There is always somebody who's better than you, so

punkarsenic 2018-09-22 20:02:00 UTC #32

i really love the medium, i love storytelling, and the best way to explore stories and to explore comics is to go ahead and make them. art is a series of failures, and all pieces of art and storytelling are flawed - but if they touch even one person, thats really amazing.

oh, i really do mind. particularly as i get closer and closer to this being my career - thats terrifying! a lot of the time i dream of quitting school and becoming a gardener or a train driver (id really love to be a train driver actually). why do i wanna monetise something so close to my self worth? what the hell is wrong with me?

but... i love the work. so i push through. and thats my response to every other question, so i think ill leave it at that

FatBun 2018-09-23 01:14:51 UTC #33

There is always somebody who's better than me, so it's no use to keep comparing myself to others. I've only just started my comic on Tapas, but before I do, I told myself million of times that I am here because I like to share my drawing/story. I want to entertain people even if there's only 1 reader, and I love doing that because it may cheer up someone's day, you never know. There are so many talented artists out there and I certainly can't compare to them! But I can always compare to myself...Am I better than yesterday? Am I doing what I love? Have I managed to entertain another individual out there? YES? Then good, I shall keep going. Forget about failing something, you never know until you try. Even if you fail, I'm sure you'll learn something in the process

Hodge 2018-09-23 01:32:39 UTC #34

I think I agree with most people here, you do it out of love. But I stumble around plenty wishing for money and time.

inkythoughts 2018-09-24 08:55:57 UTC #35

I think for me, one part is it is a story only I can tell the way I want to tell it, and there are certain elements that make it unique because they're put together the way they are. Looking at them singularly makes it not very special but the way they are put together plus how my art just is makes it one-of-a-kind in some way. Are there fantasy universes? Plenty. Is there a lot of drama surrounding royalty? Heck yes. Lost prince and dead parents trope? Pretty much. Romance? More than I can count. Characters not knowing where to go with their lives? Uhh yes. Excellently executed crime mysteries? Definitely more and better ones than what I am doing.

But the fact that my "fantasy realm" has literally as much magic as our world we live in right now and it stars a lot of queer POC it starts getting more unique because those things aren't featured that often. I think you don't need to think about "what makes it better than the others?" (who has the better potato, as you phrased it) but to think about "what makes it unique?" because more often than not that's the selling point eventually. It doesn't even have to be a very unique idea but the way you tell or depict it already makes it unique on its own.
And more than anything else, does it bring you joy? I personally get ridiculously excited and literally vibrate on the inside whenever I think of my comic because I just want to tell that story (and I love my character/costume designs so much and really want to show off all the world-building.) There is always a reason why you started, and ultimately, this should be the reason to keep going. Even if it's just a practice comic, the reason was to practice how comics work and maybe try something new.
Try to be enough for yourself. You don't need to be the best, just be enough, that's okay.

Also, try to see other people's art as encouragement to just make better next time, try to see what they're doing and maybe just test it out for yourself in a way that you think works for you, it can be real fun and sometimes opens the way to new techniques that help you incredibly much on a daily basis. Draw inspiration from it instead of putting yourself down.

A lot of people struggle with this, so you're definitely not alone and personally, I am still working on some aspects of this as well. Much love, you've got this!

kalrhungus 2018-09-24 10:16:53 UTC #36

There is always somebody who’s better than you

-unless you are the best. so why not try to be the best?
it's called competition.

NeonKnight 2019-01-18 22:34:57 UTC #37

f them, if you are feeling happy and proud of what you done it has nothing to do with others being better at it, it has to do with your own personal growth.

CAOMouse 2019-01-19 00:52:39 UTC #38

I think it's biological program inside us that makes us do that

unknown_user 2019-01-19 08:55:22 UTC #39

Well, I have no surprise that people who have devoted many years for serious learning how to draw and write, do it better than me, since for me it is just hobby. But art is not only about quality and technique, it is also about bringing to life your unique thoughts and ideas.
My creations are not very good in quality, but yet, they are mine, and they are creations. I enjoy the process of bringing things from non-existence into existence anyway. Even if those things will drive less readers, than others creators things, it is not complete fail. Because just the fact that they have been formed and brought to life is already a little win. It already makes me feel better than if my ideas would stay in my head unshaped, elusive and, eventually, forgotten.

NickTalbert 2019-01-19 09:17:09 UTC #40

I used to worry about whether my art measured up to other people’s, but then I had an ah ha moment. Your art is your art. It’s how you do it that makes it unique, and that uniqueness that some people will be attracted to.

And the best part? When it comes to your style or story, it’s not a competition. You’re in your own league. Be happy with your own little corner of artmaking and you’ll soon stop caring about competing and measuring yourself against others. Just do your own thing.

kimketli 2019-01-19 10:38:36 UTC #41

People should focus more on what they want to tell and less on drawing techniques. It is a mistake I also fall sometimes into. Stress on little details and compare my drawing knowledge to others. I shouldn't. I should think about what is the message or feeling I want to use my skills for and not stressing about who's art is better than mine.
Yuumei has a good short comic about this.

cleo_san 2019-01-19 10:51:57 UTC #42

Heck, yes, tons of people are better than I am! O_o

However... Noone can tell MY stories except myself

beta1042 2019-01-19 15:27:57 UTC #43

You do realize all those great "god-tier" artists weren't born like that right? They used the great artists before them as inspiration to learn and grow and become the next great artist. Life isn't about being the best, it's about a personal journey of being YOUR best.

DasIstWunderblyat 2019-01-20 09:44:25 UTC #44

Nice answers all, I'd say I'm impressed by the overwhelming response this topic has, I am in loss of word for reply

What to do if even in your best, you mean nothing compared to others? Should a value of yourself determined only by yourself, or combined with others opinion? Will it be biased if you measure your own value self worth only by your judgement? Whats being the best of yourself in your own version means and matters to others?

Will be the best of your own version in your own mind fill the void of being nothing, that never been acknowledged as the best or better? Can it fill the hole of inadequacy and self comparison to others, who are perceived better? Is it something you make up because of yourself, or because of others?

Does positivity and inner value worth materially?

I meant why we are even alive and expected to achieve, when we unconditionally and naturally can't even be what we want to be? It's a bit sad, it feels like as a human we are going to have our life wasted into nothingness and still yearn to be the greatest we can't be, that we start filling ourselves with fabricated happiness and fulfilment. unfortunately, that's perhaps one of the better way to cope

Sorry if I sounded like a pretentious pseudo-intellectual edgelord. Those are just follow up questions, I'm just curious about your perception What I stated are not my personal opinions as a whole, I just want to know the reason why.

Also why is this forum is still alive? I made it out of pure boredom.

DasIstWunderblyat 2019-01-20 09:44:50 UTC #45

Welp, sorry.
I replied it wrong

Moxxi 2019-01-20 10:13:30 UTC #46

I wouldn't want to say that I'm better or lesser than anyone else in terms of art or storytelling, as I am always learning something new and interesting from every artist and storyteller that I come across! That's just how I feel about it.

Jenny-Toons 2019-01-20 14:08:31 UTC #47

Well, to be honest -- what my best looks like to others doesn't matter to me. As long as I know myself that I'm improving, that's the real ticket. And I mean "others" by people who don't know me. Because those who are close to me will stand by how I improve myself for myself.

I cannot measure my level of success and best to someone else because we may have different goals, may have different sets of skills, and may have different ideas of what success looks like.

At this point, it sounds more like inner idea of self-confidence than actual objectivity. Like, even if objectively, you're not considered the best and that someone will be better than you -- are you cool with that? Can you still keep improving knowing that?

My personal answer? Yeah, I can. I really don't care if my "best" is considered "nothing" in the eyes of others perceived better than me.

I didn't ask for their approval, and I don't do what I do for them. I got better things to do than worry about how I stand compared to them; it's a waste of time, and time is value. Quite frankly, they might not even have my best interest in mind. Their idea of changing for the better could even screw me over in the long run and change me into something that, objectively, is not good for me.

If my best now is better than my best say, 5, 10 years ago -- then I've done my job.

My thinking is in the same thinking modernist artists have done to the traditional masters before them:

"Screw your opinion, I do what I want."

beta1042 2019-01-20 16:08:55 UTC #48

I think you misread what I said.

I didn't say you need to be your best. I said it's about the journey to be your best. Don't over think it and just enjoy the journey to self improvement. You'll discover the rewards along the way and if not, then move onto something else that does give you satisfaction.

We don't need to be good at all things or even one thing. But I do think it's important for us to want to improve as a whole in some manner one way or another. To have goals to strive for, etc etc. To be able to look back and see progress.

simplykit 2019-01-21 01:52:10 UTC #49

its true, someone is better at what your doing

be it at art or another skill

but you have something they cant do better than you so...

just chill

Buurd 2019-01-21 02:14:09 UTC #50

I'm busy atm so I'll come back to read other replies later-
so idk if it's been said yet but basically:

I don't care if im #1 at something, so I don't care if ultimately there are people out there who do things better than me.

Lady_DarkStar 2019-01-25 19:33:16 UTC #51

Beauty is in the beholder's eye. Someone may think your stuff is crap, but someone else may think it's the next Picasso. Ultimately, what others think doesn't matter. What you think is the only thing that truly matters. If your unhappy with your work, you're the only one who can change it. Comparing your stuff to someone else's stuff is apples and oranges. They are both fruits, but that's as far as you can go. Take pride in the fact that you produced something. If it isn't up to your standards, then practice till it is. Trying to produce what someone else made is pointless, you aren't them.