Nope.... contrary to common thought, I didn't
suddenly pop out of the womb with a pencil and was magically able to draw.
You think I'm talented? (or maybe not, it’s okay
lol)...Well thank you, but that certainly may be only half true... or maybe
the word talented isn't quite fitting.
What is talent really? Does it just mean
you are naturally more predisposed to succeed in a certain area? I mean, can
that really be the case? because I assure you there was once a day when we were
all talentless little nothings that just slept and cried all day (of course
this still occurs from time to time, but you get my jist).
Okay, so where am I going with this?.... well I
guess I'm just trying to say that we all had to start somewhere.
Of course some
people are more "naturally gifted" in areas than others, but really,
when it comes down to it, hard work and practise is the main suspect.
So yeah, I wasn't born an artist, but I just had
a deep burning desire to become one, and I seriously doubt that even at age 5
my stickmen were hardly any better than your stickmen.
In fact, it must be admitted that, in all honesty, when I first started drawing, like any beginner in any activity, I was really quite terrible.
In fact, it must be admitted that, in all honesty, when I first started drawing, like any beginner in any activity, I was really quite terrible.
Let's take a look at something funny...
Yep, don’t worry, I laughed a lot too, especially
looking back at those 2014 drawings, damn…. And I used to think I was so good…
honestly, I have no idea why.
I wanted to illustrate my journey and development as an artist, but I’ve never really been one for drawing the same drawing again, so what better way to do this than through a series of self-portraits, where in addition to my changing art skills, my face is changing too.
I wanted to illustrate my journey and development as an artist, but I’ve never really been one for drawing the same drawing again, so what better way to do this than through a series of self-portraits, where in addition to my changing art skills, my face is changing too.
All I see when I look at many of my old drawings
are faults: lack of depth, no hard lines, too smudgey, not symmetrical, too big
eyes or a crooked nose. Sometimes I have that moment where I just look at a
drawing and think “what the f*ck was I thinking”.
I mean, lets take a look at my first ever self
portrait ( although there is a possibility that I once drew a stickwoman with
long dark hair that I claimed to be me, but I really can’t remember).
I remember finishing this drawing after about an
hour or two and I was so excited and proud of myself (as you should be when you
accomplish a task) and although now it seems like a piece of rubbish, for me at
the time it was one of my best drawings and quite an achievement.
Now I see that my drawing, whilst carrying a
little essence of me, has ridiculously large facial features, no real chin line
and minimal facial shading. However, never did I once doubt that what I had
done was anything less than amazing.
I can
truthfully say that if I produced a drawing like this today, I would definitely
not be using the word “amazing” to describe it, but that’s only because I’m comparing
it to what I’m capable of now. Back then I was only comparing it to my previous
drawings and definitely not to anyone else’s standards.
The issue most people face is believing in
themselves, and believe you me sometimes I know it can be extremely hard, but
you should never doubt your abilities. Even when my brother was laughing at me
and saying “pahahahah is that supposed to be you?” or “it looks so stupid”, I
would always defend what I’d done… of course it’s me…. of course it’s not
stupid….. of course it looks amazing! You know why?.... because it was me that
did it and I was proud.
Truth be told, at age 14 I was pretty bad at
drawing. It’s too funny, like I can’t even look at that flower headband self
portrait without laughing, but never did I once say “I can’t draw”. In all
honestly, I can now say that back then it’s probably true… I couldn’t draw… but
I never let it stop me.
When I was about 13 I started my
katerinas_drawings instagram account, and I was so excited to share my artwork
with my friends, family and potentially people all over the world.
In a way I think it inspired me to keep drawing because I could see other instagram artists and their inspirational artwork, and I always loved doing drawings for competitions. I really loved (and still do) being a part of the art community on instagram.
In a way I think it inspired me to keep drawing because I could see other instagram artists and their inspirational artwork, and I always loved doing drawings for competitions. I really loved (and still do) being a part of the art community on instagram.
For several years my life was just art and I
loved it so much. I would wake up every morning thinking about what crazy art
project I was going to start next or what drawing I would work on when I got
home from school or the gym.
Thinking about my art and being creative all the time literally inspired me to wake up every morning and be excited for that day (even if that day was Monday and I had to go to the gym after school ugh).
Thinking about my art and being creative all the time literally inspired me to wake up every morning and be excited for that day (even if that day was Monday and I had to go to the gym after school ugh).
To me, art is about seeing the world. I used to
look at a car and see that it was red. Now I look and I see the reflections of
the light, the different colours in the shadows, the blue reflections of the
sky or the green of the trees.
I see every detail rather than the object as a whole, and I appreciate everything I see a lot more. There is so much care, so much detail in everything that exists on this earth.
I see every detail rather than the object as a whole, and I appreciate everything I see a lot more. There is so much care, so much detail in everything that exists on this earth.
When I was younger I used to say that I couldn’t
draw noses because I was generalising and drawing what I thought a nose looked
like, and because apparently I thought “I can’t do it”, it immediately became
so.
But in actual fact when you draw a nose your not
drawing a nose as such, your just drawing the curves and lines that you see in
front of you… no biggy really. (omg I’ve said the word nose too much it doesn’t
even sound like a word anymore lol oops). So over the years I’ve really just
been learning to look at things in a different way.
Life passes us by so quickly, and sometimes we
forget to reflect on how far we’ve come. Although I’m still not satisfied with
the recent self portrait that I did, I’m proud to see how much I’ve improved
over the years. Often we can’t see improvement from day to day life, but over
time, when hard work is put in, it is sure to come.
Nowadays I never feel like I’ve finished a
drawing. There is always something that I think if I spent a bit more time on
it I feel as if it could be better. My drawings are far from perfect, and I
always know I can do better but I guess we are all just our own worst critics.
However, for me, acknowledging the fact that there is room for improvement
allows me to keep on improving every time.
Art is a journey and everyone has to start
somewhere, but there is no final destination. If you stop and you don’t like
where you’re at, then keep on going. I always say that If you don’t like your
drawing (or art or project or whatever) then you’re not finished yet.
Just one of my little philosophies for you. Art
is a journey. Life is an art.
Keep on creating it.
Love Kat xx