What's the point of making art anymore?

[@temperancedraws792]

"Fine, I'll do it myself" - Thanos This quote right here is my very reason for drawing. It doesn't matter if I can commission a hundred artists or have the power to have a hundred different AIs make a hundred different images, it'll never be EXACTLY what I want, and there will always be an error in communication. If I want the art I envision, smut or otherwise, to be realized and shown to the world, I HAVE to do it myself. There is no other way.

[@aun7106]

This. My mentality starts heading towards this way because it's so hard to find commission artist that scratch the itch my brain has

[@Jollofmuncher2000]

precisely my whole reason for drawing. glad to see that same mentality being prevalent everywhere. self sufficiency is a skill that has been lost due to it not being as convenient

[@nani0logy]

This just gave me the BIGGEST boost of motivation. Thank you!

[@mauree1618]

Same here.

[@reborngreatnesss5712]

I will say this even further that Ai has to bring other sources like people art style, storytelling, world building, etc etc the Ai is pretty much stealing people stuff that already been created and also the Ai humans STILL gotta type to make it happen other than MAKE IT THERE SELF it’s just pure lazy and boring.

[@WAR_MACHINE_VET]

It is not the creation of art that has been lost. But how the art is used. You sound like you are trapped in a rut. It happens to all of us from time to time. That is how I went from Graphic Artist to Tattoo Artist. Find a way that your art is impossible to replicate. AI is already taking over most things and will continue to do so. How we pivot will determine how we survive as artists. Best of luck Josh.

[@ktbiwk]

Which in essence is what creative artists are, i.e., creative problem solvers with out of the box thinking 🎉

[@WhizPill]

This channel is such a treat, refreshing to have that perspective on KZbin

[@brodriguez11000]

" Find a way that your art is impossible to replicate." Sculpting. See piracy try and copy that.

[@ullc1877]

@@brodriguez110003D printing

[@TovenDo.O.Video-]

@@brodriguez11000 3D printers?

[@HenryBenedictUSA]

Get rid of the ego and you’ll find making art more enjoyable. If you don’t enjoy the process then why bother making art at all?

[@NobodyOnInternet]

He use AI yo xD. So maybe made art are boring for him

[@christophermarcantonio1123]

With your most recent announcement, the context of this video is upsetting. You were a big motivation for me when I myself was feeling uninspired or unmotivated with my work. We should make art for ourselves and have fun with it, everyone has their own creative journey. However by no means should we now encourage that when we hit a creative stump, that it becomes okay to profit off the backs of others. What example does that set? For how disappointed you might have become in your own work, you have a community, and create art tutorials/advice. You can't say simply enjoy your art process, but also trace/use generated images when you really need to. Especially when what funds these softwares, is the very work of other artists that mostly likely inspired you too. So as a reminder to any artist feeling this now, if you really want to be happy with your art, give your own two hands a chance. Don't be discouraged by the work of others and the hordes of generations bombing social media. The world still values human art, and wants to see what you can do. How you draw hands, your approach to eyes, your method of coloring, your way to render hair, ect. Show your friends, share with your family, maybe even join or start a community.

[@DreamiMusho]

He's being honest would you rather him tell you he has no flaws and that he isn't happy with his art. I'm never happy with my art so much I do what he does I never make art just to have fun it's always about how I'm going to get paid or how is this helping my family. Or is my art good enough for a comic and every artist traces to understand better its helps with evolving. As long as you don't make profit off tracing others art and also Ai cant be good for creativity sometimes our favorite artists don't always share what we need. And sometimes using Ai as reference along with real art can help you advance

[@Itsssszy]

@@DreamiMusho You do not learn from AI Art, or evolve from it...

[@DreamiMusho]

​That's false narrative of course anatomy wise it's not good but creation wise yes​@@Itsssszy

[@Itsssszy]

@@DreamiMusho ??? Out of all the pro-AI arguments I have seen. what you are saying sounds like it's coming straight from AI itself lmao

[@christophermarcantonio1123]

@@DreamiMusho It's not about whether he was honest or not. His recent community post (which I forgot was even a feature on this platform), goes back on a lot of the stances he portrayed about AI. He has essentially said to embrace it, and let it do the work for you as part of the process. You don't learn from it, the same way I don't learn to cook when I get premade food. Another troublesome aspect of this is that creators like him ARE making income off of it. So in the same way I'd be upset about someone selling traced merch, i'm not thrilled about someone making art tutorials mixing in generative software. What is he teaching then? How to trace something a software made for him? It takes away the whole point of teaching. It's also sad, because Josh was thrilled whenever he made improvement, now he's churning out parts of his art with a software that copies his fellow KZbinr artist's work. I fully understand creative slumps, but this isn't it.

[@yuri_nori]

What do you mean what's the point of making art anymore? It's for ourselves it's for our needs to fulfill our creative desires 🤷‍♀️

[@AmvParacosm9]

I do it for the small amount of people who love it. And I also love it

[@Yoman911nine]

If you keep it as a hobby then yes, if you try to build a career.. Hell no

[@Llkolii]

facts! I have to create or I self destruct lol

[@Vyloka]

⁠​⁠@@Yoman911niney e p! Exactly. Especially for companies since theyre super keen to use ai and treat us horribly ad it is as artists.

[@bobbylhs5858]

While I agree that ultimately, you should do it for yourself, sometimes external validation works wonders to motivate. Like, having at least one other person who's looking forward to your work or even a group of people interested in the same stuff. I don't have any of those and it does get to me time after time... but, it will pass :)

[@ljthesage]

If there one hard pill I’m coming to terms with as a creative, it’s the fact that no one can control the outcome. As humans we tend to want to determine and control everything which often spill into our craft and then most times creates creative blocks. Letting go and just creating is the only way. Very difficult but I’m slowly accepting and learning

[@ergojosh]

Thats a huge life lesson isnt it? Oh man how hard is it to relinquish control…but its so freeing.

[@ljthesage]

@@ergojosh indeed

[@JonnyLawrence]

Since generated art began to come into prominence I quickly saw the future and decided to pivot and focus on traditional oil paintings. I was previously a professional animator but always found joy in traditional art. I started off in stop motion, and over time due to client needs it began becoming more and more digital. Ai art actually helped me in reseting back to base and interacting with my art in a physical way.

[@colinwhitfield8627]

I love this.

[@oratank]

tec bro: don't worry someday we wil made robot for doing traditional oil painting

[@AdamDuffArt]

Josh, this is one of the most important art videos I've seen to date - you're hitting on such a HUGE topic, one which I've had to revisit countless times throughout my own career. (oh and that sketch is SIIIIIIIIIICK!!!)

[@Burgervfx]

Professional glazer😂

[@tigerezz_]

I felt the same way, and i quit my job as a illustrator and animator, and right now i do vtuber models and art as a hobby and personal things to myself, and focus on playing games. But yeah, ai taking over a lot of things, it's really sad. 😔😮‍💨

[@LEYTHLEGACY]

wait so how the hell do you get money

[@katy2523]

@@LEYTHLEGACYexactly

[@LaYvi]

Guess you wore not an artist at the beginning.

[@ughestrada]

This was a video I needed right now, thank you! Art for me is a hobby/occasional side hustle, but AI and social media have killed my love for digital art and design. So much that even when making art just for me, I get depressed opening up procreate. I still love creating, and last year I got into sewing, resin art, woodworking, basically anything physical and doesn't involve a screen. I made my own pop up book, and as janky as it was, I felt so satisfied with it. So, while I still use procreate to sketch out ideas, taking my art into the real world has really saved my love for creating. AI ain't building furniture or jewelry just yet after all.

[@silveraxel510]

I really resonate with this. ❤ Theres so many physical mediums involved with art. It helps to see things in a different way, including experimentation.

[@alise4041]

Hahaha, his next video will be about how he has been using AI for years now and how to use it "effectively". He outed himself in a KZbin post.

[@mishan3168]

​@@alise4041ai is already there. Not going anywhere. So as artist you learn to use it or cry about it. End of story

[@DreamiMusho]

​​@@alise4041OK nothing wrong with using as reference, a study or to improve your art if you draw it your fine. Ai right now would've been a helpful tool if it didn't steal and artists choose to use it and se d art to it and from it. I draw everyday but when I say Ai I think it's a toxic beauty and that people shouldn't profit off the photos of Ai and instead use it as a tool to improve yourself.

[@BigMike-ge8lb]

People has always said you should find a career that you love but as an artist it seems impossible.

[@DreamiMusho]

Well you can love it you stop trying to be perfect and let your self evolve sometimes you hold yourself back not just in art. I do

[@reborngreatnesss5712]

Tbh you can still beat all odds and if you’re REALLY obsession with it and never let art Ai discourage never forget that our brains has UNLIMITED KNOWLEDGE AND UNLIMITED SKILL BASED learning!

[@rdzdoodles8592]

generative AI is a Pandora's box of our time. It almost makes me feel stupid for being such a pro-AI fanboy not too long ago, but I changed my mind upon seeing how it, in fact, makes our creativity rot and stagnate. It is not a tool to "unleash creativity" as the corpos like to overuse the term without feeling its meaning - it's a cheap shortcut to nothingness

[@eeekiwi]

Art is self expression and what shows our humanity

[@Zee090]

I am going to be completely honest with you, Josh. I…haven’t been happy with my art lately. It’s hard. It’s had seeing myself in my uniqueness and creativity when barely a few people acknowledge it. I had also be ignoring my numbers here on KZbin AND Instagram for the longest time, but now, they’re getting to me. I’ve seen the ways others have been doing better than me, I’ve seen people who started after me do better than me. It’s- exhausting, really. I really wanted to quit so many times because of how my journey was stagnating. I try, so hard, not to worth my art off of numbers, but I let myself get consumed by the thought of people seeing what I put out there. I want to put down that pen for good, but then I remember the characters I give life to, and I can’t just take it away by turning for good. It’s tiring, really. So, in answer to your question: sometimes there is no point, except for those who truly care and want you to succeed.

[@Llkolii]

idk how old u are but your art looks very juvenile sorry. If you are young then keep pushing. Might not be what you want to hear, I can tell you've improved over the past 3 years, but you won't get anywhere financially if you don't learn some fundamentals and thats just being honest sorry. Good luck tho i hope you find something that works for you, or just keep at it for the love of creating💜

[@Zee090]

@@Llkolii Your words are completely valid and, you’re right. I really appreciate your honesty as well!:) I actually began drawing a long time ago, but due to me trying to do all the things I liked at once (on the channel), I…never really properly practiced drawing and now that I have grown up, I’m facing the consequences 🥲 However, I am now taking my time and actually doing studies and using references as aid when drawing. Lastly, thank you so much for your kind words!!🫶

[@yasi_dip]

​@@Zee090 I slightly disagree with what Llkolii said, their intentions may be good but their comment is backhanded for no good reason haha. Speaking from experience, social media numbers are in no way tied to fundamental art skill, and you can still grow your social media no matter how good you are. The views you get are solely dependent on the quality of the content creation, and one can have amazing art yet still struggle to get views despite being fundamentally professional level. This may be a little bittersweet depending on how you look at it, but from how I see it - this means you don't need to tie your artistic growth with the numbers on social media. I implore you to instead learn more about how to make your content more engaging if gaining an audience is your goal. Your art looks really nice, and there is no reason to tie the numbers with your art quality (because they aren't related) :)

[@Zee090]

@@yasi_dip Oh my goodness, I didn’t even realise the backhandedness 😭Thank you for pointing that out for me:) And yes! I highly agree that numbers aren’t meant to be tied with your art whatsoever, but like I have stated before, I usually get discouraged when people get more engagement especially if they’re of my skill level or so. Furthermore, I do plan on learning the fundamentals and actually start practicing because one major mistake I made was that I sort of experimented with a DOZEN niches on my channel, and I didn’t exactly get the adequate time to practice my skill (thus leading me to bearing the consequences of my own actions🥲) However, I’m fully willing to learn whatever it takes for me to grow an audience and so. Once again, I really appreciate your words! I’m glad you found my art nice 🌱

[@yurimessano9491]

Don't give up on yourself (I don't have a lot to say sorry)

[@cinderblockstudios]

Watching Bob Ross on PBS growing up made me want to paint from an early age. These days the tactile physicality and properties of paint keep me going and wanting to try new things.

[@kaelmolo1432]

just saw that you trace from AI, unsubscribing now sorry thanks for all the years.

[@4ohf]

I don't actually know why I started drawing. It's just something that I've been doing for as long as I remember and when ever I stop, I start feeling like shit, so I've just learned to always at least doodle. It's mildly annoying that I started to think "maybe I can do this for a job" just before the whole AI BS started. That combined with life really took the wind out of my sails and I stopped drawing, and started to feel like shit even more lol. So I have no why I started but I know that I can't stop now.

[@aichi_arts]

art all stared for me when i saw the animation ep in sailor moon when usagi and ami went to a animation studio i loved that ep so much ever since then i stared to doodle for years until middle school i took it more serious

[@ergojosh]

what a beautiful nostalgic memory!

[@bfkgod]

Josh, I found that AI has actually inspired me to start drawing again. It has freed me of the pressure to make my drawings and paintings highly detailed and impressive, because AI will already beat us at that. So now I can focus on drawing in whatever style I want and just focus on expressing creative ideas and compositions and worlds without needing to hold myself to an insane standard.

[@meikoluvv]

With that logic you should’ve stopped because there’s REAL artist that can draw in detail than you already anyway. Because in the end of the day Ai images wouldn’t exist with preexisting works

[@endofparalysisx]

@@meikoluvv I totally see where you're coming from, but I also agree with OP. Ever since AI has been a thing in the mainstream this past year or two, I've felt a bit of a spark to try traditional art and learn more. It might be out of spite lmao, but I kind of get where OP is coming from.

[@NoiseDay]

I feel this way too, especially when it comes to game graphics. There is this expectation that art needs to be as realistic as possible in order to be good. But if everyone is pushing for ultrarealism and that's not even the kind of art I like, why am I chasing that ideal? I don't want to render hair that looks like you could run your fingers through it. I'd rather a cute, stylistic woodblock toy.

[@KoKabegami]

I feel similarly. Though I've yet to find my art in an AI database --though thanks to Meta denying my opt out request, I'm sure that won't be the case for much longer -- I've been looking for ways to make my art look more human. I used to fuss over details and making everything look perfect. But now? I recently picked up some crayons at the dollar store and I'm allowing things to look crude and imperfect. There's a certain charm in human error that AI can't replicate. It's designed to cut these flaws out of the training data. AI image generation has shown me that the most important part of art to me is the human element. And showing my humanity in my art means embracing the imperfections and prioritizing my feelings during the creative process.

[@chrisamies2141]

Much like what happened to painting when photography became a thing? Freed from the need to be representational - because you could take a photo for that - you get impressionism and cubism and the rest of it.

[@Dinosaur-hd2ms]

Well maybe you should stop drawing

[@JoyZoneYT]

Dude. You talk of having used AI for years What is the point of making this video besides telling us that you hate yourself?

[@Gnadab]

This.

[@minhuang8848]

Baiting spiteful goblins like yourself into revealing their clownlyness in front of everyone? What is the point of making this comment besides telling us that you hate yourself??

[@suzettecraig1811]

For me what was a big inspiration for art was the idea that you could express yourself in ways other than through words or by having a conversation. I am not a very social person and often times misunderstood as an introvert but when I got into art and started to express myself more it made it easier for people to understand me maybe not completely but it helped give people something visual and some were even like "OH ok, NOW I get it."

[@rubyred186]

Dude.... Its like the perfect time for me to watch this video as I am paining this illustration right now. This is what I needed to hear exactly for this piece that i am doing. I am actually a beginner artist, who was getting frustrated due to the gap between my taste and expectations and my skill level. I have seen recently an art post in my anime community yesterday, and I was devastated and jealous becos I wasn't getting to that level and not getting that praise in there. I still feel that my potraits, faces and heads are mediocre, and I have to improve of them. But I am having this idea which I wanted to draw for a while now, but this piece doesnt require that much commitment to all the technical aspects which I wanted to improve. But I wanted to draw this piece becos I love its idea. So this guilt of not focusing on the things which I should focus on was killing me while I was working on this idea. And then you uploaded. I really wanted to hear this that it's okay to focus and draw like a professional even tho I am still in a beginner level, and have fun and do art which I wanted to do and show. Thanks!!

[@ergojosh]

I so relate to that gap you mentioned. Im glad to hear this helped with the guilt! That can drain all the passion from art so fast.

[@frediemane7312]

Ngl, im stuck in this. Now every piece I've made these past weeks felt empty, i cant even enjoy them for myself .ive started feeling like art is all i have and i hate it cuz essentially the thing im best at keeps me isolated from others and i feel like ass

[@vincent3060]

Very inspirational Ergo I tried to use A.i. to make the fans happy, and I wasn't happy at all. It took all the fun out of making music, so I just canceled my A.i. subscription and I'm going back to making music by myself, even if it's slower, I'm a lot more proud of myself. Making music can be a job, but it's supposed to be fun, otherwise if the only goal is to make money, then it becomes just a job. Screw that! Making art isn't all about the money, because if it was all about the money, then I might as well become an accountant, coder, or a boring lawyer. 😅

[@leemooreStudio]

It's crazy that u post this. I was thinking the same thing lately. Like "What's the point anymore?" I do animation tho and it is a grind. Plus, there's no certainty that I'll gain success or grow an audience from it 😢

[@ktbiwk]

If it pays the bills and meets your standard of living, AND you love what you do.. then you're golden for now. Enjoy the process, don't worry about a problem you don't have, you can worry about it when the time comes to get another job. Unless you're already dissatisfied then... change 😊❤ Sat Nam 🙏

[@ktbiwk]

Ps- change IS the only guarantee in life 💯

[@leemooreStudio]

@@ktbiwk I agree. Your right. Thank you 🙏

[@ergojosh]

oooh thats one to say again for the people in the back!

[@bagobeans]

The point of creating art is to share beeauty. Not everyone has that gift. Share your art. It brings beauty into a world so desperate for hope. 💕🥰

[@DreamiMusho]

Sometimes it's hard to make good pieces or be inspired by it I understand the need to be perfect

[@shadowsketch926]

my first reason? watching anime at teenage years made me realize that what i was seeing was worlds created by my fellow human beings. they took something from their mind, and made beautiful works out of it, both animated as well as illustrated. i wanted to have that, power? ability? I dunno what to call it, but it has been the fuel to my creative fire ever since, though life has kicked me down multiple times, i'm still doing art, i just wish i would have made the smart choice and picked a school path that would have helped me along. right now, i'm trying to get better to become a freelancer, as i'm not comfortable where i am with the mistakes i see myself make.

[@thespitefulartist]

I literally just pulled myself out of a depression because I'm not growing on social media.

[@kevinbrunt]

I really resonate with this allot. Social media, jobs, and algorithms force so many artist to lose sight of why they enjoy creating and I find myself struggling with that at times. It’s so easy to say do what makes you happy to other artists but at the same time can be so hard to take our own advice when gold handcuffs, online audiences, or people around us have expectations that don’t always align with our happiness. Looking forward to seeing where this next chapter takes you.

[@alphapuph]

🤦

[@Amelia_PC]

4:40 Something interesting happened to me when I tried the two things I most hated, superheroes and stylized/cartoonish art style, because I wanted to create something popular. I did it my way and ended up really liking it. Now, I'm finishing two chapters of a graphic novel about this. Sometimes, searching for one thing can lead you to find something else unexpected and... fun. 5:51 Since very young, at 4 years old, I knew exactly why I wanted to draw: To tell stories visually. It could be animation, comics, illustrated books, storyboards, or animatics, I didn't care, since it was a visual narrative.

[@ELTABULLO]

You in particular should stick to prompting

[@kinginyellow3100]

Shadowversity

[@abby8273]

Nobody cares about my art anymore .I don’t understand how people like ai when it has no soul and doesn’t take hours to make.

[@No.17TypeS]

IMO, as artists, we're doing ourselves a disservice talking about "soul". Even after years, I still don't get it personally, but no matter what it is, we often fail to realize that non artists just don't care about it. AI checks both "is pretty" and "is cheap" and for most people, that's all there is to it. Art shouldn't be made with the objective to be famous, sell lots or whatever. That's the whole point of this video, really. Art is about expressing something. As long as you need or want to do that, make more art.

[@why.do.I.even.try.]

​@@No.17TypeSYeah I don't care much about the soul argument either. I got into art to make more technical drawings, actual concept art (as opposed to the purely pretty pics online ppl think are concept art), architecture construction details etc. I've never wanted to express my soul, I wanted to realise things in my head. Unless they believe a pretty screw has soul, then at least they're consistent 😂

[@billyLego4855]

I follow you on Instagram! AI is really sad. I do comics! And we have to try and beats these Ai

[@DreamiMusho]

That's not true people still like your art but it's come to the point that you yourself isn't producing what they want. You have to show what you offering even switching it up helps

[@danielarochovlogs1995]

If it's in your soul, keep making art

[@philippezevenberg1332]

I work on the tech side of ai and animations, 2d/3d and realistic renders are coming soon. As an artist myself who's spent years learning techniques and taking classes in college, I can say with confidence that jobs in art will be "lost" but the creative side, not per say the character design but how the scene feels, how it adds up with the story and all the oversight will be done by humans for the years to come, even with very advanced ai models. My take is the way you learn art and how you apply it will be the same but instead of needing a big company to bring into animation your stories and characters you'll just need a computer to make movies, series, mangas etc. I believe we will see a lot more of great pieces like berzerk, one piece, tower of gods, demon slayer, etc. Artists will need to have a very good and strong social media presence to compete with millions of ai bullshit created everyday so the ones that arent keen to put themselves out there and aggresively compete with others will never be seen and therefore make money, but the ones that understand the marketing of it will become very succesful fast for a short to medium time, a bit like a youtuber and will need to keep entertaining and not bore their audiences. I have mixed feelings about ai in general but I will 100% use everything I can to create animations on my own and I feel like ai will make it possible. The purists will always exist but won't always be relevant to the masses.

[@plemyk]

AI can't hold a Spraycan.

[@PhantasmThe]

Sounds like a sale video

[@aratrikroy4540]

'The point of creating art' by itself I don't know what to make of that. 30 years ago when the Chess engine Deep Blue first defeated the reigning world champion Garry Kasparov, I am sure many would have had the same train of thought; point of learning chess anymore(?) or when first photography was invented 'point of portrait drawing anymore'(?) Here with the rise of AI the same situation occurs again. With professionals whose jobs are threatened by it; to them I can only say try transform your art and work into something that AI still can't replicate. And for people who have been doing it for passion Idk what their issues are exactly. Calculators are available everywhere but doesn't mean you'd stop learning basics maths; or that a toddler with one is a mathematician.

[@matthewkctan]

Thank you for your video. I quit my job due to stress two years ago and was fortunate to have passive income, allowing me to work on something I enjoy without worrying about finances, as long as I was frugal. Now, in my mid-50s, I have no regrets. While extra income from selling my digital paintings and social media likes is nice, it eventually became tiring and taxing. Now, I take it easy, focusing on what I enjoy most and slowly improving my skills without external pressure.

[@TheRailenthusi-Artist]

My story is this, I started doing art when I was only a toddler (age 5). In all honesty I used art as a safe haven to escape from the real world. Anytime I draw, I tune the world out and go deep into my creations. Emotions do play a part when making the artwork beautiful although I admit to being a perfectionist at times. But that's a given when sharing your skill with the world.

[@olivetree9920]

I love that the tldr is the longest portion

[@ishimaruvermillion3342]

I know some people will never get it or understand but I completely understand why you chose to share this message. It is a tool and it could be used for either good or bad. The way you’re going about it is great. Keep up the good work and continue to share the vision and passion.

[@cweasegaming2692]

I started drawing again at 28 (currently). What made me start was a memory about how I loved it as a kid, but then was discouraged at a very young age and quit. Now, after graduating school for IT Programming, I found an old art piece of mine and was reminded of how happy it made me. I am learning through Draw a box, proko & Marshall, along with many different books. I love it, and I love having something to look forward to now instead of dreading life every day. I think I may put my programming skills to use by making a game some day soon with my art skills as they develop.

[@Haronrutosuter]

It's not art it's being in the moment and not getting worried about what we've been programmed to think things should be

[@MusicNerd56]

Hi Ergo and everyone, I've followed your content for years (since 2019), and I'm not usually one to comment on videos, but this one really resonated with me. I'm an early professional artist trying to get my foot in the door (as I'm sure many can relate) and I could definitely see the shift of focus in my art in recent years. When I was younger and still in high school or university, drawing was an emotional solace for me. It was a way to express myself creatively and destress from all the hard exams and class subjects I didn't care about. I drew all over my class notebooks, sketchbooks, canvases, everywhere. Nowadays, art is work. Granted, still fun work, especially when it's part of a project that I'm genuinely interested in, but it's still work nonetheless. Especially since I work freelance, there's a constant need to put myself out there and get people to hire me based on my work. My art is now my brand. With every piece I make, I have to ask myself "Is this portfolio worthy?" and it really sucks the fun out of the process. When I do try to draw for fun like I used to, or to put something out when I'm inspired, it requires a lot more effort. I lose focus, or I get caught in my head and notice too many flaws. I don't simply "draw" for fun anymore, there's always some ulterior motive of trying to draw some kind of attention. And frankly, it's made me feel a bit empty about my art for years. More than anything, I just want to draw something without feeling any pressure. I want to hone in and absolutely lose myself in something like I used to. I miss it. I'm curious what everyone's experiences have been dealing with something like this? Thanks for reading my comment btw :)

[@khiclark31]

I wish i could squeeze making art into my day in spite of my draining full-time job.

[@guuriki1]

I was inspired by Saturday morning cartoons and animation, and both my parents were very supportive of my creativity with drawing. This over the years became an amazing experience of diving into the history of art and the different varieties of how to create art. Pencil and charcoal, oil pastels, warter colors, oil, and acrylic painting. I've done it all. But it was miserable. I diverted from what i wanted to do with my art, i wanted to tell stories that i would daydream as a child like the various cartoons and comics i indulged as a child. Now, i want to get the courage to create my first comic, i dont want fame or fortune, I want peace knowing I at least tried, and an audience saw and read what i created.

[@zodlord5669]

the real point is there was never a point, it's more of a compulsion

[@jinsaotome3607]

I am currently struggling to maintain the passion to keep drawing in the midst of struggling through some "life situations" while searching for the "right method" to enjoy the process of creating pieces as i once did. thank you for sharing your thoughts in the "TDLR". i am trying to get back to creating for fun instead of prioritizing other factors, (some of which you mentioned in the video), and letting that take priority of how and what i create. making art is not fun right now, and it feels like trying to solve math equations instead of honest expression. i want to uphold the craft, but at the same time i want to honestly express myself. doing the kind of art/ideas that you honestly want to is difficult when you have to survive, but i think in the end, the artist will be more satisfied with their work. I think after watching this, whatever the results, good or bad, i am going to take the risk of drawing what i want without holding back. Thank you for making this video.

[@pradeepkashyap5248]

I feel you dawg, that's why I try and focus on 15 min bursts, and plan out big projects later. My goal is to create a animation/ production studio so that I could inspire others, and get the people who have been let down by the entertainment industry to join my movement.

[@ptimozf8743]

I've been thinking about my "Why" for a while now, and im kind of scared because it feels like i did a lot of drawing just to "show off". But i have also been drawing in isolation for so long that there must have been some other thing i enjoy with it. I'm mooving back to traditional trying to reignite that primal passion.

[@itsukityan5491]

This video is something I've been needing for ages-

[@dogkun20]

i can confirm, my twitter changed as soon i started doing fanarts i liked, i hate doing fanarts, but i found some chars i liked to do comics with and that its kickinng 20k and going!

[@dravxn999]

ai is putting pressure on the more digital based versions of creative expression , makes me want to try more old fashioned things.

[@ConfuzzledOwO]

i think for me in order to make a living off of being a creative but still enjoy being creative is that I really have to separate work related tasks from personal tasks in every way possible. for example, i use a completely different program for work; draw in a certain style for work whereas i can draw any-way i want personally; my job requires regular working hours where i'm physically away from my personal area at a desk in a commercial building. I don't post my personal work or work-work on my personal social media anymore-- i strongly dislike thinking about work OUTSIDE of work and that's how social media feels to me. i have a personal project i work on when i feel like it-- not entirely for the end result, but because it makes me happy. i go home and attempt something creative that's completely different entirely sometimes from just drawing, like cooking, writing etc and it feels freeing. Long story short, I actually don't think you should make your passions into a career. I think you should make your skills into a career, but your passions? that will burn you out imo.

[@brunella5279]

As soon as I saw the thumbnail, I knew I needed this video. Thank you so much for sharing it! I've been drawing since I was a child; it was my way to escape reality, get closer to what I loved... and it also made me feel less lonely. It became a part of me, my ultimate form of expression. I don't know if I'll ever be able to make a living as an artist, or if others will ever recognize me as one, but I know that I want to draw and create! Moreover, you made me reflect on the fact that now, at over 30 years old, I am moving to another country to be in an environment more open to creative jobs, especially in the gaming industry. Yet, I've had to put my own drawings on hold for a while because of "life." I'm starting from scratch with a new job, a new home, and new challenges for myself in a new country. But I'm doing it because I want to draw more and more, creating a solid foundation that will allow me to make it my profession, and every day it feels more true. It's taking me time because everyone has a different story, and that's okay, but I can't wait to reach my goal and draw, draw, draw! Thank you again for making me reflect on all of this along with you!

[@ergojosh]

No problem! And most of all congrats on taking on all the new changes in your life. Thats what lifes about.

[@crystalgonzales4534]

This video hit me hard. For a while I hated my art because it wasn't what I was seeing mainstream. And I thought to myself "I'm not really an artist." And I gave up on it for years. But somehow, whenever I felt restless and just too energetic I would pull out a canvas and paint whatever I was feeling. It wasn't for a purpose, for something that people would like. I made it because it felt like I had to express it on a canvas. It 100% abstract and messy. But it felt like my art. And then thoughts of needing to learn technique, and spending time on thinking what to paint, and give it more form and shape, learning to paint things that were more real, etc. Etc. Would flood my mind. And then all of a sudden my art became a trashy child's painting. I threw away everything I had made. So what truly is the purpose of art anymore? I think that it's to express emotions, and manifest, if you will, something we want to see, on a paper, on a screen, on whatever medium we choose. We want to see the manifestation of our creativity, of our ideas, of our vision of beauty. We have to get it out there. That goes beyond anything practical, and having it be something that fits a mold, a mold of popularity, of a certain skill, etc. The more you try to perfect or contain something the more you waterdown its substance. It's like when tou try to say something with words, and then you edit and edit what you want to say, until the actual meaning gets lost. It ends up being something else, not what you originally wanted to say. Art can be beautiful, skillful, well thought out, but if you can't really say what you want to say with it it will slowly kill your passion for it.

[@kiamehrgh3081]

I don't really care about AI arts existence, AI cant write the story i want to tell, and it can't make the characters i draw with all the details i put into my art, i dont really care about the money part of art i can make more money from any other job, i just want to show people the things i create and see they're reactions to it

[@nuzocara]

My love for art started, when I heard about a program about live2D. Only later realizing that I needed art skills and becoming slowly technical, in order to use live2D Somewhere along the way I’ve lost sight of what was important to me. And I’m still trying to find my back to path, that lead me to art.

[@andreceholley1]

the reason i wanted to start art was a sense of exploring the depths of imagination and see it come to tuition basically im starting out cause i wanted my ideas to not remain ideas to turn to reality i had a urge and now its purged through

[@KitBashCustomSabers]

AI can never fill the void I have within me to create something from my imagination. It will never give me the satisfaction of learning something new. Making art both relaxes me and motivates me, and for me, becoming inspired by other artists is never something I can replicate with technology. Great thoughts and a good reminder for us all.

[@Shannaya17]

I’d love to see an art book tour! I’m seeing some interesting ones in the background!

[@omnipenne9101]

Because it's fun and I want to.

[@babyx_98]

Honestly I am entering the same boat. I mask depression on and off that no one seems to validate in real life. I am losing my fight. But I have a feeling it has to do with me not enjoying creating artwork anymore, nor exploring my passions the same way that did when I was an innocent child. Why? When I first began, I wanted to just draw the pretty things I saw throughout my life. I had so much fun. But now that I am am adult, everything seems like its just this huge "hustle" to be seen & noticed or valuable. And now that AI is a thing, you have to "keep up" with the wave of endless microtrends if you want to make a living with art. No one values art either. People just seem to think its not "real" if you aren't doing something within the rat race. And its extremely exhausting to be honest. I just want to enjoy myself. Not be "marketable". But no one I know seems to understand it. One thing that I DO want to do is learn to create artwork for MYSELF. I want to be able create art that I enjoy & also be proud of again & not artwork I created for everyone else. Its extremely difficult. Taking a LONG break from social media.

[@rosemangofairy]

Thank you for talking about this. I'm a hobbyist right now who's hoping to make comics in the future, but making art these days have been so hard. The motivation is so hard to muster. The world right now is a bit of a mess so it's kinda hard to force myself to be happy and have fun with art. When I'm feeling a bit depressed, what helps me is thinking of it as an "emotional journal" instead. So I don't force myself to be happy and having fun on an artwork, I just draw my visual interpretation of sadness and anxiety. It's been really therapeutic for me! I'm playing Dark Souls as well, so that has been so inspirational, all of these crazy ass and even grotesque monsters 😂 Thanks so much for this talk, I feel so much for artists working in the industry these days.

[@TheDeidei95]

I've drawn since I was a small kid and knew what a pen was. But it kinda started with me wanting to be able to draw Ariel and Betty Spaghetti. Basically I wanted to draw pretty girls hehe! I feel like I resonate with your video a lot. For me, I think I've lost my own compass with social media and AI. It's taken away a bit of my spark that I used to have. However, now I've started to pivot into how important it is for me to draw, and to never stop... I feel at home when I draw. If I don't, I become restless and feel like something is missing. I draw for myself, and if others enjoy it aswell it makes me happy. I am trying my best to not let anything take that away from me... It's hard though. Don't loose your magic. We're in this together and thank you for your video!

[@allanredhill8682]

Honestly most of my artistic growth happened because I drew stuff im excited about. And when you face a wall its much easier to learn new skills when youre passionate about what youre trying to overcome. however it is very difficult for me when I think about approaching art as a profession. Im very indecisive about what skillset to pursue - not out of fear or impostor syndrome but because I genuenly enjoy so many things. Ive dabbled in animation, storyboarding, character design. Sometimes I like drawing environments or illustrations... Taking one route is kinda daunting. Also regarding social media it still is very much a gamble. Its nice that people get growth by just doing what they love - but ive been doing that for a while now and it really doesnt matter what type of content I put out, the engagement really stays the same across all platforms. Its fine, im not dependent on those platforms or anything. however I think linking "draw what you like" to success on social media is gonna disappoint a lot of artists. Sincerity alone isnt gonna beat the algorythm. Either your art is cracked as hell or you know how to play the game ^^

[@Vivid_pixcel]

I started drawing so that I could use it as an outlet for something inside of me that my upbringing made me ashamed of. I wanted to bring beauty into the world but I am not a beautiful person… I sometimes deal with thoughts of like would the world be any different with or without my art. That kind of thinking combined with my initial reason to get into art it becomes hard not to separate oneself and self image away. I had a few pieces in the last month that i thought were great but you know insta is insta and it was hard not to feel it personally within. Sorry for the run on, im not sure if i had a point. Thank you for this video, it hits different.

[@ElijahMoore-Restfulnights]

Because it's fun. End of story.

[@marshallwolff5966]

Dude on point…I’ve been pursuing so many different ways of making money with my art that I forgot what I even enjoyed about it and I recently realized I was just as miserable pursuing it as I was with a normal 9-5

[@timebound8883]

I wish I knew why I started, it was a long time ago. I think people just told me I was good at it so I just kept doing it. I always wanted to be a part of a team, game design was always something I wanted to do but I haven't done much in pursuing that goal. I mainly paint for money now which sucks.

[@jenbraga9372]

You're going in the wrong direction bud

[@nathangeorge8157]

Why create art...It's like asking anybody who does something that they are good at why they do it...being a creative person says more about my character the my ability to draw and paint. I was born with talent just a strong desire to create something beautiful.

[@arminosas]

I lived through my childhood and teens being the weird kid observing nature and people, reading encyclopedias and books. I've navigated the nuances of life and would see how the intricacies danced beyond the veil and while my life was a rollercoaster I didn't realize how bad it was beyond that veil. I wanted to paint it I love the art instruments, the idea that it can be done with technicality and skill or the whimsy of the brain's bleeps and bloops. In essence I'd love to hand-paint papers full of fluorescent or luminescent neon colored designs and draw random rocks, crystals, the sky--Nature stuff. My problem is that I also love anatomy, human anatomy in particular. I'm that lazy nerd that reads all the ins and outs and thinks why the hell is my brain not omniscient while I forget that 5 hours have passed on my prep work, staring at those oil pigments while I make notes. And then I forget everything, that's why I write on notebooks. Point being I have a problem on fixating on my tasks and doing routine work, but my interest is like that Solstheim track 10 I know nothing else.

[@msellenandrea]

I got caught in this social media trap too. It ruined my joy of art completely. I'm finally getting back to it, and I'm just focusing on doing what I feel like doing, in the way I like doing them. And screw the rest 😂

[@conquerorkang6193]

The reality is that digital art will die off due to AI unless you're on the end where you're getting paid to feed "Skynet" as an art director(there are usually people whom you follow who are already established), the writings on the wall. I've transitioned to doing murals and returning to my graffiti roots. I also play around with different textured mediums. In other words non-digital material. A.I. has simply cheapened the value of digital art, and it's sad but true. Still! Do art because you love it, and that's what matters.

[@HeyShoenTripp]

I never got heavy on digital art, I’ve sticked with traditional because unlike digital, you have an original piece done with traditional tools where in digital there’s no originality and with traditional you’ll have more of your own style. I feel like digital looks the same and unfortunately making it look like AI did it so I’ll continue to support my local art store (Blick) or Michaels so I can continue to let traditional art live

[@scottschoen3362]

It's your art if you do it for you. Conforming to what you think others want, they become co-authors creating something else.

[@LoveLunaPearll]

Say it with me, fam: CAPITALISM RUINS EVERYTHING

[@hamsandwich6685]

greed and corruption ruin everything, including capitalism.

[@WaterFlow489]

As a dancer myself I always loved human body and how it moves, how a camera can slow down the time like it almost stops, but when you look at it really closesly you can see the life force comming from it. It's everywhere,. In the eyes, in the body movement, clothes and etc. + I love anime. So thats why I wanna be anime/manga artist. digitaly and traditionally.

[@magieenvtuber9783]

I started art, to illustrate my own book and draw comics NSFW and SFW, characters doing stuff, interacting with the world, looking bad ass, scared, worried, in pleasure, in pain, dying and living their life to the fullest. To show emotions more than words can ever describe them, by the body language and expressions of characters that can be seen in front of you.

[@ergojosh]

I love that.

[@celestialmangakka]

I started art to escape from the shackles of the reality. And that's how i started journey as 3d character artist and illustrator.

[@williammclean6594]

I use to want to get into a career for art but after researching it I don't really want to anymore all the jobs that hire artists. They really push them a lot. They have to work a lot of hours and have to get deadlines especially in animation. And with me having anxiety disorders I couldn't do that. It would just take the fun out of art and I'd end up hating it and it would just make me feel stressed out. I don't even like doing commissions for other people because I just like to draw what I like.

[@craigh2175]

I'am not sure of my reason, or the "why." Ive put pencil to paper since I was a child and just kept doing it. I'd say the creation of ideas and telling people a story with your illustrations is a big one. Creativity is such a wonderful human trait, and it's amazing that we can show the world what's in our heads and make something with that.

[@wootarts53]

I wanted to be a mangaka and I'm still working on that! 19 turning 20. I remember, after practicing drawing for a little while, when I was 14, focusing on forms, lines, and shapes, I randomly drew this face portrait of Deku from MHA. It's crazy it's not really one of my favorite series but I still liked it and drew it. I tore it out of my sketchbook, got out my room went to my kitchen table, and sat down, I just gawked and stared at it for 15 minutes, amazed I drew something with my own hands without tracing it by putting a piece of paper on a computer screen and copying it as I did as a kid. So after that point, I kept going, chasing this ambitious dream.

[@ergojosh]

Manga is such an alluring dream, It got me before I even read one myself.

[@AezlyndWanderin]

Why did I start drawing? Wow that’s a tough question and it’s really one for my much much younger self. I think it started not so much as a desire but as a fascination of how a pencil leaves a mark on paper and how I could use that to capture the world and my imagination. It’s probably the same reason I also became a writer.

[@PowPowPeng1]

Creating art will always be worth it, but making money with it, thats another story

[@jenniferbrew3233]

I lost my excitement for drawing and art. I went from traditional media to digital and felt myself riding that struggle bus, constantly learning never satisfied with where I was. I was thumbing through KZbin artist and came across your channel years ago. You were selling your pencil and pen book on Amazon at the time and I grabbed that book so fast. Going through it I felt myself getting the exercises, feeling my skills fortifying and feeling confident again. It was warming to see you also going through this waxing and waning about your artist progress.

[@mustanggox]

im honestly a bit livid at the people who opened up the pandora's box that is generative AI. the passion for creating art will always be there, but it sucks especially for people motivated by work or creating a product rather than the act of creating itself. when i was to depressed too motivate myself to draw, i could at least use the motivating fact that i would have a cool-looking end result and one day i could get to my dreams of working in character design or illustration. now both of those can be done easily with a button click, faster and better than i can. i dont know if i have the energy to keep trying

[@Eg3customs]

Thanks so much for your perspective brother! What really truly got me into to art(paper&pencil) I had gotten into some trouble and walk by a gentleman drawing a portrait of Marilyn Monroe in pencil and was stopped dead in my tracks and had the courage to ask “hey how are it doing that?” And he was kind enough to say “this pencil right here” and I was so amazed by what you can do with just a pencil!! I practice everyday for two years until I was able to take home what I had been developing. Not long after I found another great human just like yourself who was teaching how to customize shoes and I haven’t looked back. So grateful for humans like you to share knowledge and perspective. Doors have opened for me that I didn’t even knew existed 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@dplj4428]

3:45 really like this. Seeing a different part of your spirit. On my own divergence from worrying which color which layer etc. I started drawing as a child, the Sunday comics was 4 pages. My elders say they'd hear me laughing under the kitchen table, looked down at me wondering. I didn't know how to read words, but pictures yes. Drawing was my voice and peacemaker when the world seemed overwhelming. It's like prayer and meditation. It's medicine that calms and protects me from the chaos on the bus or the news on TV. A way to purge all the angst. Other times, it's capturing the beauty of the clouds, caricatures imagined from a funny thought, a recall of scenes captured in photographs I take. When I can sing and draw I am well, strengthened and fortified. Making things is the best kind of self-medication, a prayer in action.

[@Vanessa-ii7cc]

Since i stop pursuing a full time job with art, i like art again. I don't do commissions, i don't post online anymore anxious about being viral or likes. I just draw, I start to paint with traditional media something I neglect for a decade. I like art again.

[@jamespayne7977]

When I was about 8 years old or so I used to draw robots fighting each other. (Very poorly.) I played video games and watched TV. I took an art class in elementary school. (Also high school and later in college I earned a Digital Arts and Computer Animation degree.)I thought drawing was fun. I made something no one else did. Being a kid I would show my dad. One day out of the blue I told my dad I want to get into drawing.( I think i was a bit older at that point, but not much.) There was a fella called Mark Kistler on TV who had a show called Mark Kistler's Imagination Station. That pretty much jump started my whole art passion. I am 32 now. Still learning and growing with all things art.

[@ergojosh]

Robots at 8 years old is impressive, not an easy subject to tackle. I appreciate that OG Mark Kistler who kickstarted it for you.

[@jamespayne7977]

​​@@ergojosh Thanks! The robots I drew were pretty geometric (Flat and not 3D though. Hey I was kid 😅.) Yeah Mark Kistler is awesome.

[@stefanprice7965]

The Entrepreneur, the Manager, and the Technician is from the book “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael E. Gerber. A very interesting book for artist entrepreneurs to add to their reading list. I am working through the series myself.

[@astreakaito5625]

Thanks I had this very bad feeling too lately. I'm incredibly mad about you know what and after half giving up because of it I found myself still having a good time drawing. I'll keep going for a while. I'm still not gonna share my art over the internet anymore though.

[@datemasamune2904]

I see other people's art in manga and such, and I still get inspired to make stuff of my own. To quote Moubo from Kingdom "Never in my life have I fought someone as powerful as you, which is why I'm so happy" Taking that quote, it always gives the perspective that there will always be someone or something better than you, which makes you strive to be better.

[@AbbieSTABBY]

This is the exact kind of motivation that I needed to hear today. Thoroughly enjoying your stuff as always! For me, what made me want to start doing art was seeing the potential of what I could achieve, and the limitless possibilities of what I could eventually do. As always for me, the enjoyment of the process is most important!

[@EDJK_]

video popped up in my recommendations and man this video was SPOT ON its almost like you spoke my mind! only difference I do film production while I’ve had the opportunity to be on big sets Creed III, Snowfall FX, The remake of White Men Can’t Jump, a Lifetime movie all movies as a production assistant and drone pilot on the lifetime movie! it all started from me loving movies n music videos so at age 19 I took that step made my first “movie” and music video it’s been a great journey i don’t regret it but now im in this slump cuz everyone who had dreams of being a engineer or whatever wants to be a musician or content creator all of a sudden these “influencers” are ruining it AI is a huge concern for me too everything just feels slow right now and lately ive been questioning my skills as a director, actor, writer, cinematographer, editor, writer and aspiring animator and drawer! it can feel extremely overwhelming im 26 now i turn 27 this year its great to say i made it to Hollywood being a self taught filmmaker starting with photography in 2016 when i was 18 but now? im like “is this even worth it? seems like everything feels the same” i question my own art but this video gave me some hope again imma keep going hopefully one day i will become that successful filmmaker/actor

[@empressanimations7259]

this question has been on my mind all month this month since cara came out and i didnt have an answer for myself thank you for this it brought me some motivation to relight my passion for my art again