What It Takes to be a Professional Artist 

How about when you stop drawing for a little bit an they worry even more? :P

like some other lines in that video :) "I ate drawings like peanut m&m's"

Yes. Amd while you will be at it, who will pay your bills and make money or give yiu some even for bloody paper? Don't look at well know quotes look, at the logic and reality of life!

The reality is im 15 and im being fed without doing anything and got 3 more years of that, so i will look at this quote and stay consistent enough to be better than before​@@xxy4093

​@xxy4093 lol ypu can still draw a lot and have a regular job A lot of people do this. In school I made sure to have paper at all times not for work but to draw to the point I had to borrow paper because I didn't have enough. Of course as ypu getnolder it gets harder. But that's why most always has something on them to sketch on. It's like if you really love reading or watching movies. You'll find the time to do it.

This is so true I hope steven talk about it someday

I know for me it’s hard knowing that something is better and I’m supposed to be doing it and if I don’t no one is going to like it. People tell me all the time that it doesn’t matter but if it doesn’t, why do a lot of artist sell out or do a particular thing a certain way? I don’t want to sell my art anymore but I’m in college and school breaks me down and rips me apart and I just don’t want to do it anymore but I really don’t want to stop, I just want to be happy.😔

this comment is the most important one, because with good videos like this one and many others I often just felt guilty and scared... of not loving it enough "oh i don't draw as much as it was said in this video, I go for days without drawing nowadays... that means I don't love art? BUT I LOVE ART, but this means I don't!?" just a freakish mess.

While I definitely agree with the sentiment, this still falls into the cold hard truth that it probably means you're not quite cut out to be a professional in this field. There's nothing wrong with that though, I feel people who do genuinely enjoy creating art as a fun hobby tend to feel like if there's no monetary goal at the end of the tunnel then they should feel bad, get depressed about it and stop. But as an aspiring professional you have to be able to pull yourself out of the funks and moods and depression if you wanna get paid. That too is a skill just like anything else talked about here and a million other places.

@@fromash5289 Errr.. I know loads of people including myself who used to be just in this position and now are working professionals. The idea that just because you didnt use to be cut out for professional work in the art field doesnt mean that will continue to be the case. Like you said its a skill, and if its a skill it can be developed. Its also an asinine comment because depending on the circumstances of your living situation you are more prone to neuroticism, its a biological truth that if you have a lot of uncertainty and unstable parts of life that your seratonin doesnt dampen your negative emotions as much.

Finding Steven Zapata through Proko has truly been a blessing.

@@brodieswift3061 Same!

You honor me old friend. Thank you for watching.

Is everything he said true? I shall have my answer!

Whoever is reading this, I hope you have a great day! Here is some artist inspiration for you 🎨 ✨ ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OwQvrPaL4zI.html

LOL I just saw this too!!! The fight!!

Same ^^

That’s a very intelligent thing to say. There’s a lot of brilliant artists out there. But the people who make money aren’t necessarily part of that group. Case in point, Rob Leifield.

oh thats because freaks dont think they are freaks. They are optimized and normal int normal, normal is what doesnt function properly

how is that a description of the dunning-Kruger effect? explain.

@@freckleheckler6311 ...the simple definition from google for the Dunning-Kruger effect is: "The Dunning-Kruger effect effect occurs when a person's lack of knowledge and skills in a certain area cause them to overestimate their own competence." So, as you learn more, you realize there is more that you need to know/learn.

Started saying it to myself every day i draw. And it kind of encourages me to draw even if I got little, to no time in the day to spare.

same, my friend 🤗

Food breaks are officially cancelled

I am honored to have been of such service to you. I was not actually sure that flow video could help anyone when I made it, but every time I read something like this it reminds me that much more is possible in the realm of art than we tend to believe.

Thats wonderful that you’ve found your passion again after that awful art school experience! What is the title of the video you’re referencing?

@@cerealis_5432 It was the one called Drawing Meditation #1: How to get in the Zone

That’s hard. I hear yah.

"What is this joy? Can anyone describe it to me? I've never seen it." - That's what my comment was going to be, but I see someone's beat me to it. You're not the only one, Jordan. Wonder how we'll fare going forward. Wish you well though!

@@neron8497 I hope it works out better for you. As long as you overcome depression, the joy should present itself. Almost everyone can respond to adequate treatment, so I have faith in your outcome.

@@philipodetola6 Ah, Jesus. Pray for me, will you? He isn't answering mine.

Its your fault that you are depressed. It literally is just an illusion.

This just gave me a huge smile on my face. Thanks for sharing this. So Very wholesome, this is romance and love I haven’t heard of before.

You are no coward. Following your own wisdom, trusting yourself enough to decide your own path, that is the hardest thing. Drawing in a hole for years is not much compared with that.

Id try taking a break and if you miss it then you probably like it. Also if you enjoy the process then that’s a sign you enjoy it. Hope this is useful.

When I see a very public artist putting out work regularly, I wonder the same thing about them. I think that being sure to do some work that is only for you, and to take it just as seriously, is part of holding on to your personal enjoyment. That can be deceptive - sometimes good experimental work looks utterly unimpressive, because you definitionally don't have it all figured out.

All you can do is try!

Hah! One argument might be enough...

Maybe you should evaluate if this is true. Because social relationships are important to have and maintain, if more so than your art. And you should fix your relationship before it is too late. But for you to say that you should be in the right track just means that your mindset is horrible.

@@PetyrC90 The age old career vs social life struggle. It exists everywhere and wont ever fade, not with the world becoming faster and faster. Best you can hope for is to work your ass off now for leisure time later. It helps realizing everyone has different goals and mindsets other than your own.

@@PetyrC90 He was obviously joking..

@Eevee * Wrong. That is not true for every human. Be more open minded and considerate of other lifestyles, mindsets, dispositions and mental states to name a few key factors.

Hey thanks for speaking your mind, and it's something I am also currently facing and looking for answers, these are thoughts I very much relate to, similar age as well I came to a point I think I feel this way is because I tied art entirely to my self worth. Of so many things I am pretty much bad and mediocre at both mentally and physically, art was the only thing that I define the best of myself. Building an ego needing to be perfect in the craft placed on a pedestal, being extremely self critical and demanding of myself is what I did, and definitely not fun. For if we don't kill ourselves internally for this, if we stop then what are we amount to compare to the top dogs with not only incredible art but a perfect mind that is humble, wise, analytical and takes no bullshit for an answer compared to an overly emotional and spoilt mind? I'm just at the start of letting go the idea that art is everything, while an extremely inspiring outro for this video, I'm not going to compete when the pedestal made is now crumbled together with our purpose. Time needed to learn other aspects of our life like to soul search or brush up other skills (eg adulting cause u know, we are just budding adults now) . To find our self worth not on external factors but the experiences is what I think could be the answer? Haven't got any results yet but will keep pushing on on it. IDK if what I said helps but hope it made u think on your situation, and that you aren't alone. Hope one day u can find the fun in art and maybe life itself!

Difficult difficult questions. Including some of the things Fierying brought up about tying all of this to your self worth. It hurt to record that middle part of the video about the time when you're doing art because it's the only thing you're good at- because I knew it would land somewhere. I've been there. I wouldn't be quick to believe the airs others put on about their art practice. For some it's that easy, but not for most. Like I said in the video, I think this is a good time to slow down. You're young yet, to make a change now would be unbelievably negligible in the long run. But, art can return joyfully without warning, any time, as long as you remain open. Good luck.

I have a degree in computer engineering but I choose to pursue art and I'm in the same spot. It became very stressful to do art. You love it, yet it's merciless and hard. Having lots of ideas and projects .. none of them is complete. You feel bad for not practicing and you feel bad for your results. I'd share what helped me get past that. TIme ..the illusion of time that you need to get that good in x weeks, months. it's the most detrimental ... I mean you think too far ahead that it makes your daily progress feel like nothing .. and that living in the future kills everything that's fun. once I slowed downtime and said to myself that's something I would do every day till I die .. that this is a journey, I'm discovering myself along the road while enjoying the detours .. and become better every single day. I even started to visualize my daily practice instead of the results of the future me. With that in mind also .. I'd practice something and I won't think how much would it take or anything .. just practice it and exploring, experimenting and playing. I don't know if that would work or not .. but I'm on a journey .. so I'm trying everything at hand. in a nutshell .. results don't gauge my hard work .. working and enjoying every single day while looking that I'm better than me yesterday .. was my way to go. If someone is younger and more successful .. it's okay props to them I'm happy for them not jealous anymore .. I'm gonna find my way one day .. or at least I dared to go on the journey no matter what results would come out of it. What works for me .. won't work for you - I relate magnetic fields to rhythms and lines .. it gets me motivated to compare the two.) - Keep writing .. and keep digging inside yourself and you will find your own way .. that suits you. The thing that I'd advise you to do though is to write about it .. and with time and trying you will come up with something indeed but write, write and write to articulate your thoughts and get out of rabbit thinking holes. I don't know if that would help but that helped me so much that I'm thankful to pursue something that's as hard as art .. that I became a way better person and I now understand myself on a deeper level than I thought possible. I'll end with this quote from DaVinci “As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death.”

Hi I am 20 years old as well and faced the same issue for several years until recently. I was more obsessed with merely improving and trying to express something that I didn’t understand ( myself). It wasn’t until I reacted to the state of having a day job that I began to draw in my spare time again. From there I cherished the time I spent by drawing whatever came to mind, without overthinking it, I was just making. I was touching on what it meant for art to be therapeutic, fun, and relaxing. So I set out to understand what it means to “love the process”. I came across YT channels like Adam Duff-LucidPixul and Stephen Zapata, who both emphasize art as a way of life that must have balance and fulfillment. In order to truly live that way, I had to not take learning so seriously, I had live my life away from the pencil: sleep well, eat healthy, exercise, socialize, and of course draw without worry for the result - creating spontaneously not analytically. This just my personal journey. But none of it came naturally. I did not automatically always “have a passion for drawing”. I learned that Love is learned. So I practiced by TRYING to focus and become entranced by the tactile feeling of drawing a relaxed line. But I could not even do it without huge bouts of anxiety at first. But by the second or third time of trying “automatic drawing” It was not nearly as bad for me, and I began to figure out that I really was too focused on trying to resemble aspects of other people’s work. I then new I just had to figure myself out. Then I would be able to express the art that resonates with me. It can never hurt to search within your past and feelings for what you personally need.

One way I deal with this is that I stop trying to be perfect. It sounds like you're a perfectionist like me. We have to remind ourselves perfection doesn't exist.

I feel you. I feel like so many people go through this without ever being aware that they dont have the joy to create but they go on doing it. You have acknowledged this and I think thats a great step. I hope you find the peace and joy in your life.

@@yesham0 thank you man, this is a long journey but at least, the first step has been made, thank you again 🙌🏼

I am definitely wishing you luck in the military. Take care of yourself, and thank you