More Aimless Complaining

I see posts at random intervals on tumblr from artists showing piles of sketchbooks in answer to the question ‘How do I get better quicker?”, explaining that the one and only way is to just draw. A lot. Do sketches, do studies, draw from life, play with composition, fill up piles of sketchbooks.

If you don’t think I find those posts frustrating…well, I find those posts really frustrating. Because I know it’s true. It’s what teachers have told me since I have been doing art. And I’m at this place where I’m really unsatisfied with my progress and I have multiple areas in which I am desperate to improve, and I want to just draw all the time and work on all the things that are giving me problems and I just can’t because my hand keeps deciding to stiffen up on me.

I am doing better these days, mostly. I'm able to draw a lot more and that makes an immense difference, and I can mostly compartmentalize my stress. But I can't draw the amount I need to be, which is endlessly upsetting. When I pull out my tablet to work on my latest little project and my knuckles tingle like bugs are traipsing across the skin, and my tendons pull tight and hot and my fingers feel like stiff hot sausages and my wrists pinch and twinge I just want to spend a freaking HOUR drawing and I can't even relax into the right headspace because I'm constantly distracted by aches and burns under my skin I just get really disheartened. 

*sighs deeply* 

On a different note, did you know that the term 'Oh Scissors!' used to be an exclamation of impatience or disgust? I intend to begin using the term liberally. I like it.