My art is nowhere near as good as I thought

[AnastarziaAnaqway]

Don't know if this is the right thread, and it's hardly a massive world problem, just a bit of a confidence thing I guess.

I've always enjoyed drawing and had more time to do it since the lockdown. I thought I was pretty good, not absolutely amazing but as long as I liked it that was the main thing.

Anyway, I wanted to put it out there so I joined some online groups where people could freely share their art.

Now feel totally out of my depth. The vast majority of the work is incredible, I imagine a lot of them are professional artists.

I was interested in getting feedback, one person said that my work was pretty good but otherwise it was more along the lines of 'good start, keep going, try working on xyz'. Others were getting endless praise and compliments.

I've also had this with an instrument I play.

I suppose comparison is the thief of joy and the main thing is that I like my art. Just feel a bit out of my depth and had my confidence knocked really, anybody else felt this way ?

I’m in an online photography group with the saying “the only person I’ll compare myself to is myself”. I thought I was ok but had a lot to learn, and if I look back at pictures I took a year ago which I loved I can see all the things I could have, and have, improved on.
If you look at your art as a learning process, take on board the critique you’ve been given and learn from it, then it’s a positive process. If you look at the criticism and think that means you’re rubbish it’s negative. Having said that it might not be the right group for you, try several and see which fits.

I am not a good artist, though I used to have talent - because I have not invested enough time in my art. Now it is even less possible to practice as I work in an office to sustain my kids and spend free-time with my 3 dcs..

I'm just focusing on art forms I can fit into my hopeless schedule - ie I' m junk journalling and letting myself progress very slowly and humbly!

I do art as well but I don't think I'm any good at it, I've learnt now to keep my art to myself and just enjoy it for what it is as a pleasurable hobby and not to let others see it.

Meh, just channel your inner Van Gogh. He painted because he loved doing it, but only ever sold 1 painting in his lifetime. Now they go for millions. So do it out of passion, that is rewarding in itself.

I used to think I could sing. I recorded myself once and I was worse than fucking awful.

I totally get what you're saying. I always could draw, I don't mean that in a big headed way, it's always been my only talent. It's been on the back burner for years but I intended on trying to start up self employed doing commissions. I joined lots of online art groups and Instagram. Well it's been a big eye opener! I will never compete with the work that's out there from people who have the time to put into their work and promoting it. Because everyone can showcase their work online now it's also a hugely saturated market.
But don't give up. Enjoying it makes it worthwhile if nothing else. Art is also subjective so what one person hates another will love. Find your niche and focus on that. Have a look at artist Sema Martin. She's very into celebrating other artists and encouraging people to go for it.

I can't draw or sing or play any musical instruments. I like running but currently don't make time.

If I was chatting to you I'd feel so inadequate! I hope joining the groups doesn't ruin your enjoyment from drawing.

Maybe the art groups you joined were a bit high-brow/professional. I'm on some art and craft groups which are very amateur but everyone is very friendly and supportive. We share projects and ideas, rather than critique each others work. It sounds like you haven't found the right group for you yet.

Let's have a look, OP where is your stuff available to see? I'll post a link to some of my stuff if you do!

Art is in the eye of the beholder. So as long as you and your friends like what you do, then that's all that matters. Who cares what strangers think?

Only post online if you want to sell your art or want to get useful feedback. For both of these, you need to pick your site very carefully. Avoid 'vanity' sites like the plague!

A cautionary tale: I enrolled in an online watercolour course last year, and didn't always get feedback that was supportive. Sometimes it was very critical, I think because my style (big-scale landscape) was very different from my tutor's style (detailed botanical). Unfortunately, it seemed she wanted me to paint as she did, so her suggestions were less than helpful. I got quite upset about it tbh. But I did learn that you have to take feedback with a pinch of salt and remember that it only one person's opinion. Even if they 'appear' to be an expert.

I get what your saying, and I would feel the same, but art is SO subjective that I think it only matters what the people who matter to you think (if not done commercially).

I can't be the only one who sees some tate modern stuff and think it's total crap? I do some drawing and other crafts, I know they aren't perfect (or to everyone's tastes), but my friends say they like them and I (chose to) believe them!

Don't compare your day 1 to someone else's year 10 :)

One of my friends is into drawing and she practices it, techniques, angles every single day and has for years. If you look at her drawings a couple of years ago vs today there's a huge difference. It's 30% talent and 70% time put into it so just carry on drawing :)

Aww OP - I really feel for you.

It can be hard to find the 'right' group. My mother spends a lot of time on textile crafts and is also keen on drawing. She has taken many, many classes over the years. Some of the groups are more supportive than others and there is also the question of personal taste. We have two individuals in our 'circle' whose work sells for thousands in one case (via NY galleries) and hundreds in another case. Neither one of us can work out 'why them' and not others. I am not a total amateur (hist of art degree, for what that's worth) and she has been at this for decades now.

If you want to continue to pursue this in a way that includes more than the odd bit of time, I think you need to find a mentor that 'gets' you and sees that spark, then will help you develop individually. Leave the comparisons to others in absolute form alone for now - it won't help.

I also agree completely with that quote above: "If everyone likes it it's not art, " etc.

I think in any creative work you have to both be proud of what you have done and accept criticism from people who are more experienced. This sounds like the equivalent of writing some short stories and sending them off to a publisher, then not liking it when they say the stories need more work.

I don't think you should leave the group, but should stay and take the criticism on board and try to improve your work. That's the only way to get better.

Exactly. I'm a novelist, and a large part of the reason I publish novels and other people who say they want to don't is that I persevered and wrote and revised hundreds of thousands of words over a period of years, while working FT with a small child, and dealt with the punishing rejections that are part and parcel of getting an agent and a publishing deal. I estimate that my first novel went through more than 20 drafts, and it still didn't sell, and I picked myself up and kept going with the second.

Now, it may be that you don't have any ambition to do anything professional with your art, so are in a completely different head space about it to people who make a living from it. In which case you should look and find an amateur group that will give you the praise you are looking for. But if you want your work to improve, I would take the criticism on board and recognise that you will need to dedicate considerable time and practice to your work to move ahead with it.

Keep going with what you enjoy. Your work is individual to you and it is just other’s opinions. Look at it as constructive criticism and you may or may not take their advice but keep going, don’t give up. Even the most famous artist’s get’s critiqued. Over twenty years ago I did a fine art degree and it was all part of the work talking and criticising each other’s work. To me that’s what makes art, art a good talking point xx Hope this helps xx

OP I have an art degree. I studied it for 4 years and I can see whether a drawing/painting is good or not as I am an ‘expert’ in the field. Over lockdown there has been a surge of people with extra time who have started drawing and posting their efforts online. My DH will often point to one and say ‘oh that ones really good’ and to me all I see is how bad the perspective/shading/colour tones are. What makes a good drawing is so so hard to explain and if you want to be good at it you really do need to practice and learn through teaching or reading.

So what I’m saying is go ahead and keep going, your family and friends and even random internet strangers probably are genuinely impressed. But if you want to get good at it, keep posting on artist forums, take the criticism on the chin and listen to the specific feedback and learn from it.

Some people spend years training to be artists, you can’t just expect to pick up a pencil and be good at it.

I did the Colourwheel course , I thought I had no talent but a fairly " good eye". Turned out everything looked as if it had been done by a 7 year old. A bit of a downer tbh.

@Jaxhog

Art is in the eye of the beholder. So as long as you and your friends like what you do, then that's all that matters. Who cares what strangers think?

Only post online if you want to sell your art or want to get useful feedback. For both of these, you need to pick your site very carefully. Avoid 'vanity' sites like the plague!

A cautionary tale: I enrolled in an online watercolour course last year, and didn't always get feedback that was supportive. Sometimes it was very critical, I think because my style (big-scale landscape) was very different from my tutor's style (detailed botanical). Unfortunately, it seemed she wanted me to paint as she did, so her suggestions were less than helpful. I got quite upset about it tbh. But I did learn that you have to take feedback with a pinch of salt and remember that it only one person's opinion. Even if they 'appear' to be an expert.

Exactly this - if something isn't your personal taste, you'll think it's worse than it is. Like there's no point my DH commenting on how nice a mushroom ragu is, it could be the best in the world and he's still hate it because he doesn't like mushrooms!

The thing is we are given the idea early on that we have to be good at things. To me unless you are going to make a career out of something its far more important to enjoy what you do. I love crafts but am pretty grim at nearly everything I try. I will never be good, never be able to sell anything I make but sod that, I love just making and trying new things and getting as good as I’m able to.

It doesn’t matter that others are better than you. That’s always going to be the case. If you are enjoying drawing then don’t even think of not carrying on doing it. Enjoy getting as good as you can and forget about how your efforts stack up against other people’s.

Impostor syndrome - all artists have it. Art and craft depend upon regular, daily practise, so you will have been improving during lockdown. Some groups are very intense and over critical.

During lockdown, lots of the venues for courses local to me have launched on line groups, so aiming for complete beginners / improvers, mostly for free. check out venues local to you and see what they have on offer. They will be much more focused on support as they are lead by tutors, who will have a lot more skill and gentle critique, backed up by know how to explain technique.
Keep on going - art and crafts are really good for you!!!

Honest constructive criticism is far far more useful to your development as an artist than false praise. You could learn so much and it's totally worth it.

Do the art for you. Take pleasure in the execution and the outcome. Take on board the advice offered.
Don't be disheartened, don't give up.

I dance, for fun. I love it. I feel free and challenged and empowered. I'm fat and over 50. I was entered in a competition by my teacher. I came pretty much last BUT I was praised by the judges for a) actually doing it, b) showing the kids that the trophies and frocks were not the be all and end all and c) showing other 'older' people that it was OK

I also wanted to learn the piano as a child - I had a few lessons and then my parents stopped them because 'it was obvious I wasn't going to be good enough to be professional' and thus there was no point. (My parents are both professional musicians) They did the same with acting and ballet. It was a weird reaction and it stopped me doing things I loved 'just for fun'

Now I dance, do karate, sew, crochet, run etc - none of these things are things I do brilliantly BUT I love them, they make me happy and that's the main thing.
However, despite the fact that my Grandmother's beloved piano sits in our house, I cannot bring myself to play again bar the odd rendition of the first thing she ever taught me and I haven't stepped foot on a stage for years.

Don't let others put you off - do the art for YOU.

The great thing about art is there’s no right or wrong. Any opinions are simply just that. Opinions.

I get this with sewing. I joined a group and am learning loads but hardly post anything. If I'm proud of something I create I post it to my personal page for my friends and family to see and I get told how lovely it is.

I'm sure your art is lovely, but art is also so subjective that even if you were amazing (like super famous defining the genre) there would still be someone saying that's nice, keep trying.