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What do you get out of visual art? by Ruggy
Just a general, open-ended question. Whether you just like to look at it or you make it yourself, what do you get out of visual art?
Is making art something fun to do, or some compelling drive that's never quite fulfilled?
Do you look at it because it perhaps makes you smile for a moment, or do you see something else in it?
I have my own answers, but they've been fairly muddied by a deep sense of shame and inadequacy that I developed going through art school. I'm curious where others stand.
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Haha hoo I was in a weird place when I wrote this. I was kinda bummed that visual art would never get someone as pumped up as music gets me.
I came into drawing with the attitude that I can't get any worse
That is a great attitude!
But it makes me feel something!
Do you notice a difference between pieces that do make you feel something and pieces that don't? I dunno, I feel like with my choice of subject matter, I almost have to work harder to make it feel worthwhile or to elicit some kind of emotional reaction, but that may still be some leftover art school shame on my part.
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Hell if I know. Vibrant colors and well-portrayed emotions stand out to me more than anything else, at least. Not every piece will make every person feel something, though. Not every piece will make anyone feel anything. Art tends to be too personal, but most everyone can appreciate genuine talent and/or skill, regardless of the medium. Take a look through my favs sometime I guess, minus the stuff done for me. You'll probably see some trends.
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When I'm creating it: It's a constant drive to sort of "bleed out" all of these ideas in my head that pile up daily or in my lucid dreaming; putting a face on the faceless, because even though I could picture it well enough, somehow it isn't concrete enough unless said face can look back first.
There's also this nebulous feeling of contentment for me, since to me it feels almost like I'm extending my consciousness outward, translating it to images and then taking that translation and creating something pleasing that I hope others like (whether they understand it in the same way as me or not). I also like getting lost in the details and more technical aspects of it (which media should I use? Should I change the perspective or composition?); puzzling out the roadblocks and difficulties is fun for me. I love creating art for myself and others, but I also have a deeper spiritual need to do art because I feel like I'm not in touch with myself if I stop.
When I'm looking at it: This answer is a lot harder for me than the bit about creating it. I adore seeing the inner workings of the imagination of other artists and whether any of it is similar or different from mine. The way they translate their dreams and how they perceive the world. I also love it when art makes me think or feel. When I see a really good piece of art, it's like this mental "whoa" and then a sort of vertigo when I look at it, like plunging or wrenching downward without the terror. I also simply love to see the sorts of amazing things artists can do with various media.
I'm sorry if I got a little metaphorical and existential, but this is art we're talking about and it's the best way I can word it.
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putting a face on the faceless, because even though I could picture it well enough, somehow it isn't concrete enough unless said face can look back first.
I love the way you phrased that!
And ungh yes, the problem solving aspect of it is so satisfying. Nothing pleases me more than when I identify why some aspect of my art bothers me, because knowing what I'm dissatisfied with gives me something to work on!
And metaphorical and existential is exactly the kind of response I was looking for. That was very in-depth and thoughtful, thank you!
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Would you believe me if I said that it has taken me literally years before I could put into words just what powers me to do art? Haha, I think my reply was the best I've ever done in trying to pinpoint it.
It's a great workout for the brain, isn't it? Analyzing how best to put your dreams on paper is satisfying, and even though it takes so much practice till you consistently are happy with what you draw, it is definitely worth it. It's like being an engineer of a sorts, except with art it is all simultaneously the idea, the blueprint, the prototype and the final product.
I thought it was a very valid question that deserves valid responses! Besides, I love blathering about art and this sort of stuff.
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You know the story!
Don't stop, won't stop!
Believe 'n achieve!
Hope is dope!I'M ALL OUT OF RHYMES
Anyways, the draws give me a life meaning and make me eternally joyous - so I shall forever pursue it and try to get as far as I can!
In other words, art makes me happy. And that's all the reason I will ever need!Oh yeah, and this applies to both creating it and viewing it. xP
What do YOU get out of art, oh mighty Gorgo?
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In other words, art makes me happy. And that's all the reason I will ever need!
That's a good one!
Me? I dunno. I think it started off as a way to draw the stories I wanted to see as a kid, and then at some point I realized my drawings sucked and it would be nice if they looked more like the pretty ones I liked looking at. Then I kinda got addicted to the process of improving. It's like problem solving, only instead of there being a definite solution, there's just a basic set of suggested guidelines you can follow but it's entirely up to you to decide what advice to follow and how to proceed.
I guess it's kind of a compulsion on my part. I feel better when I'm creating (my video game habit has practically gone away) and I find it satisfying to give some kind of concrete life to the characters in my head. I find it satisfying to come up against an artistic problem and make progress towards solving it.
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Rory
It's fun when it works right, when things flow naturally. I'm never ashamed about my art because I came into drawing with the attitude that I can't get any worse, and that anything I produce beyond a horribly disfigured stickman is just awesome. Same with music. They're two of the very few things that I don't compare myself to other people in (though this is why I avoid Youtube, I don't like seeing other amateurs or whizkids), that I just do for my own personal pleasure. I imagine that's impossible when you're trying to make money off of it, unfortunately.
When I look at art, I just go "Wow, that idea brought to life is really cool. Or gross. Or angering. But it makes me feel something!"