MaevesChild
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Then and Now
I was reading through some posts and thought that perhaps a thread about growth would be beneficial.
For me, a big part of art is growing and learning new skills and enhancing talent. I read on another forum that someone didn't think there was a difference between the two --- talent and skill. And there is.
I've always been told I have talent, but now I'm learning the skills to use it. I went to my photobucket account and picked an old piece and a new one that were similiar.
2006
2008
Despite how much alike these are, and their very different media (watercolor for the first and charcoal/chalk on the second) it shows growth and change.
Here are two with the same media, pencil.
2006
2008
How about you? How has your art grown and changed?
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3/30/2009, 6:59 am
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TexasMadness
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Re: Then and Now
The first two are a great example of increased skill. You had an eye for layout and such in the first one but you can see how much more refined the face and hair is in the second. And over a fairly short period of time too!
I've reached a bit of a stagnation point in developing my art since I don't have as much time to dedicate to it (hoping to change that now). But I've at least done enough to keep the skill level up.
Here's one example of gain skill. This is the first painting I ever did. Around 1996 or 1997 I think.
The glass is pretty crummy. Here's a painting from a few years later (2000 I think) with a glass that reads much better.
Unfortunately, I would not say that I have really progressed in the painting/drawing department since 2000. Yikes. I have improved craft skills though since that's what I've concentrated on.
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3/30/2009, 12:52 pm
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de Corbin
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Re: Then and Now
I also think about the difference between "talent" and "skill," and I also would say that they are two different things - although they are so closely linked that it's easy to see how a person could imagine that they are one thing.
Here's how I think it works...
I'm going to define "talent" as the ability to imagine something in a particular way. So, for example, a person with a "talent" for drawing can put the product of their imagination into the form of a drawing, a person with a talent for music can put their imagination into the form of music, etc. This is why we can say a person has a talent for something - it is that thing (or things) which serves as the way in which he/she expresses his/her imagination.
I'll define "skill" as the physical ability to manifest that imagination in a physical form - so a person with a talent for drawing has to learn physical skills to actually create something worthwhile, just as a person with a talent for music has to learn how to play an instrument or train the voice.
Now, it often happens that a person with a particular talent will also begin with a higher degree of skill than average in a particular area - sometimes A LOT more - for a variety of reasons. But, skill can always be increased through practice and work.
The funny thing is, though, that as one improves one's skills, one also improves one's talents. As skill is improved, the imagination is also strengthened, which, in turn, also helps the skill level to improve. It's a reciprocal relationship - which is easy to confuse as a single thing.
At least, this is how I see it...
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4/1/2009, 12:35 pm
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