Life's A Chibi: Out Of Place

This image has been stirring in my head for quite a while and I finally got the time and inspiration to draw this image. Took me a bit longer to do due to the detail in the image ( I think I spent a bit too much time on the small illustrations than the whole image ). But with the details in them compared to the one in the middle, I feel it works. When I was drawing this, I couldn't really describe the message behind it as clearly ( or as less whiny ) as the other Life's A Chibi illustrations. I was also in an "artistic-doubt" place during the time.

There are thousands of artists out there that could create amazing works of art - putting in details upon details into their piece, using advance tools and unique methods that transforms a piece into a one-of-a-kind work of art. They spend half their lives studying and improving their skills that they could now create a digital masterpiece that looks like it was done on canvas, or a painting that looks like it was taken by a digital camera. Art pieces like that instantly shine in the popular spot light. However there are those who have very little skill, a skill-road-block, or no skill and when they create something they believe is amazing, it is sometimes over shadowed by the more creative pieces or quickly gazed at before moving onto something more important.

Imagine an low, average artist, sitting in a room filled with other artists who are highly skilled in the advance art program or those who can afford to by the more expensive paints, and everyone is drawing. All the artists create illustrations that look realistic, highly detailed and complex while the one average artist can only do something what others might see it as simple. That artist might feel out of place with the others and no one really cares about a "n00b's" work compared to the next advance artist beside them. Having been there before in college and even in the real world, I can honestly say I felt small, insignificant and doubted my artwork. JEALOUSY, ENVY, and DISCARDED is how I felt. They called it "unfinished", "simple" and "no evidence of an artistic future" - words from some of my teachers and other artists. They didn't even have to say anything, but that feeling of giving me and my art the cold shoulder as they focus with someone with "real" talent or befriended someone with similar talents.

... But still, that didn't stop me from drawing what I want to draw.

Everyone's artwork should be appreciated and admired, no matter what skill level the artist is at. Each piece of art IS a piece of art, and everyone should treated as such. Everyone has their own voice. Some shout louder than others, but still that fainted voice shouldn't be silenced. DRAW what you want to draw, HOW you want to draw, WITH WHAT you want to draw. Draw what is in your heart and try not to compare your artwork to another. No skill, little skill, moderate skill or advance skill, if you can create something from your head onto a surface using any type of tool, you are an artist and no one else can tell you differently. If you created a piece of artwork that you feel shows that you are growing as an artist, treasure it.

artwork © 2016 Alex Cockburn