The Seven Deadly Sins of Art

I've always loved the classical themes in art, literature, music, and theater, from Greek mythology to Shakespeare, Spielberg to Stephen King. "The Seven Deadly Sins" is a favorite that has actual relevance in our lives. Find out more and how they impact artists, as well.
MUSIC:
“Bleed If You Need” by M.D. Campbell
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© 2018 M.D. Campbell (aka Me & Boris the Bull)
All rights reserved • Not to be used without expressed permission
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GEAR:
• Legion Stonehenge 300lb hot pressed watercolor paper
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• Schmincke watercolor paints
• Windsor & Newton sable brush #0
• Loews Cornell round brush #3
• Princeton Round Petite brush #20/0
I hope this video was helpful or informative in some way. Please "subscribe" to the channel, and feel free to leave comments, thoughts or questions below. Thank you and cheers!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Well, of course your talk is right on point as usual. We all have experienced some level of each sin I'm afraid. That said, I spent most of my time gawking at your amazing layout. Wow! Really nice dude. The finished coloring worked out nicely too but I loved it just as much as a line piece. Really well designed.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, Steve! I appreciate your time and feedback, as always! It's funny, I have hundreds of line sketches, from landscape to stream of conscious, that date back years and with every one I'm tempted to give color to - but I don't. I leave them, as they are, for posterity. Something about line art that resonates and holds its own, unique "finished" look. Still, I just want to add color! Not sure if that's gluttony or pride at play! lol! Thank you again! :)

[@mindofwatercolor]

Well in this case neither I think. The color worked out exceptionally well!

[@thegoodjourney4754]

I love all of your videos but especially this one! I hardly ever talk to anybody about my art because I feel that it speaks for itself. I believe there's room in this world for all artists. But there's a lot of Education to be done to customers about art and of course to do that without talking up your own work can be difficult. Thinking ethically like these points that you've made is really the basis for any discussion about your art, someone else's or art in general. Thank you for tying those principles together to Art and artists.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much for watching, The Good Journey, and taking the time to post your kind words. I understand about hardly talking about your artwork. So many young people love to talk about their own work, explain what they meant and what they were doing, and I often tell them, gently, "Shhh... the work has a voice of its own, let it speak!" lol! They get it and it's nice hear them not-talk about their work! lol! i do, of course, think it's vital to our growth as artists to be brave enough to talk about our work, not in a boastful manner, but with like-minded people who can relate to what we're experiencing. Anyhow, thank you again for your thoughts! :)

[@anouk1147]

something about this channel is so calming and you have this amazing way of making bland things interesting

[@SharonNolfi]

Wonderful discussion of the topic! Also, quite an imaginative, yet relatable, piece of art.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, Sharon! I'm glad you enjoyed this one and hope all is going well on your end! :)

[@CharlesHancockCreations]

I've also found the 7 as a inspiration and also a motivator of change in my life. I love the through line you've 'drawn' here. 🙏🏼

[@MDCampbell]

I can totally relate to that perspective, Charles Hancock Creations! Thank you for sharing that and your time to watch and reply. I love finding new and different ways to motivate myself in life. Cheers! :)

[@Crystalitar]

A thought just occured when you described and applied the sins to artists. But darn they also can apply to fandoms. Especially the gluttony one. i should watch out for sloth.... and yeah wrath was in my way when an art teacher kept criticizing me even after my attempts to understand his views. Was frustrating and kept me from fully delving into my projects.

[@robl9767]

My deadly sin is feeling less then as someone who does art. I want to be better I want to create more but my failures discourage me and I find myself in a rut that I can’t escape. Thanks for this video Mark it was like all of your videos great. Be safe in the pandemic the world needs more people like you.

[@MDCampbell]

Thanks for checking this one out, Rob L, and for your generous thoughts. I have found that through this pandemic, I'm creating less personal work that I'm used to creating. Motivation is in the back seat. And while I have to access my creativity for work, it's a real bummer to sit in front of a sketchbook and only draw a blank. lol! So, just know you're not alone and we all endure the struggles of failure - but, the truth is that the more failures we produce, the closer we get to our successes. Stay well and thank you again! ~ Mark

[@angelatraynor1583]

I love the intelligence behind all your discussions. You bring a world of wisdom to your talks, that goes so much deeper than the simple "how to draw a face" type artist videos. Thank you for sharing your insights! (Also, it's always nice to hear someone speak who is well read. I pride myself on reading the classics, and have read a few of those mentioned.) Keep up the good work!

[@kittyarchon]

I love how you end every video with “God bless” ☺️

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much for mentioning that, rozita! It's just part of being grateful and recognizing something larger than myself. Funny, but I've taken criticism for saying it, too, so this was nice to read! ~ Mark

[@essietangle9931]

Well I never....ooops hold on my nose is growing! This video is a wonderful reminder to stop and think and analyze our actions or what we are thinking about doing. My greatest equalizer was my grandmother, she was always great at getting the point across without preaching to us. Today I wish we were grandparents, that influence is so important and a needed link in our society. All we have are granddogs and they just look at you when you talk to them in the hopes you have a doggie cookie for them. Keep the reminder videos coming, we all need them. PS that movie Seven scared me to death.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, Essie Tangle! I really appreciate your thoughts on this and love that you shared your grandmother's influence. My grandparents were quite old and never really had much influence on me when I was young. My influence came from my parents, who were fairly strict, yet fed me well on the virtues of keeping my head up and making smart decisions, even though I made plenty of bad ones! And yes, the film, SE7EN freaked me out to. I actually watched it again while editing this video, just for the ambient nature of it. Strange film, indeed! Cheers and thank you, again! :)

[@julietfischer5056]

I must confess that I spent much of the video trying to remember the name of Mad Magazine artist Don Martin. The 'Pride' character reminded me of his work.

[@MDCampbell]

What can I say? Don Martin was a HUGE influence on me as a young man, as were all the artists of Mad Magazine. Al Jaffee, Dave Berg, Jack Davis, Sergio Aragones, and more. You've uncovered part of who I am! Nice! :)

[@julietfischer5056]

Several minutes were trying to remember which humor magazine, then hunting up the name, then a trip to Wikipedia to be sure. Shall I hint at my vast age by saying that Pride's 1970s outfit started that chain of thought?

[@MDCampbell]

lol! We probably graduated close in years! ;)

[@thegoodjourney4754]

I thought this too! I did a lot of my caricature training under Tom Richmond who is one of their current artists. Who thought such a silly magazine could teach great principles! LOL

[@lisaswank-artfulinspiratio1865]

Another interesting video Mark...and a good reminder to everyone! Well done 👍

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, Lisa! I appreciate that! :)

[@MalamikArt]

It's really good to talk about this. It shouldn't be taboo. Talking about it a lot helps us all to work together more and support each other. I really love your intention for calling out our own demons so that we can recognize them when they arise. I appreciate your thoughts on the concentration of us artists. No one is perfect, but there is always a chance to learn and change and we should keep supporting as much as possible without catering to a troll.

[@jodihigginsjh]

Loved the video! Both the talk and the amazingly creative and well done piece! Thank you.

[@lOwlEyesl]

Clever topic and nice work... love how you colored this piece!

[@azalea1404]

Your artistic interpretation of the seven deadly sins is spot on. I really like your drawing style.

[@ShahemaTafader]

This illustration is stunning ! And the topic of this video is super interesting; I haven't seen a video like this on KZbin. I enjoyed listening to your interpretation of the seven deadly sins, especially in hearing your experiences relating to them. It's always good to know what behaviours to avoid. I think wrath is a problem for me right now - not relating to art - but in other aspects of my life; I'm finding that I have to be very careful these days as I'm feeling anger the most. ... Thanks for sharing this video :-)!

[@izblab]

I got through more than half of the video before I realized the are you were working on was related to the topic of the video. New subscriber, by the way.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much for checking out the channel and the work I do here, IZBLAB! I try to incorporate a lot into one video. I figure it's a good idea to bring the discussion together with the art so folks can see that I'm not just creating random doodles all the time - that the art serves to illustrate the discussion. Of course, a lot of times I just do random doodles, too. lol! Cheers! ~ Mark

[@robertahubert9155]

Thanks for the expanded meaning of words I thought I knew the meaning of. Gives me another point of view. This was even a poke to self awareness..

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, Roberta Hubert, for letting me know and for your time spent watching. Stay well! :)

[@DrawingWithFire]

Great video Mark! 😁 Definitely useful as a self check video quiz... yay I passed. 😆 The drawing came out awesome. I really like the line work. I really don't have much to add. All of these were great points. I hope you are doing well my friend. 🤗

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, Valarie! I knew you'd pass! lol!!!

[@lechat8736]

Hi, Mark! Although I don`t like the word sin because it is, in my opinion, a weapon brought upon us by religion and the church in order to make us feel small and insecure, I love this video. The so-called Deadly Sins are present in every area of life and of course, it makes no stop at the artist's doorstep, why should it, for artists are a wonderful pray for all sins as is everybody who is considered to belong to a minority of society. Artists are considered to be different, to begin with. When you`re an artist it is expected of you to be at least a little bit "weird" when you`re not, well, then you can`t be a "real" artist - LOL. It is generally believed that "The weirder you are, the more vices you have, the better of an artist you must be". It is my belief that such dogmas give many people (NOT ALL) "A License To Kill" and people are tempted to let themselves go and they stop working on themselves and their weaknesses which often leads to depression, unhappiness, and other personal problems. That`s why I love this video because you are addressing the fact that no one has the right to nurture bad habits in order to make other people feel bad or unhappy. Thank you and your illustration is just great :)) Sunny greetings from Slovenia, Josi

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, Josi! I take the word "sin" lightly, as I grew up with it much the way you described above, as a guilting tool. In this discussion, I tried to come from a more literary perspective and without all the hangups religion might place on the subject. Still, though, it's hard not to recognize these vices in myself at times. I totally agree with your point about the "license to kill" and how it affects a lot of people. So true! Anyhow, thank you so much and I appreciate your time and kind words! :)

[@lechat8736]

Dear Mark, I totally understood your point and I knew from the very beginning that you take the word "sin" lightly. When I found your channel (quite a while ago) I was thrilled because you take art to a level I resonate with. To me "Real Art" isn`t just skill and knowing how to draw, paint etc. Art, in my opinion, should be connected with deep thoughts, your inner and higher wisdom and all the things you mention in this video. That`s why I have a love-and-hate relationship with Picasso, Dali, and many others. I know, many people would disagree with me, but I believe that artists actually should differ from other people because of their study of the human nature and psychology and the world in general. That`s why I love your channel. You address art in a way that is very rare in "KZbin-Land" :)) You fill a space I often miss and I salute and thank you for that. I apologize for my English. It`s difficult for me to be clear and short in a foreign language but I hope you get my meaning. I am really glad to have found your channel :) Thank you very much for your time and effort by answering me and for all your fantastic videos :)) Josi

[@MDCampbell]

First, Josi, your English is just fine and I appreciate that you are able to express yourself in another language! That, to me, is just amazing! I wish I'd learned more when I was younger. Second, I came to terms with my own love/hate thing with Picasso and Dali years ago when I realized that the work is just beyond what I could ever conceive or create - now, I lean fully into the love for them. Lastly, I'm grateful for your thoughts. You are clearly a complex thinking who can sincerely appreciate the deeper side of a discussion in art, which to be honest, I find very rare these days, so thank YOU for that! Thank you for your kind thoughts and support! Made my day! :)

[@lechat8736]

Hi, Mark :) You are so very kind. Thank YOU for making MY day! Josi

[@taynannataly686]

It's so good to listen to someone who has much more life experience, your videos are really meaningful thanks for sharing with us. ^_^

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, Taynan Nataly! I'm glad you enjoy the work here. Your thoughtful reply means the world!

[@dekatrops2509]

This video hit a nerve with me. I rarely finish projects anymore. I am drawing borderline lacklustre comics to finish them, though draw compositions that are extremely uncomfortable for me. Though as my drawing style is simplistic (on the current project!) the poses of characters etc. are only comprehensible to ONE! I miss the days where I would draw comics for pen friends, and was oathbound to complete them. PS. have you designed wallpapers for Windows 8/Vista? Some of them resemble your stuff.

[@MDCampbell]

Never drawn a wallpaper, Deka Trops! lol! Good to know my style is recognizable though! ;) I also miss those days of drawing my artwork for friends. In my school years, I would draw on my friends school book covers in exchange for their dessert at lunch! I lost count of how many kids had one of my drawings on their books, but a few years ago, at a class reunion, a girl in my class approached me and showed me one of my drawings from 35 years ago - she'd saved it all these years! I was sincerely blown away. Cheers and thank you so much! ;)

[@MeowMeowKapow]

Man, I feel so called out here!!! 😂 but I think that’s part of the point-we all have sins we need to grapple with and find a way of living a balanced existence with. I’m never going to be the kind of person who understands how to control their art lust and do things in reasonable amounts (like you said when I started doing gouache, I’ve been tackling it head on and I feel like my lust for learning new things is responsible), but I also am a habitual procrastinator, so sloth is in my bones somewhere....and pride? Well, it’s easy to not ask for help when you need it, if you believe yourself capable of everything despite clear evidence to the contrary. And wrath? This used to be a bigger fault of mine-I used to snap back every time I felt “attacked,” until someone close to me who was mentoring me for something wholly unrelated got frustrated with my defensiveness and yelled that not everything was an attack. I hadn’t even realized that was how I perceived things u til he said it, and I hadn’t realized I’d been fighting, all the time, over nothing. Really changed my life if I’m honest, but it’s still something I’ll be constantly working on. Like I said, everyone is constantly battling these sins. Also, art side note, LOVE the way you did the stripes and highlight on envy’s arm!

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, Kat! I can't lie - I'm "guilty" of these sins as well, which is one of the reasons I chose to put this one out. I used to carve quotes in my old, wood drawing desk that served to remind me of what was important in life. Sayings, like "Act Now, Think Later" and "Ars Longa Vita Brevis" (Art is Long Life is Short), were intended to push me. Still, despite the resonance of those quotes, I spent countless hours wasted not sitting at that desk, doing other things that distracted me, not reading those inspiring quotes. Now, as I'm older, I spend a majority of time at my desk. My current quotes surround me and I cannot escape their influence. "Cheer Up!" "Stop Bitching" and "Can Do or Am Doing?" are among them. I won't feel guilty about procrastinating, because I know there's times when I need to. For myself. But, things like Envy, Greed, and Gluttony... not for me. When they come, I say no thank you! lol! Anyhow, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and being so open! I totally agree - we all battle something, no matter what it may be. Cheers and big hearts out to you!

[@SteveHarpsterDraws]

Another great vid!

[@ColoredMud]

Very interesting way of thinking, this video is 10/10!

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, MyArtJourney! I'm very happy you enjoyed this one! :)

[@dylancostello1103]

Does this guy have a print shop, because I really love his art (especially this) and I would definitely buy some.

[@MDCampbell]

Hi Dylan Costello! No, this guy doesn't sell his work, unfortunately. Perhaps at some point I may. Thank you so much for checking the video out, but mostly because you're the first person to inquire about my art for sale. You have no idea how much that means, so thank you. It's incredibly supportive of you! Stay well! :)

[@julietfischer5056]

I think you could get more than a few customers for cards and calendars and such. Maybe DeviantArt if you don't want the hassle of DIY.

[@MDCampbell]

I appreciate it, but my job and freelance work keep me on the go! I do the whole KZbin thing for fun and as a hobby. If it ever became my job, I think I'd stop enjoying it and stop. For now, I'm just getting started! lol! Cheers and again, thank you for amazing support! 😘

[@MissChelle]

You speak so well. Thanks for another enjoyable video ❣️

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, {Miss.Chelle.Aus}! I'm happy you enjoyed this one! :)

[@suchatimeasthis1958]

Wonderful video!! Tyvm for this teaching lesson it is very inspiring and informative! Love the illustration and I hope some day to be able to draw like That. Tfs :)

[@artsculpture1024]

Love the perspective of that boot. Something I am working on a bit more, perspective. Interesting video. I have a painting I sold to a guy in England based on Gluttony where a demonic/ skull birthday cake character is eating a boy while Jesus makes a commentary...ha!

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, DARK RIDE N.O.W. Love the description of the piece you sold! lol! Cheers! ;)

[@SadieSavestheDay]

Interesting video. I wonder what your take on the seven virtues for artists would be?

[@MDCampbell]

Perhaps that may be another topic for the future! Keep watching! :D

[@pawannathART]

Really nice video...,👌👍

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, pawan nath art!

[@artsculpture1024]

You're such a great illustrator. Speaking of gluttony I have found intermittent fasting and calorie reduction helpful. Even though I am going into my 7th year of being plant based oreos, chips fries and coke are all vegan! ha! I indulge once a week but for the most part I refrain from processed food, high salt, oil and sugar which stimulate my gluttony. I have always been addicted to food and 5x more gluttonous than my siblings. At 62 I feel I have it under control. Yeah Gluttony! ...and food! You can't live with it (heart disease reference) can't live without it. I disagree with the Pride one, Pride is fine as you say when it is virtuous... thinking one is better than others is just vain narcissism, But I get your point. I am one of the best window painters on the planet but I do not wallow in narcissitic pride or for that matter any type of pride, I am use to holding that spot, but sometimes I think it is stamge people praise me so on instagram or with a YT remark. I just look at the person making the remark and often say to myself, "I could never do what they do" That keeps things in perspective. As far as fame and riches goes, look what it got Robin Williams and Anthony Bourdain, I was on that track up until 4 years ago. Okay I am done rambling...for now, ha! Great video Mark!

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, DARK RIDE N.O.W. I appreciate your kind words and thoughtful comments. Food is a challenge for many people, including myself. I get it and work hard to keep myself in check (well, maybe not that hard! lol!). As for Pride, yes, the virtuous side of pridefulness is of a positive nature; I was lending my thoughts toward the negative side of Pride, which I've seen ruin many an artists career. I try to remember that my art is for me, and that's the end of it. If I share it and people like it, great - but I don't ever look at it as being anything more than just for me. Anyhow, now I'm rambling! lol! Cheers! ;)

[@IsabellaVonWillebrand]

Great video! 💓

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, Isabella Von Willebrand! I appreciate that! :)

[@mizosoliman]

Do You have an Instagram account or FB Page or someplace where you show your work? I really like your style & would like to follow :D

[@MDCampbell]

Hi Moetaz Soliman! Thank you for your interest in my work and for your generous compliment. My Instagram and FB are the same as my name here. There's a LOT of people with my name, so you might have to scroll! lol! Thank you again and I hope you're well! :)

[@anonymouscat02]

When I'm doing my art, my chest is aching like I'm exhausted already. Maybe I have sloth within me that I got tired so easily. I would like to know how should I do to increase my stamina to complete one project in like a single day

[@franzfleur7472]

Full Metal Alchemist delved into the 'seven deadly sins' long before Seven Deadly Sins on Netflix xD ^^ Anyways, nice application of philosophy towards the arts!

[@helenemeer5902]

Good one Mark. Thought provoking as always. I just went through my FB posts and come across many political posts ... some are so crassly stupid that I feel the blood rising to my cheeks ... sooooo that is where my weakness lies: Pride ... the not suffering fools gladly area ... most of the time I recognize it and turn the tide ... who am I to think that I'm right and they're wrong? And why be annoyed by it ... that is certainly a waste of my time ... better try and turn it into line drawing to express it in a humorous way. Oh and then there is procrastination : the kind I like is called daydreaming which apparently feeds the soul ;). The other kind sees me playing games on the pc far too long :/ that is the one to keep a severe eye on for me.

[@MDCampbell]

lol! Thanks for sharing, Helene Meer! I am "guilty" of similar vices, myself. I often say that if I lived in a cabin in the woods with no distractions, I'd be more successful than I am now. Except I know me and I know I'd spend half the day skimming stones, wandering through the woods, or napping the day away! lol! I'm glad you enjoyed this one! :)

[@rowloeightyeight3425]

I did my own cartoon take on the 7 deadly sins called "Frederick and his monster and Jesus" it was a lot of fun and showcased how Jesus beat sins and death for us all...

[@puffyjo]

WOW I have to say I am shocked and dismayed to act like that ???!!!??? i have never ever felt like that towards someone over art or anything else ( unless it was a girl looking at my boyfriend LOL ) but to act like that over art is totally childless , who acts like that a 2 year old . wow is all I can say wow . Time to grow up people . Even at a younger age I never felt that way that's just craziness.

[@rool2425]

Am i the only seven deadly sins fan?

[@MDCampbell]

Do you mean the manga books or animated series? I really enjoy the animated series, but admit, I haven't read the books. :)