Reply To: How do I muster up the ability to create a ‘platform’ in a stage like this?

[Jasmine Wongus]

Hey there, @ihatelemons! That’s one hard thing about plans: No matter how strong your convictions of finishing them, things happen that will mostly throw you off. It feels difficult to claw your way back to a place where you feel you can continue with your plans, but if you do that, and keep it up, you’ll definitely have progressed from where you were.

I know that it can feel really discouraging, like you have no place in the art that you want to make, especially if you see someone else creating wonderful, masterful works. You’re at your own level, though, and you have to take your own time and challenge yourself. Everybody has a variation of time where they’ve needed to hone their skills.  For some, it’s taken over a decade, even close to two decades, to get a little closer to where they want to be.

I feel like I’m one of those two-decade types. After years of alternating between working and languishing with my art, only in the past couple of years have I tried focusing on just a few areas at once. I like a lot of CG art techniques, and sometimes it’s difficult to stick with one! I’m impatient at times, as well. I haven’t got nearly as far as I’d like to be. However, to give up has always brought me to sadness, so I don’t do that now. Even at those tempting moments of despair.

Keep going! I advise you also: Even when you HAVE plenty of time, if you don’t use that time, you won’t get any further than if you only have 30 minutes in the week. Thinking is much easier than doing, and when you realize how much time you used in only thinking, time has passed. Another regret. You don’t want to worry yourself about that, either.

As others have said, you will find the time, even a little in the week, and if you make it yours to play, you’ll appreciate that time and progress all the more. Good success; to 2018!! 😀