I've been meaning to touch upon this subject a while now so here we go!
How do we become who we are? How we speak, how we behave with certain people or how we paint?
By observing others of course - Wether it be friends, family or the people on TV - We always pick up on things that we like and subconsiously try to emulate it.
A fine example is how you easily pick up new accents wherever you go. We adapt.
The same goes for art in the sense that you rarely draw your own style - Especially when it comes to the cartoon or manga style. Like me! I started drawing manga based on what I'd seen in animes and manga books. The past couple of years I've been trying really hard to find a style that I can call my own though, but in the end it will be a mix between other styles. Of course, this is not what bothers me, because picking up on other peoples styles and techniques is what makes you grow as an artist.
No, what bothers and makes me sad, is when people aim to completely recreate another persons style. It might be because the person really admires that style and the artist in question, or it might be because they think that is the style that gives them the most attention.
Whatever the reason may be I always think to myself what a horrible waste of talent it is. We are so many people on this earth, and yet we all look different - Why can't our art look different as well? I'm especially referring to anime artists because that's the scene I'm most familiar with. I see so many anime styles that are impossible to differentiate. Even if they are done by completely different artists.
Now, of course it's really difficult to recreate someone's style completely since even the smallest adjustment in the lineart could be crusial. But that's not the point.
I think what it all comes down to, in my oppinion, is that all this has to do with peer pressure and the need to perform and impress those around you. Especially on DeviantART. Unfortunately I haven't had the honor of knowing alot of artists outside of DA since I've been here since 2006 so I can't really talk much for others.
But think about it; Imagine you being an artist before mass communication were available such as the internet. Why would you be doing art?
Because I love to create. I wouldn't have the thought of making fanart just to get attention. I wouldn't feel the pressure of drawing something that hopefully would get me alot of favs. I know alot of talented people here on DA which art just doesn't seem to relate to the masses even if they are amazing at what they do and because of the lack of love they get, they start to question what they're doing wrong, even if their art is always improving.
Why? Peer pressure! The need to perform! We have to draw art that will get loved by the community or else we've failed!
WRONG.You draw because you love to. You don't need to impress others if you love what you do, be unique.
You don't need a reason to love someone. As long as you love her, that's all that matters.
As the poet, Edward Young, once said: "
Born Originals, how comes it to pass that we die Copies?"
What do you think?
// MLETH OUT //
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`anmari has been spreading her infectious positivity throughout our community for over 6 years. Throughout this time Ana has been at the core of all things devious, passionately developing an eclectic gallery, helping organise devmeets, participating in chat events and also recently completed dedicating her time as a Community Volunteer. We are absolutely delighted to bestow the Deviousness Award for May 2013 to `anmari, congratulations! Read More
Sta.sh
Total prizes reach 1000 
!!!! 
But of course there are always the rules......
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this journal 
Rules
Should be about School Times!
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oints:
On a personal level, finding me and my style, my uniqueness, is something I struggle to get to every day in every work. You get influenced by others, both for good and bad. But when there's something I want to express and then I feel like that idea has been done so many times before, I really start to question myself. And I think that if only I could shut out all other artists work, and start looking into myself and then out, I will find inspiration that will make my creation more unique, but most of all more real.
Doing what your heart most desire is more difficult than I thought. But maybe that's the reason for my absent from this site. It's not a good place to be when you seek inspiration and creativity.
An other thing that I find interesting is how different this "look of art" is to the "real world"'s art, if you get what I mean?
Yeah no having DA as your source of inspiration depends on who you are I think.. I mean if you're a digital artist it's a pretty nice way of finding good recourses but yeah..
Hummz.. "look of art" or "real world".. not sure what you meant there ;O
What I was trying to say was, the kind of modern art that you see in museums, is very different from the kind of art you usually see here.
Take it this way. Why reinvent the wheel when it has already been invented? We use, reuse, improve ideas and creations made by others. By aiming for multiple people's style one at a time, you are infact adding and mixing to your own.
Having said this, however, aiming for a person's style, you learn other things through it, for every person has an influence made by lots of other experiences and things that they have seen in their lives. There is no fixed style, as they are all being built on in one aspect or another day by day.
However, one important thing in the industry regarding designing, drawing art and whatnot, is also 'Appeal'. And again, this changes as time goes by.
Copies as people? Arent we all? We live and behave by the things we see, hear, experience, they are all 'copies'. However copy upon copies, in different combinations, could result in something unique.
concerning artists hobbyist I don't really mind, everybody can do what they like... but when it comes to professional, you have to know how to adapt and copy a lot of different styles. it's really hard at start but actually you'r improving really faster !
thats the difficulty I'm encountering now. trying to keep my personal style ...personal ! not easy...
also I should do the inspiration map thing... could be interesting haha
this is a very short essay. - v- b lol
but I approve anyways.
I won't lie ; w;
I used to draw those very cute desudesu big eyed anime girls because.. well... everyone liked them and it was very popular but after thinking things through, it just didn't feel right . ; o;