At what age did you really get it together, creatively?

[Jenny-Toons]

I don't think it has to be the most depressing thread in the world, per se.

I know some people are rolling eyes at those who said it came to them when they're younger. But at the same time -- it comes at any age. That new thing you do when you're 13 or that moment where you switch it up at 26. It's that moment. That moment that helps make it easier or get your creative flow going.

That moment doesn't care about age. It just happens.

I think the question is more of "when did you start to make it easier on yourself? When did it feel like it got better for you?"

Did you ask for feedback?
Did you start scripting?
Did you make notes?

We're all still learning and improving ourselves, that much is true. We all have room to improve. But I think we also have to focus on when did we make that change or what age we were when we did something that led to different paths.

At least, that's how I answered the question XD

[DiegoPalacios]

You never know when will you peak. That peak in first grade may look small compared to a future peak you will have. We are all still growing. This is like an RPG where you level up with experience

[lunaartemisasama]

I wish to get it together one day lol. I think in general all artists are always evolving, even if they develop a style they might want to try other things or genres. I think you could say you get it together when you can live from your art? ... or at least have a steady income and a good fanbase/ clients that know you. At least if you aim to go pro.

[craftymarten]

True!
I didn't mean to come across like I was disparaging young people or people that made a lot of progress at a young age, so sorry if it read that way. I think when you're young there's a lot more of those big moments. The first time you earn money for commissions, or the first time an artist you admire likes one of your posts, or learning how to draw an eye properly. I really miss that sort of feeling of making big strides.
Now my big moments are being able to put money into savings instead of bills!

[lil-sea-salt]

"Found my groove" -- what a weird way to phrase it. I wrote my first very horrible, almost fanfiction 40k book during a summer when I was 8. I tried to get it published, but my family just laughed at me. Failure.

I tried when I was 11 again. I wrote the same story again duringa summer. I think I got to 20k before I stopped. I was insane, I would write 1000 words a day every day for a week then I wouldn't write anything for a month. Then 3000 word spurts until school started.

I started shorts when I was 16. They were less than 1000 words. Mostly slice of life, mundane. I remember one of my friends on the literary magazine saying I was a great author, just had the most boring ideas. Loll.

I stopped writing for like 5 years as college was pretty intense for me. Then I just woke up one morning and watched an artist vlog on youtube. She had a bullet journal set up and it was so cozy and cute and she was so happy surrounded by pets. I wanted that.

I still work 80 hour weeks. But I have a golden hour or two every day that's just painting or writing. It's nothing huge as I don't have that much money for supplies so I use what I have to either write 500-900 words or 4 thirty minute paintings.

It took me two years to get to that groove and I have a long term planner that I utilize to plan longer works and outline when I have downtime. I know I'm no JK Rowling or Leonardo da Vinci, but I like making something small for me.

[Jenny-Toons]

Oh no, You're good! I hope it didn't feel like I was on your case.

I meant it purely in a general sense, heheh!

[punkarsenic]

When you are young you think you know yourself and then you mature and realize how much have you grown and how much is still left to grow.

this is very true. and existentially terrifying

however, i think theres a point where artists start getting into a rhythm? like, for a while you can be lost, trying things out, jumping from place to place and unsatisfied - then people find the point where they get stuck in. that doesnt mean theyve peaked, i dont wanna hear abt anyone peaking at 15, how tragic would that be. i wanna hear abt when ppl starting getting stuck in, really getting the hang of their craft.

[amortelito]

keep in mind that the internet wasn't even really a thing until we were in High School and webcomics were mostly non-existent. (Yes we had the internet, but it was nothing like what we have now)

This part is super important, we had to figure out everything by ourselves! It was hard to even find tutorials to manage design software. I used to draw with my mouse Kids didn't have tablets. Now is so easy to find knowledge about everything! Thanks to that I was able to learn to use Clip Studio in a few months, back then would have taken me years. Which helped me to draw more fluidly and experiment with poeses, faces etc. Tecnology, and exposure to worldwide art is also a new factor in the way we create.

[Jenny-Toons]

I used to draw with my mouse

Those were the days. You either scanned your work, or you popped on MS-paint and tried to work that movie magic XD