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dirtywater

Life Update (and Perfectionism)

Hello all,

After 21 years of it, I have finally finished school. The entire time I've been active on here I have had school running in the background, keeping me stressed out all the time. My whole life has been structured around it and I have conveniently been able to blame it for everything that doesn't feel just right. But now, it's finished. And I still don't feel any more free. Literally everything is going right and trending towards stability in my life and I still can't seem to be happy with it. It's just shameful.

Regardless, I think one of the reasons why I've been struggling with posting art lately is because the way I draw has changed. I can put out lots of sketches and pump out great concepts now, and I want to finish ALL OF THEM. Every one of them is just so special and amazing I couldn't possibly just be okay with not finishing them all. And so I am finishing none of them. Because the ideas flow too fast and finishing them is too daunting at my current skill level. In all seriousness, I am having a real problem with this. I'll produce a couple of "practice sketches" to flesh out an idea and then get tired before doing the "real version" which results in me sitting on ideas which could be great even if they're only executed at a "B" grade level.

I don't really know how to fix this. I suppose I need to just finish a bunch of these and be okay with them not being my best, because otherwise I'm going to be stuck like this and never post anything again. I'm open to suggestions as always. Hope everyone is surviving as best they can with this god-awful year.

Stay sane,

Tory

P.S.- I got fired from Femboy Hooters. They said I wasn't personable enough.
Viewed: 30 times
Added: 4 years, 3 months ago
 
Nonfinite
4 years, 3 months ago
Hang in there, you'll find your source of happiness soon. At least I think so <3

Regarding art, try pushing yourself to use different tools. You have a nice, clean style right now, but from my experience it's one that makes it very easy to get trapped in unnecessary perfectionism. Even if you don't end up sticking with a different style, I think trying out something more loose or messy might help shake some of that fear off. Learn a few differently textured brushes and then try to force yourself to color a sketch with one in only an hour or two and see what happens. Worst case it'll feel like a relief to get back to something familiar afterwards, but you might also end up making something a lot more evocative than clean lines and flat colors usually have.

Good luck! I think you'll figure this out eventually, and I'm always happy to chat, you know where to find me.
dirtywater
4 years, 3 months ago
<:3 Eeeeee, thanks

Yeah, there's something strangling about my style. I find it a bit humorous that our personalities really do come out in how we make art, whether we're aware of it or not. Mine is very rigid, rule-based and afraid to go outside the lines :D

I do love how my sketches look. When I'm not so focused on getting everything perfect there can be a lot of life and energy in my work, but I seem to have a habit of systematically snuffing it out because I'm still too scared to try new things. Oy vey...
I've got free time coming up during the holiday season. I need to be okay with using that time to experiment and mess up. And of course I'll keep in touch with you X3
Luden12
4 years, 3 months ago
Congrats at finishing school!!
dirtywater
4 years, 3 months ago
Thanks! I'll never do it again!
Rana
4 years, 3 months ago
Wait 21 years of school? Damn i was happy to be done with it after 12 years! XD


And for your problem that you cant finish something: How about showing us the sketches and ask what we whould like to see finished? I know a few artists who do that and it works wonderful.
dirtywater
4 years, 3 months ago
This is definitely something I've wanted to do but didn't know how well it would be received. I'm thinking I'm going to refine my sketches to make them more presentable on their own and try this out.
Rana
4 years, 3 months ago
Well then i cant wait to see what you will show us there.


I still love your pic of Jenna as a waitress. XD
RabbitGTI
4 years, 3 months ago
If you're really happy with your art even though you classify it as "B level" you should still post it, if people here like it you'll know, if not, no worries, you like it and you're proud of it. Perfection is the enemy of good.
Skyesabelle
4 years, 2 months ago
Really late but congratulations on finishing school
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