On Being Creative

[DrivenByTheWind]

This video being generally related to this field of work, I feel this is the right place to post. I apologize, however, if I am incorrect in that assumption.

This video has helped me a great amount over the years with my creative work. So I want to share this with all of you who are working so hard, in hopes that it will uplift you should you happen to be doubting your capabilities. In the very least I hope that this may reassure you, and help you persevere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ResTHKVxf4

Please enjoy!

[Dylan_Bain]

It was an amazing video, it definatley encouraged me to work harder! I have a tendancy to look at something and think its rubbish and just leave it at that... from now on I will look at it think its rubbish and improve on it

[happytriangles]

Yes, yes, yes! Honestly, I've been so lucky to have people in my life to tell me this and drill it into my head and others around me to influence and motivate me.

This right here is the hardest lesson to learn and understand, and even harder to put it into practice. I firmly believe that if you have to the perseverance to move forward, you have the potential to do anything.

The most unfair fact of life, though, is the presence of raw, natural talent. Someone with that talent could take a few months to put out exceptional work, while others with literally take 10 years, but you know what? If you use those 10 years and make the most of it, you can reach that level and put out absolutely wonderful work.

[truefaiterman]

The usual stuff about wanting to work in a creative field (or at least "git gud" on it). Yes, when you begin you know what is the good, cool and awesome thing you want to make, but you lack the technique and the experience. What I'd add to that big quote is that, once you have those two things (don't misunderstand me, you'll NEVER have enough technique or experience, this is an always-learning process), even your own taste will change a lot, and you'll perceive things in an entirely different way.

[LateWhiteRabbit]

What I'd add to that big quote is that, once you have those two things (don't misunderstand me, you'll NEVER have enough technique or experience, this is an always-learning process), even your own taste will change a lot, and you'll perceive things in an entirely different way.

This is very true. A lot of people get upset when artists they consider great talk about how they need to improve. But as that artist's skills increased, so too did their taste. The bar moved higher for them.

As artists improve, they enter different peer groups. I was very confident in my skills in art school, but then I got a studio job, and suddenly it seemed like all the artists around me everyday were better than I was. So my standards of what was acceptable for myself moved up.

But every artist of every level should take the words in that video to heart.

[Haze]

Ah, I've heard this quote before. I first saw it about two years ago in webcomic form. Then, I saw the video you posted about a year ago. It's a really inspiring quote.

The funny thing is, I'm actually doing the "huge volume of work" Glass recommended right now: I do one song every week. I didn't realize it at the time, but perhaps I was subconsciously inspired by Glass' words.

Doing a "huge volume of work" actually does work, guys! First of all, there's the actually improvement factor-- the most complicated drum in my first weekly song was 4 kicks in a row. Now, the most complicated drum pattern in one of my more recently weekly songs, Fusion Beat, is something that would take up a couple lines in trying to explain-- and possibly bore you guys in the process.

4 kicks isn't THE drum beat of the song anymore-- it's one of many elements of the beat. And I'm just talking about drums, which used to be my main weakness. Not anymore.

That's not to say that I'm done learning things about drums and getting better with them-- I'm just looking back on how far I've come, and I feel satisfied with how much I've been able to do so far.

And secondly, doing a "huge volume of work" is actually kind of motivating. When I first started my weekly songs, I would work on them for just a little bit, and would end up staying up really, really late the day before the end of the week in order to finish it before the week was up. Now, I work at a much better rate, starting a new song maybe a day or two after finishing a different one. And I'm having a lot of fun doing it; music is amazingly fun.

Although what truefaiterman and LWR said definitely holds true-- as you get better, you'll raise the bar higher. This is definitely a good thing, guys-- it means you'll keep on improving.