Art comes in various shapes and forms. There is performing arts, fine arts, even unconventional arts that are being created every single day. I personally am a performing artist myself - singing, dancing, and acting on the side of my college career. My sister on the other hand is a very fine artist, both in her artistry and her drawings! I had always tried my hand at drawing, but always seemed discouraged at my doodles compared to her masterpieces. For anyone out there to discover a simple new hobby or find a new passion, drawing is great path! My sister, a professional commissioned artist, will give you answers to frequently asked questions by beginner to intermediate artists from all over!
So, how and where did you pick up your passion for drawing?
“I was watching TV one day, and.. I wanted to be in the universe the show was placed. And have something to do with it. And there was only one way to really feel like I was in it, and that was to produce what I saw in my head.. Or at least attempt to by drawing. I wasn’t very good when I started out.” (First Picture: Self Portrait from February 14th, 2009) (Next Picture: Self Portrait from March 5th, 2016)
How do you feel during your process? (While drawing)
“If I don’t have an idea, the first parts of the process are very hard. I mostly stare at the screen for consistent amounts of time *chuckle*. When I do have an idea already, the first steps of the process go by quickly, and are the messiest. It’s getting the ideas from my head onto the canvas as fast as I can. And when all that is mapped out, I slowly refurbish piece to, you know, make it less cluttered. Honestly a piece can go through two different types of processes. The first one is that when I’m so excited to get this idea out of my head, I can ‘whip out’ like a fully colored piece just because I want to see it so badly! The second is process goes much slower, where I may map out everything I can, but the details is what makes the piece. That kind of piece isn’t about getting it down, but looking the part. By that I mean, satisfying in its quality.”
How you do you feel after finishing a piece? How does your audience make you feel?
“Whenever I finished something, I am relieved. But I always wonder whether it’s actually done with the point I stopped at. I don’t have a set routine style, so I don’t have a cold cut point where I know something is 100% done. I’m still learning to find that point. My audience makes me feel really good about my work. I usually rarely get negative comments, or even critical ones. I actually would like more critical comments, encouraging ones to push me out of my comfort zone.”
Any tips and tricks for learning faster and more efficiently?
“I’m glad asked it the way you did. There are no tips for learning quicker. I’m sure you can learn shortcuts and tricks to make things easier, like using a line tool instead of drawing a line. But there are no tips or tricks for your own pace of learning and improving. Everybody has their own fortes and paces for learning certain things, no matter how much work you put into it. That’s just the reality of art. But that definitely should not dissuade you from putting in all the hours and work in practice and finding your own style. It will all be worth it in the end. You might not move as fast as others but you can never go backwards.”
Is there anything you still struggle with these days?
“For some reason I really struggle with hands. Nowadays, they are just annoying. And unfortunately they are essential to every piece. Even though I have been drawing for now 9 years, I find it difficult to work with colors and lighting and some basic software effects since I’ve been working with the most basic art software forever. And also my biggest struggle right now is pushing out of my bubble. I have a really bad habit of drawing figures and characters, but no backgrounds or landscapes. I already know I’m gonna be bad at it from the start, because I don’t have a clear understanding. But I will face it soon enough and learn how to do them.”
Even from someone who has been drawing for almost a decade, an art form always takes time to perfect, and you can only improve from the start! Even from a performing arts standpoint, I can relate and say that it takes time and practice to improve your art. And in the wise words of my sister, it’ll all be worth it in the end. As I interviewed my sister, I remembered the somewhat displeasing comic strips she would create, cringing internally at how bad they were. They still entertained us as kids, but looking back at them shows her progress in how she grew as an artist. Even I go back and watch some old singing videos of mine and reflect on how I got better as well. For all you artists and those aspiring to be, don’t give hope and/or be discouraged to start! The world of art is a beautiful, exciting place! The only way to experience it is to get a start! The struggle will all be worth it!
If you want to check out more of her art, here is her art profile!
