Get Regular Feedback to Improve Your Perspective

It is a great benefit to get your feedback on my artwork…please give me your thoughts.

Feedback is Critically Necessary

I just found out that having an inflated sense of your own skills as an artist is a real thing.  This means that I could be suffering from this problem and not know it.

Apparently you can reach a point where you think you’re so great, that you develop a blind spot to your weak areas. Feedback is necessary to keep a grounded perspective of your skills.  

This means I need your help.  If you have any thoughts on how I might improve my process or work, I would love to hear about it.  Please feel free to let me know of any ways that you see that I could improve.  I am on the inside looking in, so the perception you have could enlighten me and make me better.  I am still learning yet very comfortable with the mediums and subjects that I prefer.  Help me to avoid becoming afflicted with swollen head syndrome.  Complimentary notes are very uplifting and motivating and nice, but constructive criticism can keep me growing.  Put any suggestions or thoughts that you feel generous enough to offer in the comments below.

This drawing is a freehand mandala in various reds, pinks and purple done with water soluble markers and watercolor.

Mandalas Are Great Meditation

When I was short, I had an art teacher at Edison Elementary in Detroit, MI named Mr. Ward (if I remember this right).  He tried to teach us how to make freehand mandalas; he called them flowers.  Our class was always rowdy and this gave him more frustration than his salary should have allowed.  He used to turn red.  This was high entertainment for the class.  We were having a good time, but he clearly wasn’t.  I seem to recall some of the students intentionally trying to take Mr. Ward to his limit so they could see him turn red.  It’s a wonder I ever picked up anything in his class.  This exercise was one of my favorite assignments.

Creating mandalas doesn’t come easily for me.  The second I notice a mistake, I don’t want to work on it anymore.  It is a real struggle to keep pressing forward. Although I have found that it is a good meditation.  If I could use this technique to get started when I am stuck, that would be a good way to keep the pen moving without having to plan a drawing or deciding what to try next.

Consider commenting or sharing….no pressure though.