*Iz Frustrated*

[kriadydragon]

Curses to my limited art skills! Curses I say!

I have a very, very, very, uber psychotic vivid imagination. I collect a ton of very bright, shiny images in my head that I can't do much with unless they're part of a story. And still can't do anything with until I write that story. And I'm still not happy with when I do write because my brain is in the habit of either running out of words or completely shutting down on me when I try to write.

That leaves transferring the images onto drawing paper. But art skills, limited. Very limited and it drives me crazy. I'm still chipping away at lessening those limits but it's going to be a while before most of those limits are, well, chipped away.

Which is why I wish I knew someone with mad art skills. I'm tempted to go to those artists I have a very thin and passing acquaintance with, say "here's an image *describes image* have at it" because the majority of those images stem from a story I plan on one day publishing. But, dang it, I would love to see those images exist somewhere other than my head :P

*Le sigh* Gripe gripe, complain complain. Back to drawing!

One thing I would like to one day do, when/if I have the money, is take some classes in graphic art. *Dreams.* I hope to one day look into that when I finally have a job to pay for it :P

Comments

[imbecamiel.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I so sympathize with you. I was in just that place for many years. Vivid pictures in my head, which writing just can't capture, but I failed so badly at drawing anything without strict references...

It's taken a few years of struggling through sketches that utterly fail to co-operate with what I want, but just keeping at it I've managed to get far closer to getting the picture on the paper to look like what's in my head. Still far from considering myself as having arrived, but... It's very fun now. I've been illustrating my sister's fantasy novels for her, lately, helping her get more concrete visuals down. And just the other night when I had an awesome dream with cute little bat-dragons? I was able to just sit down and sketch them out the next day. ^.^

So basically just... I'd encourage you to keep at it? I know in the earlier stages, for me, improvement seemed like a sloooow, drawn-out process, but more recently it's been in jumps - where I'm going along, and suddenly hit a short phase where I just can't seem to manage basic things that had worked fine before... and then suddenly it's just there, and there's a different quality to my results than what I'd been able to manage before.

Regarding graphic art, though - there are so many free online classes! Have you tried looking at any of those? Most of my own experience in graphic art has been through trial and error (and, more recently, spriting for Dragon Cave, and having others critique my work), but I know there's some really good stuff out there. Youtube, even, can be a really helpful place to look. :)

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

I know in the earlier stages, for me, improvement seemed like a sloooow, drawn-out process, but more recently it's been in jumps - where I'm going along, and suddenly hit a short phase where I just can't seem to manage basic things that had worked fine before... and then suddenly it's just there, and there's a different quality to my results than what I'd been able to manage before.

Yes, exactly! I'm totally going through this. There was a time I stopped drawing because I kept drawing the same way over and over with no visible improvement. This isn't the early stage for me (I've been drawing for years) but it felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. Then I decided that I needed to give my art skills the same attention as I do my writing skills, so I started sketching more. And, yeah, things have started to really click. But I still have a looooooooong way to go :P

Regarding graphic art, though - there are so many free online classes! Have you tried looking at any of those?

Actually, I hadn't, though I had thought of taking online basic art classes. Thanks for the suggestion :D

[syble4.livejournal.com]

I took graphic art glasses in college. Unfortunately, I had a very prejudice teacher who thought women had no business out of the home. Yeah, I let that asinine idiot chase me out of my selected field of study and now I do accounting. I have, however, retained my love of sketching. I may not make money doing it, but it is the best stress relief money can buy.

I may not be uber-good, but I'm always willing to help out with sketches.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Stupid teacher :P That's the problem with any kind of artistic ability is that it's easily discouraged, especially by idiots who don't know squat.

[crashbarrier.livejournal.com]

Write it down and I can have a go.. i can't promise anything as i have been out of practise for a goodly long time but any excuse to get my hand back in:)..

[crashbarrier.livejournal.com]

I had similar issues with my A-level art teacher.. at age 18 i was so traumatised by her comments regarding my work i didn't draw again for 5 years, I do occasional small sketches but i still ave problems with people looking at them, if amyone looks in my sketch books without permission I never drawn in it again:/..

if you want senstive and helpful commentry on anything then i am always willing and able:)..

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Oh, I may take you up on that :D Hmmmmm... I should do an art exchange thing, like a fic exchange only with art. Or maybe do some kind of art-a-thon where people submit prompts and artist pick a prompt and draw it (according to their interpretations, of course ;)). I must ponder on this, more.