Discussions/Essays – Page 4

“It is not helps, but obstacles, not facilities, but difficulties that make men.” — Epictetus, Philosopher

The Dunning Kruger Effect. If you’ve never heard of this, it’s about time that you did. Study that chart above. There’s tons of sites and videos that discuss the phenomenom so I won’t regurgitate it here. Here’s the thing: it’s real. I don’t like the terms guru or enlightment when discussing art but the important thing when understanding this is to know what’s been talked about here endlessly: there are no shortcuts. It takes time and effort to get good. And, it’s gonna be challenging.

Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, two of the greatest re-inventions in Chuck Jones’ comical Warner Bros. paradigm

“I can’t stand pain, it hurts me.” — Daffy Duck

It’s the hard that makes it great.

The truth is most of us are Daffy even if we want to think that we’re Bugs. When it comes to learning art, most people quit somewhere between the valley of despair and the slope of enlightment. Why? Because that’s when the going gets hard. And people don’t like hard! The mental anguish, the physical laboring — trying to get good at something is a real uphill struggle. But here’s the secret: embrace the challenge and soon you’ll learn to love facing challenges. One of the reasons I moved into abstract painting was precisely because it scared me! To simplify, to master color and design, to say so much with what seems to be so little was/is crazy hard for me. Now, I find drawing/painting realism almost too comforting and familiar, like I’m going back in time, so I lose interest doing it very quickly. But this is currently my personal challenge; you must find yours. You see, comfort and escapes lose their grip on you when you become a devoted learner, a real fighter. Being lazy starts to feel awful. You’ll be interested in things (and thus become more interesting) . And this feeling will occur more and more often. You’ll open your eyes, see wonder and opportunities to create everywhere. You’ll never be bored again! So quit viewing art or learning about it as a chore. That’s the real adversary, the real resistance no one talks about.

Normal Rockwell was a beast of a creator; endless studies, reference and practice made him the great illustrator he was. Watching the documentary of his life, you can see how much he enjoyed this daily work.

Combine quantity and quality

Our course you need to put in the work. You simply can’t do something once or twice and think you’ve learned it. Practice is a necessity. But the real key is consistency and persistance with a focus on quality. If you just work endlessly but your attention or passion is poor, you’ll just create bad habits, namely bad seeing and bad skills. That’s not what you want. I don’t care if it’s animating, drawing, or playing the guitar. Sloppy practice is almost as bad or maybe even worst than no practice. We are what we repeatedly do. Do crap work regularly, and guess what? You’ll be known as a crappy artist. How do you sustain this quality mindset you might ask? Well, the first thing is to watch your energy levels. A weak body almost guarantees a weak mind. Get adequate rest and eat well. Think being healthy rather than looking fit; a lot of people get this wrong, I know I once did too. Also, stay inspired by surrounding yourself with beautiful work and talented people. Trust me, it rubs off. Every time I look at beautiful art or see a great show, I’m pumped to return to creating myself. The good comes with it the good. Furthermore, make it a regular practice to create, make it a way of life. We artists aren’t normal people, we don’t just show up for work, then take off our superhero clothes and go back to being Clarke Kent (remember, Clarke Kent was the disguise). Being an artist is a lifestyle that permeates who you are as a person.

Nothing is more beautiful than friendship. Image from Milne and Shepard’s magical tale, ***Winnie The Pooh.***

“It’s so much friendlier with two.” — A.A. Milne, Writer

Do it with someone.

Working with a partner, group or a mentor is very powerful. Some people can do it alone, most can’t. Sometimes help is not available or possible. I mentor people precisely because it works and it’s something I wish I had in my own development when I was learning the craft. It would’ve been the best thing for me and I’ve had many students express their gratitude for having studied under me. Still, having a mentor is not necessarily right for everyone, nor are classes. But if you can, go thru this challenging period of growth with someone. There are other ways besides coaching or schooling. One of the things I missed the most about schools and studios was that you always had company. I used to go drawing regularly with a friend of mine when I lived in Toronto. We went to drawing classes on school nights, went to extra figure drawing classes at another art school literally every Saturday (for 6 hours) and even alternated drawing at the zoo or café sketching on Sundays. All this we did while meeting our obligations in learning how to animate. We did this for years building our skills and our friendship. When I was working professionally, I’d go drawing/painting with friends/colleagues from Pixar, ILM and the other local companies in the San Francisco Bay area. It was an atmosphere of endless devotion to the craft. It’s not surprising that so many of us moved up prominantly in the industry, becoming the field’s best.

Expect an uneven ride.

One thing the Dunning-Kruger chart doesn’t show is that that line of upward growth is anything but linear. It’s more like an awkward shaped zig zag. Like life, you will be thrown off course periodically. You will plateau here and there, even experiencing distraught from time to time. It’ll feel as if you’re dropping from the sky with no parachute. You’ll question your limits, your passion, even how being an artist might’ve have altered your course of living more than you expected or wanted. You don’t know for sure if you should be more “normal” again and just be like other people because it’d be so much easier (trust me, it ain’t). Here’s what I want to say you when this happens. Expect this to happen. Expect pain and frustration. Take any necessary breaks or retreats to recover from that sudden malaise but know that it’s all part of the test and oppurtunity for you to hit the next level as an artist and person. It’s actually very important that you experience this and make it outside that cave of despair. Mastery is a very difficult journey to take but once you’re on that path, all other paths will feel unacceptable. I’ve seen it and continue to experience it myself. Personally, and quite humourously, I can’t even take a long vacation anymore — I simply feel empty without being able to create and challenge myself mentally and physically on a regular basis. Creation is a ritual for me, as is maintaining a composed mind and a strong, mobile body. I suffocate otherwise. And I don’t do it for success or longevity, it’s just what I want. This experience I’m describing is the net result of aligning oneself to one’s destiny. Work to find yours. Becoming competent and at peace are just the net effects of such living.

“Nobody can bring you peace but yourself.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson, Philosopher

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” — Albert Camus, Writer

It’s how you fight.

Think of Sisyphus (who was punished by the gods above for his cunning and intelligence). If you were bound to a life of pushing a boulder up a hill only to have it roll back down, and that that same action is to be repeated ad nauseum, how shall you respond? With anger? With submission or despair? Such reactions won’t get you anywhere. Life can seem awfully pointless and futile, even absurd at times, and if we’re absolutely honest with ourselves, we know that we really have no idea as to why we’re here or even if there’s any meaning to our lives at all. Modern life in particular seems to mirror the horror of Sisyphus’ plight; we stress, rush, and toil away while suffering such emotions as envy, anger, bitterness, loss and pain, repeating that cycle until we die. Meanwhile, postive feelings such of joy, love and understanding seem scarce and fleeting. None of it makes much sense.

But, perhaps there’s another way to look at things, another way to deal with the apparent irrationality of it all. Maybe you can build strength in pushing that boulder, even come to enjoy the building of skill, control and discipline necessary to perfom such a task. Perhaps you’re strong enough now to stop in middle of that hill and make a little carving or drawing on it? (i.e. create something beautiful along the way) Maybe you get to the hill’s apex and, at that moment of suspended gravity, take the time to enjoy the glorious 360 degree view of nature? And what if, when the boulder begins to recede you choose to roll it down like a happy child would making a game of it? Perspective matters. There are innumberable ways to live out nearly any scenario. Your attention, action and attitude are yours to choose. What else could you do? Here are some ideas:

“Art is the exclusion of the unnecessary.” — Karl Andre, Sculptor

Get rid of things that don’t matter.

That’s the first thing I’d do. Art and life are about making choices. And when you’ve figured out what’s most important, you almost won’t have to. Why? Because any other option would be unacceptable. Personally, I make art almost everyday and I’m gonna keep making art till the end of my days and nothing is gonna stop me from doing so. I believe anyone else can do the same if they wish. So free yourself to do the work you must do for, as Gandhi once said, “action expresses priorities.” This is even true of relationships. Forget those who disrespect you or make you their option. Find out who are saviours and who are sabateurs. Furthermore, try to live a simpler life. Be watchful of diversions, of which are there many. Do away with things, both material or immaterial (such as status), that serve as no more than burdens. You’ll be surprised by how little you actually need to be happy.

“Nature never rushes, yet everything is accomplished.”— Lao Tzu, Philosopher

Don’t rush.

You won’t get there any faster. Where are you going anyways? Aiming for efficiency is stupid. You’ll just be more tired, frustrated and lost. The more you hurry, the more mistake prone you’ll become. Being anxious and going full speed all the time is a bad combination. Who cares what your bosses or superiors say (it’s all just regurgitated noise from an over-commoditized market driven economy). Lose the conditioned response of trying to be always productive. As long as you do good work, it’ll all work out for the better. Besides, the judgement of others don’t matter. Think of your health — what diseases could be brewing in your cells under such relentless pressure or strain? At the end of the day, it’s about doing the right things the right way. You’re the only one who has to live with what you’ve done and how you live.

“An artist should never do what people expect of him.” — Picasso, Artist.

Surprise us.

Don’t always do what the world wants. It’s truly the most dangerous thing. Even if you have to do a job you don’t like to survive, find ways to sneak in the personal. Explore the unusual. It’s ok to be strange (it took me a long time to be able to accept or understand this). Besides, strange things can be, and often sometimes are, the most very beautiful. So look outside of the box of your normal routines, look to different influences. Be wary of the internet and its algorithms that promote sameness. If things look too familiar, comfortable or convenient that’s a sign to you that you should watchout.

“If the artist cannot find the way, then the way cannot be found.” — Terence McKenna, Ethnobotanist/Writer

Know you have a duty to uphold.

You have a destiny. Again, it’s your choice to live up to it or not. We’ve all been given a talent, a freebee so to speak, something you’re naturally attracted to doing and something you know you’re pretty good at it even to start with. It doesn’t mean you don’t have to put in the work. Quite the contrary; you’re gonna have to work harder than every other “normal” person who’s not a creative. But don’t be afraid. Know that there are others like you, look to them for guidance both the living and the dead (whose timeless art keeps them alive). You’re not alone. In fact, you’re never alone. These are your comrads in arms. They’re paving or have paved the way. Don’t let them down. There isn’t a day that I don’t look to my inspirations, they are my creative and philosophical soulmates.

A final word

In this big fight to be free (and moral, creative, just and human) it doesn’t mean we aren’t allowed to fail. To struggle, to fall, to err is to be human. It’s ok, too, to be sad, angry, tired, anxious and depressed. At times it’s both necessary and appropriate. But we don’t fight the fights that we can win, we fight the ones worth fighting. Like Camus said so eloquently, you must rebelliously act and move on regardless. Non-conformity is the very essence of courage. We artists are self-selected. We’re both innovative and resourceful. Hence, we’re naturally equipped to deal with the absurd. And we’re stubborn. Yes, stubborn. We can always forcibly supply the necessary existential sense and meaning when there looks to be none.

Category: Discussions/Essays

The Unsteady Climb

The Big Fight