What is your "Artist Statement" and how did you come to it?

[NanettesClouds]

I've been thinking a lot about what my "Aboutness" is as an artist, effectively I'm trying to develop an Artist's Statement so I have a better idea about what my work is and what I'm trying to do with it. I'm fairly sure that it's mostly just me having an identity crisis, but whatever.

For those of you who have an artist statement or have some clear vision for what you want your work to be, What is it and how did you develop that?

[Quinineer]

Probably not an answer that's going to be helpful to you, but:

"I'm just here to have fun.
And laugh at my own terrible writing."

I often take things way too seriously and get stressed out. I wanted a place where I could just take is easy and poke fun at myself without getting all defensive and egotistical, or self-deprecating.

[NanettesClouds]

Nah man, you're good. I'm not really looking for advice anyways, I'm just interested in other people have tackled the issue. I like that you've basically put your foot down on taking things too seriously, I think that's a good way to go about things.

[vongcw]

Oh dear. Someone asked me something along the same lines this week and I was at a total loss as to how to answer... this is gonna torture me all weekend now...

[joannekwan]

Mine: Joanne does what Joanne wants, unless you pay her handsomely.

But really, I don't feel much pressure to have an artist's statement? You know, unless you're in the fine arts I guess.
I'm just here to draw and write the shit I like.

[JessJackdaw]

I honestly don't know how to make a good artist statement without plagiarising Neil Gaiman.

So take a listen at what I would consider the ultimate artist statement/motivator. Enjoy. : >

[youngaustin]

'Be willing to fail, but Determined to succeed.'

Dont choose not to try because you are scared of failure, do your best to be your best and if you fail, fail fail with grace. It happens, let it happen.

[miesmud]

Enjoy, but think of the consequences.

Something like that, I guess...

It's my highest priority to enjoy what I create, because to me art is very personal. But at the same time, I wouldn't want to make anything that could ruin my name or hurt others.

[dojo]

I flip flop between trying to make my abouts on sites sound as forcefully pretentious as possible and as stupid as possible. Either way makes me laugh. And if it makes me laugh, I don't really care if it doesn't make anyone else laugh, cuz I know what I'm doing and I think it's hilarious. (Well, unless people get upset then I might care cuz I'm not lookin' to hurt feelings)

[shazzbaa]

Having a horrible time writing an "About the Artist" description is honestly pretty common among artists. xD

I usually describe myself as an artist with a love for stories about strange friendships and horrible monsters, if I have to write a blurb. My goal in my work is to tell the kind of stories I want to read, even if that's very self-indulgent, and to be as honest as I can.

As to how I came to that conclusion.... I guess in college I just started to notice that when I wrote stories or designed characters that I worried were too obviously indulgent and strange, that was the stuff people connected with. I remember having a fellow student come up to me to say he'd really enjoyed a story that I was sure would be laughed off as weird... and suddenly wondering why I'd been trying to hide the things I loved underneath layers of respectability.

[Tieback]

Writing an Artist Statement for yourself "in general" can be tricky since, well, people change. Especially artists In school I had to write an artist's statement for a single body of work, and that was doable since it was statement about "a slice" of my life, not the whole cake. If you want to find your artist statement, try focussing on one body of work, one comic. Ask yourself: "Why did I start creating this?" and "Why do I keep creating it?" Don't accept the easy answers, push yourself.

I started my first comic for two reasons, first I wanted to give the art form a try. Second, I needed a story that I couldn't find elsewhere. This was something that never happened to me before. I was so hungry, but nothing I came across filled me. I started imagining what type of story I needed, and that lead to a plot being created... When the reality I live in doesn't make me happy, I create one that does.

[AnnaLandin]

I don't really have an artist's statement as such.

I just want to tell stories and create.

I mean, there are a LOT of reasons why I do what I do, and why I make the particular things I want to make, but those reasons tend to vary a lot depending on the specific thing I'm making at the time. And in the end, it really does just boil down to "I just want to tell stories and create".

I genuinely cannot imagine a life in which I didn't make art in some way. That I would need any particular reason or specific mission-statement to keep at it has always felt like a strange idea to me. Especially considering that life changes you as you go through it; what my art was about when I was 16 is not the same things my art is about when I'm 28, and my reasons and "aboutness" as you put it will probably have changed again a decade from now.

[Rueleer]

"Connect and tell your worlds."

Lol, it's ripped from a Vocaloid song, but it explains my sentiments. :'D

Ahem.

If we're talking specifically about what we want from our comics though, for me it's really a case of, "The exactly thing I want to read doesn't exist yet, so I'm going to make it now that I am able to."

[edmourabarbosa]

I think that worrying about your "statement" is just as futile as worrying about your "art style". You just can't force it. It comes naturally, influenced by what you love in others and what you'd like to see.
I became an writer because I always imagined how better certain books, comics and movies would be if I could change stuff. That's how my "style" and "statment" came to be: stuff I would want to consume but can't find in the market.

[mayday]

Work hard or don't bother.

It means what it says. There are millions of artists who work their asses off and strive to be the best all the time, and if you aren't prepared to try your best, be disciplined, and never stop improving you simply cannot and will never succeed in the art world. I guess it's kind of harsh? But I'm a very disciplined person and I can't stand slackers or people who complain about failure when they haven't even done their best, and I guess that translates into my philosophy as an artist

[indagold]

"I make stuff"
Yeah... i'll go with that.

When applying for jobs though you gotta pimp that out lol

[WakaXO]

I don't think I have an artist statement... I think it's an unnecessary label to put on yourself... I mean my artistic direction has wondered all over the place over the years I doubt I could pin it down, or that I would want to. I guess I feel like I don't have to describe my art, it describes itself.
Also a large percent of my art is shit post doodles so it's not very prefound anyways, it doesn't deserve a serious artist statement... same goes for me, I'm not a serious person I don't think a serious "artist statement" would fit me. My art is free-range, I don't want to weigh it down with a label, I'd rather it just be whatever it will be.

But then again this could all just be me being too lazy to think about it... ^^;

[Shanny8]

I'm just here to do what love: draw and try to create good, fun, enjoyable stories that people will like.

That's it.