When you show your work to others, don’t be surprised if most people assume you want a response to the technical merit of your creation. And, of course, you do. But be sure to take an expanded vision of your work and don’t let technical critics put spells on you that silence your artistic voice. If someone launches in to a technical evaluation of your work without bothering to express curiosity about what you were trying to say or what attracted you to the subject or the medium you chose, the value of the critique is compromised.
If the intended message is understood it is much easier to assess where and why the work did or didn’t live up to what you have envisioned. With that level of understanding, and with your ego out of the way for the sake of your development, your skills can be grown and developed. Critique without context is dangerous. Critique born out of understanding and a true desire to communicate something that is important to you to share is priceless and can be transformative for a creative person.
Comparing your technical expertise to the student next to you in art class, or to your best friend, or Picasso simply compares tool kit to tool kit. Let it inspire you and motivate you but never let that stop you from being curious about your unique creative perspective. Allow yourself to imitate styles, try different approaches, and willingly immerse yourself in the process of allowing your perspective its truest expression.
Let yourself surprise yourself.
Now go play, your aliens await…
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