Over the last few months, I've been working on a collaboration with Proko's team - a video about my experiences with Aphantasia (the inability to visualize the things I imagine in my head), and how I approach drawing from my imagination. And the video is finally out, on Proko's channel!
Serious question: have yall with aphantasia ever experimented with psychedelics? Or when you go to sleep do you see anything before you start to dream?
My abilities to visualize things is pretty shit. Weed enhances it a little, but usually not in a controllable way. Shrooms haven't made me see anything other than distortions.
I do find that when I'm in that between space about to fall asleep, I can sometimes catch a moment of more controlled dreaming, and I do get visuals / a stronger sense of what's happening, but they're not "crisp".
I haven't done any psychedelics before, though I am admittedly a little curious about them, entirely because of my aphantasia. As for before I start to dream, nothing.
Personal experience, total aphantasia, I never see anything, and have eaten a rather unreasonable amount of hallucinogens in my day, and I dont dream either
I cant see a damn thing in my head but I hallucinate a lot on psychedelics. As far as dreaming goes, I dont ever remember seeing anything. I just kinda have a sense of whats going on.
Its been a while since Ive experienced it, but the closest Ive ever come to visualizing anything in my mind with even a hint of clarity has been when under the influence of psychedelics. Never been able to control or shape the image myself though and nothing more than a bunch of shifting abstract shapes and colors.
When I smoke a lot of pot sometimes, and pretty rare, I will see faces when going to sleep. It is always just faces and since I can't normally see anything in my mind's eye it is creepy more than anything. They are not in color, more of a greyscale.
That's super interesting. Do you always remember your dreams? For me it's super rare to remember dreams, though when I do it's usually just some funky fragments.
Same. Can't imagine sounds/smells etc when awake. I remember having a lucid dream though and being like 'holy f**k, i can see stuff i'm imagining!? this is so cool!'
sidenote: i've been drawing for 10+ years. When i try 'imagining' something, one of the main things i get is the feeling my arm tracing out the contours.
Not at all. There are many ways in which to understand the things we recall - while I don't see them visually in my head, I can perceive them in other ways. It's a bit tough to describe, but I basically can maintain a general idea of where different forms and objects exist in 3D space relative to one another.
As I study from reference, learning how different objects can be broken down into simpler forms, those simpler forms are easier for me to manipulate in my head, and recombine however I wish. This kind of exercise allows me to develop an equivalent of a "visual library", and I can pull on things I've studied even without the reference present. My recollection of the specific details isn't 100% accurate, but that's just how memory works for everyone.
Normally I explain how I "see" in my head as this.
You are in a room with the lights on you can see everything in the room, then you turn off the light and walk to the other side. You can't actually see the couch or table or whatever else is in the room but you know where they are and how big they are and likely could walk to the other side of the room without hitting anything. That is how I see when I close my eyes.
That's a pretty good analogy - and one that's a lot less presumptuous than the "blind person" one I play out in my head, but try to avoid using outloud.
I have aphantasia and its a fucking bummer that I didnt learn about it till I was almost 30. Im glad I just discovered Prokos channel and I cant wait to see what you both put out!!
Every study I do from reference involves me breaking their construction down, understanding their major forms, and so on. I may not remember what a pigeon looks like to be able to picture it in my head, but this kind of information - the kinds of forms, the way the forms relate to one another, and even the shape language itself - these are more abstract concepts that get recorded to my "visual" library (I put that in quotation marks because it's the normal term, but obviously doesn't really apply in the same way to me).
I haven't studied pigeons very closely - really just what you saw in the video - but at this point I can draw an okay pigeon without reference. If I were to study them more, the amount of non-visual information I'd retain would expand further, and my drawings of those pigeons would get more recognizable, even without reference at hand.
I want students to understand just how useful reference is, when you have it, and how drawing from reference is the way one equips themselves to draw without it - hence the reason I focused so heavily on it in my demonstrations for the video. Reference is a wonderful thing, and there's a real problem with people being under the impression that using it is somehow bad, harmful, or to be avoided. I think you phrased your question well, however, and avoided that problem. Sometimes you don't have reference to work from.
To be completely honest with you, I don't hunt down reference for every last thing I draw. I retain enough information on general things I've drawn over the years that I can manage just fine. No one's judging my comic pages on the accuracy of my pigeons, after all. And I don't think they're too bad, in any case.
Thanks and yeah sometimes I actually don't have sources for references, (Of course there's real life) and sometimes I rely too much on it, by "copying" and not understanding or deconstructing the basic shapes. Just found out about your course, so I'm about to start on it, finished reading Lessons 0, thanks for all the work dude!
I wonder if I have this . Always found it hard to imagine things when I draw my mind is completely blank. I sorta developed other ways of imagining like putting lines down until the lines look the the thing I want to draw . Or I recall something similar and use that as a starting point.
How is your ability to visualize things when you're not drawing? You've mainly described what it's like when you're actually attempting to put stuff down on a page, but that in itself can induce all kinds of additional stress that may impact how you think and behave.
Still kind of blank and fuzzy . I can recall memories but there is no picture to them if that makes any sense . Just the story. If I try real hard I can kind of imagine something but it doesnt feel like an image in my mind it feels different .. idk its hard to explain.
Imagination and visualization is always hard to put into words. But don't stress too much over it - it's a spectrum that stretches between hyperphantasia and aphantasia, and covers everything in between. Just know that you're somewhere on that spectrum, and at the end of the day, it has no significant bearing on your ability to learn to draw.
The thing that I dont understand is that I can imagine really complicated images but if I try to look at any detail there is nothing so I have a good imagination but I cant make images in my head.
And I can draw characters I like by remembering details but I cant make a clear image in my head of the character.
I am in the same predicament. I am starting to wonder if the issue is that I am lacking the fundamentals. I am just working on the 250 box challenge and it is dawning on me just how little I understand of how things are constructed and how to think of 3D space on paper. I am noticing a shift in my thinking, but I still need guidance and I hope that is the trick for me.
This is the big misconception that people can have on the other side of the coin. "I can visualize whatever I want, so I should be able to draw like a master no problem!" In truth, your ability to visualize things is still likely to be pretty limited - in that it still relies on your memory (human memory is notoriously poor, something I talk about in lesson 2, but the jist is that we're built to focus on important things like whether or not that thing has teeth and wants to eat us, not specific details needed for depiction). If the information isn't there, I can imagine that as soon as you try to focus on something, it starts to evaporate.
That's why regardless of whether one can visualize things or not, we all have to learn the same core skills. Sometimes people who have strong visualization skills can find it a little more challenging, simply because they've got this distracting skill that SEEMS like it should be useful, but isn't pulling the weight expected of it.
I think I made a mistake in my last response I meant to say I can think of really complicated designs but not be able to actually imagine and image in my head. For example in the test you show where you have to imagine a red star I would be either 1 or 2 1 being nothing. But I do get some good ideas and then when it comes to drawing I cant draw what I see at all but I think thats normal
I definitely made the video with them in mind as well. They are as likely to feel like because they can visualize things in their heads, that things should be easy for them. It's very much not the case, and when we get that kind of idea, we're bound to get discouraged when we aren't able to perform to our overblown expectations.
At the end of the day, it's really just a parlour trick. What really allows us to draw are the concrete skills we develop through practice and hard work.
I always like to hear your takes on "drawing garbage" and such
It really helps me push through some of the anxiety of starting and drawing badly. I've probably started 3-4 times since I picked up drawabox in December. I have gotten better. I finally make myself just doodle badly drawn wizards in pointy hats when I have time at work.
Every time I hear you talk about not overvaluing each piece, or focusing more on developing my skills rather than the product I make, it helps me get a little bit more. I hope that encourages you to talk more on that subject as it really does help some of us.
It's probably my favourite topic to rant about, honestly, and I do it all the time on the discord server. One little correction to what you said though - with the 50% rule, it's not even about focusing on developing skills instead of the end result. That's definitely the case for when we're going through the lessons/exercises/studies portion of things, but when we're just drawing for fun, both the end result and the idea that we're investing our time to get something meaningful out of it (like improving our skills) goes out the window.
It's all about enjoying the act of making marks on a page.
But of course with your badly drawn wizards in pointy hats, I don't doubt for a second that you understood that quite thoroughly!
It's all about enjoying the act of making marks on a page.
Thats the entire reason I started doing drawabox. Exactly what I wanted to learn how to do. God bless man. Thanks for all you do. Now excuse me while I look at my next lesson :)
[deleted]
2021-03-19 17:45
Is it really that bad to draw just because you want to express your imagination and creativity, and make drawings you love and proud of? What if you can't enjoy drawing just for the sake of marking stuff on paper? Is drawing isn't for people like me then?
I'm having really hard time understanding this mindset. I want to learn to draw because I want to make good drawings, isn't it a legitimate or at least understandable view?
You're really misunderstanding something. People who come looking for something like Drawabox do so because they no longer just enjoy drawing. They get fixated on the fact that they want to do better, that they need to do better, that they don't have fun unless they're able to show themselves something pretty at the end.
The 50% rule doesn't ask you to have fun. It teaches you how to. It does this by having you face down the frustrating parts, to jump into them head first, and to get used to them so they stop being so painful. Through that exposure, the fog steadily clears, and you're able to see past the frustration to the enjoyment that could be had.
The fact that you're not able to do it for fun right now is irrelevant, and that's the case for most people at this stage.
[deleted]
2021-03-19 21:43
I see. If that's the case with DrawABox, then I'm sorry that I was bothering you with this question. I really am.
I'm one of those people, yet the only thing I want is just to get better. The type of enjoyment that I'm after, the very reason I even started to try and make drawings, is for having that pretty thing at the end that would make me feel happy.
I know It's not as noble as just simply enjoying the craft of the art, but that's what it is for me. That's what I wish for.
I've been struggling a lot with getting better and have pretty much given up on ever being able to draw, but I still try every once in a while and browse art subs and forums with a slight hope to find my answer. Be it the one that would help me get through this struggle and guide me to my goal or just one that would finally convince me to truly give up on this silly passion.
Unfortunately, it seems that DrawABox is indeed not the one I'm looking for and is irrelevant for me. That's just on me. I'm sorry.
Ultimately your path is up to you. I do feel like I should say one last thing, however, before leaving you to it.
It's completely fine if you opt to take some other path - there are many out there to choose from, so don't feel pressured into following Drawabox specifically.
What I do want you to understand however is that it's not about the nobility of the pursuit, and the lofty nonsense associated with the idea of "art", love of the craft, etc. It is purely pragmatic.
If you, like so many other people who are on the hunt for something to teach them how to draw better, continue to allow yourself to focus on the need to draw better in order to make yourself happy, you put yourself at a significant risk of burning out - or at the very least, you'll put yourself through a shredder of despair that could have otherwise been avoided.
The reason we stress taking these students who are so focused on the end result and knock their heads into the wall until they actually learn to shift their motivations around to something more sustainable, is that it increases one's chances of success.
Your circumstances are not unique, nor special, and perhaps that's the most important piece. Most people start where you are, focused on what's going to help them improve because making those lovely works of art - whether it's purely for their own self-gratification or for the gratification that comes from the attention it brings. But what it leads to is ineffective, and has the tendency to take unhealthy mindsets and nurture them into terrible beasts.
That doesn't mean people don't succeed with that mindset - some do. The problem is that they come out the other end damaged, or worse still, those that fail out are left damaged with nothing to show for it.
Really think about whether that's the path you want to take, entirely because you're so dead set on your current outlook, and on the idea that your circumstances are different, rather than the start of a path tread by many before you. It's a fork in the road, and you can choose how to play this.
Fortunately there will be many such forks in the road ahead of you, so when you do find yourself in moments of despair, I want you to remember what I've said here. You're not locked in, you're not forced to hold to your ideals. You can change your mind later on, and decide to take it easier on yourself. To give yourself the patience and understanding that only you can provide.
I wish you the best.
[deleted]
2021-03-20 01:42
I truly appreciate your advice. I'll keep this in mind.
I feel so relieved and kind of validated, finding out that this 'mental block,' I've had forever is actually a thing with a name that other people experience. I think this also explains why I gravitated so heavily to photography, specifically landscapes, skyscapes, and architecture, because I can actually see those subjects in real life.
Holy shit.
I've played around with drawabox a few times, but I think I'm going to seriously put time into it now after watching this.
So I never knew about this and from talking with other people, I found out I have pretty intense hyperphantasia. Never felt it really helped me that much. Well I suppose I was able to doodle charizard relatively accurately without a reference image.
i_phemmzone
2021-03-18 18:36
currently watching the video when i saw this post
;)
Cesarbiskut
2021-03-18 18:41
Just watched , great video very Insightful.
icecream-gamer
2021-03-18 18:48
My two senpais have finally collaborated. yay
Badger8472
2021-03-18 19:23
....I didn't know there was a name for it...
Romle
2021-03-18 19:40
Thank you! I have aphantasia and it's hard.
FallPure
2021-03-18 20:01
Serious question: have yall with aphantasia ever experimented with psychedelics? Or when you go to sleep do you see anything before you start to dream?
BipedSnowman
2021-03-18 20:30
My abilities to visualize things is pretty shit. Weed enhances it a little, but usually not in a controllable way. Shrooms haven't made me see anything other than distortions.
I do find that when I'm in that between space about to fall asleep, I can sometimes catch a moment of more controlled dreaming, and I do get visuals / a stronger sense of what's happening, but they're not "crisp".
Uncomfortable
2021-03-18 21:02
I haven't done any psychedelics before, though I am admittedly a little curious about them, entirely because of my aphantasia. As for before I start to dream, nothing.
Biskotheq
2021-03-18 21:07
Personal experience, total aphantasia, I never see anything, and have eaten a rather unreasonable amount of hallucinogens in my day, and I dont dream either
bradbains
2021-03-19 00:38
I cant see a damn thing in my head but I hallucinate a lot on psychedelics. As far as dreaming goes, I dont ever remember seeing anything. I just kinda have a sense of whats going on.
mrfluff_n_snuff
2021-03-19 07:18
Its been a while since Ive experienced it, but the closest Ive ever come to visualizing anything in my mind with even a hint of clarity has been when under the influence of psychedelics. Never been able to control or shape the image myself though and nothing more than a bunch of shifting abstract shapes and colors.
jasondbg
2021-08-17 14:22
When I smoke a lot of pot sometimes, and pretty rare, I will see faces when going to sleep. It is always just faces and since I can't normally see anything in my mind's eye it is creepy more than anything. They are not in color, more of a greyscale.
NCKBLZ
2021-03-18 20:29
So what do you see when you think?
Uncomfortable
2021-03-18 21:03
Absolutely nothing! I mean, I usually have my eyes open when I think, so I'll see my surroundings... but there's nothing in addition to that.
NCKBLZ
2021-03-18 21:11
But isn't that normal with eyes open? Is it just the same with eyes closed?
Uncomfortable
2021-03-18 22:21
Yeah, I just mean that there's nothing additional I see when I try to picture/imagine things.
Mettologist
2021-03-19 08:34
Does this also extend to dreams?
Adadoodles
2021-03-19 09:28
I have aphantasia as well! I can't produce a mental image for the life of me when I'm conscious, but my dreams are incredibly vivid.
Mettologist
2021-03-19 09:56
That's super interesting. Do you always remember your dreams? For me it's super rare to remember dreams, though when I do it's usually just some funky fragments.
Adadoodles
2021-03-19 18:08
Not always! They're usually just so nonsensical that I feel the need to tell my boyfriend as soon as I wake up and it helps me remember haha
josephniet
2021-03-19 11:41
Same. Can't imagine sounds/smells etc when awake. I remember having a lucid dream though and being like 'holy f**k, i can see stuff i'm imagining!? this is so cool!'
sidenote: i've been drawing for 10+ years. When i try 'imagining' something, one of the main things i get is the feeling my arm tracing out the contours.
Uncomfortable
2021-03-19 17:37
Based on what I've heard, those with aphantasia - myself included - dream normally.
[deleted]
2021-03-25 06:07
Does that make it impossible to draw from memory?
Uncomfortable
2021-03-25 15:22
Not at all. There are many ways in which to understand the things we recall - while I don't see them visually in my head, I can perceive them in other ways. It's a bit tough to describe, but I basically can maintain a general idea of where different forms and objects exist in 3D space relative to one another.
As I study from reference, learning how different objects can be broken down into simpler forms, those simpler forms are easier for me to manipulate in my head, and recombine however I wish. This kind of exercise allows me to develop an equivalent of a "visual library", and I can pull on things I've studied even without the reference present. My recollection of the specific details isn't 100% accurate, but that's just how memory works for everyone.
jasondbg
2021-08-17 14:20
Normally I explain how I "see" in my head as this.
You are in a room with the lights on you can see everything in the room, then you turn off the light and walk to the other side. You can't actually see the couch or table or whatever else is in the room but you know where they are and how big they are and likely could walk to the other side of the room without hitting anything. That is how I see when I close my eyes.
Uncomfortable
2021-08-17 19:09
That's a pretty good analogy - and one that's a lot less presumptuous than the "blind person" one I play out in my head, but try to avoid using outloud.
Ravenyssa
2021-03-18 20:37
Omg i love proko
Uncomfortable
2021-03-18 21:03
He was certainly very kind to reach out and give me the opportunity to share what I know on his channel!
kingokarp
2021-03-18 22:37
I have aphantasia and its a fucking bummer that I didnt learn about it till I was almost 30. Im glad I just discovered Prokos channel and I cant wait to see what you both put out!!
Mastah-Blastah
2021-03-19 00:39
What about drawing without reference? I want to do a pigeon, but maybe I don't have acces to any photos or internet or real life pigeons.
Great video btw
Uncomfortable
2021-03-19 01:03
Every study I do from reference involves me breaking their construction down, understanding their major forms, and so on. I may not remember what a pigeon looks like to be able to picture it in my head, but this kind of information - the kinds of forms, the way the forms relate to one another, and even the shape language itself - these are more abstract concepts that get recorded to my "visual" library (I put that in quotation marks because it's the normal term, but obviously doesn't really apply in the same way to me).
I haven't studied pigeons very closely - really just what you saw in the video - but at this point I can draw an okay pigeon without reference. If I were to study them more, the amount of non-visual information I'd retain would expand further, and my drawings of those pigeons would get more recognizable, even without reference at hand.
I want students to understand just how useful reference is, when you have it, and how drawing from reference is the way one equips themselves to draw without it - hence the reason I focused so heavily on it in my demonstrations for the video. Reference is a wonderful thing, and there's a real problem with people being under the impression that using it is somehow bad, harmful, or to be avoided. I think you phrased your question well, however, and avoided that problem. Sometimes you don't have reference to work from.
To be completely honest with you, I don't hunt down reference for every last thing I draw. I retain enough information on general things I've drawn over the years that I can manage just fine. No one's judging my comic pages on the accuracy of my pigeons, after all. And I don't think they're too bad, in any case.
Mastah-Blastah
2021-03-19 01:59
Thanks and yeah sometimes I actually don't have sources for references, (Of course there's real life) and sometimes I rely too much on it, by "copying" and not understanding or deconstructing the basic shapes. Just found out about your course, so I'm about to start on it, finished reading Lessons 0, thanks for all the work dude!
googlygaga
2021-03-19 05:50
I wonder if I have this . Always found it hard to imagine things when I draw my mind is completely blank. I sorta developed other ways of imagining like putting lines down until the lines look the the thing I want to draw . Or I recall something similar and use that as a starting point.
Uncomfortable
2021-03-19 06:03
How is your ability to visualize things when you're not drawing? You've mainly described what it's like when you're actually attempting to put stuff down on a page, but that in itself can induce all kinds of additional stress that may impact how you think and behave.
googlygaga
2021-03-19 07:24
Still kind of blank and fuzzy . I can recall memories but there is no picture to them if that makes any sense . Just the story. If I try real hard I can kind of imagine something but it doesnt feel like an image in my mind it feels different .. idk its hard to explain.
Uncomfortable
2021-03-19 17:39
Imagination and visualization is always hard to put into words. But don't stress too much over it - it's a spectrum that stretches between hyperphantasia and aphantasia, and covers everything in between. Just know that you're somewhere on that spectrum, and at the end of the day, it has no significant bearing on your ability to learn to draw.
Milerski
2021-03-19 07:07
A Proko/Uncomfortable collab? This is like a Led Zeppelin reunion!
snatchezz
2021-03-19 09:47
Great stuff
_KARMA13
2021-03-19 13:36
The thing that I dont understand is that I can imagine really complicated images but if I try to look at any detail there is nothing so I have a good imagination but I cant make images in my head.
And I can draw characters I like by remembering details but I cant make a clear image in my head of the character.
Carafin
2021-03-19 13:59
I am in the same predicament. I am starting to wonder if the issue is that I am lacking the fundamentals. I am just working on the 250 box challenge and it is dawning on me just how little I understand of how things are constructed and how to think of 3D space on paper. I am noticing a shift in my thinking, but I still need guidance and I hope that is the trick for me.
_KARMA13
2021-03-19 14:05
I mean I guess will never really understand how well people can imagine images in there head which is intriguing yet sad.
Uncomfortable
2021-03-19 17:37
This is the big misconception that people can have on the other side of the coin. "I can visualize whatever I want, so I should be able to draw like a master no problem!" In truth, your ability to visualize things is still likely to be pretty limited - in that it still relies on your memory (human memory is notoriously poor, something I talk about in lesson 2, but the jist is that we're built to focus on important things like whether or not that thing has teeth and wants to eat us, not specific details needed for depiction). If the information isn't there, I can imagine that as soon as you try to focus on something, it starts to evaporate.
That's why regardless of whether one can visualize things or not, we all have to learn the same core skills. Sometimes people who have strong visualization skills can find it a little more challenging, simply because they've got this distracting skill that SEEMS like it should be useful, but isn't pulling the weight expected of it.
_KARMA13
2021-03-19 17:41
I think I made a mistake in my last response I meant to say I can think of really complicated designs but not be able to actually imagine and image in my head. For example in the test you show where you have to imagine a red star I would be either 1 or 2 1 being nothing. But I do get some good ideas and then when it comes to drawing I cant draw what I see at all but I think thats normal
Kamigeist
2021-03-19 15:25
Even people without any problems imagining detailed pictures in their head this video is very helpful. Thank you
Uncomfortable
2021-03-19 17:34
I definitely made the video with them in mind as well. They are as likely to feel like because they can visualize things in their heads, that things should be easy for them. It's very much not the case, and when we get that kind of idea, we're bound to get discouraged when we aren't able to perform to our overblown expectations.
At the end of the day, it's really just a parlour trick. What really allows us to draw are the concrete skills we develop through practice and hard work.
Nethervex
2021-03-19 16:45
I always like to hear your takes on "drawing garbage" and such
It really helps me push through some of the anxiety of starting and drawing badly. I've probably started 3-4 times since I picked up drawabox in December. I have gotten better. I finally make myself just doodle badly drawn wizards in pointy hats when I have time at work.
Every time I hear you talk about not overvaluing each piece, or focusing more on developing my skills rather than the product I make, it helps me get a little bit more. I hope that encourages you to talk more on that subject as it really does help some of us.
Uncomfortable
2021-03-19 17:33
It's probably my favourite topic to rant about, honestly, and I do it all the time on the discord server. One little correction to what you said though - with the 50% rule, it's not even about focusing on developing skills instead of the end result. That's definitely the case for when we're going through the lessons/exercises/studies portion of things, but when we're just drawing for fun, both the end result and the idea that we're investing our time to get something meaningful out of it (like improving our skills) goes out the window.
It's all about enjoying the act of making marks on a page.
But of course with your badly drawn wizards in pointy hats, I don't doubt for a second that you understood that quite thoroughly!
Nethervex
2021-03-19 17:42
Thats the entire reason I started doing drawabox. Exactly what I wanted to learn how to do. God bless man. Thanks for all you do. Now excuse me while I look at my next lesson :)
[deleted]
2021-03-19 17:45
Is it really that bad to draw just because you want to express your imagination and creativity, and make drawings you love and proud of? What if you can't enjoy drawing just for the sake of marking stuff on paper? Is drawing isn't for people like me then?
I'm having really hard time understanding this mindset. I want to learn to draw because I want to make good drawings, isn't it a legitimate or at least understandable view?
Uncomfortable
2021-03-19 19:18
You're really misunderstanding something. People who come looking for something like Drawabox do so because they no longer just enjoy drawing. They get fixated on the fact that they want to do better, that they need to do better, that they don't have fun unless they're able to show themselves something pretty at the end.
The 50% rule doesn't ask you to have fun. It teaches you how to. It does this by having you face down the frustrating parts, to jump into them head first, and to get used to them so they stop being so painful. Through that exposure, the fog steadily clears, and you're able to see past the frustration to the enjoyment that could be had.
The fact that you're not able to do it for fun right now is irrelevant, and that's the case for most people at this stage.
[deleted]
2021-03-19 21:43
I see. If that's the case with DrawABox, then I'm sorry that I was bothering you with this question. I really am.
I'm one of those people, yet the only thing I want is just to get better. The type of enjoyment that I'm after, the very reason I even started to try and make drawings, is for having that pretty thing at the end that would make me feel happy.
I know It's not as noble as just simply enjoying the craft of the art, but that's what it is for me. That's what I wish for.
I've been struggling a lot with getting better and have pretty much given up on ever being able to draw, but I still try every once in a while and browse art subs and forums with a slight hope to find my answer. Be it the one that would help me get through this struggle and guide me to my goal or just one that would finally convince me to truly give up on this silly passion.
Unfortunately, it seems that DrawABox is indeed not the one I'm looking for and is irrelevant for me. That's just on me. I'm sorry.
Uncomfortable
2021-03-19 22:10
Ultimately your path is up to you. I do feel like I should say one last thing, however, before leaving you to it.
It's completely fine if you opt to take some other path - there are many out there to choose from, so don't feel pressured into following Drawabox specifically.
What I do want you to understand however is that it's not about the nobility of the pursuit, and the lofty nonsense associated with the idea of "art", love of the craft, etc. It is purely pragmatic.
If you, like so many other people who are on the hunt for something to teach them how to draw better, continue to allow yourself to focus on the need to draw better in order to make yourself happy, you put yourself at a significant risk of burning out - or at the very least, you'll put yourself through a shredder of despair that could have otherwise been avoided.
The reason we stress taking these students who are so focused on the end result and knock their heads into the wall until they actually learn to shift their motivations around to something more sustainable, is that it increases one's chances of success.
Your circumstances are not unique, nor special, and perhaps that's the most important piece. Most people start where you are, focused on what's going to help them improve because making those lovely works of art - whether it's purely for their own self-gratification or for the gratification that comes from the attention it brings. But what it leads to is ineffective, and has the tendency to take unhealthy mindsets and nurture them into terrible beasts.
That doesn't mean people don't succeed with that mindset - some do. The problem is that they come out the other end damaged, or worse still, those that fail out are left damaged with nothing to show for it.
Really think about whether that's the path you want to take, entirely because you're so dead set on your current outlook, and on the idea that your circumstances are different, rather than the start of a path tread by many before you. It's a fork in the road, and you can choose how to play this.
Fortunately there will be many such forks in the road ahead of you, so when you do find yourself in moments of despair, I want you to remember what I've said here. You're not locked in, you're not forced to hold to your ideals. You can change your mind later on, and decide to take it easier on yourself. To give yourself the patience and understanding that only you can provide.
I wish you the best.
[deleted]
2021-03-20 01:42
I truly appreciate your advice. I'll keep this in mind.
rihuwamidori
2021-05-28 09:24
Thanks for the advice!
workingishard
2021-03-19 17:55
Holy shit. It has a name??
I feel so relieved and kind of validated, finding out that this 'mental block,' I've had forever is actually a thing with a name that other people experience. I think this also explains why I gravitated so heavily to photography, specifically landscapes, skyscapes, and architecture, because I can actually see those subjects in real life.
Holy shit.
I've played around with drawabox a few times, but I think I'm going to seriously put time into it now after watching this.
Thank you.
KevinNoy
2021-05-10 18:16
This video is what eventually led me to drawabox. Thanks for all you do
Uncomfortable
2021-05-11 01:38
My pleasure!
FoggyIcing
2021-06-03 03:48
Uncomfortable as a username? Its a classic
mk5515
2021-06-07 14:06
Great video!
CorwinDKelly
2021-08-31 08:08
I had a lot of fun drawing pigeons, I ended up working on a pigeonphant.
4n4o9hgvd1
2021-11-06 14:35
art
I_hate_this321
2021-11-12 12:09
wsdsdasdasdasdasdwefdfgdfgfdgbfdgdf ghdftghfghfgh
john_doe_TP
2021-11-18 14:20
So I never knew about this and from talking with other people, I found out I have pretty intense hyperphantasia. Never felt it really helped me that much. Well I suppose I was able to doodle charizard relatively accurately without a reference image.