Ever feared you already peaked?

[VandaQ]

Nonsense. Your comic is enjoyable to read. <3 I know the feeling, but you gotta believe in yourself.

[storytimebiondi]

I suppose! Though, I feel like that's the same as throwing in the towel. Then again, i do try and be an artistic optimist, feeling that even if I am at such a dead-end, it just means I need to start exploring to find places to work on.

[GesuGesu]

I haven't written any serious series yet, so I feel like I can still keep on outputting better stories. In terms of popularity however, I think I've peaked hahahaa. It's hard to imagine going any higher than I am currently.

[A-weird-girler]

Thanks! I'm trying to get better ^^ so my readers can enjoy my work even more

[Jitsu]

I do kind of feel that right now, as im just having my first, truly sucesful comic. But this happened before too with another thing, comunity managment. I made a huge comunity when i was 12, and since then i never felt like i acomplished anything as big as that ever again, wich was a huge letdown for me. But as i keep growing up and learning, i get more and more tools so i can keep making things more interesting, so i try not to fear that for now, as i feel there's a long way to reach my true peak.

[chromaticmyst]

Lol I did have a moment of doubt just last night when I was struggling real hard to draw hands. Tbh, I often have this fear, but I know it's just insecurity talking. I just need to try effin harder! There's always room for growth if you look for it.

[hjfsdh2222]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peaked?! what are ya talking about man? the only place to go is up:3

[punkarsenic]

nah

nobody here is in their prime yet, you'll only peak if you quit.

[indagold]

Peaking implies you know your work is at its best and everything I produce I see too many faults in to be completely happy with it ever lol

[ericsalinas149]

I had taken a near decade hiatus from making comics (2006-2015). In late 2013 I decided that I wanted to get back in the game. For a year or so I couldn't come up with ANY ideas. All of 2014. I had wondered if my best years were behind me.

Then in April of 2015, it was like a dam had burst open. I was getting 6-8 ideas a day, everyday, and I would have to run to my notebook and capture the idea. For the whole month, it felt like my brain was electricfied (that is the best way I can describe the feeling) I felt hyper-aware. I learned to write in my notebook at night so I wouldn't have to keep turning the lights on and off when I would jump out of bed to jot down an idea. May and June of that year were still productive in terms of brainstorming, but nothing ever happened since as being super productive as April.

I started drawing again in July of 2015....and I was awful. My comics in 2005 and '06 looked much better than my stiff art of 2015. But eventually I did get better. I experiment a lot, so I have my ups and downs. Sometimes things work, but other times I fall flat in my face, in both terms of writing and drawing. But by ensuring that I experiment, I am making happy little mistakes. By failing on purpose, I will never peak.

[beta1042]

Hmmm I don't think I'll ever peak. I do fear of plateaus tho. I think everyone comes to a plateau eventually. What I imagine happens is that your progress slows down. But you're still progressing, there's just a lot less that needs to improve, so those improvements show less and less and over longer stretches of time.

At that point you just gotta branch out and challenge yourself in new ways. Or learn to be content with the progress you have made so far.

[leecomics]

hahahahaAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

Nope, still climbing.

If you feel you've peaked - take some time to celebrate. Think back on all of the skills you must have mastered; the content you've created, the long journey you've taken.

As everyone's said - there's always something you can improve - but that fact that you're experiencing success at all is amazing as an artist.

[panda3291]

Very scared of that, but when I'm motivated enough, I notice that my art style changes to show that, and I notice that I'll need to improve with things.

The only thing holding me back is my own depression.

[OliviaMerteli]

Saddly or fortunately, I don't think that's something I have to fear

[Draconic]

I have a fear of not good enough instead.
No matter how hard I have tried, my artwork will never be good enough based on my judgement.

[ericsalinas149]

Between feelings of self-doubt and failure, who among anyone of us really feel accomplished? I think by our artistic nature, we are incapable of ever feeling that we have ever 'peaked'

(I apologize for sharing a snippet of my art on this thread, but I felt it summarized a lot of what people have already commented)

[VandaQ]

We're usually our own harshest critics...

[VandaQ]

Sorry to hear that, mate.

[VandaQ]

Damn... I think you just described exactly what is happening to me sometimes creatively. But you're right, every time I try something new I feel that sensation of 'I'll never do anything as good as my previous project' takes a backseat to the excitement of working on something new. <3

[Littlemissno]

Hey! I'm a writer who has a LOT of insecurity most of the time with my works, but at the same time, I still feel that 'this is wonderful. There's no way I can't finish this' high. Haha, I'm constantly stuck between 'this is crap.' and 'this is the best thing ever.' I honestly think every artist/writer/creator/whatever has insecurity with their works. If they don't, then I think you just haven't noticed anything wrong/been criticized before OR you have a lot of confidence in your abilities and need to share with me. Make it rain! I need all I can get!

But, I think I have definitely plateaud in terms of popularity. I've been at the same number for WEEKS I'm still proud of my works though, and I'll get more readers some day. So, whatever...