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Thread: I’ve been seeing a lot of artists publicly hating on their own art lately, and while that’s nothing new I do wanna give some food for thought on the matter because I think it hurts the whole community. 1/9
I get that all artists get frustrated with their work sometimes. It’s hard to see your own progress and evolution when it’s YOUR work. There‘s nothing wrong with expressing frustration, but we have to consider the way we express it, because it can really send a bad message. 2/9
If you’re a content creator online who‘s been at it for more than a couple weeks then I guarantee that SOMEBODY admires and looks up to you. Somebody looks at your work and wishes they could create the way you do. Maybe they fully intend to try. 3/9
That in mind, how is a beginner supposed to feel when the creator they look up to and want to emulate constantly says that their own art sucks and they’ll never be good enough? Especially if there’s already a large gap in skill and experience between them? 4/9
Instead of loudly declaring that you wish you could torch your entire portfolio because you hate it so much, why not take a more constructive approach? If there’s something you don’t like about your art, you can absolutely work on changing it. 5/9
If instead of tweeting general negativity about yourself you say things like, “I feel like I should work on anatomy,” or “I want to push my expressions further,” then you’re showing a willingness to grow. A defeatist mindset doesn’t help anyone. 6/9
Only seeing your flaws is no more insightful than only seeing your strengths. We all have things to work on, so don’t make those weaknesses into some career-ending boogie man. You’re going to terrify people who are just starting out and still have a long way to go. 7/9
Also you should just be nicer to yourself for your own sake. Nobody deserves to live in an echo chamber of negativity, especially if it’s your own brain. You’re not THAT bad, okay? 8/9
There’s always somebody more experienced, sure, but there’s also always somebody less experienced. And that person still has a right to create and grow, too. Take a step back, look at the big picture, remember that artistic expression isn’t a contest or a race. Stay chill. 9/9
