Well, I'm back for another editorial. But this isn't for fanart anymore; this is for ALL artists, especially those just entering the feild.

As any artist would, I like to show off my work to those around me. Everyone enjoys it all the same, but some look at it with a tinge of envy or remorse. Then they utter one of the most insulting statements to me:

I could never do something this good.

I could easily tell you that I was no good when I started drawing as a 12-year-old. I specialized in tracings and small comics, Garfeild rip-offs replaced with very non-Mario-like Mario Brothers. My anatomy was all wrong, my lines weren't straight (I'm STILL working on that), and the coloring was rushed and sloppy.

Then I started collecting some how-to-draw books, manga, and online artwork, gathering inspiration and reference from every available outlet. I paid close attention to what other artists emphasized; detail, composition, color choice, everything. I tried something new in every picture, new poses and characters and purposes in every work. Over time, these other artists helped me create my own style, the style you see me illustrate today. I can't name all the artists who inspired me to get off my feet: there are simply too many.

So you see? It took me seven years to get to where I am today. Seven years! A time period filled with nothing but practice and experimentation.

It's a simple concept: you practice, you get better. But there's more to it than that. You have to have the perserverance to TRY. You have to have the courage to try drawing something you've never drawn before. You have to be willing to challange yourself. Nobody said art was easy.

In a college course, History of Contemporary Art, we read a scholary journal titled "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?" by Linda Nochlin. A standard answer to this question was that women are incapable of greatness, compared to men. However, as we now see, this is not so; the reason why woman did not often become artists in olden days was that they had no access to art studios or teachers. They were never encouraged to become painters, and thus were never taught.

After this discovery, the class came to this conclusion, one of the many I have carried outside ever since: Art is learned, not innate.

There's no other excuse you can provide for not being able to produce art. If you're self-driven and are willing to do the work, no matter how long it takes, you WILL get better. And I'm not just blowing hot air here. I've watched peers in my Beginning Drawing class (another college course, mind you) who have never drawn before grow beside me in one semester as we draw spheres, boxes, and drapery. Not once did any of us say "I can't do this" or "I give up." We just sat right down on our stiff benches and got to work, for better or worse. And from flops, we only grew and tried again. And I say "we" because I was a part of that growth too.

This is what I've been saying for years. You don't need "talent" to succeed in what you want to do. Granted, it's nice to have some talent, making the journey a little less agonizing, but it is definitely NOT necessary. Forgive me for sounding blunt, but the need for talent is a loser's excuse. A loser who doesn't have the guts to TRY.

Art is a lesson we learn over the course of our entire lives. We just have to be willing to listen and try and learn and grow.

With that in mind, I'm going go dish out a few tips. This may not help you, but it sure as heck helped me, and I hope you gather inspiration if nothing else.

Start out slow and build yourself up.
You don't want to start out with a mind-boggling project on your first try, only to give up. Start out with more simple things: faces, animals, objects, whatever the hell you're comfortable with. You can build up from there when you feel your comfortable to, and move on to full-body portraits or backgrounds or whatever.

Don't be afraid. Just draw!
Anyone can look at a blank piece of paper and be intimidated. But art should be fun, not scary. Be brave! Leap into the drawing, your mighty pencil drawn and ready to face any challenge! The less you worry about the final outcome, the more likely you are to be satified with it in the end. But, of course, don't be reckless and ink and color until you know you're ready. The more you draw, the more you'll know when it's the right time.

Build a steady collection of others' artwork
Inspiration is all around you and at your disposal. Collect anything artistic: how-to-draw books, comics, manga, cartoon/video game screenshots, concept art... even online artists. I have several folders filled to brim with nothing but the artwork of others. From these you can gain inspiration or helpful reference for certain details or poses you have trouble with. They're extremely helpful and easy to refer back to if you organize them right!

Try something new in every picture
You'll never grow if you draw the same thing over and over. Try characters, poses, backgrounds, or styles you've never drawn before and learn from these experimentations. Don't be hesitant in trying something new!

Expose yourself to healthy critcism
Don't be insulted when someone tells you to improve something or try something different; they're only trying to help, not hurt your feelings! Constructive critcism can be really helpful if you take it into serious consideration. As for people who flat-out say you suck, well, they're just not worth listening to. Don't let them get under your skin; surround yourself with more encouraging people.

NEVER GIVE UP!!!
This is the big one. Everyone says it, and it's the honest-to-god truth. I've seen too many people who don't even try. It's so very sad. If you keep at it and practice frequently, you will eventually get there. Keep going. Believe in yourself. HANDLE IT!

Good luck to you! To any new artists, you are free to ask me for any helful critcism on any piece you present me with. I support anyone, and I mean ANYONE, who's willing to enter the exciting, terrifying, wonderful world of art.