6. Oh wow! Did you trace that? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post

10 Things Artists Are So Tired of Hearing

When you tell us that you 'wish you could draw', what you're really saying is 'I wish I had that talent without putting in the effort.'

153
10 Things Artists Are So Tired of Hearing

1. Can you draw me for free?

Can I? Yes. Will I? No. Seriously, that is an artist's biggest pet peeve. If you expect free work because you're a 'friend' that should be even more of a reason why you shouldn't expect it. You should support your friend's small businesses rather than take advantage of them.

2. I wish I could draw like you!

You can. I didn't just wake up one morning and magically know how to draw. I picked up a crayon when I was five and never set it down. When you tell us that you 'wish you could draw', what you're really saying is 'I wish I had that talent without putting in the effort.' If you want to be good at art, you have to do what everybody does when they have a talent… PRACTICE!!!

3. Are you ever going to get a real job?

Cue eye roll. Who are you to dictate what makes a job a 'real job'? If I'm making enough money off of selling art, then you have no need to worry. Even if I'm not, I'd rather go broke doing what I love instead of dying in a cubicle with no dignity. Worry about your own wallet, I'll worry about mine.

4. No offense but...

NO! Stop. Offense taken! Unless you are an artist who has an undoubtedly higher skill level than me, I'm not interested in hearing it. Yes, the nose is crooked. Yes, the eyes don't exactly match. No, I didn't ask for your opinion. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Stop telling me how to create my own art.

5. My [insert relative] is a REALLY good artist! 

Oh, thanks? What on Earth am I supposed to do with that information? When I hear this sentence, all I can do is read between the lines and hear you basically saying 'my relative is better than you'. Good for them! I don't doubt that they are; I'm sure your niece or whatever is great, but I'm not interested in being told who is better than me at what I do.

6. Oh wow! Did you trace that?

GRRRR. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't! Does it matter? If I've been slaving over my sketchbook for 4 hours creating a piece, it shouldn't matter if I did it free-hand or if I used a reference. If you have a problem, just keep scrolling.

7. Art can be just a hobby.

So can selling drugs. Do you see me out here trying to be El Chapo? For all you know, art is just a hobby for me. Again, don't worry about what I consider a career in my life if it isn't any of your business.

8. Can you teach me how to draw?

Sure! Let's drop everything we're doing right now and I'll teach you in 60 minutes what took me a decade to learn. The answer is no, I can't teach you to draw. I can make a few recommendations on how you can learn! PRACTICE! Find a picture, study it, draw it, fail, try again, and fail better next time. You have to put the time and the effort into art if you want to be good at it.

9. How about you try [insert art style] instead!

Cool recommendation! I'm not going to do it, but still, thanks for the input. I might look it up and consider trying it, maybe I already have, but I'm happy with what I'm doing. If you see me posting a lot of the same genre, odds are that that's where I feel most comfortable. Every artist steps out of their comfort zone at some point and it's a lot more common than you think. If I like doing realism and that's my strong suit, I'm probably not going to just switch over to contemporary because you told me to. If I do switch my genre, it's because I feel confident enough to do so.

10. You should post more of your art.

Eh, maybe I will or maybe I won't. When you're in the art world, there's a sense of insecurity. You're constantly being reminded that someone out there is better than you or that you aren't where you'd like to be, skill-wise. If I'm not posting my art, it might be because I don't feel confident enough to do so. Nobody is entitled to see what I create. I'll post it when I'm ready.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

5 Things To Do That Are Better Than Writing A Paper

Don't waste your time trying to write that paper when there are so many more interesting things you could be doing.

6759
computer keyboard
Unsplash

Writing a paper is never fun and is rarely rewarding. The writer's block, the page requirement, be specific, but don’t summarize, make sure you fixed any grammatical errors, did you even use spellcheck? and analyze, analyze, analyze.

Papers can be a major pain. They take up so much time and effort that by the end of the process you hate yourself and you hate the professor for making life so difficult. Questions of your existence start roaming in your mind. Am I even cut out for college if I can’t write a single paper? Am I even capable of taking care of myself if I lack the energy to open my laptop and start typing?

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons Why Sisters Are The Best

Who could be a better friend than your own sister?

4108
sisters
Taylor Hooper

I can barely remember back when I was the only child. Most would say it’s because it is extremely difficult to remember things as a toddler but I would say it's because I was bored until my sister came along. My mother always says how important the "sister bond" is and with every year that passes I realize how right she is. Instead of writing a novel about all of the wonderful things there are about having a sister I decided to list a few of them instead.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Adult

You're gonna make it after all.

4935
how to adult
Twitter

It is the time of our lives that we are beginning to enter the adult world and most of us, if not all of us, have no idea what we are doing. It's like starting a video game, but skipping the tutorial. We're all just running around aimlessly hoping we accidentally do something right that moves us along the right path. Now that graduation has just happened, or is right around the corner for some of us, it's time to start thinking about how we are going to take care of ourselves once we are on our own.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

7 Signs You're A Starbucks Addict

I'll be the first one to admit I'm addicted to Starbucks.

2902
drinking coffee
Tumblr

If you’re anything like me, you love a good cup of coffee. My coffee always comes from Starbucks; I refuse to drink it from anywhere else. Over the years, it’s become one of my biggest addictions. So, if you are aware that you’re a Starbucks addict as well, or maybe you need to check to see if you’re an addict, here are seven ways to tell.

Keep Reading...Show less
people  in library
Photo by redcharlie on Unsplash

College involves a whirlwind of emotions, whether it’s from the stress of an assignment (or twenty), or from fighting with your roommate. It can be overwhelming at times and it’s important to take a step a back and calmly think things over. Maybe gain some perspective. The following aren’t foolproof tips and may not apply to you, but I was able to find success with them (hope you do too!)

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments