9/30/14
How to Gain Talent-If You Don't Already Have It Hint: You Do
You hear it all the time: 'Practice makes perfect!' 'You'll only get better unless you practice!' 'You'll be a pro once you start practicing!' It doesn't matter who you are, what you're trying to accomplish, it's true, plain and simple! If you want to get better at art, you really need to work for it. Personally, one of the most insulting "compliments" (yep, compliments can be insulting, believe it or not!) is someone telling me- often in front of other students and/or artists- "You have a natural talent for this!" You're probably thinking that it's weird to insulted by this, but I'll tell you why:
- I didn't become an "amazing" artist over night. It took years of practice and effort.
- I'm aspiring, I haven't reached my full potential, and I never will.
- It's insulting to those around both you and me.
Days, months, and years were spent up to where I am currently at my art. By no means am I perfect, by no means have I reached my full potential. Frankly I never will, because there is always room to grow. Leonardo di Vinci spent 'til the end of his days studying and becoming a better artist. After all, Picasso's famous words continue to ring through
Of course, some people may disagree with him. Some people may think that he is the worst painter to live. And some people may think about that when they see your art. I'm going to tell you something, and I'm going to say it to you in caps, bold, and italics so you get it: THOSE PEOPLE DON'T MATTER. The only thing that matters is that you created it, and what you did was intentional. Of course, just like Bob Ross says, happy little accidents always happen! But those happy accidents (not mistakes!) can be incorporated in the most beautiful way. And when someone who is thought to have "less" talent than me, and a fellow student or even teacher points it out, it not only makes me self conscious, but terrible that the different talents of everyone around me are being thought of as less. It truly is insulting, and this mindset needs to cease! This is exactly why I'm writing this entry.
So, how exactly do you "receive" talent?
"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."
Of course, some people may disagree with him. Some people may think that he is the worst painter to live. And some people may think about that when they see your art. I'm going to tell you something, and I'm going to say it to you in caps, bold, and italics so you get it: THOSE PEOPLE DON'T MATTER. The only thing that matters is that you created it, and what you did was intentional. Of course, just like Bob Ross says, happy little accidents always happen! But those happy accidents (not mistakes!) can be incorporated in the most beautiful way. And when someone who is thought to have "less" talent than me, and a fellow student or even teacher points it out, it not only makes me self conscious, but terrible that the different talents of everyone around me are being thought of as less. It truly is insulting, and this mindset needs to cease! This is exactly why I'm writing this entry.
So, how exactly do you "receive" talent?
You're Born With It
I don't mean you're born with the actual "talent". Because if that was true, Mozart and Beethoven would have jumped into the world playing the piano and composed pieces by the age of one, and of course that's simply not plausible. When I say you were born with it, I mean you were born with the drive for it. The passion for it. Without the passion, you don't try it, or you don't try to do well. If you're passionate about it, then you do it a lot, possibly even constantly. What happens when we practice something constantly? We get better at it.
You Practice
Some people aren't born with the passion. Wether it takes their whole life to want to learn, or it's just a side hobby that doesn't matter to them, they end up practicing some form of art. For example, my great-grandfather has a small hobby for wood carving that he started after retirement. While he's only been doing it for about 20 years (give or take a few), it was never a passion for him while he was younger. When he started it, he wasn't perfect, but he practiced. Have you seen a pattern here? I think so.
Practice Does Make Perfect
If you want art as a hobby or as a career, or it's just simply a passion you partake in whenever there is free time, you practice. Every human as the same talent: practice. So when someone says "Have you seen such and such's work? They're so talented!" What they're really saying is "Have you seen such and such's work? They've practiced so much!" It really all goes hand-in-hand.
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