damn pleased just to get this far. But at this level, it's still crap. It's a never ending cycle of shit.


----------



## KatWarrior (May 2, 2011)

mapdark said:


> The dude that caused me to write this post  compared himself to Jacksn Pollock and Norman Rockwell (which makes no  sense but oh well)



What? No, Mr. Rockwell! I love him! He doesn't deserve that.


----------



## CannotWait (May 2, 2011)

Smelge said:


> I don't have to worry about a lack of modesty or arrogance. I know I suck, I know I need to improve, I will improve, but it'll still suck in my minds eye. A few years back, if I'd known I'd be at the level I am now, I'd have been pretty damn pleased just to get this far. But at this level, it's still crap. It's a never ending cycle of shit.


 
I have only on very few occasions considered my own work to be good. I need someone else to compliment it. I'm sort of co-dependent like that.


----------



## Arshes Nei (May 3, 2011)

At the same time, there's nothing worse than people pity fishing for shameless compliments "well threw up this piece of crap"
"are you kidding me it's fantastic!"

Humility and honesty should go together, not just inflated egos or fake deflated ones for the sake of getting attention.


----------



## Smelge (May 3, 2011)

Arshes Nei said:


> At the same time, there's nothing worse than people pity fishing for shameless compliments "well threw up this piece of crap"
> "are you kidding me it's fantastic!"
> 
> Humility and honesty should go together, not just inflated egos or fake deflated ones for the sake of getting attention.


 
Well don't give them then. I hate it when people see someone being critical of their work as fishing for compliments.


----------



## Arshes Nei (May 3, 2011)

Calling your work crap without and posting it for everyone to see is the problem. If it's really crap you wouldn't post it. You can be critical and say what is wrong, vs "well just put this crap up online"

A lot of your drawings are crap, if you want to know how to fix it or know what's wrong with it just say so. There is a line between critical and thoughtless.


----------



## Smelge (May 3, 2011)

Arshes Nei said:


> Calling your work crap without and posting it for everyone to see is the problem. If it's really crap you wouldn't post it. You can be critical and say what is wrong, vs "well just put this crap up online"
> 
> A lot of your drawings are crap, if you want to know how to fix it or know what's wrong with it just say so. There is a line between critical and thoughtless.


 
So what you are saying, is that if I'm not after critique or people to tell me how to do things, I shouldn't comment on the level I feel my art is at, and should just stay quiet as if I'm really quite pleased about it? If I am in any way displeased with it, I should not say anything just in case people think I'm fishing for compliments instead of actually saying what I think?

Is it just me, or is that completely backwards? By not providing a link to my stuff, I'm not providing a way for people to go "oh no, it is actually quite good, etc etc". It's a statement of feeling.

This is stupid.


----------



## Taralack (May 3, 2011)

My spirit animal is Octavian Caesar.

:V


----------



## Arshes Nei (May 3, 2011)

Smelge said:


> So what you are saying, is that if I'm not after critique or people to tell me how to do things, I shouldn't comment on the level I feel my art is at, and should just stay quiet as if I'm really quite pleased about it? If I am in any way displeased with it, I should not say anything just in case people think I'm fishing for compliments instead of actually saying what I think?
> 
> Is it just me, or is that completely backwards? By not providing a link to my stuff, I'm not providing a way for people to go "oh no, it is actually quite good, etc etc". It's a statement of feeling.
> 
> This is stupid.


 
Then why are you posting crappy art if you're displeased with it on a gallery? That makes even less sense. 

The point of a gallery is to show works that you have some satisfaction with, even if small. Calling it crap says you have no satisfaction. No one is twisting your arm to post it on said gallery. 

You want a critique, ask for a critique. There again is being objective towards your artwork and just being well stupid. No reason to be an ego maniac and be humble but there's that line where it's no longer humility but doing reverse psychology on artwork to get a positive reaction.

You have a problem with your artwork but want to post it to get critiques be honest. "I have some issues with this piece but would like feedback on how to correct it"

"I posted this piece of crap" is what?


----------

