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 ?

Please don't give up. Art is very subjective, and I bet a lot of us here would think it was brilliant.

Tbh you are lucky to even have a talent for art so don't feel bad you aren't as good as some folk on the Internet because some people are insanely talented.... Or you get others like me who are averagely crap at art but I would love to atleast have some artistic talent to draw with.

I feel like this a lot with my art. I truly empathise.

But I’m also cognisant of friends who tbh were not producing good stuff at all. 10 years later they’ve kept at their respective disciplines and are having success.

Having tenacity and keeping going is the big thing.

I think creatives can be A little sensitive, me included. But use it to grow and improve. I think a good artist is never satisfied with their own work but always look for ways to improve.

That said, art is subjective and many famous artists work weren’t recognised until they were passed. Keep going with it ❤️

I'm a professional mosaic artist with 14 years of practice under my belt. There are lots of mosaic artists way ahead of me. There will always be better artists leading the way. They provide opportunities to be inspired and to learn. I will always be a student at my craft

I'm rarely totally satisfied with my work. Each piece urges me on. That's normal for most artists most of the time I would say.

OP pleased don't be disheartened. I have a hobby that I am truly shite at but it is so relaxing that I can lose a full day partaking. Almost everyone is better than me and I used to get quite upset. Nowadays, my grandchild loves the hobby too; we do it together when we can. She is definitely better than me!!

*disclaimer: she is only 4yo

there's an excellent book called "drawing on the right side of the brain" by Betty Edwards I just bought this for my son on your recommendation, £4.99 instead of rrp £18.99 (hardback). Thank you.

I think critiquing art is necessary for improvement but is uncomfortable initially till get used to it, especially if already feel not good enough compared to others and then we only tend to hear negatives confirming it.

Its useful to have others opinions as can at times tell something is off yourself but not recognise why or how to fix. Suggestions for using a different techniques or changing composition can make a real benefit to your skills, also its good hearing what exactly others liked about it rather than a general praise. Maybe try it yourself with others artists works you see and then your own (usually harsher on ourselves than others). If can find a local group or course it may help as its usually more personal than FB group.

There was an FB article maybe bored panda or the like, that had artists redoing a piece they'd done some years ago, pictured side by side for comparison. It was surprising to see how much change there was in skills over a few years even with many i was impressed with 1st pic . It did make me think that if I just got on with it, then regular practicing would result in much better work than I could produce now. i enjoy art but find it hard to get started & struggle with perfectionism which stunts creativity so tend to have long periods of not doing any.

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross

One of Mark Rothko's paintings was sold for $86.9 million. And yet if you went on your group and shared art that looked like his, I bet you'd come in for more than a bit of criticism.

There's no accounting for taste.

I can do better (I think!) and I'm registered blind, and I paint, and I'm rubbish.

Id love to paint $86.9m worth of rubbish though 😂

Not everyone is going to be an Olympic athlete, but we can all enjoy some sort of sport & exercise.

Same with art, do what you love & enjoy

It's also about self belief and some people believe in their ability or lack of it more than others. When I started at art college we're we told that they didn't want students who were arrogant about themselves that they believed they were so good they had nothing to learn from being at art college
Gradually the arrogant ones who went around in paint splattered jeans and called themselves artists got weeded out as unsuitable

I know people who because of their self belief manage to do what I would class as mediocre work but they post it on Instagram and call it art and everyone believes it's art - there's a lot of Emperor's new clothes in the art world

If you enjoy doing it, just do it, and keep learning

@AnastarziaAnaqway

I think i'm having a confidence crisis in all areas as a result which is silly. I just need to improve my confidence and look at things i've achieved so far.

this so happens to us all at times! Don't give up - tell yourself, you're just going to have fun, go with the flow and connect with your creative side. It will be so refreshing - enjoy it! I used to be a professional illustrator, then ended up in an office job, leaving my artwork as 'side hussle'. As soon as I had kids, I lost my art practice and am now left only with the office job as we need the money.

Until recently, I was feeling unable to even pick up a paintbrush and really unhappy with the quality of my art work - then I discovered youtube tutorials and have been junk journalling, as this can be done in short bursts and doesn't need a whole morning. Having such fun! Really recommend this method of returning slowly to art, as it's not messy and is inexpensive (you use scraps and recycled stuff) and there's no pressure (mistakes can be binned or re-used!). I've been pleased with some of my work and have framed some stuff - so really enjoying this. Perhaps you might like this as a 'way back to art'?

My relative's an artist, has exhibited here and abroad, sells a fair few, has commissions. So he's reasonably successful. I don't like his work, wouldn't buy it, prefer not to have it as a gift. It's all subjective opinion OP. Stick with your group and keep working. Accept criticism and take it on board to improve. It's the work that's being critiqued, not you.

Actually, I love Rothko. I thought he was a load of rubbish and laughable (like Hirst) but a friend of my mum's took me to an exhibition and made me look and told me what he was doing - I got a little art appreciation lecture 1:1 with a very senior American Art Critic / Valuation Expert - and then I saw his work differently. That was years ago though, and I'm blowed if I can remember anything that she actually said now! She has left me with a love of Rothko anyway.

Similar happened with Picasso.

I think the important thing is that you are marking art and you love it. If you stop you will never improve, never find your real personal individual style.

Do it because you love it. Learn, evolve, keep going.

I'm a professional artist. I wouldn't pay too much attention to 'art critics' on facebook. For every well-considered and thoughtful critique you will get ten pointless ones! I find the best way to improve is to follow artists you really admire and are inpired by, and to just keep practicing.

I taught myself how to paint (by trial and error) about ten years ago and find it really useful to compare photos of work I did when I just started to very recent paintings, and see where my technique has improved. I think it's very easy to be discouraged by the randomers who live inside the internet, my confidence is shaky at the best of times so I'm careful what I post - particularly on Facebook. However from sheer determination I have what I would consider a reasonably decent career as an artist, I paint for a Fine Art Publisher and my work sells very quickly and for far more than I ever would have dreamt of - so keep going! If you enjoy it and keep at it you will get better and you will feel more confident.

I'm a very amateur artist. Ime the composition of what you are, in my case, painting is the main decider for whether it ends up a good painting or not. Mastering Composition by Ian Roberts is a useful book with lots of pictures of paintings.
Mark Carder on youtube is pleasant to watch. Encouraging people to form their own style and that there is no right or wrong. He started with drawing, but explains oil painting.

Disregard this if you want because I am neither an artist nor knowledgeable about art... but isn't an opinion on whether a piece of art is 'good' or not entirely subjective?

I love Rothko! Please don't use him as an example of someone who's not an artist.

@HollowTalk

Can you explain the appeal of Rothko? The art behind the canvas? I have tried to see it so many times but can’t.

You may have some natural ability as an artist but just like anything else it takes practice to develop your full potential (even the most musically talented have to put in the hours to excel at their instrument and they never stop learning and practising).
Keep practicing, join a taught life drawing class when they’re back up and running. At a good class you’ll meet people of all levels and also learn from them and it will really bring your drawing on no matter what style or medium you’re into.

You should see my art when I started. It was rubbish. Now I sell my art worldwide. It took Lots of practice over the years. Keep going
All art is different. You get some artists who just blob paint on and it sells and other ones that look like children’s paintings
Everybody is different. Join some online courses or look at lots of youtube. That’s how I learnt and I am still learning. Youtube has great resources.good luck

Amazing, talented and original artists are not necessarily thought talented by their peers. Look at Van Gogh for instance. His harsh and raw art was heavily criticised at the time because it wasn’t the fashion, be proud of what you do and know that the fact that you are simply doing it is what counts. Others could have had loads of wonderful tuition it might not be that original or from the heart (even though it’s technically good ) maybe yours is.

Who knows - possibly the motivation in this group is a bit cliquey/ values a particular style which may not tally with yours? Some of the greatest artists were not widely acclaimed! Art is surely so subjective and with so many differing and niche styles that you will never be able to appeal to everyone! If the critique comes from a commercial, established, popular artist whose style you admire and wish to emulate - then it might be worth taking on board if you want to sell your paintings- but if you are doing it for pleasure/ relaxation, I honestly don’t think you should let other ( not particularly established) artists dent either your enjoyment or your self confidence. They may have multifarious reasons for critiquing your art - not necessarily supportive or encouraging. You carry on enjoying !💐💐

@dodie66 could you recommend some youtube tutorials? Am in same situation as OP, trying to rebuild my art skills. Thanks so much!