So there are a ton of misconceptions about art, and these misconceptions can cause people not to pursue art or abandon their pursuits. The misconception I'm going to tackle today is about art skill. (Disclaimer: when referring to art, I am talking about visual art specifically, like drawing and painting.)
Art skill is often mistaken for talent. When watching an artist who has been diligently practicing and improving their art for years on end draw something, it looks like they just naturally put the lines in the right place and make all the colors look good etc etc. While it is true that drawing comes easier to said artist, it's not because they're "so talented" or "gifted". It's because they're skilled. The difference between talent and skill is a wide one, and especially so in art; talent is when someone can draw well without ever practicing or trying to improve, whereas skill is when one has practiced, learned, and improved and is thus able to draw well. Talent is very rarely prominent in an artist simply because talent can only go so far. One cannot know how to draw curls well or the secret to hands (tbh does anyone know that) right from the womb. Of course not! Babies can't do hyper-realism masterpieces like adult artists can; first they must learn to hold a pencil and grow enough to do so proficiently, then they scribble, then they start making the classic football-shaped eyes and circle faces and string hair. It takes practice to see the world in a way that lets one translate it to paper, canvas, or screen. That is not to say that artistic talent does not exist- after all, certain styles do come easier to some people than others, and that artistic eye might not be a learned skill for some people- but almost everything I can think of having to do with art takes learning something. Talent isn't learned; skill is. Shading? You need to learn it. Color wheel? This has more potential for talent than others as some people have an eye for color, but it too can be learned. How to work with different mediums? Learned. Art is mostly skill, not talent. The point I'm trying to make here? Anyone can make art. Anyone. You've probably made art before. Remember those football-shaped eyes and circle faces and string hair people? That was art. It takes practice to make good art, however. Hyper-realism isn't the only kind of art, either. There are plenty of styles and types of art, and some people are better in certain areas compared to others, but with art, you can go anywhere if you work for it. And it does take work. It takes years of practice. It takes tutorials and lessons and classes, dozens of sketchbooks, and time. But anyone can be an artist if they're willing and able to put time, effort, and money into it. So the next time you think to tell an artist, "You're so talented," or "I could never draw like you," I hope this convinces you to think again. Because that artist likely had to work to get where they're at, and to call it talent disregards all of that work. And you could draw like them if you worked at it. But even better, you could draw like you. All it takes is a pencil, paper, and some time. mima ♥
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AuthorI'm Mima, a bookworm, artist, and child at heart. ♥ ArchivesCategories |