I hear it all the time. "I WISH I HAD YOUR TALENT AND PAINT LIKE YOU". I hear it so often actually that today I decided to dedicate a whole blog to it.
I hear the same thing all over again in different shades of grey. Many (if not most) people who exclaim their appreciation of my art do it through attributing it to my "talent". They very rarely say: wow man you must have worked so hard to get to this level of painting. They just think that "I am talented thus I can pick up the brush and paint whatever I want in an amazing style and detail cause I got the magic requirement for it nailed down- talent"
HELL NO.
Repeat after me 3 times:
Talent is overrated and hard work is shunned
Talent is overrated and hard work is shunned
TALENT IS FRIKIN OVERRATED AND HARD WORK IS SHUNNED I SAY!
!
But I'll say more on this just to piss few people off. Many people also use the "lack of talent" as an excuse for their mediocre life. The famous LACK OF TALENT is a counter story of TALENT, and it's just as big. It's huge in the dictionary of the mind-scape of many people and it's almost always a disguise of largely denied quality:
Laziness
.
Yup you heard me. Most people who so called "don't have a talent" are just plain lazy.
I bet you heard this quote before:
I don't think that most people actually understand what is meant by dark places here. Dark places it the blood and sweat and tears that you'll go through to make a diamond out of your uncut raw piece of stone which is worth nothing without your absolute dedication. Dark places is the failure after failure after hopelessness that you will be subject to and where most give up, before you can even make your over-rated talent show up as anything decent in the real world.
You know, Pareto's principle applies to whole lot of things. And in certain way it applies to painting too (or any artistic effort for that matter), if in somewhat reversed way.
There was a famous painter in the town where I grew up. His name was Zenozicka. Even back in the deep communist era, some 40-60 years back, he used to claim one thing: 80% of people can become proficient painters. And he proved it many times. By teaching (he was an excellent art teacher), all sorts of people how to paint. People who claimed to be complete art-morons who can only draw stick figures (that's another analogy that I hear way too often that makes me wanna answer back...). And by making them progress and become proficient painters, beyond their initial belief.
Now don't get me wrong. Of course many people who claim they can't paint are telling the truth. But not because they lack talent, but because they DON'T WANT TO LEARN. If you don't want to learn, if you don't have a genuine desire to master a new skill, you won't ever learn shit.
But desire is not all. That's only the ticket to the concert but it won't put your ass in the moshpit. It won't magically teleport you to the "desired acquisition of skill" area. You gotta grind your way there.
I saw it happen myself many times, because I attended plein-air courses 2 or 3 years in a row and saw some real amateurs grow their skills exponentially just by their diligence and hard work. But I don't have to look at other people. I have myself as a suitable example of it.
SO LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT MY MASTER PIECES FROM DECADE AGO
THIS IS WHAT I PAINTED IN 2004, 25 YEARS OLD
I know, crazy talent right? You can already tell!!
The trees are just amazing. Sick talent. Blew Vincent away.
THIS IS WHAT I PAINTED 12 YEARS LATER
:
What do you think that I did in those 12 years? I just sit of my ass and let my talent take me to new highs?
NOPE
WHEN OTHERS STOPPED WORKING AT 5PM I KEPT ON WORKING TILL MIDNIGHT
WHEN OTHERS WENT FOR DRINKS I STAYED IN AND PAINTED
WHEN OTHERS HAD SOCIAL LIFE I HAD STUDIO ALONE LIFE
WHEN OTHERS HAD WEEKENDS OFF I WORKED 7 DAYS A WEEK
WHEN OTHERS FOCUSED ON LOOKING ATTRACTIVE AND GETTING LAID I PAINTED
WHEN OTHERS PURSUED SAFE CAREERS FOR CONVENIENCE OF PAYCHECK I GAVE UP WELL PAID JOB AND LIVED AT BORDERLINE OF POVERTY FOR 3 YEARS SO I COULD PERFECT MY SKILLS DOUBLE FULL TIME
I could go on for several hundred lines but I bet you get the point.
Next time you think: I wish I had talent for x just stop wishing and start doing. All you need is passion, joy and time. And time YOU HAVE! You just gotta cut out all the unessential fat, all the pleasure hunt and social media recognition BS etc.
I will tell you something to end this already way too long blog:
If you put the most attractive woman in the world in front of me, smoking hot beauty incarnated, and tell me: she can be your partner for life, your wife, and she will be sweet and tender to you, all you need to do is give up painting. If you tell me the same with a pile of money or any other thing that most people dream of, I would have the same answer to all of them:
GET LOST I NEED TO PAINT
And this, my friends, is the answer to all. Not talent. So let's say it one last time time today, merrily and together, shell we?:
TALENT IS OVERRATED SO GO AND DO THE FIRST STEP TODAY!
I hope I got you guys pumped a bit :D
Thanks for reading, commenting, upvoting and all the other love!
Jan
@jankasparec
WHEN OTHERS WENT FOR DRINKS I STAYED IN AND PAINTED
WHEN OTHERS HAD SOCIAL LIFE I HAD STUDIO ALONE LIFE
WHEN OTHERS HAD WEEKENDS OFF I WORKED 7 DAYS A WEEK
WHEN OTHERS FOCUSED ON LOOKING ATTRACTIVE AND GETTING LAID I PAINTED
WHEN OTHERS PURSUED SAFE CAREERS FOR CONVENIENCE OF PAYCHECK I GAVE UP WELL PAID JOB AND LIVED AT BORDERLINE OF POVERTY FOR 3 YEARS SO I COULD PERFECT MY SKILLS DOUBLE FULL TIME
I could go on for several hundred lines but I bet you get the point.
Next time you think: I wish I had talent for x just stop wishing and start doing. All you need is passion, joy and time. And time YOU HAVE! You just gotta cut out all the unessential fat, all the pleasure hunt and social media recognition BS etc.
I will tell you something to end this already way too long blog:
If you put the most attractive woman in the world in front of me, smoking hot beauty incarnated, and tell me: she can be your partner for life, your wife, and she will be sweet and tender to you, all you need to do is give up painting. If you tell me the same with a pile of money or any other thing that most people dream of, I would have the same answer to all of them:
GET LOST I NEED TO PAINT
And this, my friends, is the answer to all. Not talent. So let's say it one last time time today, merrily and together, shell we?:
TALENT IS OVERRATED SO GO AND DO THE FIRST STEP TODAY!
I hope I got you guys pumped a bit :D
Thanks for reading, commenting, upvoting and all the other love!
Jan
@jankasparec
I think you are one of the most hardworking people I have met so far Janny :)
Well, if somebody else said it I would not take it seriously. But you spend sooooooo much time with me that I might even believe it my beloved Glady:D
Jan you're fully right! Commitment and dedication is really really important things in life. The richest and the most famous and the ones who're best in their work haven't got talent for that, I mean maybe they're talented but that's not 100% of achieve. They've been working a lot to achieve what they did.
We all like to sit down and rest but that's not the way to improve our skills and overcome yourself in life. It'a never ending loop but positive one if you make it so.
Your painting skills are amazing tho! Keep your good work and remember: live day by day trying to be better than you were yesterday :)
P.s. are you from Balkan somewhere?
Thanks for lovely comment my friend. I am Czech originally, now living in Canada. All the best! <3
Your surname, if it is, tricked me :D
Thanks!
Same Slavic family!
Well said. Lots and lots of hard work.
Absolutely true! I tell people the same thing, it's mostly hard work! But if you really Love something, then it's easy to work hard. So more than anything, you need to Love what you do to be good at it.
I didn't excel at art on primary or secondary school, they told me to change my style in the art academy, people told me to get a job for years, and I lived earning under minimum wage for all my life, even though I have a University degree.
12 years now for me too since I decided to go for art all the way. I'm feeling good with my choices and the progress dedication provides! I hope to keep exploring art as long as I live.
Cheers to continuing to progress in Art and life :D
You're absolutely right. It's struggle without LOVE ( I call it passion but it's the aspect of the same thing) and any struggle becomes work and I say fuck work, just dance, even if it's hard and it hurts! Thanks for awesome comment bro!
I laughed out loud when I began reading. Oh how many times every creative person has heard this!! I completely agree @jankasparec and have found that old saying "99% perspiration and 1% inspiration" to be true.
One must be interested and drawn to something to dedicate oneself to it. The love of it and desire to be better motivates the hard work and then yes maybe some talent can come through.
As someone who knows all about hard work and who has dedicated 25 years to becoming improving my eye, my craft and capacity to express, I've seen what hard work can bring, but also the limitations of it! Anyone can become really good, but I'm not sure anyone can be truly great -I'm not sure that hard work can provide inspired vision nor the kind of true love that brings that magic ingredient beyond the hard work.
Fun post to read and I really appreciate your use of light in your painting!
Thank you for an awesome comment @natureofbeing. And yes I do agree with you that talent is that special something that can make a different between good artist and extraordinary artist. I also think that real passion can ignite the fire of talent where it was not before. I do believe that talent is not necessarily inborn and cannot be cultivated during one's life. But most of all- I don't think that any activity should be done with the vision of the result, but for the sake of being present (and getting lost = loose the mind, open the heart, come back to "true home") in the creative moment. An amazing painting done by someone who just seeks recognition is a small piece of art compared to someone's "stick man" which was done with zero expectation and maximum joy. I do hear you though. Thanks again! Much Love on your creative journey!
Dude! I can't agree more! There is something strange that happens when i say - i drawin answer to the question what you do... I can't explain it. It's like i'm doing some kind of witchcraft or something. I feel the same way for art as i feel for science. But i never heard someone to call a scientist talented... It's the same thing. You have to learn, study, practice, work like a madman, keeping your nose on the grinding stone till the end. Anthony Jones have this thing on his page- Talent is not given, It's earned. But people in the industry use this word to describe people like you and hardly me. Everyone else can't wrap their heads around the idea that we spent most of our time examining techniques, reading, practicing. We do not sacrifice goats in the bathroom in order to keep our magical powers. We sacrifice ourselves in order to become more than we are. Talent is just a wrong word used to describe the wrong thing. It's passion, nothing else. I admire people like you. Science, craftsmanship, art. These are things that require time to master. And mastery is what people see, the problem is that we do not settle down for the current status that we have in the matter of art or any other field. Heavy grind, tinkering always thinking is what is needed.
We are standing on the shoulders of giants, I hope one day we will be the giants that the next generation will stand on! And this can only be possible if we build ourselves. :) This is what we do all the time dedicating in art.
Great work!
Beautiful beautiful comment brother. Thank you for taking your time and writing all this. Totally agree. Sacrifice goats in the bathroom, that's a great one bro:D Gonna check out your blog! Following you for sure. All the best with your art!
When i hear that word... Something in me starts boiling, cause this word means that you devaluate my effort. The scary thing is when artist say that he is talented. What then? Especially a good artist.
I don't care if the one saying is just splashing buckets of paint on big canvases saying it's art... Cause even the insult to art is art... But If a skilled artist says that... It makes me sad
I actually think that my talent is waaaay smaller than lots of people who I know in arts but who never made it as high as me in the "industry" cause they are 1.part time and not serious 2.less original. Who cares after all we're good bro! :) Thanks again!
Is it like you have developed a need to create? To separate yourself from the world for X time, and be with yourself and the world that you need to create. There are a lot of ways to look at it, I usually ask my closer friends that use to create, why they do it, and what pushes them in the direction that they are headed.
Not only your art is exceptional, the message IN this post is exceptional. I KNOW how you feel. "You are so talented."
I fucking WORK non stop.
Your paintings caught my eye the first time I saw them on Steemit, I've been following you for a while now. And dude, keep on going what you're doing. And the next time people think talent is overrated, just simply say: "So you had a nice dream you say? I made it happen."
Cheers!
Ha ha Ruben, you brought me big smile my friend. Thanks a lot for your bad ass comment!
Your stuff is gold man!! Deserves bad ass comments. Thanks for motivating! The only talent we need, is practice.
This was really inspiring, @jankasparec. I especially liked what you said about following your desire through the dark places. A lot of people romanticize desire too much, in my opinion. It is hard work that will make you grow. Thank you for this!
Thank you! Hard work and passion can eventually even seed talent where it was not inborn. I do believe that. Same as DNA is not pre-programmed, which has already been proven. It constantly reshapes per our input. Much Love your way! Following you
Much love for you too! Will resteem your post and follow you too. I will read this over and over in case I get bitten by the lazy bug. I aspire to work as hard as you!
Your paintings are heavenly it goes to show that hard work pays
Talent without passion for hard work is dead
Thanks so much for your comment @iksilva!
I absolutely agree (btw. I love the humorous style of your post)!
Unfortunately a consequence of this talent thing is, that most people see art not as a job but more a hobby. Something you have talent for, is not work - its´s just fun. Therefore the performance of artists is so underestimated with all it´s negative consequences (like not being taken seriously, payment, etc).
Yes you are so right! And that's so not true when people think that. Yes it is fun sometimes, but many times it's still a daily battle against resistance. Thanks for awesome comment!
You Nailed it! The progression pics were a nice touch. It takes a lot of failures and dedication to get to a level that can create a career. You have to make some sacrifices to get there too. I'm a full-time career artist, some people don't take my job seriously and expect something for nothing. I explain the hardwork it took and takes to do my job. As an artist you have to constantly evolve. Great Share
Good to meet you here brother and all the best to you! THank you!
Thanks. Gonna definitely keep up with your work. Feel free to check out some of my artwork too @pattoounlimited. Namaste
hmm .. so you want to be complimented not only for your talent but also be acknowledged for all the mileage you gained.
LOL! Just kidding. :-)
Of course, you are right. I had the same discussion with a friend of mine who always told me I am so talented that one day I had enough and just told her the exact same thing you published here. I also I told her is, she doesn't have to become talented in what I do because she already became talented in what she does. And that we would need another two or three lives to accomplish another profession.
I can sign your statements at every level, maybe the sacrificing part was a little too dramatic. But you're an artist. LOL.
haha , thanks for awesome comment bruder! I am a drama bitch that's for sure, but that path has been harder than what I described actually ;) All the best for you! Gonna check out your blog!
LOL. What nationality are you?
Your painting skills for sure improved a lot. I do watercolor for a hobby but watched a felt 200 hours in watercolor tutorials on youtube. That was fascinating and so relaxing. Watching artists doing there work is better than going to the movies. My profession is systemic counseling. That is what I wrote mostly about and where I can relate to what you said about art. Handling people is an art, too :-))
Handling people is great art! I am Czech and also Canadian. Yeah what a good thing to watch , rather than some Hollywood programming :) Thank you Erika!
Oh sorry, now I see you're not a bruder but a sister :D Sorry Erika!
I wish I had your talent and painted like you!
Jokes aside great work and a very motivational post for anyone looking to get better.
:))) Thank you!
HAHAHA! "Get lost I need to paint!" Oh man. @jankasparec that made me laugh loud !! Nice one! And nice work :) It's funny, I just posted a very, very similar thing on my blog just an hour ago. I won't link it here, this is your post, but you can find it if you like.
I love that quote you posted by Erica Jong. I have to use this now.
I have a slightly different position on talent, but very similar to yours. I believe talent is that addiction to something productive that makes you go for it no matter what. So if someone says "you're a talented artist!" to me that means you're such an asshole about art that nothing (money, woman, etc) can change your mind about being a master at it. hehehe.
Good man. Keep it going!
Great analogy bro, luv it :D Thanks a bunch! Gonna check that article of yours!
Lovely painting This is awesome
This amazing art Post
I like it your photography
Thanks for sharing this blog.......
This is a great post. I love how you showed your progression and how it took you years to get to where you are now. Keith laying the truth out there for people. Hard work is where it's at.
Passion and Love is even more important. But without hours of work won't happen for sure. Thank you!
Messi vs Ronaldo
Talent vs Hardwork
Good comparison! Thank you!
You light and color up my morning in this grey grey Berlin ... so resteemed! Hope my fellaz Love it like I do
@jankasparec Preach!! :-) I spent 6-9 hour a day practicing as a kid. I still practice and learn to this day. Great post!!
Practising something in music? Tell me more my friend ! And thank you!
Always working on new things. I have a music school in the US. I am currently working on music for an album ...that I am way behind on :-)
So wonderful art! Keep up your good work! <3
Of course you are right about this and those of us who paint every day, year after year, know it is the only way to arrive at good results.
Thank you Kathleen!
It is A M A Z I N G !! Talent and hard work - that`s it !!
Greetings
Michael
Great read and so very true. In photography we get "You must have a great camera" or "It's all Photoshop anyway".
It's the years professionals put into mastering their craft that makes them "talented" not the gear or gift.
So true! Anyone can push a trigger, but few can make a masterpiece cause they put days upon weeks upon years of polishing their trigger skills.!
This post is a work of art itself. Man...
You are so talented!
Sorry, I had to do that. You made it so clear I had to add some sarcasm to my comment.
I have to agree with you. There are people born with talent but that doesn't make them successful. It's hard work that does it. It is what it is!!!!
Thanks for lovely (and funny) comment @gabyoraa ! Rocky forever! :)
damn - love that posting and the message! well done ruben - i do like you work!
My name is Jan bro. Thanks tho.
I love you friend. Beautiful share, we do create our reality.
I think you are one of the most hardworking people I have met so far Janny :)
Oh my god!!! I totally agree! People tell me the same thing all the time and I’ve been always saying, anyone can do this, I can teach you! It has nothing to do with talent, of course some people will get it faster, some will need more time, but anyone can do this if they really want it and they put enough work into it! I’m working like crazy too, I sleep maybe 4 hours a day, because I’m painting everyday till late 🙂
@yeszuzia love your art sister! You're a prime example of my blog! I think that your art is way up there because of your diligence. As you say- talent makes it easier, but it does not give you a free ticket. Hard work is the only way to the top of the mountain! Much LOVE~
yes,sir...
Success don't come if you needn't have a passion,desire,purpose and time. And time YOU HAVE! You just gotta cut out all the unessential fat..
these are the main fact to be a superstar...
failure is the pillar of success..so,failure stick-up with you ,so don't care..be patient and go ahead..
Evil always keep a role to give a bad work and to be idle..
we must turn away idleness and bad work...
thanks for sharing,sir...
like your post
this blogging seems as you a writer and that's the consummation of a writer,,
@upvoted @resteem
Thank you for your thorough comment and bad ass picture (love it :) . May the creative gods be with you sista!
It's true, hard work is always overlooked when it comes to pretty things :-)
Every profession, art, work, etc. is mainly about hard work and persistence. Not giving up when something doesn't go your way, and making it go your way.
Your works are amazing. I wish I had the time to put in and practice this art myself. I'm also always told that the talent is there, but... I don't have time to put in the hard work.
In the meantime, I do other things (you're more than welcome to follow if you like my stuff), and I'll be following you to enjoy the fruits of your talent and hard work combined :-)
I like how you see things clearly and that you're super honest about it. That's the way to go! Anytime you decide, you can shift things around ,cause you have clarity, so you can make it. Thank you!
yup. this is the truth :) resteemed for those who need to hear it (although generally, those are the people who won't listen)
Hard work always trumps talent...that said, when you combine the two it's dangerous. :)
That's a bold and clear statement and I do have to agree with you my friend!!
I think a lot of times when people say " I wish I had you talent" they think
"Oh your life must be easy painting all day and not doing real work." Not realizing that for the most part becoming an artist rarely pays the bills and does not leave time for a social life or much of any kind of life. (Your work is breathtaking by the way.)
I totally agree with you. Talent needs to be balanced with hard work for progress and evolution into the next level.
I self-schooled myself in my journey of art by doing the needful - working hard at something I loved.
Art is my salvation and my love :)
Great post. And you are an awesome artist, @jankasparec :)
You know what i couldnt agree more. Its funny coz i submitted a pole dance entry for @steemitgottalent. I got praised for being talented...im a bit shy coz deep inside me i knew it wasnt talent. Some people are more natural dancers.....but damn i just work extra hard.
.
Keep doing what you're doing. You are an amazing artist
Thank you for writing this. This is a huge peeve of mine. Natural talent only takes you so far. The naturals who become excellent do it combined with hard work.
It can actually be a crutch when you initially get things easily because everyone on the road to excellence will reach a point where effort is involved. The slow learner is accustomed to the sting of failure, for the natural that isn’t necessarily so.
Omg YASSSS!!! I actually have started to feel a little bit offended when people come up to me and say “ you’re so talented” I feel like it totally discredits my other qualities...like persistence,determination, self motivation... it’s worse when they say “I wish I was talented” I literally want to ask them why!? Why the eff would they wish that? Wtf do they plan to do with it if they were....nothing cause they don’t do it now so why would they do it if they were “talented”
And I totally agree with relationships...takes way too much time from creating, completely not worth it. I would only ever consider it if that person was just as creative as me and we could make all the things together. I would want a collaborator over companion!!
I love it all that you said! the effort, patience and perseverance in every drawing or thing that gonna do is that really makes you will be better.
I will follow you!!!
I drawing with pointillism technique, is something that likes me since of 3 years ago (I did don´t have many time for do it) since the end of January I have some free time, I have improved, makes me feel good and quiet.
I would love if you went through my blog and see the process of my drawings
Yes. Yes. Yes.
I disagree with the need to drop everything and work harder. I think can still succeed with quitting at 5pm and getting laid. It'll take longer.
The core of your point is correct, absolutely: desire will manifest as effort and you have to do it to improve it.
Thank you for writing and sharing. I too dislike the "talent" cop out.