@wowzadawg's post on Artfol
Been feeling really strange and dissatisfied with my art lately. I don’t think it’s “bad”, I like it but something doesn’t feel right.
I appreciate positive feedback but it never sticks with me. I see other people be way more talented and way more successful and it makes me feel like I’m wasting my time and just grossly jealous.
So a really gross, unproductive, not good mood I wanna get out of :(
I just wanted to ask if anyone has felt similar and what helped you get over it?May 6, 2021
I appreciate positive feedback but it never sticks with me. I see other people be way more talented and way more successful and it makes me feel like I’m wasting my time and just grossly jealous.
So a really gross, unproductive, not good mood I wanna get out of :(
I just wanted to ask if anyone has felt similar and what helped you get over it?May 6, 2021
#question
#help
Comments
What good is comparing your successes to someone elses successes?
Unless you are the number one most popular person on the internet, there's always someone who gets more attention than you. I'd calmly and compassionately remind myself that this is not a useful thought, and would switch my attention to something else.
If you like what they do, study their work, break it down and learn from it. If there's nothing to learn, let them do their thing and you do yours.
If I was jealous it would help me to think of this: "Why do I spend my time looking at other people's art and numbers? Is it useful information? If any, what part of it is useful?"
Unless you are the number one most popular person on the internet, there's always someone who gets more attention than you. I'd calmly and compassionately remind myself that this is not a useful thought, and would switch my attention to something else.
If you like what they do, study their work, break it down and learn from it. If there's nothing to learn, let them do their thing and you do yours.
If I was jealous it would help me to think of this: "Why do I spend my time looking at other people's art and numbers? Is it useful information? If any, what part of it is useful?"
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I don't feel bummed out about my finished art (sketches, yes!). It's done and I'm moving forward.
I aim not to anchor myself emotionally into one area of life as the source of my happiness. This means: I do many different things that bring me joy every week and every day. That way, if one fails, it's not a catastrophy, cause I've got all this other stuff.
I'm super proud of my long term growth and have set new themes to work on this year and the next.
Nothing I draw now is as bad as the thing I was super proud of in 2018 when I bought my first digital pen.
I think it's healthy and fun to keep perspective further than one image or one stroke of that image. I look at my old art from years ago often and when I do I instantly I know what I would do differently today. I have hard proof against my brain that might try to convince me otherwise.
I aim not to anchor myself emotionally into one area of life as the source of my happiness. This means: I do many different things that bring me joy every week and every day. That way, if one fails, it's not a catastrophy, cause I've got all this other stuff.
I'm super proud of my long term growth and have set new themes to work on this year and the next.
Nothing I draw now is as bad as the thing I was super proud of in 2018 when I bought my first digital pen.
I think it's healthy and fun to keep perspective further than one image or one stroke of that image. I look at my old art from years ago often and when I do I instantly I know what I would do differently today. I have hard proof against my brain that might try to convince me otherwise.
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I also feel this way sometimes. I just remind myself that I’m doing what I can and think of ways to do better next time.
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Maybe you just need to take a step back and relax and let yourself breathe. This can happen if you're aleays trying to create and post and then again create and post to the point you just feel like something is not right. Take time for yourself and enjoy life for a little bit and then when you feel like you wanna create you will come back with a new perspective and a fresh mind 
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You might just be burnt out, honestly. It can make your art feel sub-par, but it can also end up where you make art that lacks joy and passion because your tanks are empty. Sometimes taking a break for a little while can really help.
Otherwise, it can also help to go back to the basics and practice the really simple stuff for awhile. Draw lots of circles, practice long straight lines, make patterns and practice having control over your stylus. Looking up beginner tutorials are great too.
Another option is to find your weakest spot, and then make art of that. It's going to be the worst version of that skill you create, and after that, you can only improve, yeah? Maybe draw three of the same thing one week apart, and only practice technical skills between that.
Anyway I hope to help a little. I've been trying to do what I'm not skilled with (backgrounds and perspective) and honestly it's hard to look at it and say this isn't good enough, but it's encouraging to know if I keep applying myself I will become better at it!
Otherwise, it can also help to go back to the basics and practice the really simple stuff for awhile. Draw lots of circles, practice long straight lines, make patterns and practice having control over your stylus. Looking up beginner tutorials are great too.
Another option is to find your weakest spot, and then make art of that. It's going to be the worst version of that skill you create, and after that, you can only improve, yeah? Maybe draw three of the same thing one week apart, and only practice technical skills between that.
Anyway I hope to help a little. I've been trying to do what I'm not skilled with (backgrounds and perspective) and honestly it's hard to look at it and say this isn't good enough, but it's encouraging to know if I keep applying myself I will become better at it!
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•This! As someone who used to be more closed–off with some of my artworks, the envy is so painful. I always tend to feel less about my skills, unknowingly comparing myself to others and feeling more upset because so many people are capable of improving faster than I could. It just feels like I'm falling behind, that I even almost lost interest in art. But then, after looking at my arts on a completely different perspective, I just accepted my flaws and got eager to just draw and make more progress! I guess losing that mindset of trying to keep up with the big stuffs and making yourself known helped. Now, I tend to be more critical of my artworks in a way that strive for improvements, while also trying to enjoy learning new things. So although it's a difficult process to endure, I'm sure you'll get past it too! It may be different for all of us, but I hope that your spirits lift up soon! Just take your time, am cheering you on! 
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This always happens to me allll the time I feel ya
When I find myself comparing to other people’s art I try to pull back from social media to just slow down and enjoy the drawing process and see where it takes me. It’s when I’m trying to get work out every few days that I forget why I’m even drawing and that actually it’s for me to have fun and be creative! Maybe focus on one thing to improve on so you can make little improvements gradually
It’s super hard to push through sometimes but you’ll do it I’m sure!!
When I find myself comparing to other people’s art I try to pull back from social media to just slow down and enjoy the drawing process and see where it takes me. It’s when I’m trying to get work out every few days that I forget why I’m even drawing and that actually it’s for me to have fun and be creative! Maybe focus on one thing to improve on so you can make little improvements gradually
It’s super hard to push through sometimes but you’ll do it I’m sure!!
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•Happens to me every couple of weeks. I just go: blegh, why even bother drawing when everybody else seems to be better than me anyways. I think that’s a pretty natural thought to have. But I just try to pick myself up cuz if I don’t keep going I won’t improve.
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