All Practice And No Art

[solidegg]

Anybody else feel like all you can do is just practice and never actually produce anything to show for it?

[malcom]

I was like that in my early stages, Couple things you can do are
1. Show those studies off and ask for feedback.
2. Create a project and aim your studies towards that project
for example, if your designing a Bug or even spider Knight character and need to under stand knight armor to do so, study it then. You want to study the things you have a need for so it sticks more. Basically turn your studies into the work you can post later.

[solidegg]

The thing is I've been drawing for 14 years now and I'm no where near where i thought i would be with drawing

[brohawx]

Yes all the time, because I dont have time to just render away on finished pieces.

Finished art pieces take way more time to produce trust me. So much in fact that you enjoy just drawing more. Eventually you learn enough to hate the pieces that you made already its natural.

This is a chase to learn how to do something you enjoy. Or you don’t enjoy it. I don’t know if you want to design, animate, illustrate more or what.

Ask for specific help dude. If it’s illustration or concept art help us help you by saying what you want help on.

Don’t just post pictures and say “critique requested" in the most vague manner like you don’t care, on what are unfinished drawings. Write a paragraph, say hi, put yourself out there, and I'll critique the hell out of it, just so I can teach myself something new, and help someone at the same time.

Be specific. Critique on what? Your line work? Your design? Where to go from here? The subject matter?

But then respond! Say thank you, start a conversation, go to other peoples posts and say hi, make friends. Start a piece that's a WIP and ask for help, learn some stuff.

I DM'ed you and you never responded. It takes time to do critiques, I know, I’ve done a shit ton. And people rarely respond! It’s unbelievable! People are not going to help on critiques if they feel like someone isn't going to come back and say thank you.

If you want a challenge or just friends to chat with let us know. Spill the beans.

But the hard truth is there is no one to blame but yourself for no finished art produced. If you want to finish a piece of art, like an illustration. Take one of your many characters, and finish it in the style you want to replicate, learn from your mistakes and move on. I dont see any finished pieces in your posts, but no one can help you through this part, you have to put on your mud boots and slog through the trenches.

[000_peanut]

After reading few paragraphs, I just..

and then the last part got me

@solidegg listen to this guy, okay..!!! 😁

[BabyShark_Ash]

I used to feel this way for a long time, but I realized it was because I was studying art incorrectly. I was drawing lots, sure, but I was not studying what I practiced.

In lots of Marc's videos he talks about how someone can spend hours practicing, but if they are practicing wrong, they won't make much progress. They need to practice from references, practice skills they will reuse, etc. I can't say it as eloquently as he does, but in his video about debunking the 10,000 hour rule he gives lots of helpful information. Check it out on YT. I believe this is the video I'm thinking of: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soPF6BRwQyQ][1]

What type of art are you most interested in? Character art? Backgrounds? Let us know what you need help with. We're all here to learn. Sounds like you're a bit stuck in a hole, so I would watch that video and apply what you hear from it. Very useful stuff.

Good luck, man
--Ash

[solidegg]

Alright what I want to do is Concept Art but that's is far as i get with the subject' i would be happy with a sketch like this all the time if i could produce them more often

I have no clear path on what to do

[solidegg]

Here is my Deviant Art if you want to take a look https://www.deviantart.com/foxinashell

[soft.raincloud777]

Hello solidegg!
It can really feel tough when you don't see progress, or you don't see results that look good enough to present for a very long time. I like the lineart that you show here!

If you are learning on your own currently, I highly recommend checking out this youtube channel, called FZDSCHOOL, and the series "Design Cinema." The professional artist (Feng Zhu) is amazing at his work and even established an art school himself that covers concept art. This particular youtube vid from him especially inspired me, which I also really recommend; maybe you can listen to it as you draw sometime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3Al7QAS89s&t=2692s

It made me personally motivated to not just spend a few hours per day to progressing my art. I'm not sure how much time you have been putting per day in dedicating to practicing, but I hope this vid might motivate you to keep on going forward and improving.

Just my two cents!