*girlunderwater

desudesudesu

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Over and over again

Journal Entry: Sun Dec 28, 2008, 12:33 AM

Mood: Longing
Listening to: Muse
Watching: So Happy Together
Playing: CrossPix
Drinking: iced tea

I hope everyone had a good holiday! I'm so excited about New Years! It's one of my top 10 favorite holidays, somewhere between Halloween and St. Patrick's day.

Anyway, I've been having a kinda-sorta-not-really dilemma with my art. I really like this little chibi-ish sassy girl thing I've been doing lately, but I look at my gallery or my sketch book and it's the same thing over and over again. I don't mind this when I'm drawing it, but my inner art critic is saying, "You do the same thing all the time! Where's the growth? You're growing stagnant!" And you know, I think I'm okay with that. I draw for me and my own enjoyment. Why try and force myself to change when I really like what I'm currently doing? I'm not trying to make a career out of it. No one is paying me to improve (and I'm not paying anyone to help me improve either.) If there's growth, it'll happen all on it's own. And in the mean time, I'll nail this style into the ground.

So what do you guys think? Is there anything wrong with giving up on actually trying to better yourself? Do you guys ever get stuck in a rut and not really feel a driving urge to get out? Or do you think someone in my position should force themselves to do something new?

lovahs!

clubs!

awesome artists i'm currently stalking

19 Comments

Devious Comments

~~love 0 0~~

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=whitetrashpalace Dec 28, 2008, 12:36:53 AM

It's hard for me to say. My personal feeling is that you should never give up on improvement - but if you are satisfied with what you've done and don't feel there is a way to expand on it, who are we to tell you how to draw?

It's not like I don't have my own favorite subject. My style is constantly growing and changing, but I've drawn the same subjects over and over for a little over a decade. I've taken my share of crap for that, but it hasn't stopped me. My reasoning was much the same as yours - I'm no pro, and I do this for myself. Nobody should dictate the way in which you enjoy your own hobbies.

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Check out my Guide to Effective DeviantART Critiques.

*girlunderwater Dec 28, 2008, 12:54:47 AM

Yeah, I definitely don't want to give up on improving. I just think it kinda gets me when real life, non-artsy types try and tell me I should expand my portfolio. Or real actual artsy types try and tell me I'll never get anywhere drawing cute anime girls. Meh, I don't think I WANT to get anywhere. I like it right here just fine. XD And it gets me drawing, and the more I draw, the more I improve, so that's always good, right?

*Farthingale Dec 28, 2008, 1:32:06 AM

Well I draw for self-graitification, so there you go.

So pages full of pairings, amirite?

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_{Contest: A Most Elegant Adventure_{Shojo Ai! Dollar prizes! Green hair!} And yes indeed, special holiday commission prices en vogue.}

~Gaia715 Dec 28, 2008, 1:40:29 AM

I think if you're comfortable doing what you're doing right now, go ahead and continue with it! And later on, if you feel that this style has grown stagnant, but you WANT to kick it up a notch, you can go ahead. Just because you're an artist doesn't mean you should constantly keep things fresh. And if you don't want to kick it up a nothc don't force yourself to. If you're anything like me, forcing yourself to do something will make it harder for you to get your art out. Your art means it's YOURS. Do it for yourself.

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Shock me, shock me, shock me with your Deviant behavior.

*girlunderwater Dec 28, 2008, 1:53:40 AM

Very true. Thank you for that!

~Gaia715 Dec 28, 2008, 1:56:22 AM

:]

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Shock me, shock me, shock me with your Deviant behavior.

~nekonezume Dec 28, 2008, 3:54:43 AM

I think that whatever makes you happy is great. You're not harming anyone so why would that be bad?

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*icyookami Dec 28, 2008, 5:06:14 AM

keep the chibi sassy girls, its why i watched you. If you like a style, learn to draw it well. You can still practice other styles, but do what you want.

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Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.

Dance with God, He'll let the perfect man cut in!