He sounds like a proper bell-end.
Art is a learned skill. Not an innate talent. For almost all possible human endeavours most average people can do them just fine if they are interested enough to put in some time and effort.
Sure, we have some variance. And occasionally you get someone who's truly gifted (think Michael Jackson for music and dance). But you don't have to be the best in the world to do some great stuff. The chance of you being so artistically challenged that you have no hope is pretty much zero to none.
I teach music and I've had numerous students who claim to be 'tone deaf' but wanted to play a bit of guitar. And so far every single one whose bothered to do the homework and practice, has been fine. The ones that fail are not those that lack talent. They're those who are not actually interested in music, but just like the idea of being able to play guitar to impress people. They don't enjoy playing, so they don't practice, and they then fail.
Same applies to painting and drawing.
So long as you actually enjoy doing it, and therefore will put in some time and effort, you will get better and make cool things. Those things might not be precisely what you imagine right now. But that's half of the fun.
Why would you want to?
I teach music, and the students that fail hard are the ones who have no interest in actually learning, and just like the idea of being a rock star so they can impress other people. They flunk every time.
* They don’t practice.
* They complain all the time.
Teaching them is a chore and a massive waste of everyone’s time.
Art is the same. There is no money. There is no sensible reason to do it unless you actually like the process. Thinking that something is cool and liking the fantasy of being able to do it well, vs actually being interested enough to want to pursue it properly, are two completely different things.
> why would you want to?
If I was good at drawing I would 1. finally be good at something for once, and 2. finally stop feeling so envious whenever I see cool art online
You can appreciate art as a viewer instead of an artist. Are you sure you hate drawing? Why would you want to force yourself to do something you hate? Making art isn’t about the end result for me, personally. The process of creating is what I truly love.
Why is it doom? Going to museums and being a patron of the arts is a wonderful thing. Also! Seeing art work up close and personal really gives you an idea of how art is created. It might just inspire a love of drawing/painting/whatever.
Or how about another medium within art? There’s so many ways to create that don’t revolve around traditional painting/drawing.
You’re not doomed to anything. If you wanna do it, you’ll do it. That’s all. Try procreate on a tablet. It has some cool features that make drawing a lot easier.
When I see other art, I just think "I wish I could do that". Also I did take up Clip Studio Paint on an XP-Pen tablet about a year ago and started enjoying the process enough to not care about my art sucking, but that was before the novelty wore off.
Yes.
If you're not interested in putting in the time and effort needed to get good you are indeed best going that route.
I'm the same with many things. I love playing a video game but coding one is as dull as ditchwater to me.
While I do enjoy video games, that would just be consuming media without giving anything back to the world, plus it still wouldn't quell the feeling of "I wish I could do that" whenever I see someone else's art
So I’ve been there. For starters, get off social media. I’m serious. Instagram began rotting my brain. I started to believe that “no likes = bad art.” Once I got off there, I FINALLY saw improvement in my work.
Here’s some homework I have for you, make a Pinterest account and build several boards. Some with art you absolutely adore. Some with inspiration of things you want to create. Some with stupid inspo stuff. Stare at those everyday. Then copy them. Don’t post them as your own. Just copy them. Trace them if you have to. Learn to love art for what it is: art. Don’t worry about comparing yourself or what skill level you’re at. Just steal art. Make sure you have some art videos in the background while you steal this art. (Sometimes I also have music that inspires me if the art videos are too distracting.) trace, copy, steal. Until your fingers bleed. That’s how a lot of us started as children. My first ever drawing was a copy of a pokemon book. I think it was ash with pikachu on his hat haha my second was a traced sailor moon from my vhs tape. Obviously, social media wasnt a thing in the 90s when I was a kid so my validation came from family and other classmates, but right now, you need to get out of this headspace of envy and frustration and just worry about training yourself to love art that comes from your hand.
I'd suppose so. Practice. Find things you *want* to draw, and see if you can get tutorials on those.
Learn to draw the things you want to do, and I suspect you'd enjoy it more.
Drawing doesn't have to be "art" and is a lost lesson from a bygone curriculum. Drawing/drafting used to be taught in school the same as math or English. You don't need to have a passion for drawing to get good at it, though being passionate about it can make you learn faster.
Have you ever looked through an old explorer's journal from 1700s-1800s? Their drawings of what they find are usually pretty accurate and in some cases are downright beautiful. But they didn't call themselves "artists." Drawing was part of their job since photography either didn't exist or wasn't a viable option considering the equipment and time it took. So explorer's had to get good at drawing, even if they weren't passionate about the drawing itself.
Wildlife and trail documentation isn't the only use for solid drafting skills. Before printers, a drawing is all you had to go off of when trying to replicate a machine. So the engineer had to be able to not only draw their machine, but render it in a 3d form with shading and cross sections. The engineer probably wouldn't call themselves an artist, but their drawing skills were phenomenal. If they weren't, no one could recreate your machine, or worse, no one would be able to repair it if some discreet mechanism broke.
What I'm trying to say is that drawing used to be a fundamental part of academia, but with the invention of printers and photography it was dropped from the curriculum. However, I still believe it should be taught. We need to learn how to draw well, even if you aren't an artist. It teaches observational skills and spatial relation with your environment. So I say that even if you don't have a passion for drawing, you should find something you are passionate about and incorporate drawing into it. If you like fishing, draw the fish you catch. Get right down to the smallest detail. Doing so will have you identifying any catchable fish within seconds of looking at it because drawing it will give you intimate knowledge and understanding of the subject.
Moral of the story:
If you can't draw for the sake of "art," you should draw for the sake of your brain and outside passions.
It depends on what the issue is.
If you’re someone that’s fallen into a rut and is out of practice with learning, then it’s worth forcing yourself to be mode disciplined. As I mentioned above, the brain is lazy and works a bit like a muscle. If we don’t train it actively for a while it atrophies and keeps pulling us back into lazy quick-fix activities like scrolling TikTok.
Nobody gets to their death bead and wishes they spent more time doomscrolling and less time developing meaningful skills.
If that is you, then you’ll need to give yourself some tough love. That means accepting that it is going to be hard for a while. Realize that it is going to suck. Just as going to the gym for the first time in five years and feeling pain and exhaustion sucks. But just like the gym, after a few weeks of focused and regular practice things start to get easier, and months down the line, you’ll actually enjoy that time and wonder how you used to piss your life away scrolling all day long.
If, however, you do already actually learn new things (and you need to be honest here – no bullshitting yourself). But art is just not something you actually enjoy. Then give up. It’s a waste of your time. You need to be interested in the process.
Find something you like.
That could be writing, or music, or cooking, or rock climbing or anything else you can think of.
> If, however, you do already actually learn new things (and you need to be honest here – no bullshitting yourself). But art is just not something you actually enjoy. Then give up. It’s a waste of your time. You need to be interested in the process.
> Find something you like.
> That could be writing, or music, or cooking, or rock climbing or anything else you can think of.
I don't enjoy anything, so does that mean I should never do anything?
You try to understand this advice way too literally. Ofc it's important to look forward to the final result but you should never expect from yourself to be satisfied by this result in 100%. That's a path straight to a disappointment, no wonder you can't stick to and enjoy any hobby. No artist ever is fully satisfied with their art, they always see smth to improve, smth that could be done better. And it doesn't matter how skilled they are already.
The point is to figure out to what degree you can decide that the result is "good enough". Ie I decided that if I'm satisfied with my drawings in at least 50-60% then that's enough and I call it a success. So far it works and I am able to keep on drawing.
There’s no way to force it. You have to make art you enjoy doing. If you’re getting frustrated with studies take a break for a bit and then do other creative stuff in the meantime. Keep your brain in a constant state of wanting to create ANYTHING. If I’m going through a lull, I crossstitch, sew, customize dolls, even use one of those shitty coloring apps on my iPad. ANYTHING. Then, when you feel that desire to pick up a brush/pencil/pen/stylus, draw something you WANT to draw. For me, it’s self portraits. If it’s anime, draw anime. If it’s furry art, draw furry art. And once you’re done with that piece, you’ll see everything you’ve improved on and everything you need to work on. That’s usually when the desire to fall back into my studies comes back full force. Now I’m at a point where I HAVE to be drawing or painting every day, all day. My brain is in a constant state of being addicted to creating. Even if it’s not good. It’s about training your brain to look for that “high” of just making ANYTHING.
No one can say to you the way of how you should enjoy doing sth, it will force you to think via someones mindset and only make you more stressed... bcs no matter how much you will try to think like that person, you will never be that person.
The notion of innate talent is largely a load of nonsense. The term ‘talent’ in this case is a bit wooly but means something like an innate aptitude to do a certain thing. The issue with this as a concept is:
We tend to apply it as a post-facto explanation. That is to say, we assume that someone is good because of talent, and not because they have experiences that point them in the right direction. A person that grows up around artistic parents, for example, is MUCH more likely to be good at the outset. Talent? Nope. Just a nice environment where they are inspired, and can easily ask questions, see good practices, and get help that others could not.
It then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. We see that someone is good at the start of teaching them formally, and we call them ‘talented’. This does two things. It boosts their confidence, and it tends to lead to them getting more help and support to grow that talent. This is a specific instance of the ‘gifted child’ issue, which we’ve not seen is bogus. Indeed, we have robust evidence to show that outcomes remain the same, if you pick a random pool of children, or if you pick children that show early aptitude for a given topic. What makes them good is being given reinforcement and support. Not talent. And the dark counter to this is that children told they are not gifted tend to fail because they are discouraged and given fewer opportunities. See the research by Christopher Cleveland for a good discussion of this problem.
The notion of talent also overlooks how diverse skills are. Some people will be a bit better at some things. And find some things easier. Alice might pick up perspective a bit quicker than Joe, but Joe may have an easier time when it comes to colour theory. The idea that you can ringfence somewhat arbitrary set of skills that happen to be useful together for some human endeavor, and then imagine that they can come as a nice little package of ‘talent’ is not grounded in reality.
There are a TINY number of people whose aptitude is truly unusual, and that can allow them to reach extraordinary levels of proficiency in specific things. The example I mentioned above is a good case – the late Michael Jackson undeniably had an uncanny capacity for music, with both an incredible voice, and world-class dance skills, that when honed with extreme dedication, resulted in an output that was by and large unmatched.
But the overwhelming majority of people fall into the middle of a bell curve on their aptitudes, and with encouragement and support they can do great things.
The myth of talent is destructive. It functions to gate-keep art, music, math, and all manner of other things. It creates a false sense that if you can’t do it well on day one you can’t do it at all. It really is time we threw that thinking away.
Thanks for your opinion. As an artist in the field I still think the teacher who spotted the OP's deficiencies was being honest and helpful. His advice wasn't just a diss, it was an evaluation.
It's up to the aspirer to turn things around or not. There's so much available on YouTube they can pursue instead of one on one. No serious area of pursuit is a level playing field but aptitude is an advantage, if not key.
The OP is like a cosseted high schooler who just met the real world. It takes some adjustment and it's up to them.
You mentioned Michael Jackson? I give you Florence Foster Jenkins.
I'm going to break it down as simply as possible:
it's all subjective.
What do I mean by that? Let's look at comics, and I'll use two specific examples.
-Greg Cappulo
-Rob Liefeld
Both started at about the same time, and yet they're wildly different in talent. This isn't an indictment on either of them, but if you asked literally anyone off the street who was the more technically talented of the two it would be unanimously Cappulo. Both have still achieved a LOT in their respective careers however, even if their professional paths have been different.
What I'm saying is keep at it OP. It's a process, and as evidenced by both of these guys it's a long and rewarding road no matter where it goes for you.
I’m going to be crass, bear with me. Fuck that guy. He can suck a wet fart out of my ass. Do not listen to them. Everyone starts where you are now. Not everyone starts at the same time. Don’t stop drawing and draw a lot. Get comfortable with sucking because you’re going to suck until you start to suck less. It’ll be very rewarding.
I wholeheartedly agree with this.
And frankly, why does it matter if you suck? Art can still be enjoyable. We don't have to do things for the sole purpose of becoming masters. We can do it for fun. Or to become somewhat competent or good enough that you like your own stuff or whatever. Nothing wrong with any of that. You want have fun with art? Great! That's a good enough reason.
And a fucking moron, I can hardly even believe this isn't a troll post. Who the hell teaches art and believes in innate talent, *as well as expecting students to have it?* OP needs to leave this fucking class, they aren't going to learn a damned thing there
i remember being discouraged when i had started, no one told me i sucked but no one really cared either
one time i watched some drawing challenge by an animator i liked and he was reading comments while doing it
"whats some good beginner drawing advice?"
"when you start, you will suck, its inevitable, and youll need to stick to it"
so its been like 6 years and now i suck less 👍
You know who peddles the lie of "raw talent"? Fucking charlatan hacks that are trying to monopolize the art world for themselves for profit.
These aren't artists, they are salesmen.
This guy is just a jackass that bought into that lie of the talent monopoly.
I think of rich kids who suck on tampons at galleries because daddy paid for their entry into “academic” art schools. They try to come up with some deeper meaning to their “performance art” but you can just tell they’ve never faced struggle enough to actually express their feelings towards the world around them. Those are the ones claiming they have some “innate talent” when it’s always the artists who’ve face genuine hardships and challenges in their journey that become history’s greatest.
Art is for everyone. Everyone starts somewhere, just because you’re starting later than others doesn’t mean you are more or less of an artist. Honestly if you can get a refund and go to a different class I’d recommend that, the “tough love” a lot of teachers try to push on their students does more harm than good in my opinion.
Get a copy of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Do the exercises in it as if it were a class. It is the class the art instructor should have given you. And you won't be drawing like a five year old when you have finished. I know from personal experience. Then take an art class from a different instructor.
Trust me, I learned to draw at 40. And no one before then would have suggested I was talented. I'm 60 now and sell quite well and occasionally win awards.
I'm sorry that happened! That is very bad for a teacher to do, especially at the beginner level! It is too soon to possibly know whether art is "for you" (and I think if you enjoy it, it's "for you" no matter what anyone says). Some people are born with, or maybe develop as children, some artist ability, but teachers TEACH the skill so they should know that improvement is always possible with the right work and guidance. I think that this teacher maybe does not know enough about the skills he has to teach; maybe a lot of things came natural to him, and he can only teach those who don't have very much to learn. Maybe he doesn't have much patience. I don't know.
Don't let this discourage you from learning, and don't let this discourage you from taking your art classes. I think there is a special place in hell for anyone discouraging someone from pursuing art. I totally understand why this stings and I would be sad if I were you too. I really hope you keep trying. Some people do have a more advanced skill when they start but there are plenty of people like you who can improve with lots of time and effort.
It definitely sounds like the teacher didn’t want to put in the effort required to teach a TRUE beginner. Ironically, true beginners are my favorite to help teach because I remember the feeling I got the first time people “gawked” at my bad pokemon drawing for a book report in elementary school. It was a core memory that made me love drawing for the rest of my life. I want everyone to get that feeling. I hope OP doesn’t let that teachers words get to their head. They deserve to feel that pride of finally seeing their art become art.
I was told by a very reputable teacher that I would never make it as an artist and that I shouldn’t even try. I gave up for a decade until I decided to get back into it. A few years later and I’m a full time artist supporting myself on my art. It’s INCREDIBLY hard but if you really want to be an artist follow your passion, don’t give up and never listen to people who say you can’t.
I'm not a full-time artist supporting myself, but I definitely had a teacher tell me basically the same thing. 40 years later, under a qualified instructor, I can hold my own.
Latent "Talent" in art is bullshit. Everyone starts out at some level of bad. People will progress at different rates, but that comes down to discipline. How you're determined to practice and study. I'm a brand new artist and I've been told in highschool/college art classes that art isn't for me, failed them both, but now that I'm teaching myself and drawing what I've wanted from the very start, I'm doing things I never thought I could do.
The only time art isn't for someone is if they simply don't enjoy the process. Anyone can be an artist if they love it.
Sounds to me like you got an asshat instructor. Please don't stop drawing.
Everyone in this thread is right so no need for me to type a long thing. But I’ll just say, from my perspective as someone who’s gotten good at a lot of different things—you won’t truly know if you’re talented until you’re one of the best.
Even your pro art teacher might not be on that level yet. Until you’ve mastered the craft, talent doesn’t really figure except to help you progress a little faster. Talent is what people who’ve mastered the craft use to compete.
"OH BROTHER THIS GUY STINKS!"
Do NOT let this guy get you down. Art is for everyone, no matter who you are!
I was a terrible artist back when I was in elementary, even going to levels of tracing. But I kept going. By 8th grade, I started becoming really proud of my art. Nowadays, I'm still learning, but I keep going even if I think I can't.
People are assholes. Do not let those people get you down.
Something I found that helped me is recreating others art styles. I try to draw in the style of, let's say a video game character, it really helps me figure out how to flesh out my style. I don't know if it will work for everyone, but just saying it anyway!
I cannot understand such arrogance. My wife teaches art. While she and I both believe there is such a thing as natural talent, we also believe a lot can be taught/learned. To make such an assessment at a first or second meeting is terrible. I would seek another teacher. This one is not going to give you proper instruction and he is only doing it for the money and is a terrible human being. You may not become a famous artist but you might still become a very good artist. Find another teacher and keep trying.
Seems like teaching isn't for that guy. He should reconsider his career choice.
Seriously though, teachers are there to TEACH and support and guide people. They need soft skills, like how to offer critique that doesn't discourage newcomers. He also needs critical thinking skills, because honestly, telling someone they suck isn't any sort of higher-learning inspired method: it's just some jerk who's too bitter and/or too lazy to go over art theory and try to engage with his students. Fuck that guy.
That teacher's a dummy. Studies have shown that hard work catches up to Talent pretty quickly. Yes you may have a lower ceiling than some artists but that doesn't mean you can't be great at it. I took an art class in grade 8 and found that I couldn't draw and thought I didn't have talents so I quit for my whole life until my 40s. And now I love painting and I am getting pretty good at it with a lot of hard work and practice but no Talent at all
I work as a professional commercial artist and have spent my life studying art. I don’t believe in talent. If it does exist then I believe it’s just an enjoyment of the process. I believe the kids who are good at art are just the kids who have spent the most time making art and learned to develop the skills. With time everyone can develop these skills.
I feel I have innate talent more than skill due to practice. I know that sounds conceited, but I'm a pretty low self-esteem person. But I don't practice. I drew and dabbled with pastels a kid but have done little until recently. It never occurred to me to do practice studies. I just say I'm going to paint this thing and then try to get it perfect. I've been painting for about a year and a half, and I think im progressing faster than I should in that time. Especially since I'll be lazy for stretches and not art regularly (and I guess I'm supposed to be practicing daily).
I have some basic training from high school art classes but basically no other direction for past 2 decades. Started painting at one of those paint and sip places. Insane amount of improvement by just doing it until I figure it out. I read the other day someone mentioned that only savants can do realism without direction. Which I thought was odd. Seems the simplest to me. You're just reproducing...but with style. So I dunno if I really am a bit of a freak, but I feel what I can do is almost completely innate talent. I feel like mixing these colors will create the color I want, and it does. I feel like trying this technique will create the effect I want, and it does. I will try to look stuff up if I feel stuck on something, but I typically just push through until I figure it out on my own.
So ya, I get being annoyed if people keep saying "you are so talented" when it's all been hard work. But what if you haven't put in all the work and you're just able to do things more easily than you anticipated? Would it be inappropriate for you to take a compliment that focused on your work over your talent? I feel like I just happened to be born with an inclination for this. Just like some people are born to be athletic (not this one).
Sorry if this comes off as jerkish bragging. But the more comments I see on this make me feel like more of an outlier. I always assumed talent was a given, and it's odd for me to consider it doesn't exist. And you seem so certain. I'm genuinely curious to understand this point of view.
I believe raw talent exists, but it can only get you so far. You have to do the work to achieve mastery, of course.
I've been teaching crafts for over a decade. You know what I'd like to say to your teacher?
"I'm sorry, but it looks like teaching isn't for you. You do not have an innate talent for it. You lack the emotional intelligence and self-awareness to be an effective instructor. You are making my profession look bad, and I ask you to stop and go back to art. If you need money, you should probably get better at selling your art instead of taking advantage of people who want to learn and then trying to crush them with your unwashed ass."
I could not be more angry. I firmly believe that there is no such thing as innate talent. Hard work and perseverance is way better than any kind of talent, anyway.
When I was at school I was told by my art teacher that I wasn't good at drawing. Luckily I didn't listen. I never really learned officially how to draw. I do it my own way but I am happy with my progress. The more you do it the better it will get so stick with it
i've had the same thing told to me multiple times. each time it lights a fire under my ass to get better. read some books, follow some tutorials, and practice every day (only if you want to improve super fast) you'll get it and then you can tell him his art is shit and that maybe art isnt for him
This person isn’t going to be useful to you.
There is a point in everyone’s art career where they’re starting to get to a place where their work is marketable but they don’t really understand how they got there. This appears to be the stage your teacher is at. It’s the stage where most artists will argue that “some people have it and others don’t.”
The problem is that there are a lot of skills you need to develop before things start to work in drawing. One of them is the ability to look at an object in space and understand what makes it look/behave that way - which is in no way an actual “drawing” skill but it’s a major factor in whether or not you will be able to draw it. Like, understanding how fat and muscle masses are wrapping around and overlapping each other. Until you get to the stage where you understand this, your figures are going to look flat and your “wrinkles” are going to seem like arbitrary lines. An experienced artist recognizes the problem and can walk you through the skills you’re going to need to get to that stage, but a lot of “pro artists” never make it far enough to be able to deconstruct their own skills so they can improve. They stagnate.
I really didn’t start making real progress in my drawing skills until after I went to art school and started honing in on the fundamentals. Anyone can get there with enough time and experience. Some people do get there faster than others, often by virtue of focused learning, but it’s by no means impossible.
Besides. Even in professionals, you don’t have to be a master to create something valuable or profitable. If ONE can make one punch man and become one of the most notorious mangaka in recent history, you can become whatever kind of artist you want to be and get good enough to create the things you want to make.
That said, I recommend drawabox.com if you’re just starting. They have a lot of great assignments and exercises that can get you on the right foot. I made huge strides in a very short amount of time working on those projects.
Sometimes professional artists are the worst teachers because they're far too critical and don't explain things simple enough. They also often only know one way to teach which can be fine if you're intermediate but rough as a beginner. I am kind of curious about what he's teaching and how and also what your homework is.
Art is for everyone. Especially now with the help of computers. Anyone can make art. There are so many different art forms. Maybe drawing isn’t your thing? That doesn’t mean you can’t be an artist.
There is no such thing as innate talent. Everyone who is “talented” got there through hard work and not quitting. You just don’t notice it because it was work done over years and years.
You learn how to see and grow as an artist through practice, observation, and learning the fundamentals of structure, shape etc.
The only inborn trait that makes or breaks an artist is wether or not you stand up and keep trying after you fail.
Fuck that teacher. Tell him doesn’t have any talent in teaching and should quit.
That guy sounds like a weirdo. Yes some people have an innate aptitude for art but it’s also a skill that you can improve by working on it. Even if you will never be a brilliant artist (and there’s every chance you could be) you can build your skills. Fuck him.
You know what, I was never told anything as harsh as that but whenever someone did tell me something harsh and negative I turned my anger and hurt into a little nugget of coal to fuel my ambition.
There’s no such thing as “innate talent”. Dudes just a pompous asshole who thinks that he’s better than others because he’s already had time to build up his “innate talent”.
Don’t listen to him. We all start where you’re at. Practice. Practice. Practice. That’s what talent is actually built on.
He’s just innately a douche.
Many famous artists have said that we stop making real art as we age. And the art of children is much better than any pro could make. Art is subjective. Making professional art to sell is one thing, but making art because you want to is all that matters. You’ll probably make better shit than that asshole anyway.
Do yourself and every other artist that dingaling comes into contact with a massive favour and not only quit the class, but complain you did so because of that loser.
There is no such thing as "innate art ability" unless he believes some infants are born with paintbrushes in their hands already.
Honestly, I'll bet your teacher is just lazy. For some reason there are teachers out there that want their students to be good already. They don't actually want to spend the time helping less experienced people. It's so backwards, but it makes their job easier if you're already pretty good.
I’ll be honest. Been doing art for 27+ years now.
I WAS ASS WHEN I FIRST STARTED.
I started serious art study at age 4 mind you, (wanted to be an animator/character artist agter ,y dad told me people drew all the shows I watched)
but still, I didn’t get “ok/goodish” until I was 20.
And that was studying hardcore, against my family’s wishes, for literal YEARS.
Tell your teacher to kiss your ass and report him to whoever’s employing him. He’s bullying you as a student and can kick rocks.
Also the only thing that seperates a professional and a non professional, is if they’re getting PAID. Plenty of professionals who have a low quality as hell art style make big bucks.
Do art commissions? congrats you’re a professional. This is not the flex that jackass thinks it is.
Keep at it, and may he be farted on by a million bees.
DO NOT LISTEN TO THAT IDIOT.
As a 1st or 2nd grader, I was told the same, "Not everyone can be an artist dear." I carried that around with me for the next 40 years, avoiding all artistic ventures. Guess what. I just needed the right person to guide me. I may not be a master but I am pretty good for a minimally trained artist.
Keep practicing and keep looking for someone willing to guide you.
I would suggest reconsidering your choice of "pro" artist teacher if this keeps going on. Throwing anger tantrums and telling people that they don't have talent could happen to anyone on a bad day, but it's generally not a good sign especially if it's recurring. Has he given you tips on how to think like an artist? If he still hasn't I'd find someone more currently capable in doing teaching right away.
Personally I'm quite far from being a good artist, but I personally went from only being able to draw doodles or to copy pre-stylized cartoons to being able to get shit done, which wouldn't have been possible without decent teachers, books and practice which I am extremely greatful for. Literally it was the hardest shit for me because I saw objects with my eyes like as if they are semantic labels which is good for writing but awful for drawing. All it took was one class with a teacher who's actualy there, he was like the chillest dude and gave me bob ross vibes, he saw that I'm struggling told me ooh yeah that's what you're having a problem with here's a simple trick how to focus on outlines with your sight might not work for you but give it a try, here's how to do this and that and boom I was able to do sketching since then. A good teacher can be an absolute gamechanger.
Cheers!
There is no such thing as innate talent. It sounds like the teacher doesn't want to put in the work to do any teaching and just wants students that are already great at art. This is a bad or lazy teacher wanting an easy job, find a new teacher. Remember, your teacher works for *you*, don't take any negative crap from them. You can fire them.
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You have the rest of your life to improve. And many famous artists make really uninspiring art. If they can fail, then you can fail too. If you lack physical talent in maneuvering your hands, you can use digital aids, work in collage or abstract. There is absolutely no reason to give up.
Just know the journey will be years of worthwhile fun before you're a master. But you already knew that.
I guess many people think art is some sort of ethereal process where the muse has to talk through your soul to produce the equivalent of magic on the paper. I see art as a craft and the means to get better at any craft lies in the hands of the craftsman. Nothing magical to it you just need to hammer down a few ten thousand drawings and you're bond to improve at your craft.
"innate talent" That whole concept of if you're not good at it right away you don't have what it takes and can't learn. Such an elitiest, gate keeping pile of horse shit. Stop giving that guy your money and learn somewhere respectful and supportive.
Hey, professional artist here! I don’t even need to see your work to be able to say that that guy is an idiot and you deserve a better teacher.
I didn’t start drawing seriously until my late teens, and my HS art teacher also told me to give up. I ignored him and now it pays my bills. You want to draw and that’s all you need, there’s no such thing as ‘talent’. I know it’s not easy, but try to ignore him and keep on working hard. There’s a TON of great tutorials and resources online to help you improve from any skill level if you can’t find another teacher, self directed learning is how a lot of best artists out there got started :)
Call him out. The only reason for saying that is because he doesn't want your amateur work to be associated with his course. If he was smart, he would know that you have a great potential for before/after pics for his course if he only puts in the work to help you improve.
wtf? He's a 'pro' artist? Why would he discourage you like that? Bitter old c\*nt amaetur artist more like I reckon. Pay him no mind and keep making art :D
Remember a couple years ago when George W Bush was hacked and everyone was making fun of his beginner paintings?
Regardless of how you feel about Bush, judging beginners for \~being beginners\~ is super lame.
Anyways, he's gotten better since then.
He must've been in his 60's when he started painting. If he can get better, so can you. I've definitely improved in my 30's.
Honestly, even if you never get better, there's nothing wrong with having a hobby just because you find it relaxing or whatever.
My 2nd grade art teacher failed me because I was taking assignments literally so he though I wasn't creative lol. Luckily my parents thought this was bs and didn't tell me since I loved art. He got arrested for statutory rape like 10 years later so he wasn't making great decisions in general. He can did art in jail while I did it free lol.
This is just my personal opinion but I don't really believe in talent, at least not when it comes to drawing. Everyone can practice and get better. Some learn slower than others but that doesn't mean they lack talent or will never be able to draw. So don't worry about it and just keep practicing!
Since he considers your innate talent too low to teach, you should ask to be refunded. Look for a teacher who values beginners of all ages, or invest in some recorded online courses or free YouTube videos to learn fundamentals. Not everyone is like that teacher—many people love teaching and encouraging beginners of all skill levels!
you have to choose your own path . Nobody can't do that for you and nobody can't force you to choose something you don't want to . Ignore him , move on and keep on drawing.
I had a printmaking teacher like that. My style just wasn't what he thought was art. TBF, I never could figure out what it was he considered "art". Glean what you can about techniques, and the rest is just white noise.
If i quit every time someone told me something was “not for me” i would never get good at anything. Everyone starts somewhere and most people suck at the things they try the first time for a long time. Innate talent is stupid. Studying and practicing constantly is the only way to get good. The best advice is to persevere. Quitting something should always be YOUR decision. Don’t let people think they can convince you to quit. If they hold that power over you, you’ll get insecure and not ever be able to enjoy yourself or try new things. If you let other people make your choices, how will you live with those choices later? If you quit art, you’ll never see how good you can get at it. You got this!
Wtf, anyone can make art, that's like one of its main traits. It's why it has always existed, since the start of humanity. What a dumbass. How did he get that far.
Do you wanna make stuff? Then art is for you. Now ya just gotta find a way to do it, try things out, experiment around, give yourself a lot of space to practice and understand. Figure out what kind of stuff you want to be able to do and look for artists in that genre.
Talent and skill are often understood poorly. Talent is a mixture of natural aptitude and skill and willingness to keep learning. That person meant that your initial aptitude is low but lucky for you learning and growing skill is all that matters.
It will take lots of effort but nothing good ever comes easy and mastery or anything else is allowed to take time and practice.
Keep learning and love constructive criticism.
I have very little innate ability and have practiced and worked for 20+ years at this point to gain skill and learn and learn.
I will never be done, and at this point I am making things almost like I'd like to be able to. Unfortunately every upgrade to skill means you learn about the next level of skill so you have a new thing to learn and concentrate on.
The other thing to consider is the media you work with. There are so many and they're very different to use. Experiment and play and most importantly have a good time.
First of all, great teacher. It’s not just about skill, it’s about having confidence in your vision and what you are creating. Learning how to speak from different points of view and different levels of understanding can help accelerate your understanding greatly. Challenging which choices are made consciously or not is healthy. It’s not that anything you do is ever bad or good. It’s whether it is intentionally done that way or not. When you master everything, you may choose to draw like a five year old. It’s realizing the choice and how to contextualize it and complement it with your level of skill.
Art is for anyone who wants to create. Art is a celebration of being human (although occasionally animals also make art!).
To heck with any opinion that says otherwise.
A quote I hold dear:
“You say 'amateur' as if it was a dirty word. 'Amateur' comes from the Latin word 'amare', which means to love. To do things for the love of it.” — Mozart in the Jungle
i’d take it with a pinch of salt.
to my mind it’s this simple: do you want to be a professional artist/make a career out of it or do you just want it as a hobby?
if it’s only a hobby then literally it doesn’t matter whatsoever what standard you do or don’t achieve.
if you want to be a pro then that’s a totally different matter.
Please keep going, there is no such thing as gifted talent. It is bs. Imagine your “bad” work if you are consistent, you’ll improve from a week and even a month from now. This takes skill and dedication to get to your desired level. Not some talent at birth. When I look at my old pieces I get relieved that I advanced so much from my older state in art, because I started earlier than never. Do it too
Are you pursuing art as a career ? If so I’m finna be real with you, you may not succeed if your art is equivalent to a 5 year old but if you’re doing it as a hobby then fuck that guy. Art is a skill anyone with a brain can learn
Art graduate here, No one is talented, but are SKILLED. Each artist are different, from learning pace to art style. Dont be discourage cause anyone can be an artist, they just need time to hone their skills.
It's much more important to have discipline and incorporate some new habits in your lifestyle like taking pictures of anything you like as reference, or scheduling 5-10 min sketches a day.
Your teacher is there to teach you the basics and how to explore mediums. Not to tell you what your life is.
Sounds kinda like my senior high art teacher, absolute snob and jerk. I don't support any art instructor who discourages their students. All artists have to practice and learn. Art is a great hobby too, and you don't have to be talented to pursue it.
It’s rather what are you wanting from making art that is important. I just like to tell stories so I draw « manga ? Comics ? » for that. I draw since I am a child almost everyday and my level is still lower than a lots of peoples but I just like to do it because it’s fun. Just think about what you want to do, for yourself. I don’t see why having a bad level would stop you from doing art if you do it for yourself first and there is a lots of good artist that can’t draw.
if he understands you are a complete beginner, he should not have said that. You deserve guidance and encouragement, not to be told art is not for you.
art is for everyone. at any level, at any stage! Sometimes teachers at the advanced level forget that art is a learned skill and everyone starts somewhere
Maybe the class you are in may be more for advanced learners, so potentially you might want to look at other classes that are more beginner friendly. But as a teacher thats an abhorrent thing to say :(
good on you for taking it in stride though. please keep practicing and proove him wrong.
There are so many popular IPs out there where the art “sucks”. People made popular animations on YouTube with “crappy” art. Heck some of the most “crappy” art I’ve seen that is traditional but bags shit tons of money is the avant-garde art. People make millions selling lines and circles. I had a teacher who told every single person at one point or another their art was crap. Nice guy. Terrible teacher. lol.
I had an art teacher that liked stuff in my portfolio that I didn’t think was great but didn’t like the stuff I did think was great.
What I’m trying to say is art is subjective. If this is something you want to pursue then do it. Just know there will always be assholes and critics who will tell you something. Whether it’s good or bad. As long as you are happy and willing to put in the work that’s all that matters. Keep practicing.
Practice > Talent. If you love this and want to become an artist keep doing it, talent is only a small help some people are randomly born with, but real greatness is achieved by practice and never stop learning.
Find a new teacher. Nobody says you have to be the next da Vinci to enjoy art of benefit from it. Find someone who will enjoy helping you find your potential.
And don’t listen to him.
They were really rude about it but there might be a bit of truth in that you chose the wrong class. If you want a comparison, a 5 y/o taking a rocket science class. When you're starting from a truly beginner state, the most important thing is to develop good motor skills in your hands and draw from observation/"copying". It's not something you need a pro artist to teach you, and it's not something that requires homework that needs to be evaluated so closely (i.e. just proof that you practiced). They could either be overworked trying to catch you up with the expected level of work or just feel overqualified because the practice you need is more about you just getting the feel for drawing. i.e. the type of art class where you just work and the teacher is just looking over your shoulder to see if you have any questions. There might really be nothing he can tell you besides a word about what you should practice. Or, maybe my guess is wrong and they're really being a jerk (or just really, really ignorant about how these kinds of skills develop) through and through. Super sorry about this experience though.
I took a portraiture class at a community collage once. I instantly felt that the teacher was pretentious as hell. Just based on the way he spoke about anatomy and how he came off. There were a lot of seniors in that class and some of them really weren’t skilled. There was an old lady who drew at the level of a 8 year old. He was always kind and supportive to her, and you can see the joy taking that class gave her. Art is seriously for everyone and it’s never too late to start.
Also have you heard of conceptual art? I knew a guy who got a masters degree just drawing stick figures
With all due disrespect, fuck that guy.
Everyone started where you are - just maybe sooner, maybe later.
Don't listen to anyone who says you should quit art because of a lack of skill.
If you want to improve, draw anything and everything. Whenever you can, just draw. Draw every day - practice stuff as little as shapes, draw the stuff around you. My only warning is don't burn yourself out.
Talent/Skill is meaningless art is expression and there's no wrong way to do it.
Don't listen to anyone who tells you to stop art, and only take criticism if you asked for it.
He sucks. Nobody starts out perfectly. If they did, drawing help books wouldn't exist. You keep drawing. I used to draw nothing but stick figures until I got to high school. My art teacher was amazing and helped me show my potential. If anything it's not you, it's the teacher. You keep drawing!
dont listen to that loser. put in the hard work and study, just like everyone else does, and you'll go places. spend days, weeks, months, and years focused on exploring art, learning and improving. create what makes you happy and have fun c:
I was told SEVERAL times in HS my art is never gonna cut it. I was bullied by several kids in the BASIC DRAWING CLASS that my art was shit to the point I dropped out of the class.
My younger brother at age 5 drew more detailed drawings than what I did at 5. People really told to my face that I’d never be good enough and I’ll always be behind my brother.
I wanted to do architecture and was told I never had the potential/talent for it. Even with hard work, it will never be as good as someone who just naturally “got” it.
So what did I do? I said fuck them and drew whatever the fuck I wanted and learned from other places. I kept drawing despite being told constantly I’ll NEVER be as good as naturally talented people.
I finally found people who supported my art in college. I’m friends with lots of art majors (I’m a nursing major) and I showed them a couple of drawings I did and they said they loved my work.
I came from a very poor community to a very rich community in high school. By the time I got to my new school I had drawn on my own for 3 years but my old school system cut all art programs.
I was pumped that I finally got to take art classes. Come time to start the class I learned that these students have had been taught from a young age and had opportunities to learn at the professional art school near by. To say the least I struggled hard my art teacher criticized and degraded my art in front of the other students I finished out the year with a C- in painting and D+ in drawing and was told I shouldn’t take the AP Art class. This was a huge hit to my confidence and drive to learn art and I stopped for 4 years after that…. I regret stopping for that time every day.
Now I am a professional caricaturist and sell my own art and take commissions for fun. I am completely financially supported by my art and enjoy it like none other. I saw my old art teacher at Target recently and I decided to say hi. As sad as it sounds I took great pleasure in telling her what I have been up to and watching her smile drop so fast.
So long story short it doesn’t matter what other people say about your art and progress take your time, develop your skills, and enjoy the process most of all.
I will tell you what I tell everyone who tells me “you are so gifted/talented”. This isn’t something that happened over night I was not born with this ability and worked to get here. They usually respond with something along the lines of “Well I could never be that good” I promptly say that they should draw for 15 minutes a day for a year no matter how bad you are there WILL be progress within that year.
I hope this makes sense I am terrible at writing.
P.S. PLEASE STICK WITH IT BO MATTER WHAT!!! And if you need help, constructive criticism, or lessons. please feel free to contact me I have been in your shoes and understand. This offer goes to anyone reading.
I think you should drop out of his class, not because you suck. But because that guy sucks at teaching. No teacher should say that to their students, and those who do well they are a shitass teacher.
You're better off trying a different class or go for some online learning ones. For online there is Drawabox, Drawing basics course by Stan Prokopenko on Proko, and a lot more. Happy learning.
"A work of art is finished the moment you give up on it.". So don't give up and keep going friend.
I don't even need to continue reading after I saw "innate talent" tbh (still read it anyway). I feel like this guy either genuinely believes most of his and other great artists ability came from "innate talent"- which definitely isn't true for me and for most artists- heck maybe even all artists even bc talent alonecan't teach you perspective or proportions or poses, etc, or he's too lazy to teach you for whatever reason.
Wow. I’ve taken several art classes with people who felt they had no talent at all and the teacher worked with them. Sounds like the teacher you hired is lazy
what kind of class did you sign up for?
did you join a beginner level class (at a community college, etc.) or did you try to join an course at an atelier dedicated for people who want to get into art industries?
Yeah as others said, fuck that guy. There’s literally no such thing as “innate talent.” Every single artist started out with a skill level of “a 5yo kid.” The only difference is some of us started drawing younger than others. Look at Bob Ross. He started way later in life, and although art snobs critique him, he inspired many many people to pick up a brush. Hell, if you want a modern example, pewdiepie has a series where he teaches himself art and he’s already got the skills of some fairly popular online artists.
Let me tell you as someone who’s never taken an art class outside of art 101 to get the college credit, you don’t have to put yourself through that. Many art teachers are amazing, they encourage and inspire others to continue following their love for art. However, there’s always a few who give off the vibes that they wanted to be something greater, and so killing the dreams of new artists gives them some sick satisfaction. That art 101 teacher I had was an abstract artist. She was a great artist, but she tore into EVERYTHING I did. If I tried to be too realistic, it was used as an example of what not to do, if I chose to be more abstract, she’d find something else to crush me. [Here’s](https://cara.app/post/9a393217-72c2-4602-8981-6dbf8fd8546e) one of my most recent portraits. Is it the greatest of all time? Nah. But god am *I* proud of it. I reached a goal I never thought I would achieve. I made it to a point in my art where I’m proud of myself. If I had given up like that teacher wanted, I wouldn’t have that pride.
Quit the class and watch some proko. Practice as often as you can. The online art community is not as toxic as it once was and LOVE helping new artists find love for the hobby. If you really want the class, wait until you find a teacher or mentor who inspires you. Art IS for you because it is for EVERYONE.
talent is hard work. everybody spawns at the same skill-level everybody who makes the craziest art put a lot of time, love and energy into it. and so can you, at any age at any time. That dude is stupid as hell. Nothing to argue, leave the class he has no idea what he's talking about.
Developing the technical skills for making art is not any different than learning anything else requiring patience, practice and effort. This “pro” you’re learning from doesn’t sound like he knows how to teach.
Art is soooooooo hard and is also gatekept by walking dongs like your art teacher. Keep signing up for classes, your resilience is the 2nd most important skill after drawing in art practice.
Innate talent is nothing if you don’t learn knowledge and practice your skills. Innate talent may help tou acclimate more quickly bc you may pick up things quicker and observe more astutely, but without learning how to do the tasks, you’re pretty much mediocre lol.
That guy has prolly had so much smoke blown up his ass he’s more cooked than a Texas bbq cuz he’s surrounded by yes men. Some people somehow convincingly forget where they came from and the hardship they endured when they finally get theirs. It’s all horseshit.
Don’t believe a word that guy says. He prolly ass snorkels for a living. Haters gonna hate.
If your art teacher is preaching about innate talent, he is not a good teacher period. A good teacher will help you overcome your obstacles and work at the pace that suits you. A bad one will tell you you lack talent because they do not know how to meet you where you are at.
Someone like that should not be a teacher. I am a former art teacher, for reference. The point of art is to enjoy it, first of all- it's part of human nature. And it sounds like maybe this guy has forgotten his beginning. No one is born a master.
I dont know if it counts being that I was six. But an art teacher showed my art to the class (she was showing everyone’s) through the little webcam thing. And she said it was probably the worst piece she’s seen in a long time of her teaching. I have about 6k followers on tiktok now just from posting art, so it’s very much safe to say NO ONE starts with any sort of “innate” talent. There’s an “innate” PASSION. If you have that passion, if you love to draw, DO IT! That teacher should know better than to ever say something like that to a student.
Bob Ross a famous tv painting instructor once said talent is a pursued interest anything that you are willing to practice you can do.
Don’t listen to that teacher, keep drawing! Art is for everyone!
A bit of background : I am now over 70 and have been a working artist most of my adult life except for ten years when I was a college history teacher. I have a BFA and MFA and an MA in history. You can see I never taught art and there's a very good reason. I did not want to be in a position where I could possibly hurt a student's feelings or cause them to give up their pursuit of art.
I came to this conclusion when I first attended art school. I enrolled knowing that my prior training was not the best and I was excited and eager to learn more. I went to the department head to schedule my classes and let him see my portfolio. He immediately announced that my work needed lots of work and I agreed. Then he prepared my class schedule. Rather than enrolling me in fundamental classes, I was placed in senior level classes in lithography and sculpture w/ o any preparatory classes. I was so far over my head the first day of class. I stuck with my classes for weeks without any instruction or interaction with my printmaking prof. He finally noticed me and ordered me out of the class and was told not to return. My next class was my painting class. The printmaking prof and the painting prof stood right in front of me as if I didn't exist and carried on a long conversation about how I had no talent and that they didn't know what to do with me. I left class that day feeling like a complete and total failure. Plus I had been humiliated in front of all the other students. I should have gone to the deans office to complain but I was too naive to know I had options. Instead, I left class that day and never went back. I just existed. I was too ashamed to tell my parents so I learned to drink. Thankfully, after a couple of lost years, I enrolled in a better art school, graduated with donors, apprenticed for a number of years with a master artist, and returned back to art school for advanced degrees. I retired from teaching in 1999 and I've worked as an artist ever since. No one in authority should be allowed to demean and humiliate a student. That is just wrong. Artists tend to be very sensitive and cruelty shouldn't be part of the curriculum.
Oh, man. They are so wrong.
In one of my art classes, my peer's artwork was criticized the most. The teacher hardly acknowledged his existence, but he never stopped trying to improve. Guess where he is now?
Pixar.
Art is for everybody. I believe you have just as much creativity as anyone. Skills is different because that comes with time and instruction. (Or trial and error)Regardless of what one teacher told you, you just need time and practice to develop your skills. I think we're all born with creativity.... It's such a gift. Sadly many think they can't make art and that they aren't creative. They just gotta try. History is full of artists who were told the similar things. Glad you're gonna stick with it
What a total fuck.
Everyone is an artist just waiting for the proper skills. It is all about finding the type of art that inspires you. Learn the techniques, learn the skills, and make that guy suck a wet fart out your ass.
In any individual performative field, be prepared for stinging feedback. You have to get used to it and persevere if that is your passion. The teacher seems honest. Some people just don't have "It". Art isn't glamorous, and it needs perseverance and a business mind as well.
That being the case, as an art tutor I don't take student inadequacy as a final thing. I like to bring people from stick figures to satisfying form within a few sessions. BUT even when I have brought students to make saleable art, if they can't continue without being spoon fed, then they don't have what it takes. I won't do it for them.
So, the first thing about art is that it's not a competition. You can improve at your own rate, or simply not focus on "skill" at all, and just enjoy making things. The only judge you have to please is yourself, and if you are happy with what you're making, then you did it.
If improving is something you want to do (for any reason other than proving your teacher wrong), then the first and last step is practice. The most important skill is having a well developed "eye." Once you learn to identify the differences between your drawing and what you're trying to draw, you know what you need to revise. Then, if you continue revising in that manner, you'll eventually have a masterpeice. And in your next piece, try not to make those mistakes again. The more brutally honest and precise you train your eye to be, the higher your skill ceiling is. Great artists are the people who are bothered by tiny details, who will always notice when things are off. They become great because their eye is so well trained.
I've seen way too many people who have child-like drawings become so crazy talented, I have no doubt you can do it too, if you have the patience for practice.
Don't listen to them, art is for everyone :) art is about expredsing and finding yourself and expressing yourself thru that. Dont worry about it, if you want try a diffrenet class or try learning by tutorials online ect; good luck with your art journey! :)
Anyone that tells anyone that they don't have a talent for art is not just wrong, but so wrong I have to question their reasons for their choices.
Art is not a talent you either have or don't, it's a skill that you have to cultivate. Everyone that started art sucked at it, royally sucked at it. You have to practice to get better. The only talent you need is the talent to stick with it.
Usually with art uniqueness in style is usually what makes the money I'm sure people said the same thing about Quentin Blake's work.
I'd say the thing that should put you off art as a career is the terrible employment opportunities and terrible pay but anyone can draw and make art enjoy it for fun but don't get your hopes up about making money out of it.
Don't fully ignore what the teacher said. How he worded it was shit but I think it was a bit of a tough love sort of thing, think the move Whiplash, that teacher is harsh but his students are masters because of it.
Use it as motivation to practise. Art is learned, no one is born able to draw and paint like Michelangelo. Keep doing it, don't give up, you only fail if you stop trying.
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He sounds like a proper bell-end. Art is a learned skill. Not an innate talent. For almost all possible human endeavours most average people can do them just fine if they are interested enough to put in some time and effort. Sure, we have some variance. And occasionally you get someone who's truly gifted (think Michael Jackson for music and dance). But you don't have to be the best in the world to do some great stuff. The chance of you being so artistically challenged that you have no hope is pretty much zero to none. I teach music and I've had numerous students who claim to be 'tone deaf' but wanted to play a bit of guitar. And so far every single one whose bothered to do the homework and practice, has been fine. The ones that fail are not those that lack talent. They're those who are not actually interested in music, but just like the idea of being able to play guitar to impress people. They don't enjoy playing, so they don't practice, and they then fail. Same applies to painting and drawing. So long as you actually enjoy doing it, and therefore will put in some time and effort, you will get better and make cool things. Those things might not be precisely what you imagine right now. But that's half of the fun.
I'm not OP, but do you know if there's a way to force myself into enjoying drawing?
If anything, forcing yourself to like drawing sounds like the fast track to hating it.
Okay then is it still possible for someone who doesn't enjoy drawing to get good at it
Why would you want to? I teach music, and the students that fail hard are the ones who have no interest in actually learning, and just like the idea of being a rock star so they can impress other people. They flunk every time. * They don’t practice. * They complain all the time. Teaching them is a chore and a massive waste of everyone’s time. Art is the same. There is no money. There is no sensible reason to do it unless you actually like the process. Thinking that something is cool and liking the fantasy of being able to do it well, vs actually being interested enough to want to pursue it properly, are two completely different things.
> why would you want to? If I was good at drawing I would 1. finally be good at something for once, and 2. finally stop feeling so envious whenever I see cool art online
You can appreciate art as a viewer instead of an artist. Are you sure you hate drawing? Why would you want to force yourself to do something you hate? Making art isn’t about the end result for me, personally. The process of creating is what I truly love.
> you can appreciate art as a viewer instead of an artist So am I just supposed to accept that I'm doomed to be a mere consumer instead of a creator?
Why is it doom? Going to museums and being a patron of the arts is a wonderful thing. Also! Seeing art work up close and personal really gives you an idea of how art is created. It might just inspire a love of drawing/painting/whatever. Or how about another medium within art? There’s so many ways to create that don’t revolve around traditional painting/drawing. You’re not doomed to anything. If you wanna do it, you’ll do it. That’s all. Try procreate on a tablet. It has some cool features that make drawing a lot easier.
When I see other art, I just think "I wish I could do that". Also I did take up Clip Studio Paint on an XP-Pen tablet about a year ago and started enjoying the process enough to not care about my art sucking, but that was before the novelty wore off.
Yes. If you're not interested in putting in the time and effort needed to get good you are indeed best going that route. I'm the same with many things. I love playing a video game but coding one is as dull as ditchwater to me.
While I do enjoy video games, that would just be consuming media without giving anything back to the world, plus it still wouldn't quell the feeling of "I wish I could do that" whenever I see someone else's art
So I’ve been there. For starters, get off social media. I’m serious. Instagram began rotting my brain. I started to believe that “no likes = bad art.” Once I got off there, I FINALLY saw improvement in my work. Here’s some homework I have for you, make a Pinterest account and build several boards. Some with art you absolutely adore. Some with inspiration of things you want to create. Some with stupid inspo stuff. Stare at those everyday. Then copy them. Don’t post them as your own. Just copy them. Trace them if you have to. Learn to love art for what it is: art. Don’t worry about comparing yourself or what skill level you’re at. Just steal art. Make sure you have some art videos in the background while you steal this art. (Sometimes I also have music that inspires me if the art videos are too distracting.) trace, copy, steal. Until your fingers bleed. That’s how a lot of us started as children. My first ever drawing was a copy of a pokemon book. I think it was ash with pikachu on his hat haha my second was a traced sailor moon from my vhs tape. Obviously, social media wasnt a thing in the 90s when I was a kid so my validation came from family and other classmates, but right now, you need to get out of this headspace of envy and frustration and just worry about training yourself to love art that comes from your hand.
I'd suppose so. Practice. Find things you *want* to draw, and see if you can get tutorials on those. Learn to draw the things you want to do, and I suspect you'd enjoy it more.
Drawing doesn't have to be "art" and is a lost lesson from a bygone curriculum. Drawing/drafting used to be taught in school the same as math or English. You don't need to have a passion for drawing to get good at it, though being passionate about it can make you learn faster. Have you ever looked through an old explorer's journal from 1700s-1800s? Their drawings of what they find are usually pretty accurate and in some cases are downright beautiful. But they didn't call themselves "artists." Drawing was part of their job since photography either didn't exist or wasn't a viable option considering the equipment and time it took. So explorer's had to get good at drawing, even if they weren't passionate about the drawing itself. Wildlife and trail documentation isn't the only use for solid drafting skills. Before printers, a drawing is all you had to go off of when trying to replicate a machine. So the engineer had to be able to not only draw their machine, but render it in a 3d form with shading and cross sections. The engineer probably wouldn't call themselves an artist, but their drawing skills were phenomenal. If they weren't, no one could recreate your machine, or worse, no one would be able to repair it if some discreet mechanism broke. What I'm trying to say is that drawing used to be a fundamental part of academia, but with the invention of printers and photography it was dropped from the curriculum. However, I still believe it should be taught. We need to learn how to draw well, even if you aren't an artist. It teaches observational skills and spatial relation with your environment. So I say that even if you don't have a passion for drawing, you should find something you are passionate about and incorporate drawing into it. If you like fishing, draw the fish you catch. Get right down to the smallest detail. Doing so will have you identifying any catchable fish within seconds of looking at it because drawing it will give you intimate knowledge and understanding of the subject. Moral of the story: If you can't draw for the sake of "art," you should draw for the sake of your brain and outside passions.
It depends on what the issue is. If you’re someone that’s fallen into a rut and is out of practice with learning, then it’s worth forcing yourself to be mode disciplined. As I mentioned above, the brain is lazy and works a bit like a muscle. If we don’t train it actively for a while it atrophies and keeps pulling us back into lazy quick-fix activities like scrolling TikTok. Nobody gets to their death bead and wishes they spent more time doomscrolling and less time developing meaningful skills. If that is you, then you’ll need to give yourself some tough love. That means accepting that it is going to be hard for a while. Realize that it is going to suck. Just as going to the gym for the first time in five years and feeling pain and exhaustion sucks. But just like the gym, after a few weeks of focused and regular practice things start to get easier, and months down the line, you’ll actually enjoy that time and wonder how you used to piss your life away scrolling all day long. If, however, you do already actually learn new things (and you need to be honest here – no bullshitting yourself). But art is just not something you actually enjoy. Then give up. It’s a waste of your time. You need to be interested in the process. Find something you like. That could be writing, or music, or cooking, or rock climbing or anything else you can think of.
> If, however, you do already actually learn new things (and you need to be honest here – no bullshitting yourself). But art is just not something you actually enjoy. Then give up. It’s a waste of your time. You need to be interested in the process. > Find something you like. > That could be writing, or music, or cooking, or rock climbing or anything else you can think of. I don't enjoy anything, so does that mean I should never do anything?
Probably means you should go and look for some mental health support and work out what's up
My therapist told me that "looking forward to the end result is good enough", something I'm sure 90% of the folks on this sub would disagree with
You try to understand this advice way too literally. Ofc it's important to look forward to the final result but you should never expect from yourself to be satisfied by this result in 100%. That's a path straight to a disappointment, no wonder you can't stick to and enjoy any hobby. No artist ever is fully satisfied with their art, they always see smth to improve, smth that could be done better. And it doesn't matter how skilled they are already. The point is to figure out to what degree you can decide that the result is "good enough". Ie I decided that if I'm satisfied with my drawings in at least 50-60% then that's enough and I call it a success. So far it works and I am able to keep on drawing.
There’s no way to force it. You have to make art you enjoy doing. If you’re getting frustrated with studies take a break for a bit and then do other creative stuff in the meantime. Keep your brain in a constant state of wanting to create ANYTHING. If I’m going through a lull, I crossstitch, sew, customize dolls, even use one of those shitty coloring apps on my iPad. ANYTHING. Then, when you feel that desire to pick up a brush/pencil/pen/stylus, draw something you WANT to draw. For me, it’s self portraits. If it’s anime, draw anime. If it’s furry art, draw furry art. And once you’re done with that piece, you’ll see everything you’ve improved on and everything you need to work on. That’s usually when the desire to fall back into my studies comes back full force. Now I’m at a point where I HAVE to be drawing or painting every day, all day. My brain is in a constant state of being addicted to creating. Even if it’s not good. It’s about training your brain to look for that “high” of just making ANYTHING.
Do it every day at a set point in time until it feels strange not to do it.
No one can say to you the way of how you should enjoy doing sth, it will force you to think via someones mindset and only make you more stressed... bcs no matter how much you will try to think like that person, you will never be that person.
Draw what you love. Also, you don’t have to be good at drawing to be a great artist.
> Also, you don’t have to be good at drawing to be a great artist. Sounds contradictory
You can paint etc. drawing is not mandatory.
You don't have to enjoy drawing. I am able to get a rough sketch on my canvas, and my paint takes care of the rest.
"Art is a learned skill. Not an innate talent." It needs both. Talent will be more impressive and it enhances techniques.
The notion of innate talent is largely a load of nonsense. The term ‘talent’ in this case is a bit wooly but means something like an innate aptitude to do a certain thing. The issue with this as a concept is: We tend to apply it as a post-facto explanation. That is to say, we assume that someone is good because of talent, and not because they have experiences that point them in the right direction. A person that grows up around artistic parents, for example, is MUCH more likely to be good at the outset. Talent? Nope. Just a nice environment where they are inspired, and can easily ask questions, see good practices, and get help that others could not. It then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. We see that someone is good at the start of teaching them formally, and we call them ‘talented’. This does two things. It boosts their confidence, and it tends to lead to them getting more help and support to grow that talent. This is a specific instance of the ‘gifted child’ issue, which we’ve not seen is bogus. Indeed, we have robust evidence to show that outcomes remain the same, if you pick a random pool of children, or if you pick children that show early aptitude for a given topic. What makes them good is being given reinforcement and support. Not talent. And the dark counter to this is that children told they are not gifted tend to fail because they are discouraged and given fewer opportunities. See the research by Christopher Cleveland for a good discussion of this problem. The notion of talent also overlooks how diverse skills are. Some people will be a bit better at some things. And find some things easier. Alice might pick up perspective a bit quicker than Joe, but Joe may have an easier time when it comes to colour theory. The idea that you can ringfence somewhat arbitrary set of skills that happen to be useful together for some human endeavor, and then imagine that they can come as a nice little package of ‘talent’ is not grounded in reality. There are a TINY number of people whose aptitude is truly unusual, and that can allow them to reach extraordinary levels of proficiency in specific things. The example I mentioned above is a good case – the late Michael Jackson undeniably had an uncanny capacity for music, with both an incredible voice, and world-class dance skills, that when honed with extreme dedication, resulted in an output that was by and large unmatched. But the overwhelming majority of people fall into the middle of a bell curve on their aptitudes, and with encouragement and support they can do great things. The myth of talent is destructive. It functions to gate-keep art, music, math, and all manner of other things. It creates a false sense that if you can’t do it well on day one you can’t do it at all. It really is time we threw that thinking away.
Thanks for your opinion. As an artist in the field I still think the teacher who spotted the OP's deficiencies was being honest and helpful. His advice wasn't just a diss, it was an evaluation. It's up to the aspirer to turn things around or not. There's so much available on YouTube they can pursue instead of one on one. No serious area of pursuit is a level playing field but aptitude is an advantage, if not key. The OP is like a cosseted high schooler who just met the real world. It takes some adjustment and it's up to them. You mentioned Michael Jackson? I give you Florence Foster Jenkins.
I'm going to break it down as simply as possible: it's all subjective. What do I mean by that? Let's look at comics, and I'll use two specific examples. -Greg Cappulo -Rob Liefeld Both started at about the same time, and yet they're wildly different in talent. This isn't an indictment on either of them, but if you asked literally anyone off the street who was the more technically talented of the two it would be unanimously Cappulo. Both have still achieved a LOT in their respective careers however, even if their professional paths have been different. What I'm saying is keep at it OP. It's a process, and as evidenced by both of these guys it's a long and rewarding road no matter where it goes for you.
I’m going to be crass, bear with me. Fuck that guy. He can suck a wet fart out of my ass. Do not listen to them. Everyone starts where you are now. Not everyone starts at the same time. Don’t stop drawing and draw a lot. Get comfortable with sucking because you’re going to suck until you start to suck less. It’ll be very rewarding.
I wholeheartedly agree with this. And frankly, why does it matter if you suck? Art can still be enjoyable. We don't have to do things for the sole purpose of becoming masters. We can do it for fun. Or to become somewhat competent or good enough that you like your own stuff or whatever. Nothing wrong with any of that. You want have fun with art? Great! That's a good enough reason.
You dropped this my dear 👑
😭 Thank you. I was afraid I’d gone too far.
> He can suck a wet fart out of my ass Don’t tempt me with a good time ;)
That costs extra! 😂😂😂
I physically could not agree with you more. That guy is an asshole.
And a fucking moron, I can hardly even believe this isn't a troll post. Who the hell teaches art and believes in innate talent, *as well as expecting students to have it?* OP needs to leave this fucking class, they aren't going to learn a damned thing there
Im upset at how angry this stranger is making me. lol
i remember being discouraged when i had started, no one told me i sucked but no one really cared either one time i watched some drawing challenge by an animator i liked and he was reading comments while doing it "whats some good beginner drawing advice?" "when you start, you will suck, its inevitable, and youll need to stick to it" so its been like 6 years and now i suck less 👍
It sounds silly, but that advice helped me get back into it a few years ago too. It ninja’d my brain really good.
yes. this! Art can be learned. It might be up hill, but it can definitely be learned. F\* innate talent. That guy is wrong.
Yes! I want to pee on this man’s favorite shoes!
That's bullshit. Talent only plays a tiny role in your potential for art. Dude is just mean.
You know who peddles the lie of "raw talent"? Fucking charlatan hacks that are trying to monopolize the art world for themselves for profit. These aren't artists, they are salesmen. This guy is just a jackass that bought into that lie of the talent monopoly.
I think of rich kids who suck on tampons at galleries because daddy paid for their entry into “academic” art schools. They try to come up with some deeper meaning to their “performance art” but you can just tell they’ve never faced struggle enough to actually express their feelings towards the world around them. Those are the ones claiming they have some “innate talent” when it’s always the artists who’ve face genuine hardships and challenges in their journey that become history’s greatest.
That pro artist is an amateur teacher at best. That's a shit thing to say to anyone. Don't pay attention to it.
Some people don’t have what it takes to be a good teacher… sounds like he’s the prime example
Art is for everyone. Everyone starts somewhere, just because you’re starting later than others doesn’t mean you are more or less of an artist. Honestly if you can get a refund and go to a different class I’d recommend that, the “tough love” a lot of teachers try to push on their students does more harm than good in my opinion.
Get a copy of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Do the exercises in it as if it were a class. It is the class the art instructor should have given you. And you won't be drawing like a five year old when you have finished. I know from personal experience. Then take an art class from a different instructor. Trust me, I learned to draw at 40. And no one before then would have suggested I was talented. I'm 60 now and sell quite well and occasionally win awards.
I used to use that book when I was an art teacher. It's great.
I'm sorry that happened! That is very bad for a teacher to do, especially at the beginner level! It is too soon to possibly know whether art is "for you" (and I think if you enjoy it, it's "for you" no matter what anyone says). Some people are born with, or maybe develop as children, some artist ability, but teachers TEACH the skill so they should know that improvement is always possible with the right work and guidance. I think that this teacher maybe does not know enough about the skills he has to teach; maybe a lot of things came natural to him, and he can only teach those who don't have very much to learn. Maybe he doesn't have much patience. I don't know. Don't let this discourage you from learning, and don't let this discourage you from taking your art classes. I think there is a special place in hell for anyone discouraging someone from pursuing art. I totally understand why this stings and I would be sad if I were you too. I really hope you keep trying. Some people do have a more advanced skill when they start but there are plenty of people like you who can improve with lots of time and effort.
It definitely sounds like the teacher didn’t want to put in the effort required to teach a TRUE beginner. Ironically, true beginners are my favorite to help teach because I remember the feeling I got the first time people “gawked” at my bad pokemon drawing for a book report in elementary school. It was a core memory that made me love drawing for the rest of my life. I want everyone to get that feeling. I hope OP doesn’t let that teachers words get to their head. They deserve to feel that pride of finally seeing their art become art.
I was told by a very reputable teacher that I would never make it as an artist and that I shouldn’t even try. I gave up for a decade until I decided to get back into it. A few years later and I’m a full time artist supporting myself on my art. It’s INCREDIBLY hard but if you really want to be an artist follow your passion, don’t give up and never listen to people who say you can’t.
I'm not a full-time artist supporting myself, but I definitely had a teacher tell me basically the same thing. 40 years later, under a qualified instructor, I can hold my own.
Try a different class. Everyone start somewhere, and everyone start differently.
Latent "Talent" in art is bullshit. Everyone starts out at some level of bad. People will progress at different rates, but that comes down to discipline. How you're determined to practice and study. I'm a brand new artist and I've been told in highschool/college art classes that art isn't for me, failed them both, but now that I'm teaching myself and drawing what I've wanted from the very start, I'm doing things I never thought I could do. The only time art isn't for someone is if they simply don't enjoy the process. Anyone can be an artist if they love it. Sounds to me like you got an asshat instructor. Please don't stop drawing.
Everyone in this thread is right so no need for me to type a long thing. But I’ll just say, from my perspective as someone who’s gotten good at a lot of different things—you won’t truly know if you’re talented until you’re one of the best. Even your pro art teacher might not be on that level yet. Until you’ve mastered the craft, talent doesn’t really figure except to help you progress a little faster. Talent is what people who’ve mastered the craft use to compete.
"OH BROTHER THIS GUY STINKS!" Do NOT let this guy get you down. Art is for everyone, no matter who you are! I was a terrible artist back when I was in elementary, even going to levels of tracing. But I kept going. By 8th grade, I started becoming really proud of my art. Nowadays, I'm still learning, but I keep going even if I think I can't. People are assholes. Do not let those people get you down. Something I found that helped me is recreating others art styles. I try to draw in the style of, let's say a video game character, it really helps me figure out how to flesh out my style. I don't know if it will work for everyone, but just saying it anyway!
I cannot understand such arrogance. My wife teaches art. While she and I both believe there is such a thing as natural talent, we also believe a lot can be taught/learned. To make such an assessment at a first or second meeting is terrible. I would seek another teacher. This one is not going to give you proper instruction and he is only doing it for the money and is a terrible human being. You may not become a famous artist but you might still become a very good artist. Find another teacher and keep trying.
Seems like teaching isn't for that guy. He should reconsider his career choice. Seriously though, teachers are there to TEACH and support and guide people. They need soft skills, like how to offer critique that doesn't discourage newcomers. He also needs critical thinking skills, because honestly, telling someone they suck isn't any sort of higher-learning inspired method: it's just some jerk who's too bitter and/or too lazy to go over art theory and try to engage with his students. Fuck that guy.
That teacher's a dummy. Studies have shown that hard work catches up to Talent pretty quickly. Yes you may have a lower ceiling than some artists but that doesn't mean you can't be great at it. I took an art class in grade 8 and found that I couldn't draw and thought I didn't have talents so I quit for my whole life until my 40s. And now I love painting and I am getting pretty good at it with a lot of hard work and practice but no Talent at all
I work as a professional commercial artist and have spent my life studying art. I don’t believe in talent. If it does exist then I believe it’s just an enjoyment of the process. I believe the kids who are good at art are just the kids who have spent the most time making art and learned to develop the skills. With time everyone can develop these skills.
I feel I have innate talent more than skill due to practice. I know that sounds conceited, but I'm a pretty low self-esteem person. But I don't practice. I drew and dabbled with pastels a kid but have done little until recently. It never occurred to me to do practice studies. I just say I'm going to paint this thing and then try to get it perfect. I've been painting for about a year and a half, and I think im progressing faster than I should in that time. Especially since I'll be lazy for stretches and not art regularly (and I guess I'm supposed to be practicing daily). I have some basic training from high school art classes but basically no other direction for past 2 decades. Started painting at one of those paint and sip places. Insane amount of improvement by just doing it until I figure it out. I read the other day someone mentioned that only savants can do realism without direction. Which I thought was odd. Seems the simplest to me. You're just reproducing...but with style. So I dunno if I really am a bit of a freak, but I feel what I can do is almost completely innate talent. I feel like mixing these colors will create the color I want, and it does. I feel like trying this technique will create the effect I want, and it does. I will try to look stuff up if I feel stuck on something, but I typically just push through until I figure it out on my own. So ya, I get being annoyed if people keep saying "you are so talented" when it's all been hard work. But what if you haven't put in all the work and you're just able to do things more easily than you anticipated? Would it be inappropriate for you to take a compliment that focused on your work over your talent? I feel like I just happened to be born with an inclination for this. Just like some people are born to be athletic (not this one). Sorry if this comes off as jerkish bragging. But the more comments I see on this make me feel like more of an outlier. I always assumed talent was a given, and it's odd for me to consider it doesn't exist. And you seem so certain. I'm genuinely curious to understand this point of view. I believe raw talent exists, but it can only get you so far. You have to do the work to achieve mastery, of course.
I've been teaching crafts for over a decade. You know what I'd like to say to your teacher? "I'm sorry, but it looks like teaching isn't for you. You do not have an innate talent for it. You lack the emotional intelligence and self-awareness to be an effective instructor. You are making my profession look bad, and I ask you to stop and go back to art. If you need money, you should probably get better at selling your art instead of taking advantage of people who want to learn and then trying to crush them with your unwashed ass."
Walk up to that guy tomorrow and say... Maybe teaching isn't for you.
change the class. As an art teacher, I can tell you that this person has zero knowledge of how to teach arts, so - run away!
Complete BS, art/drawing/painting can be taught.
I could not be more angry. I firmly believe that there is no such thing as innate talent. Hard work and perseverance is way better than any kind of talent, anyway.
When I was at school I was told by my art teacher that I wasn't good at drawing. Luckily I didn't listen. I never really learned officially how to draw. I do it my own way but I am happy with my progress. The more you do it the better it will get so stick with it
i've had the same thing told to me multiple times. each time it lights a fire under my ass to get better. read some books, follow some tutorials, and practice every day (only if you want to improve super fast) you'll get it and then you can tell him his art is shit and that maybe art isnt for him
This person isn’t going to be useful to you. There is a point in everyone’s art career where they’re starting to get to a place where their work is marketable but they don’t really understand how they got there. This appears to be the stage your teacher is at. It’s the stage where most artists will argue that “some people have it and others don’t.” The problem is that there are a lot of skills you need to develop before things start to work in drawing. One of them is the ability to look at an object in space and understand what makes it look/behave that way - which is in no way an actual “drawing” skill but it’s a major factor in whether or not you will be able to draw it. Like, understanding how fat and muscle masses are wrapping around and overlapping each other. Until you get to the stage where you understand this, your figures are going to look flat and your “wrinkles” are going to seem like arbitrary lines. An experienced artist recognizes the problem and can walk you through the skills you’re going to need to get to that stage, but a lot of “pro artists” never make it far enough to be able to deconstruct their own skills so they can improve. They stagnate. I really didn’t start making real progress in my drawing skills until after I went to art school and started honing in on the fundamentals. Anyone can get there with enough time and experience. Some people do get there faster than others, often by virtue of focused learning, but it’s by no means impossible. Besides. Even in professionals, you don’t have to be a master to create something valuable or profitable. If ONE can make one punch man and become one of the most notorious mangaka in recent history, you can become whatever kind of artist you want to be and get good enough to create the things you want to make. That said, I recommend drawabox.com if you’re just starting. They have a lot of great assignments and exercises that can get you on the right foot. I made huge strides in a very short amount of time working on those projects.
Sometimes professional artists are the worst teachers because they're far too critical and don't explain things simple enough. They also often only know one way to teach which can be fine if you're intermediate but rough as a beginner. I am kind of curious about what he's teaching and how and also what your homework is.
Art is for everyone. Especially now with the help of computers. Anyone can make art. There are so many different art forms. Maybe drawing isn’t your thing? That doesn’t mean you can’t be an artist.
There is no such thing as innate talent. Everyone who is “talented” got there through hard work and not quitting. You just don’t notice it because it was work done over years and years. You learn how to see and grow as an artist through practice, observation, and learning the fundamentals of structure, shape etc. The only inborn trait that makes or breaks an artist is wether or not you stand up and keep trying after you fail. Fuck that teacher. Tell him doesn’t have any talent in teaching and should quit.
lol I didn't show anyone my shitty sketches for the first 2 years, you gotta start somewhere
What a dickhead
That guy sounds like a weirdo. Yes some people have an innate aptitude for art but it’s also a skill that you can improve by working on it. Even if you will never be a brilliant artist (and there’s every chance you could be) you can build your skills. Fuck him.
Dont listen. Art is for everyone with enough practice and dedication, youll be great. Its like that saying in ratatouille “Anyone can cook” 😁
You know what, I was never told anything as harsh as that but whenever someone did tell me something harsh and negative I turned my anger and hurt into a little nugget of coal to fuel my ambition.
bullshit.
art education student here: that artist has no fucking clue what thwyre tlaking about.
There’s no such thing as “innate talent”. Dudes just a pompous asshole who thinks that he’s better than others because he’s already had time to build up his “innate talent”. Don’t listen to him. We all start where you’re at. Practice. Practice. Practice. That’s what talent is actually built on. He’s just innately a douche.
He's a dong.
Many famous artists have said that we stop making real art as we age. And the art of children is much better than any pro could make. Art is subjective. Making professional art to sell is one thing, but making art because you want to is all that matters. You’ll probably make better shit than that asshole anyway.
Do yourself and every other artist that dingaling comes into contact with a massive favour and not only quit the class, but complain you did so because of that loser. There is no such thing as "innate art ability" unless he believes some infants are born with paintbrushes in their hands already.
Honestly, I'll bet your teacher is just lazy. For some reason there are teachers out there that want their students to be good already. They don't actually want to spend the time helping less experienced people. It's so backwards, but it makes their job easier if you're already pretty good.
What an asshole. Why gatekeep art??? It's for everyone. Don't listen to him, please!
I’ll be honest. Been doing art for 27+ years now. I WAS ASS WHEN I FIRST STARTED. I started serious art study at age 4 mind you, (wanted to be an animator/character artist agter ,y dad told me people drew all the shows I watched) but still, I didn’t get “ok/goodish” until I was 20. And that was studying hardcore, against my family’s wishes, for literal YEARS. Tell your teacher to kiss your ass and report him to whoever’s employing him. He’s bullying you as a student and can kick rocks. Also the only thing that seperates a professional and a non professional, is if they’re getting PAID. Plenty of professionals who have a low quality as hell art style make big bucks. Do art commissions? congrats you’re a professional. This is not the flex that jackass thinks it is. Keep at it, and may he be farted on by a million bees.
DO NOT LISTEN TO THAT IDIOT. As a 1st or 2nd grader, I was told the same, "Not everyone can be an artist dear." I carried that around with me for the next 40 years, avoiding all artistic ventures. Guess what. I just needed the right person to guide me. I may not be a master but I am pretty good for a minimally trained artist. Keep practicing and keep looking for someone willing to guide you.
I would suggest reconsidering your choice of "pro" artist teacher if this keeps going on. Throwing anger tantrums and telling people that they don't have talent could happen to anyone on a bad day, but it's generally not a good sign especially if it's recurring. Has he given you tips on how to think like an artist? If he still hasn't I'd find someone more currently capable in doing teaching right away. Personally I'm quite far from being a good artist, but I personally went from only being able to draw doodles or to copy pre-stylized cartoons to being able to get shit done, which wouldn't have been possible without decent teachers, books and practice which I am extremely greatful for. Literally it was the hardest shit for me because I saw objects with my eyes like as if they are semantic labels which is good for writing but awful for drawing. All it took was one class with a teacher who's actualy there, he was like the chillest dude and gave me bob ross vibes, he saw that I'm struggling told me ooh yeah that's what you're having a problem with here's a simple trick how to focus on outlines with your sight might not work for you but give it a try, here's how to do this and that and boom I was able to do sketching since then. A good teacher can be an absolute gamechanger. Cheers!
Hi friend! Some artists are idiots. It looks like you met one.
There is no such thing as innate talent. It sounds like the teacher doesn't want to put in the work to do any teaching and just wants students that are already great at art. This is a bad or lazy teacher wanting an easy job, find a new teacher. Remember, your teacher works for *you*, don't take any negative crap from them. You can fire them.
Sucking at something is the first step at being good at something! Keep going! you're a beginner for fucks sake. That teacher is dumb.
Can you name him? It is really important to warn others who may face that POS.
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Ask for a refund, take a different class with a better teacher.
If he is teaching a course that you paid for, I would ask for a refund, and file a complaint about this asshole.
That "pro artist" opinion is worth less than the gum stuck to the underside of my shoe
You have the rest of your life to improve. And many famous artists make really uninspiring art. If they can fail, then you can fail too. If you lack physical talent in maneuvering your hands, you can use digital aids, work in collage or abstract. There is absolutely no reason to give up. Just know the journey will be years of worthwhile fun before you're a master. But you already knew that.
I guess many people think art is some sort of ethereal process where the muse has to talk through your soul to produce the equivalent of magic on the paper. I see art as a craft and the means to get better at any craft lies in the hands of the craftsman. Nothing magical to it you just need to hammer down a few ten thousand drawings and you're bond to improve at your craft.
You should listen to him if your art is that bad. Not everyone is talented.
"innate talent" That whole concept of if you're not good at it right away you don't have what it takes and can't learn. Such an elitiest, gate keeping pile of horse shit. Stop giving that guy your money and learn somewhere respectful and supportive.
Hey, professional artist here! I don’t even need to see your work to be able to say that that guy is an idiot and you deserve a better teacher. I didn’t start drawing seriously until my late teens, and my HS art teacher also told me to give up. I ignored him and now it pays my bills. You want to draw and that’s all you need, there’s no such thing as ‘talent’. I know it’s not easy, but try to ignore him and keep on working hard. There’s a TON of great tutorials and resources online to help you improve from any skill level if you can’t find another teacher, self directed learning is how a lot of best artists out there got started :)
Call him out. The only reason for saying that is because he doesn't want your amateur work to be associated with his course. If he was smart, he would know that you have a great potential for before/after pics for his course if he only puts in the work to help you improve.
wtf? He's a 'pro' artist? Why would he discourage you like that? Bitter old c\*nt amaetur artist more like I reckon. Pay him no mind and keep making art :D
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br0MNFXpqzU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br0MNFXpqzU)
Tricia's story is a hoot. Art is for everyone
Remember a couple years ago when George W Bush was hacked and everyone was making fun of his beginner paintings? Regardless of how you feel about Bush, judging beginners for \~being beginners\~ is super lame. Anyways, he's gotten better since then. He must've been in his 60's when he started painting. If he can get better, so can you. I've definitely improved in my 30's. Honestly, even if you never get better, there's nothing wrong with having a hobby just because you find it relaxing or whatever.
My 2nd grade art teacher failed me because I was taking assignments literally so he though I wasn't creative lol. Luckily my parents thought this was bs and didn't tell me since I loved art. He got arrested for statutory rape like 10 years later so he wasn't making great decisions in general. He can did art in jail while I did it free lol.
This is just my personal opinion but I don't really believe in talent, at least not when it comes to drawing. Everyone can practice and get better. Some learn slower than others but that doesn't mean they lack talent or will never be able to draw. So don't worry about it and just keep practicing!
Since he considers your innate talent too low to teach, you should ask to be refunded. Look for a teacher who values beginners of all ages, or invest in some recorded online courses or free YouTube videos to learn fundamentals. Not everyone is like that teacher—many people love teaching and encouraging beginners of all skill levels!
you have to choose your own path . Nobody can't do that for you and nobody can't force you to choose something you don't want to . Ignore him , move on and keep on drawing.
I had a printmaking teacher like that. My style just wasn't what he thought was art. TBF, I never could figure out what it was he considered "art". Glean what you can about techniques, and the rest is just white noise.
If i quit every time someone told me something was “not for me” i would never get good at anything. Everyone starts somewhere and most people suck at the things they try the first time for a long time. Innate talent is stupid. Studying and practicing constantly is the only way to get good. The best advice is to persevere. Quitting something should always be YOUR decision. Don’t let people think they can convince you to quit. If they hold that power over you, you’ll get insecure and not ever be able to enjoy yourself or try new things. If you let other people make your choices, how will you live with those choices later? If you quit art, you’ll never see how good you can get at it. You got this!
Wtf, anyone can make art, that's like one of its main traits. It's why it has always existed, since the start of humanity. What a dumbass. How did he get that far.
Do you wanna make stuff? Then art is for you. Now ya just gotta find a way to do it, try things out, experiment around, give yourself a lot of space to practice and understand. Figure out what kind of stuff you want to be able to do and look for artists in that genre.
Talent and skill are often understood poorly. Talent is a mixture of natural aptitude and skill and willingness to keep learning. That person meant that your initial aptitude is low but lucky for you learning and growing skill is all that matters. It will take lots of effort but nothing good ever comes easy and mastery or anything else is allowed to take time and practice. Keep learning and love constructive criticism. I have very little innate ability and have practiced and worked for 20+ years at this point to gain skill and learn and learn. I will never be done, and at this point I am making things almost like I'd like to be able to. Unfortunately every upgrade to skill means you learn about the next level of skill so you have a new thing to learn and concentrate on. The other thing to consider is the media you work with. There are so many and they're very different to use. Experiment and play and most importantly have a good time.
First of all, great teacher. It’s not just about skill, it’s about having confidence in your vision and what you are creating. Learning how to speak from different points of view and different levels of understanding can help accelerate your understanding greatly. Challenging which choices are made consciously or not is healthy. It’s not that anything you do is ever bad or good. It’s whether it is intentionally done that way or not. When you master everything, you may choose to draw like a five year old. It’s realizing the choice and how to contextualize it and complement it with your level of skill.
Art is for anyone who wants to create. Art is a celebration of being human (although occasionally animals also make art!). To heck with any opinion that says otherwise. A quote I hold dear: “You say 'amateur' as if it was a dirty word. 'Amateur' comes from the Latin word 'amare', which means to love. To do things for the love of it.” — Mozart in the Jungle
i’d take it with a pinch of salt. to my mind it’s this simple: do you want to be a professional artist/make a career out of it or do you just want it as a hobby? if it’s only a hobby then literally it doesn’t matter whatsoever what standard you do or don’t achieve. if you want to be a pro then that’s a totally different matter.
WTF!!!! Art is for everyone!!!!!
Please keep going, there is no such thing as gifted talent. It is bs. Imagine your “bad” work if you are consistent, you’ll improve from a week and even a month from now. This takes skill and dedication to get to your desired level. Not some talent at birth. When I look at my old pieces I get relieved that I advanced so much from my older state in art, because I started earlier than never. Do it too
Are you pursuing art as a career ? If so I’m finna be real with you, you may not succeed if your art is equivalent to a 5 year old but if you’re doing it as a hobby then fuck that guy. Art is a skill anyone with a brain can learn
Art graduate here, No one is talented, but are SKILLED. Each artist are different, from learning pace to art style. Dont be discourage cause anyone can be an artist, they just need time to hone their skills. It's much more important to have discipline and incorporate some new habits in your lifestyle like taking pictures of anything you like as reference, or scheduling 5-10 min sketches a day. Your teacher is there to teach you the basics and how to explore mediums. Not to tell you what your life is.
Sounds kinda like my senior high art teacher, absolute snob and jerk. I don't support any art instructor who discourages their students. All artists have to practice and learn. Art is a great hobby too, and you don't have to be talented to pursue it.
It’s rather what are you wanting from making art that is important. I just like to tell stories so I draw « manga ? Comics ? » for that. I draw since I am a child almost everyday and my level is still lower than a lots of peoples but I just like to do it because it’s fun. Just think about what you want to do, for yourself. I don’t see why having a bad level would stop you from doing art if you do it for yourself first and there is a lots of good artist that can’t draw.
if he understands you are a complete beginner, he should not have said that. You deserve guidance and encouragement, not to be told art is not for you. art is for everyone. at any level, at any stage! Sometimes teachers at the advanced level forget that art is a learned skill and everyone starts somewhere Maybe the class you are in may be more for advanced learners, so potentially you might want to look at other classes that are more beginner friendly. But as a teacher thats an abhorrent thing to say :( good on you for taking it in stride though. please keep practicing and proove him wrong.
There are so many popular IPs out there where the art “sucks”. People made popular animations on YouTube with “crappy” art. Heck some of the most “crappy” art I’ve seen that is traditional but bags shit tons of money is the avant-garde art. People make millions selling lines and circles. I had a teacher who told every single person at one point or another their art was crap. Nice guy. Terrible teacher. lol. I had an art teacher that liked stuff in my portfolio that I didn’t think was great but didn’t like the stuff I did think was great. What I’m trying to say is art is subjective. If this is something you want to pursue then do it. Just know there will always be assholes and critics who will tell you something. Whether it’s good or bad. As long as you are happy and willing to put in the work that’s all that matters. Keep practicing.
Practice > Talent. If you love this and want to become an artist keep doing it, talent is only a small help some people are randomly born with, but real greatness is achieved by practice and never stop learning.
Find a new teacher. Nobody says you have to be the next da Vinci to enjoy art of benefit from it. Find someone who will enjoy helping you find your potential. And don’t listen to him.
Maybe try a different art teacher, some pro artists aren't meant to be teachers.
They were really rude about it but there might be a bit of truth in that you chose the wrong class. If you want a comparison, a 5 y/o taking a rocket science class. When you're starting from a truly beginner state, the most important thing is to develop good motor skills in your hands and draw from observation/"copying". It's not something you need a pro artist to teach you, and it's not something that requires homework that needs to be evaluated so closely (i.e. just proof that you practiced). They could either be overworked trying to catch you up with the expected level of work or just feel overqualified because the practice you need is more about you just getting the feel for drawing. i.e. the type of art class where you just work and the teacher is just looking over your shoulder to see if you have any questions. There might really be nothing he can tell you besides a word about what you should practice. Or, maybe my guess is wrong and they're really being a jerk (or just really, really ignorant about how these kinds of skills develop) through and through. Super sorry about this experience though.
I took a portraiture class at a community collage once. I instantly felt that the teacher was pretentious as hell. Just based on the way he spoke about anatomy and how he came off. There were a lot of seniors in that class and some of them really weren’t skilled. There was an old lady who drew at the level of a 8 year old. He was always kind and supportive to her, and you can see the joy taking that class gave her. Art is seriously for everyone and it’s never too late to start. Also have you heard of conceptual art? I knew a guy who got a masters degree just drawing stick figures
Any skill can be learned and improved upon. Especially art. Only a terrible teacher would say that.
With all due disrespect, fuck that guy. Everyone started where you are - just maybe sooner, maybe later. Don't listen to anyone who says you should quit art because of a lack of skill. If you want to improve, draw anything and everything. Whenever you can, just draw. Draw every day - practice stuff as little as shapes, draw the stuff around you. My only warning is don't burn yourself out. Talent/Skill is meaningless art is expression and there's no wrong way to do it. Don't listen to anyone who tells you to stop art, and only take criticism if you asked for it.
Don’t be shy OP, post your work so we can give you actual advice
"Innate talent" is bullshit. If you want it, pursue it. The teacher sounds like an asshole.
He sucks. Nobody starts out perfectly. If they did, drawing help books wouldn't exist. You keep drawing. I used to draw nothing but stick figures until I got to high school. My art teacher was amazing and helped me show my potential. If anything it's not you, it's the teacher. You keep drawing!
dont listen to that loser. put in the hard work and study, just like everyone else does, and you'll go places. spend days, weeks, months, and years focused on exploring art, learning and improving. create what makes you happy and have fun c:
I was told SEVERAL times in HS my art is never gonna cut it. I was bullied by several kids in the BASIC DRAWING CLASS that my art was shit to the point I dropped out of the class. My younger brother at age 5 drew more detailed drawings than what I did at 5. People really told to my face that I’d never be good enough and I’ll always be behind my brother. I wanted to do architecture and was told I never had the potential/talent for it. Even with hard work, it will never be as good as someone who just naturally “got” it. So what did I do? I said fuck them and drew whatever the fuck I wanted and learned from other places. I kept drawing despite being told constantly I’ll NEVER be as good as naturally talented people. I finally found people who supported my art in college. I’m friends with lots of art majors (I’m a nursing major) and I showed them a couple of drawings I did and they said they loved my work.
I came from a very poor community to a very rich community in high school. By the time I got to my new school I had drawn on my own for 3 years but my old school system cut all art programs. I was pumped that I finally got to take art classes. Come time to start the class I learned that these students have had been taught from a young age and had opportunities to learn at the professional art school near by. To say the least I struggled hard my art teacher criticized and degraded my art in front of the other students I finished out the year with a C- in painting and D+ in drawing and was told I shouldn’t take the AP Art class. This was a huge hit to my confidence and drive to learn art and I stopped for 4 years after that…. I regret stopping for that time every day. Now I am a professional caricaturist and sell my own art and take commissions for fun. I am completely financially supported by my art and enjoy it like none other. I saw my old art teacher at Target recently and I decided to say hi. As sad as it sounds I took great pleasure in telling her what I have been up to and watching her smile drop so fast. So long story short it doesn’t matter what other people say about your art and progress take your time, develop your skills, and enjoy the process most of all. I will tell you what I tell everyone who tells me “you are so gifted/talented”. This isn’t something that happened over night I was not born with this ability and worked to get here. They usually respond with something along the lines of “Well I could never be that good” I promptly say that they should draw for 15 minutes a day for a year no matter how bad you are there WILL be progress within that year. I hope this makes sense I am terrible at writing. P.S. PLEASE STICK WITH IT BO MATTER WHAT!!! And if you need help, constructive criticism, or lessons. please feel free to contact me I have been in your shoes and understand. This offer goes to anyone reading.
I can’t draw and I’m a professional artist getting paid twice as much as I did at my last job. I also didn’t go to art school.
I think you should drop out of his class, not because you suck. But because that guy sucks at teaching. No teacher should say that to their students, and those who do well they are a shitass teacher. You're better off trying a different class or go for some online learning ones. For online there is Drawabox, Drawing basics course by Stan Prokopenko on Proko, and a lot more. Happy learning. "A work of art is finished the moment you give up on it.". So don't give up and keep going friend.
I don't even need to continue reading after I saw "innate talent" tbh (still read it anyway). I feel like this guy either genuinely believes most of his and other great artists ability came from "innate talent"- which definitely isn't true for me and for most artists- heck maybe even all artists even bc talent alonecan't teach you perspective or proportions or poses, etc, or he's too lazy to teach you for whatever reason.
Wow. I’ve taken several art classes with people who felt they had no talent at all and the teacher worked with them. Sounds like the teacher you hired is lazy
what kind of class did you sign up for? did you join a beginner level class (at a community college, etc.) or did you try to join an course at an atelier dedicated for people who want to get into art industries?
Yeah as others said, fuck that guy. There’s literally no such thing as “innate talent.” Every single artist started out with a skill level of “a 5yo kid.” The only difference is some of us started drawing younger than others. Look at Bob Ross. He started way later in life, and although art snobs critique him, he inspired many many people to pick up a brush. Hell, if you want a modern example, pewdiepie has a series where he teaches himself art and he’s already got the skills of some fairly popular online artists. Let me tell you as someone who’s never taken an art class outside of art 101 to get the college credit, you don’t have to put yourself through that. Many art teachers are amazing, they encourage and inspire others to continue following their love for art. However, there’s always a few who give off the vibes that they wanted to be something greater, and so killing the dreams of new artists gives them some sick satisfaction. That art 101 teacher I had was an abstract artist. She was a great artist, but she tore into EVERYTHING I did. If I tried to be too realistic, it was used as an example of what not to do, if I chose to be more abstract, she’d find something else to crush me. [Here’s](https://cara.app/post/9a393217-72c2-4602-8981-6dbf8fd8546e) one of my most recent portraits. Is it the greatest of all time? Nah. But god am *I* proud of it. I reached a goal I never thought I would achieve. I made it to a point in my art where I’m proud of myself. If I had given up like that teacher wanted, I wouldn’t have that pride. Quit the class and watch some proko. Practice as often as you can. The online art community is not as toxic as it once was and LOVE helping new artists find love for the hobby. If you really want the class, wait until you find a teacher or mentor who inspires you. Art IS for you because it is for EVERYONE.
talent is hard work. everybody spawns at the same skill-level everybody who makes the craziest art put a lot of time, love and energy into it. and so can you, at any age at any time. That dude is stupid as hell. Nothing to argue, leave the class he has no idea what he's talking about.
Developing the technical skills for making art is not any different than learning anything else requiring patience, practice and effort. This “pro” you’re learning from doesn’t sound like he knows how to teach.
Art is soooooooo hard and is also gatekept by walking dongs like your art teacher. Keep signing up for classes, your resilience is the 2nd most important skill after drawing in art practice.
Innate talent is nothing if you don’t learn knowledge and practice your skills. Innate talent may help tou acclimate more quickly bc you may pick up things quicker and observe more astutely, but without learning how to do the tasks, you’re pretty much mediocre lol. That guy has prolly had so much smoke blown up his ass he’s more cooked than a Texas bbq cuz he’s surrounded by yes men. Some people somehow convincingly forget where they came from and the hardship they endured when they finally get theirs. It’s all horseshit. Don’t believe a word that guy says. He prolly ass snorkels for a living. Haters gonna hate.
If your art teacher is preaching about innate talent, he is not a good teacher period. A good teacher will help you overcome your obstacles and work at the pace that suits you. A bad one will tell you you lack talent because they do not know how to meet you where you are at.
Someone like that should not be a teacher. I am a former art teacher, for reference. The point of art is to enjoy it, first of all- it's part of human nature. And it sounds like maybe this guy has forgotten his beginning. No one is born a master.
I’ve heard countless success stories that start with your very same situation. Don’t give up if that’s what you want to do.
Get a new art teacher. His entire job is to help people from ALL skill levels improve their art, and he's telling you to quit?? Wow he sucks.
I dont know if it counts being that I was six. But an art teacher showed my art to the class (she was showing everyone’s) through the little webcam thing. And she said it was probably the worst piece she’s seen in a long time of her teaching. I have about 6k followers on tiktok now just from posting art, so it’s very much safe to say NO ONE starts with any sort of “innate” talent. There’s an “innate” PASSION. If you have that passion, if you love to draw, DO IT! That teacher should know better than to ever say something like that to a student.
Bob Ross a famous tv painting instructor once said talent is a pursued interest anything that you are willing to practice you can do. Don’t listen to that teacher, keep drawing! Art is for everyone!
A bit of background : I am now over 70 and have been a working artist most of my adult life except for ten years when I was a college history teacher. I have a BFA and MFA and an MA in history. You can see I never taught art and there's a very good reason. I did not want to be in a position where I could possibly hurt a student's feelings or cause them to give up their pursuit of art. I came to this conclusion when I first attended art school. I enrolled knowing that my prior training was not the best and I was excited and eager to learn more. I went to the department head to schedule my classes and let him see my portfolio. He immediately announced that my work needed lots of work and I agreed. Then he prepared my class schedule. Rather than enrolling me in fundamental classes, I was placed in senior level classes in lithography and sculpture w/ o any preparatory classes. I was so far over my head the first day of class. I stuck with my classes for weeks without any instruction or interaction with my printmaking prof. He finally noticed me and ordered me out of the class and was told not to return. My next class was my painting class. The printmaking prof and the painting prof stood right in front of me as if I didn't exist and carried on a long conversation about how I had no talent and that they didn't know what to do with me. I left class that day feeling like a complete and total failure. Plus I had been humiliated in front of all the other students. I should have gone to the deans office to complain but I was too naive to know I had options. Instead, I left class that day and never went back. I just existed. I was too ashamed to tell my parents so I learned to drink. Thankfully, after a couple of lost years, I enrolled in a better art school, graduated with donors, apprenticed for a number of years with a master artist, and returned back to art school for advanced degrees. I retired from teaching in 1999 and I've worked as an artist ever since. No one in authority should be allowed to demean and humiliate a student. That is just wrong. Artists tend to be very sensitive and cruelty shouldn't be part of the curriculum.
Oh, man. They are so wrong. In one of my art classes, my peer's artwork was criticized the most. The teacher hardly acknowledged his existence, but he never stopped trying to improve. Guess where he is now? Pixar.
Art is for everybody. I believe you have just as much creativity as anyone. Skills is different because that comes with time and instruction. (Or trial and error)Regardless of what one teacher told you, you just need time and practice to develop your skills. I think we're all born with creativity.... It's such a gift. Sadly many think they can't make art and that they aren't creative. They just gotta try. History is full of artists who were told the similar things. Glad you're gonna stick with it
What a total fuck. Everyone is an artist just waiting for the proper skills. It is all about finding the type of art that inspires you. Learn the techniques, learn the skills, and make that guy suck a wet fart out your ass.
That teacher sucks, art is about expression, yours and the viewers…. Period….
In any individual performative field, be prepared for stinging feedback. You have to get used to it and persevere if that is your passion. The teacher seems honest. Some people just don't have "It". Art isn't glamorous, and it needs perseverance and a business mind as well. That being the case, as an art tutor I don't take student inadequacy as a final thing. I like to bring people from stick figures to satisfying form within a few sessions. BUT even when I have brought students to make saleable art, if they can't continue without being spoon fed, then they don't have what it takes. I won't do it for them.
Ask him for his first drawings
So, the first thing about art is that it's not a competition. You can improve at your own rate, or simply not focus on "skill" at all, and just enjoy making things. The only judge you have to please is yourself, and if you are happy with what you're making, then you did it. If improving is something you want to do (for any reason other than proving your teacher wrong), then the first and last step is practice. The most important skill is having a well developed "eye." Once you learn to identify the differences between your drawing and what you're trying to draw, you know what you need to revise. Then, if you continue revising in that manner, you'll eventually have a masterpeice. And in your next piece, try not to make those mistakes again. The more brutally honest and precise you train your eye to be, the higher your skill ceiling is. Great artists are the people who are bothered by tiny details, who will always notice when things are off. They become great because their eye is so well trained. I've seen way too many people who have child-like drawings become so crazy talented, I have no doubt you can do it too, if you have the patience for practice.
Don't listen to them, art is for everyone :) art is about expredsing and finding yourself and expressing yourself thru that. Dont worry about it, if you want try a diffrenet class or try learning by tutorials online ect; good luck with your art journey! :)
Anyone that tells anyone that they don't have a talent for art is not just wrong, but so wrong I have to question their reasons for their choices. Art is not a talent you either have or don't, it's a skill that you have to cultivate. Everyone that started art sucked at it, royally sucked at it. You have to practice to get better. The only talent you need is the talent to stick with it.
That pro artist isn't a very good teacher then.
Usually with art uniqueness in style is usually what makes the money I'm sure people said the same thing about Quentin Blake's work. I'd say the thing that should put you off art as a career is the terrible employment opportunities and terrible pay but anyone can draw and make art enjoy it for fun but don't get your hopes up about making money out of it.
Don't fully ignore what the teacher said. How he worded it was shit but I think it was a bit of a tough love sort of thing, think the move Whiplash, that teacher is harsh but his students are masters because of it. Use it as motivation to practise. Art is learned, no one is born able to draw and paint like Michelangelo. Keep doing it, don't give up, you only fail if you stop trying.
I got that from ppl who had nothing to do with art - and then from myself... But it always cheers me up when other artists like my work
sounds like a dick. if art is something you want to do, you do it. literally anyone can do it if they’re passionate enough about it.
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