Artist's Ambition

I think we all forget how we started out. Ten years ago my work was not as great as it is today, even in the past couple years I have improved so much that it isn't even funny. Talking to Joe, he had been the mediator in a small conversation with his step sister. She stated that she wanted to see my work. In return I sent a link to my deviantart, which I do not think is my best representation, and she made a remark that I was better than her.

My first response: "Well duhh, I am a lot older!" and after stating that I was older I realized that I had forgotten how much my work has changed over the years. Even in high school I wasn't up to my full potential and I never really took chances. I knew that this girl needed some thing that will show this lesson, so I dug up my old sketch book from seventh to eighth grade and showed her how "bad" I was.

Joe stated that he thought that this made her feel better. I got a remark like "oh" which made me feel bad for about two seconds (automatic response to overprotect my work) and then was trying to think of a piece of wisdom that I could send to her, but what is the most important thing for her to know at her level?

I came up with a few things that have shaped my work, along with a few things that I should have worked on years ago.

1. "Every great artist has mastered the human form." It was this statement alone that made me drop the "easier" animals and go back to the challenge of people. If you look at the masters they did all know the human body and knowing how we work can also help with other micanical things...humans are insparation.
   
2. Volume. Shadows use to overwhelm me, but I wish I had worked on them sooner. I still have issues with ignoring the shadows and only working on what is closest and furthest away, but I wish I payed more attention earlier...
3. Don't worry about making something "bad." This is a curse that haunts me to this day. I am so caught up on creating something "good," that I lose focus on why I am an artist in the first place. I do not draw for success (most of the time) I draw because it makes me happy. Looking back to my previous work, the best things in my sketch books were the things I did for fun and the things I did without worry.
   

I really don't know which to say to her, but I may come up with it if I know I am going to meet her and talk about it with her. I have decided that I need to see her work before I can really pass anything on. Also, I need to master some things myself. I like to think that I can help other artists, even though it will suck when they pass me.

I know I am not working to my potential, and there are still many walls I need to break down before I can get there, but opening my mind to what I am trying to learn at school will help me in the long run. I know that in order to hone my skills, I have to let go of perfection. Even though I see my work now....in 5 years I will think my best is crap...because my new best will surpass it.