The 0 to 10 Skill Scale: Why Most Artists Overrate Their Talent

 I have a scale I use when I look at an artist's work. It runs from 0 to 10. Most artists rate themselves higher than they are, because the people around them have been generous with compliments. My first impulse was to write “blowing smoke up your skirts.” But what does that really mean?

Here's the uncomfortable version:

0 means no talent.

1 means you have talent.

2 means you draw like a twelve-year-old because you are twelve years old.

3 means you draw like a twelve-year-old and you're 30. You got stuck. You never expanded your knowledge, never took life drawing classes, never studied anatomy from the masters.

And so on up the scale, each number representing a real threshold of skill, knowledge, and professional readiness.

Most people who show me their work are somewhere between 3 and 6. They think they're a 7 or an 8 because someone at a family dinner or on social media told them they should draw for Marvel. Even worse, has told them, “You should start selling your art or do commissions.” Reddit is rampant with these types of comments.

I'm not being cruel. I'm being honest. Honestly, the artists who improve the fastest are the ones who can look at their own work without the pat on the back. The ones who can say, "I'm a 5 and I need to be a 7 before I go pro," and then put in the reps to get there.

Self-assessment is a skill. Most art schools don't teach it. Critique Day was my favorite in college. Your friends and family are not equipped to give it to you. The mirror is the only reliable tool.

Can you honestly look at yourself?

Just create.™

One Way to Learn

 

I have so much unfinished art. I came across this unfinished piece while making room on my laptop and moving it to a backup drive.

At the time, I wanted to challenge myself in a few ways. I wanted to try that 1950s pin-up style. Second, I wanted to see if I could bring this washed-out photo to life. I also wanted to get better at hair. I've always disliked drawing hair, so I never put much effort into it.

I feel I was on my way to a good illustration. This didn't get finished, most likely, because I started it in-between jobs and then got busy with paying work. 

I must have done this around the time I created the hair video tutorial. https://youtu.be/Jd_4mjGH1u0?si=kZcGNC4yWvbhiFV_

The style I'm using looks like the 1950s. Not my usual technique. I created this video after not finding a hair tutorial that suited my needs. So I studied hair. I put what I learned into this video tutorial.

A lot of artists get stuck when they can't find a prepackaged way to learn. They want tips, tricks, and quick results. Not only did I learn more by studying hair on my own, but that knowledge is now mine. It's a part of me. I don't have to keep referring to someone else's tutorial.

Where did I learn? From hair stylists and barbers.

Seeing it now gives me an idea for something different I can do with this style. Won't get to it until next year. I have a big project I have to do first.

Just create.™

art and text copyright 2026 Howard Simpson

How to Draw and Paint All Hair - Clip Studio Paint Tutorial

Check out my Clip Studio Paint tutorial for how to draw hair. You will most likely learn things you never knew about hair.

Today you will learn to draw simple straight hair and complicated curly hair types using different drawing styles. Once you finish this tutorial, you will have the information and confidence to draw all hairstyles from reference and imagination.

How to draw Mouths, Lips, and Teeth - Clip Studio Paint Tutorials Ep. 01...

Today, we will learn how to draw Mouths, Lips, and Teeth and add variety to each of these features.

How to Use ArtRage Vitae PaintLink Collaboration - ArtRage Tutorials Ep....

Here's my ArtRage collaboration with Tiffany. 

Visit her channel to see the other side of this collaboration.

PaintLink allows two artists on two different computers to work on the same artwork.

Parts of the video have been sped up to save time.