Art is scary.
I have some good news though. That drawing you did? It’s not a doodle, it’s not “oh it’s nothing, really”, it’s art. Great job!
We grow up thinking certain things about art: that it relies on technical skill; that it has to have a deep poignant meaning that has to have just the right level of vagueness; that it has to come with emotional and physical suffering. More good news for you: that’s garbage. We have garbage opinions about art. What’s worse, those trash opinions can actively stop more art from being created. It’s as though we’re expected to be meek about what we’ve made (and that goes doubly if you’re a woman or queer or not white), because it doesn’t fit into this narrow Warhol-or-bust ideals.
That gremlin in your head who tells you that what you’re making is bad is wrong. You drew your favourite celebrity? Fanart of a show you like? You wrote some fanfiction? A slam poem about a dream you had the other night? A 100k word novel about an elaborate sci fi universe you think is too geeky to show people? Congrats! You’ve made a thing. Think about that. You MADE a THING. It exists now, and it will never not exist. It’s like a precious little baby. Congrats.
Make things you care about. Care about the things you make. They’re so, so good.
Also, the Critic Crew drew some of their favourite things (except Joe, but I think I have a fair idea of what he likes so I did it for him). Check out their sick drawings.
XO
Your best friend and features designer,
Ceri Giddens