Do You Look at Your Art and Think "This Bites" Even Though Others Like It?

Question

I notice when drawing that I actually am satisfied with very few of my results. Even the ones others seem to like. Anyone else?

Answer 1

Sometimes, yes. I had lots of drawings before that I did not like. However, the interesting thing was that some of those drawings were the ones that others generally liked.

On the other hand, I had made a lot of drawings that I really liked and, interestingly again, some of those drawings did not pass the taste --- or standards, if you may --- of other people.

As the cliche goes, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Even if we think that our drawing --- or artwork --- "bites" doesn't necessarily mean that others would also perceive things the same way as we do.

Sometimes, other people --- those who took the time to look at your artwork --- do not necessarily look at the carefulness of points and lines or the intricacy of details. Sometimes, they look for something more behind that. It may be something profound as to the meaning and significance of the artwork; how they can relate to it. Or it may be as simple as the harmony of every line and/or color to create an image that they can simply enjoy and appreciate.

The artist may or may not see those things that other people may find in a certain drawing. But sometimes, it's nice to see people appreciating those works that the artist himself could not. Sometimes, it's even better if other people see something more in the drawing than what the artist himself had intended to show.

Actually, if you ask me, I have learned to appreciate even those drawings that I made that I did not, technically, like. It somehow tells me, at least, something about my progress as an artist and, more importantly, as a person. Art could be a piece of your time, your history. Even the inadvertent ugliness could signify something about you and/or your environment.

I believe Art should be shared, even to those who could not understand much about it.

Art --- even if it "bites" --- is a discovery of self and others.

Did I make sense? Just my idea. :-)

Answer 2

Thats cuz they dont understand. Think about it the best someone say 16 could draw a house is a square with a triangle on top a small rectangle door and 2 small sqare windows. They think anything better than that will be good just look at your stuff and really examine it. Complement are good and keep you in high spirts but you wont get any real crit get advise from artist around or join a forum and post your stuff there. Alotta people said my stuff was good now that i look it i really sucked...bad. Just remember that only your opinion matters

Answer 3

Oh yes. As Bob Dylan wrote in "My Back Pages", "Ahh, but I was so much older then/ You know I'm younger than that now."

It happens to almost everyone. It's as much a cliche as "If you think you know what you are doing then you are artistically dead."

When you're young it bothers you. As you get older, it keeps happening, though, and either you get over it or you have to accept that you are some kind of a masochist who likes to punish himself. Nobody knows everything. Sometimes you're right. Sometimes they're right. You just do the best you can and try to get your pictures out there and if they like 'em that should be why you get them out there no matter who's right.

Because guess what matters more?

Answer 4

I find myself to be my harshest critic in all things. My personal paintings that I love are not as popular( with those I have let view them) as the ones I dislike. I think it may be because I may have more pure/real emotion in the ones I don't like as much. Perhaps on some subconscious level that creates a bit of fear of the artwork. The artwork I like I am able to easily describe and present. The artwork I find secondary I have greater difficulty presenting the vision verbally.

Answer 5

Your supposed to feel like that !

Just put some away for a while and look at them a lot later objectively.

Other's look with their eyes,unfortunately for us artists we can only see our works through ours !

I have many paintings and drawings from years ago and look at them very rarely,but suprise myself with one or two,they seem very different to how my mind recalls them.

"You are not alone,do not stop and stagnate,just keep going and Create." that was the best advice my tutor gave me in art school.

Answer 6

all the time. most of what i draw i never want to see again, haha.

and there are also lots of times when someone else draws something and everyone raves about it, but I don't like it. i guess i just like different things.

Answer 7

Omg yeah!And when they seem to like it-I feel like they're probably just being polite...but you know-friends usually don't lie to each other so,maybe these people who like your work like it for a reason:)