Break the Chains That Bind Your Artwork

Breaking boundaries and becoming more creative than you ever thought you could be. That is what today’s blog is all about. I’ll be the first to admit that I changed my entire drawing style to build myself as a professional artist. I honestly felt no one would take me seriously if I kept drawing characters, and creations out of my mind. I tried, I really did. I would post my work online and got nothing back in return. Was this because I wasn’t good enough, or people didn’t like what I had drawn? Now that I look back on it I don’t think so. I think it was because I didn’t believe in myself enough. I held back in a lot of my work and it suffered dramatically. I would spend hours creating a lot of detail in the beginning, and then just tire of the drawing because it wasn’t me. It just didn’t represent me as an artist.

I have felt really chained down as an artist these past few months and as I was looking up a reference shot for my next piece I asked myself why? This picture I am about to draw has already been captured on photograph it’s done. What about all the great pictures in my mind that are trapped in there. I literally had thousands of images screaming to be released onto paper, and I was scared that I would mess them up. There is pressure to create; I always wanted to be original and draw different than everyone else. Even when I would draw from reference I wanted to find a way to change the image, but I really felt bound to make the image look like what I was drawing just because. I know it’s not a good reason but the pressure to be great, and build a portfolio got me thinking I had to make everything believable and real. And then it hit me just the other day why can’t I have the best of both, and make the imagination real and believable.

I found myself with a dilemma. Do I continue to build my portfolio with realistic colored pencil drawings or do I draw for fun. In the end I answered with my gut feeling to do it for me. So my next piece is called Beyond Imagination. At first I started to collect pictures of things I would add to my work I thought to myself that I am doing it again. I was already judging myself, and holding back by using images as a crutch. If I really wanted to release my talent I had to just draw. So in this image I am drawing it from left to right adding all the detail as I go. I started with a dragon, and a witch, and a phoenix. I have no idea what is next, and I don’t care if it makes sense. It’s imagination and fun. I hope you can do the same.

I propose a challenge to everyone. On your next piece, if you want to find out how much you have evolved as an artist, I want you to use everything you have learned to this point and just draw. Lay it all out on the paper. Don’t think about judgment from peers, or from yourself just go. Whatever comes into your mind go for it. The only other rule I ask for is to not use reference shots, photos, or any previous artwork. Make it yours, make it new, and take your time. Sometimes when you hit the professional level you get a following who love your “style.” If so fantastic don’t change. For me although I have gained a lot of praise for my work, it’s time for me to take a step back for a while and brake the chains that bound my imagination. I plan on growing, and releasing all I have to give, I hope you do too. Take the limiters off, and be creative again.

I hope to see some great new creations. Find me on my Facebook page at http://Facebook.com/DerricktheArtist and share them with me.

Thank you for reading,

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Derrick Bruno-Rathgeber

http://DerricktheArtist.com

Success is not a Dollar Amount

I have come a very long way since I have started drawing again. I have a new website, my own blog page, and my artwork has been seen all over the world, and I am currently in a gallery here in Riverside until August.  To me I feel like I reached the top as an artist. The only thing that would make my journey complete would to be able to live off of my artwork. Being that I have yet to sell more than one print, I can honestly say that is not going to happen. In my entire art career I have only sold one original drawing, and one signed print for $20. Does that make my career in art a large failure?

The answer is heck no. I am sure there are plenty of artists out there who place their work on the web in hopes it will go viral, and sell 1,000s of prints, but only get 5 likes. And maybe you have placed your work in a showcase in hopes people will buy your piece, only to take your card and lose it. Believe me you are definitely not alone. I have found that there are a lot more artists in your position than you think. And each one is more discouraged and ready to quit than the next.  I know I wanted to quit myself quite a few times because my art just wasn’t selling like I wanted to.

Then I woke up one day realizing that I almost quit doing what I love because someone didn’t give me money for it. I felt like an idiot. I almost gave up a talent that others strive for because I was selfish and wanted money. All the new upcoming artists that came to me for help and questions were going to be sent away, and the people that subscribed to my website, and blog, social media sites because they enjoyed my work were no longer going to see it anymore. I almost let my kids down who look up to me because in their eyes I am the best artist in the world. To me that almost made me sick to my stomach that money became that important to me. Has the world broken me down so bad that money took a place hire than a talent that no money could ever buy?

So I decided that I would no longer see success measured with a dollar amount. And no one should. Have I made millions of my artwork? No. Have I hit over 100,000 likes on Facebook? Far from. What I have done is inspire young artists to continue bettering themselves. I made someone laugh with my Twisted Fate comic. My work has been seen by people all over the world without spending one dollar in advertising. I have shown people what you can do if you put your trust and patience in yourself, and really enjoy what you do. That is my greatest successes as an artist. If I can keep going, and push myself to finish piece after piece, comic after comic, share my drawing lessons online free, and just help others, then I feel I have reached a level that I didn’t know existed.

What defines you as an artist? Ask yourself why you started? Why do you love it so much? Why do you or did you want to quit? For me I started because I really enjoyed taking my imagination, and thoughts, then just laying them out all over the paper.  I love it now because I can see things that other people cannot. A gift to see colors that did not exist before and I can share them with all of you. It makes my day. I wanted to quit, well for a reason that wasn’t good enough because I am still here. I am still here drawing, coloring, and sharing it all with all of you, and I hope that as long as I continue to share what I have to give with you, that you return the favor .  I want to see all of your talents, because art, poetry, words, stories, imagination, it makes the world a much better place to live in and enjoy.  

"You are already successful because you picked up the pencil,  and made the world that much more beautiful."

Thank you for reading,

Till next time my friends.

The Angel of Death

Day 1: The Angel of Death - Pencil sketch. 

I started the drawing last night and finished the sketch late this afternoon. Today is usually my Free Day but I wanted to have this sketch ready to start coloring on Monday. This drawing is based on the original poem "Angel of Death" by Tricia Rathgeber. I cannot wait to see the color make this story come alive with emotion.

Like my Facebook page for updates on this piece. Http://Facebook.com/DerrickRathgeber

Doubt is a Dangerous Thing

As an artist the worst thing you can face is doubt. Doubt is that nagging fear, or voice in the back of your head that tells you you’re not good enough, or you’ll never reach the level of the other artists on the web. It can come at you in ways that will make you want to quit and burn your artwork. I can honestly say I to this day face doubt strait in the face, and sometimes I do want to quit.

I recently got back into drawing again after a very long hiatus. I had a torn tendon in my drawing wrist that was never allowed to recover properly. When I got injured on the job I was given a brace and set right back to work. Over the years I tried to sketch here and there and my work suffered. My hand would shake, I would drop the pencil, my fingers locked up, and sometimes my wrist felt like it was being torn right off. I couldn’t draw anymore and that sent me into a very angry and dark place. The one thing I thought I was good at was taken from me, and I couldn’t do a thing about it. I doubted that I was ever going to draw again.

One day I found myself digging out my old drawings. I kept a box of my work that survived the rain and the move. I did what I normally would do, and that was pull them out of the box, look at them all and them place them back in the box. To me this was a way of looking back at something I couldn’t get back, and believe me I tried. I would draw out some new drawings, and I was upset that they were out of proportions, and very sketchy. I couldn’t get the look I used to anymore let alone what other artists could do. I think my wife saw me, or heard me because a short time later as a gift she got me a nice sketchbook. She only had one rule that I sketch out whatever comes to my head, and do not share it with anybody, just draw for yourself she said. And I think she was on to something.

Over the next year I did just that. I just started drawing small faces or, weapons, characters and random trees. All short small non detailed drawings, but each one got better. It wasn’t until last year in 2012 that I started rebuilding my portfolio. Something in me snapped and just woke up. I grabbed the largest pice of paper and all the colored pencils I had and created A “Bird in Bloom.” Believe it or not this very large 22×28 piece took me three months to complete, but to me it felt like one of the fasted drawings I have ever done. I was enveloped into getting back to where I used to be as an artist, yet somehow by the end of this piece I was better than I ever was. To put it in perspective the last award I won for a piece of my artwork was in 1999. It was now 2013 and I took this one piece of art and entered it into a show against painters and sculptures. Somehow my RoseArt colored pencil strokes won me Best in Show. This was not a cash prize win, but it was enough to convince me that I was on the right track.

I continued making large pieces and smaller pieces, and I think it wasn’t until the great feedback on the Macaw piece that I found that I may be able to have a career in this. I pushed and shared my work online, and joined various art sites to sell my work. I had high hopes that since I couldn’t work and I wasn’t getting paid by the insurance company that this could be my way of providing. When several months go by and nothing sold DOUBT attacked me again. Every time I would open my email and see all the artists who sold their work, or got a great commission, I would definitely get very envious. Here I am thinking I was good enough to win a juried show, and write lessons for RoseArt; and I cannot even sell one piece of art for my family. It hurt. Sometimes it still does I won’t lie. So Doubt hit again, very hard.

You know what brought me back this time? What keeps me going is all of you. I don’t mean to sound cheesy, but you are at home and you chose to read this. Zillions of things on this internet to laugh at and watch and you choose to read the rantings of a beat up colored pencil artist. I appreciate that. When you message me, or write me to congratulate me, or ask me of all people for advice. It pushes me. When I see you struggle in the same ways that I do, and still succeed. I know doubt is a huge waste of time.
Each of us have a story, and in our stories we have a doubt or fear of succeeding. We cannot let this doubt to come into our artwork, because as an artist you know when you erase too much, or overwork the piece it will be ruined. Take a break and draw something you love in a sketch book that you don’t have to share with the world. Do what you love because you love it, and all that doubt will go away.

I have only one more thing to say and this is the most important piece of advice I can give you.
-When you wishing that you had the ability to draw like that great artist you see posting their masterpieces, somewhere there is an artist looking at your masterpieces wishing they could draw like you. Please support and help each other.

Thank you,
Derrick Rathgeber

Visit me at Http://derrickr.artist.cm