6 SIGNS YOU'RE A GOOD ARTIST ❤️ (to me)

What's up, guys? Welcome. In this video, I want to talk about six signs that you're actually a good artist. Because trust me, I know too many of us artists just do not give ourselves enough credit, even when we're doing things the right way. So, this is a reminder for that. If you happen to be doing the things that I mentioned in this video, you are a good artist in my eyes. But if you're doing none of the things that I'm going to talk about in this video, you just might be trash. But that's okay. It's never too late to start. It's garbage can, not garbage can't. and also stick around to the end for the most important advice I will ever give you in my life. The first sign to me that you're a good artist is you're always learning and always curious. You should feel like you're constantly absorbing new information and seeking out new ways to approach your art. This could come in many forms. You know, you could be somebody who loves to learn about new subjects and try out drawing new things, or you could be someone who's always trying to study and learn from online tutorials. But the point is growth as an artist always is going to require you to have an open mind and to be receptive when the lesson presents itself. And I think just a general curiosity about art plays a huge part in this. If you're the type of person where you run into some type of problem, you see the term analogous colors. You don't really understand what it means. But instead of letting that stop you out of curiosity, you actually look it up and you actually try to learn from this color theory. You are on the right track. Stay curious, guys. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it's not going to kill you. You're an artist. You're not a cat. Stop meowing. Now, on the contrary to all of this, if you're reflecting on what you have learned in the last few years, and you realize, I've not really learned anything, let this be your sign to do a mindset change, here's the good news. It's never too late to learn. Everyone's on a unique timeline, and it's never too late to adopt the right habits. The second sign that tells me you are a good artist is that you at least have a basic grasp of the fundamentals. Now, just to list a few of the very important fundamentals, values, color theory, you want to understand your hues, your saturation, and of course, perspective and anatomy. Now, you don't have to be a master at any of these, and I don't expect you guys to be, but just try to have a base level understanding of the fundamentals that apply to your art. For example, somebody like Aaron Blae behind the short film Snow Bear. He loves drawing animals. So, his priority when it comes to his fundamentals is learning the anatomy of these animals and how they work. Understanding color theory might not be something as high up on his priority list. Same thing for you. If you like to draw manga, for example, while you have to know your line quality, your perspective, your composition, and your anatomy, but maybe color theory is not that important on your priority list. So, this is your sign to check up on yourself and see if you actually have a decent understanding of the fundamentals that apply to your art. And if you do, congratulations. In my mind, you're a good artist. This video is sponsored by Paperlike. Paperlike 3 is the latest version of the screen protector designed for creatives who want a premium paper feel when drawing or writing on their iPad. It uses the latest evolution of Paperlike's nano dots technology perfected over many years of feedback to deliver that signature paper feel without actually compromising screen clarity and quality, delivering the exact friction your hand naturally expects. Paperlike 3 also features a no stress dust-free application process. It uses the butterfly system to keep the iPad surface sealed until the exact moment the Paperlike is applied, which I found to be a lot cleaner, easier, and much more reliable than other alternatives I've used. also featuring a multi-purpose helper tool which supports every step of installation and a super helpful interactive on-screen guide which will walk you through the entire process at your own pace. My iPad is just as responsive after the screen protector has been applied and what I really like is that it protects your Apple Pencil tip. Paperlike 3 Surface has been fine-tuned to strike the perfect balance between friction and smoothness. So unlike many alternatives out there, this doesn't quickly grind down your pencil tip. Once again, thank you to Paperlike for sponsoring this video. The third sign that you're a good artist to me is you think in relationships. You actively search for relationships. And no, I'm not talking about love, okay? Ain't nobody got time for that. But I'm talking about looking for relationships and searching for context in the observation process. This is a massively overlooked and highly underrated skill that nobody ever talks about. So what am I talking about? Well, for example, when you look at a human face, you can search for the relationships between different sections of the face. One of the most basic ones that I always talk about is the relationship between the vertical length of your forehead, your nose, as well as the chin. They form three equal thirds. When you're able to find relationships like that one in the subjects that you're drawing, you will be able to draw anything. This is a 100% observational and analytical skill that you got to train your brain for. Here's another example. If I extend my arm, the length of my upper arm is equal to the length of my lower arm. The length of my upper torso is about equal to the length of my legs. You want to search for these relationships and use these relationships in your drawing process. And this extends beyond just proportions. Now, relationships apply to everything in the context of colors. You place a dark color against a light background, obviously that dark color is going to look darker than if you were to place that dark color against a dark background. Context relationships. Or maybe when you're drawing a pose, look for the relationships between the two shoulders. that tells you the way the body is leaning. So if you're somebody who's already doing that and you're searching for these relationships in your observation process, congratulations, you are a good artist. Now the fourth sign to me that you are a good artist is you are able to compartmentalize in the painting context. This basically means applying a color blocking layer first and then using simple colors to block out the shadows and the light. And slowly, meticulously, step by step, you add more complexity. You're working from big shapes down to small details. That's a form of compartmentalization. You have a very complex scene in front of you, but you're breaking it down one step at a time. I used to not know how to do this as well, but gradually I started breaking things down into simpler and simpler steps. And I find the more I do this, the easier it becomes for me to approach very daunting and complex scenes. What's great about this one is that it doesn't just apply to your painting process. If you happen to be an artist who compartmentalizes their learning process, you're also on the right track. And by this, I just mean that when you have a lot of things that you want to learn, you don't try to cram everything in at once because it's so overwhelming. Instead, you break things down into more approachable chunks. For example, instead of just saying, "I want to learn anatomy." You start off with maybe the shape of the head and then you start working towards the torso, and you do one thing at a time. Think of it like this. You're feeling big back. You go out to a restaurant. You get a steak in front of you. Do you eat that steak now by shoving the entire thing into your mouth, choking on it in the process, and scaring the entire restaurant, or do you cut it into smaller pieces and eat it one piece at a time? Now, that steak is your art. The fifth sign that tells me you are actually a good artist is you don't have a huge ego. Now, a lot of times when you see an artist who has a real ego about them, who is really confident in their work, you might assume, oh, this guy kind of knows what he's doing. Surprise, surprise, mother. It's the opposite. The bigger someone's ego, the less they know. How do I know this? Well, because I used to have a big ego about my work. Now, when I was much much younger, I had a lot of experience drawing and had a lot of experience going to art classes. So, I was consistently better than most of my peers. So, because of that, in my mind, my ego was massive. It told me, hey, you don't need to learn. You don't need to use references. The last thing that you need is to ask for help from someone else because you got this. You're the best. And guess what? During this period of high ego, I experienced the least amount of growth in my work because I was not receptive to new information. Doesn't matter how good you think you are. If you can let go of that ego and try to understand just how much you don't actually know, you'll become so much more receptive to new information and new learning opportunities when they present themselves to you. Stay humble. Don't have a huge ego. If you can do that, then I think you're a good artist. The sixth sign that tells me you are a good artist is you protect your mental health. I bet you were not expecting that one, huh? So, here's the thing. Contrary to what many people believe, the majority of great artists from the past were not constantly tormented and forever in a state of suffering. For some reason, us as a society tends to overemphasize and romanticize the examples like Michelangelo, who was so obsessed with his work that he barely took a shower. Now, that's not healthy. or Van Gogh, who's chopped up to be one of the best, but he literally went insane. And because of the sheer level of fame achieved by some of these tormented individuals, a lot of people out there also just assume that if you want to be a great artist, you also have to be suffering. And that couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, a lot of them had strange quirks, you know, traits or experiences that were not very common. Da Vinci, for example, loved to dissect corpses, and he enjoyed himself while doing that. He was not suffering while dissecting. Monaet was an obsessive gardener. He obsessed over his garden, but he loved it. He loved every moment. He was not suffering or tormented. You'll find most great artists from the past had quirks about them, but they were all mostly of sound mind. They took care of themselves. So, don't try to be edgy and try to be one of these insane artists because repeated burnout can just lead you to lose passion for your art. And repeated mean-spirited self-criticism, for example, can just discourage you from making any real progress in your art. I will die on this hill. But maintaining a good healthy balance and mindset towards your work is what's going to allow you to create to the best of your ability. So, if you're an artist who actually actively takes care of their mental health, you're staying consistent, you're managing your burnout, you're managing your inner dialogue, then in my eyes, you are on the absolute right track. You are a good artist. Now, that's sign number six. But if you paid attention throughout this entire video, you've probably noticed that not a single one of my points mentioned how other people perceive your art. I did that on purpose. Listen, if you just put this video on in the background while you were pooping and didn't actually listen to anything I said, please retain this final lesson. Just remember, I didn't talk about how other people perceive your work in any of these signs that you're a good artist. Because at the end of the day, if you chase other people's approval instead of creating for yourself and making what you love with passion, that is the most certain way that guarantees you'll make mediocre work for the rest of your life. That's my best advice. Don't do it for the numbers. Don't do it for the fame. Don't do it for the money. Do it for the love of the game. Passion, aggression, execution. I believe in you. So, there you go, guys. If you've resonated with any of these points, give yourself some credit. I think you're actually a good artist. And if you happen to be one of the rare people that none of these signs apply to, then it's time to make a change. And guess what? It's never too late. Never too late. You got time. Anyways, guys, here's a pat on the back. You are better than you think. Give yourself some credit. Okay? If you want to see more art related videos, please subscribe to my channel so you don't miss future content. Check out my Patreon where we post monthly tutorials. In this new tutorial, I talk about my mental approach to making the pieces that I've been making recently, which is kind of interesting, I think. Maybe. I don't know. Maybe it's not. Anyways, guys, thanks so much for watching this video. I love you, and I'll see you on the next one.

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