Hello! I am once again writing a personal post about my art, because I have been thinking about it a bit more lately. I love scrolling through social media for art; nothing provides me more joy than seeing artists display their beautiful works for all to see! With a few taps and swipes, I can see works of all different styles and subjects, all of which I can learn from and admire. Social media has definitely played a positive role in my journey as an artist, as it has greatly influenced the development of my art.
However, despite social media's positive impacts on me, its nature has inevitably bred self-comparison and doubt. I have used social media for art for six years. Throughout my teenage years, I found myself wondering why I was not as skilled as many other artists who were my age, and I often looked down on my art. Even though I knew that I was still in the process of learning, it was difficult to ignore the pressure to be flawless that came from social media.
This type of thinking has caused me to question the "worthiness" of my art. Would I ever be as good as the artists that I see on these apps? I will never be as good as them. Why do I bother drawing, since I don't seem to be improving? I would think about these questions, especially while I draw. And I would end up sitting at my desk, focusing on the imperfections.
As I grew older, I developed a more healthy attitude towards social media usage and I realized that my art is not inherently worth less in comparison to others'. Though I still do struggle with comparing myself to others, I am more focused on how I can improve on my art, as well as how my style can develop. In terms of comparison, I now look at the difference between my old art and current art much more often, so that I can track my progress. After all, its more important to see personal growth than try measuring up to someone else.
So, here's a reminder: remember that your chapter one should not be compared to someone else's chapter twenty! It's completely okay to be at a different stage than someone else, and you are worthy at every point of development.
