Extended Exasperation Enrages Eternally?

[Saffron]

Howdy. I'm 15 years old and I've been observing, and sometimes participating in, the pixel art community for about two years. As is true with most of the people that pixel art, I was introduced to it by video games I love. I really enjoy the interesting discussions that take place on this forum. It's good to find some good forums that aren't filled with Sonic edits.

Anyways, I realize you all probably get a lot of threads from people new to pixel art asking how to become adept at creating pixel art. They usually receive a warm welcome, are told just to practice, and read some tutorials. I read those and took that advice. I've read basically every scrap of text available on the web and in my library on pixel art techniques. I've studied professional and amateur pixel art alike for hours on end, trying desperately to imitate the techniques and style for the sake of pixelling something decent and learning something. I've practiced so, so, so much. Thus far, in about two years, (on and off), I have created nothing but utter shit. I know it's not supposed to be easy, but wow.

I rarely share my work in pure shame as to the low quality. I think I've shown one work on here, but that's about it. I usually end up spending some hours on a project, decided it sucks and that I hate it, and deleting it. Sob story over, I have some questions for you all.

Is it possible that no matter how hard I may try, I'm just not meant to do this? That I'm just not artistically talented in this way? Also, where do you get your inspiration to make what you make? Music? Games? Do you just vomit it out effortlessly?
And how long have you been at this pixel art hoobie joobie? Am I too young to really do well at this?

[JonathanOfDrain]

One very useful piece of knowledge I can share with you is to stop studying pixel art.

Make sketches as much as you can, use references even after you think you got everything down pat.
A lot of us here aren't just pixel artists. I am a sculptor and screen printer.

When I make pixel art I usually do it with a solid idea in mind, sometimes a sketch. If I'm doing work that I'm getting paid for I have multiple sketches and a handful of references pinned up around my computer or opened in my computer.

If you can paint the Mona Lisa with oils you can probably make something nice in with pixel art. If you can sketch a sketch a bird you can probably pixel push one into existence.

I've been pushing pixels for fun for a few years. Nothing serious, I do it when I'm bored or get a job offer.
I'm a student at college, I have my associate degree in English but am now pursuing the fine arts.
I make a little money selling my sculptures and do some graphic design work whenever I can.


P.S. At the age of 12 Picasso was already a pretty talented painter. Mind you he dedicated his life to art.

[Atnas]

I've studied professional and amateur pixel art alike for hours on end, trying desperately to imitate the techniques and style for the sake of pixelling something decent and learning something.

I'm sorry but... I don't think that's the right way. You can have great technique, but the technique is not going to help you make good art. You need to practice traditional fundamentals before your art can be good. How well you do with a pencil or paintbrush generally correlates to how well you do with a pixel. Sometimes, people can jump straight into pixel art and be great at it. That's because it's just another medium. My first watercolor wasn't the best, but it was still rather good because I have a level of understanding concerning fundamentals.

If you look at paintings, study paintings, research all the famous painters and try to emulate them, you will fail. You will fail because you need to become an artist, not a copycat. There's really nothing to understand, it's about doing. It's never about technique, it's about how well you understand the fundamentals.

What are the fundamentals? Understanding depth, form, light, anatomy, geometry, the negative and positive space. Mostly anything you will learn in a fine arts class.

Even if you already have a grasp of them, it would do anyone well to concentrate more on them than they do any specific medium. Devote all this time to them.

I started pixel art at age 12, it's never too young.

Edit: eek john beat me

[NaCl]

I'd say you just need to be a bit more humble. You are expecting more out of yourself then you can deliver, so when you try and make something then it fails to meet your standards, and you throw it out and learn nothing. If you want to advance, come to terms with making things that are not great (or even good). Then, put aside your ego, and post it on the board here and see what people have to say. Don't expect anything but people pointing out what's wrong with it though, and if you have really put your ego away then you'll be fine with that, listen to them, and start improving.

I can say this from experience, not because I am yet very good or anything, but because I suffered from the same thing you are describing. Since around 14 I tried to draw on and off, but nothing I did matched up to my own expectations, so I never got anywhere. Only recently have I overcome this and begun to improve.

[huZba]

If it at some point becomes totally effortless, it means you've found a safe spot and stopped learning. Frustration is fine, overcoming it is even better. Post your latest without shame, open to anything that comes your way, but also critical enough not to adopt rules without knowing their reason. Ask yourself "why?". Ask others "why?". Challenge and let yourself be challenged and maybe the ability to interpret your thoughts with a pen will increase. There's nothing to lose.

[blumunkee]

Basically, to address the subject matter, "Extended Exasperation Enrages Eternally?" The answer is yes, and that is a good thing. Being self critical of one's work is what in my eye marks the difference between a great artist and a mediocre one. Your outlook, while not universally shared, is normal and healthy among people who wish to build lasting proficiency in a skill set.

Not being completely satisfied with your art means you will always strive to improve. There are many artists who seem to reach a certain skill set, usually around their mid 20's, who become complacent with their ability and never seem to grow any further. In my experience, a good artist is never completely "happy" with his skill set--there is always a higher plateau to reach.

I suspect that while you honestly do believe that you haven't improved over the past 2 years, if we where shown work from year 0 juxtaposed with work from year 2, we would not feel the same. Self criticality does tend to blind your ability to see gradual improvements over a long period of time.

Now, to answer specific questions:

Is it possible that no matter how hard I may try, I'm just not meant to do this? That I'm just not artistically talented in this way?

Is it possible? Yes. However, I think there are very few people out there who are truly hopeless. More likely these people want instant gratification without substantial effort, or they go about learning in an inefficient manner. (There is such a thing as good practice and bad practice.)

Also, "talent" will get you only so far. I was talented at drawing as a young boy, but if I relied on talent alone, to this day I would still draw like a ten year old boy! I suspect about 90% of what I have achieved artistically is thru skill (which is learned) not talent (which is inherent).

Also, where do you get your inspiration to make what you make? Music? Games?

Yes. Also TV, books, friends, walks in the park, head injuries, etc. "Inspiration" comes from a mind that is actively exploring, perceiving, and processing the world about it. As an insomniac, some of my best ideas have come whilst laying in bed with nothing to do but processes the things swimming about my head.

Do you just vomit it out effortlessly?

Sometimes. This is called a fluke. It is exceptionally rare, and it can't be relied on.

And how long have you been at this pixel art hoobie joobie? Am I too young to really do well at this?

I started drawing--in ernest and with a definite agenda--at age 10, which is younger, I believe, that many. Almost exclusively, I focused my skill set on rendering (drawing), and my major duration of improvement was from age 15 to 17. The improvement slowed at 17 due largely to the unbearable inanity of institutionalized education. I didn't get into pixel art until age 18, and the 7 years of drawing definitely provided a strong foundation which smoothed the transition into a different medium. From my experience, high school seems to be the most fruitful period of artistic growth, with college as a close second.

[Panda]

I don't know... don't think about anything else and just try to have fun.
When you are having fun, you tend to give better results (and well... since you are enjoying it, it is a win-win situation ).

Also forget about other people's expectations, as you don't have to impress anyone. Just go wild and let the pixels flow.
As corny as it might have sounded, getting that weight off your shoulders makes it easier.

And just keep at it, post here for receiving criticism, challenge yourself, work on projects you like, etc.
But mainly keep at it, because if you have the passion for it, everything will start clicking together eventually.

And uuuh, I started pixelling when I was 16-ish, so that makes it 5 years at it.

[bonehead11]

When making pixel art, just have fun as mentioned earlier go wild, let loose your inner self, relax. Inspiration isnt problem, it will come by its self, for instance you watch a film and wow that character is cool I will try to make him even cooler, or when you hear a song it gives you emotion and it comes automatically. The best thing to do is to listen to music when you draw.
You will never learn by studying, you have to DO it, maybe you will learn techniques etc. but what it will be good if you dont know how to draw...
As mentioned earlier if what you were typing is right, than you have very good thing, you strive for perfection. Many people go to a specific point in wich they stop to evolve and wont progress further, but if you are perfectionist, like mine humble self, than you will keep learning and learning, afterall "Humans go for perfection, even when they know perfection is impossible to reach, that makes them to go on" dont know who said that, but its truth.
You should show your work because there are things you wont see, bugs that you wont find or have really hard time repairing them, dont be ashamed of your work, everybody has to start somewhere, if you will stay at "I suck, mine art suck, man this sucks" than you wont accomplish nothing, remember pesimism only leads to failure.
You dont have to have inborn talent to do something, it will be harder to learn, but you will get there. Well so much from inexperienced person .
And remember have fun, its all about having fun.

[Cow]

Nintendo Power Protip: Never just skim the thread when you're about to write a massive post. Turns out most of what I wanted to say was said already, but here's the leftover 5 sentences (which sound pretty disjointed without their padding of echoed suggestions):

Remember the Law of Diminishing Returns; although it may not seem like it, the biggest strides of one's artistic growth happen during these early formative stages. Of course, development can only happen with the input of time, effort, and heart. Overcoming your current creative paralysis will be a good first hurdle. I've seen members of this board make massive strides in the span of the couple years I've been lurking here, beginning as very inexperienced artists. "Getting serious" about art involves shutting off a lot of your brain (whatever portions are required for internal censorship), or if you've played X-Wing Alliance or any similar game, routing the power from the shields to the main thrusters...

[Rydin]

Is it possible that no matter how hard I may try, I'm just not meant to do this?
Only if you hate doing it.

That I'm just not artistically talented in this way?
Maybe not yet. You have to learn.  Either purposely or accidentally make the biggest mistakes you can make.  Then learn from them.

Also, where do you get your inspiration to make what you make? Music? Games?
Everything is inspiration.  Anything you can perceive and communicate to others about how you perceived it.

Do you just vomit it out effortlessly?
Sometimes.  But in most cases, the effortlessness is a lie.  Doing something religiously and devoting your life to something requires tremendous amounts of effort.  But after infinite dedication, many of the little particular things become second nature.

And how long have you been at this pixel art hoobie joobie? Am I too young to really do well at this?
Your life is way too short to say that you're too young for something.

Hours upon hours, like you say you've spent, is nothing.  Devote every minute of every hour of every day to doing anything related to pixels or art in someway, if you want to be any good.

Don't beat yourself up though.  Only do what you love to do.  Everything else isn't worth your time.