My scale of one to ten to
rate your art level.
Some people who have slobbered over your art
because you draw better than them will give you a 10 and you're no
better off than you were and still left standing there with false
expectations.
Here's what my scale of 1 to 10 means.
0 – No talent.
1 – You have talent.
2 – You draw like a twelve year old
because you ARE a 12-year old.
3 – You draw like a twelve year old
and got stuck there, even though you are 20 or 30 years old now. You
never expanded your knowledge/practiced enough/took life drawing
classes/read art books or any combination of these reasons and more.
Yet you think (insert current popular artist here) is a hack and you
can draw better than them.
4 – You draw more adult like. Your
work is primitive. This is just a hobby for you. You're happy to
express yourself with your art.
5 – You mostly copy other artists to
practice. Your total knowledge is from what you've seen other artists
do. You gain surface knowledge from copying, but nothing deeper. You
only draw figures and no backgrounds. Nothing wrong with copying at this stage. You're beginning the learning process.
6 – You're finally taking classes and
reading books to learn about anatomy, perspective, composition,
chiaroscuro, color theory, storytelling, etc. You're adding skill to
your raw talent. Now you're getting some where!
7- You have potential. You will answer
an insulting ad from someone who won't pay you upfront, keep the
rights to your art and promise you great exposure. If you can resist
the temptation, use the time to make all the practice, learning and
studying art to become second nature to you. Right now you still have
to think about it. Editors who will pay upfront have a field day
tearing your work apart.
8 – The work is inconsistent. Figures
are stiff. Backgrounds are weak. You're not able to maintain
character likeness or your style consistently. Storytelling needs
help.
9 - Draftsmanship is good. Storytelling
could be better. You've learned how to use photo reference as a
tool, not a crutch. Now everything you've learned is a part of you.
You don't have to think about how a deltoid and trapezius fit
together and move and stuff like that. Now it's second nature to you.
10 – Art is good. Figures are lively,
solid, anatomically correct with proper proportions and consistent.
You can draw backgrounds that create a convincing reality. You
understand how to create depth with foreground, middle ground and
background. You haven't gotten bad critiques from editors for awhile
now. Just little things here and there and not the big glaring errors
you used to make. You're just waiting for your big break. You just
need someone to take a chance on you.
You will always find someone willing to
give you a first chance. What determines if you are ready to go pro
is if someone gives you that second chance.
Now you may not neatly fit in this scale. You may be
in-between. That's good! That means growth is happening. Do you need
me to rate you or can you honestly look at yourself? Can you remove
your self from the confusion caused by accolades of well meaning
people and the rejection from editors? Can you be honest with
yourself about your talent and skill level? Be honest about what you need to do
and then do it without a primal scream?
TIP - If you hear the same critique
more than once. It's not an opinion, it's something you need to work
on, so do it!
Remember... Just Create!
