no

so, while on instagram, someone i followed posted a genuine question: is it ok to be proud of your art, or is that egotistical?

and...that threw me for a loop. the art community is such a flaming pile of garbage that people are questioning if its ok NOT to hate everything you produce. we're normalizing this obnoxious brand of low self esteem and encouraging it

if some of you may know, i hold a very controversial opinion on this foreshaken excuse for a pile of faulty code: art is supposed to be fun.

art, at its most basic definition, is self expression. art is how you chose to express your thoughts and feelings. let yourself be free.

i draw for kicks. saying "i dont take my art seriously" has such negative connotations...but it's kinda true. drawing isnt a contest for me. i dont hate ppl bc they draw better than me, and i dont push myself to draw things i have no interest in. im solely drawing cartoons as a hobby and its fun. thats why i never realize as for criticism...bc i just dont really care? of course, i put forth my best effort in my pieces and i care about them, but im not gonna freak out over it. im chill about it. drawing isnt an occupation or career for me. its just a fun hobby

therefore, it baffles me when people are constantly angsting over their work. getting no enjoyment out of it. newsflash: if drawing is causing you mental strife, DONT DO IT

you dont have to draw. ik, it sounds harsh, but if it's not any fun, why do it? it's self care man. cut that unnecessary pain outta your life.

theres hundreds of other hobbies that are even better for your health if drawing isnt cutting it. im going to list some.

beekeeping, various animal husbandry (fish, birds, snakes, etc), exercise, running, sports, clay sculpting, photo editing, video editing, sewing (clothes or plushies), jewelry making, metal work, wood word, tinkering, crafting, knitting, show animals and livestock (horses, dogs, pigs, cows, chickens), gardening, song writing, singing, acting, writing, abstractism, stone work, book binding, cooking, cake decoration, welding, carpentry, coding, website design, game design, dancing, pottery, photography, hiking, hunting, horse riding, rodeo, origami, chess, karate, gymnastics, and gunplay

see, youve got loads of options. most of these can be considered art, or at the very least, self expression or an outlet for your emotions and energy. find what helps you and lets you have fun. ive dabbled in several of these before sticking to writing and drawing. i also like to sew, which is something i need to get back into.

on a viewer standpoint, i hate artists with super low self esteem. its annoying imo. nothing makes me roll my eyes more than "wahh this looks so bad :((( pls stroke my ego" and that person is instantly denied a like, vote, etc. its so asinine, okay? thats negativity i dont want in my feed and id rather have a silent artist than a negative artist

confidence is sexy, guys. audiences feel better when the artist is positive. it contributes to an overall nice atmosphere

its ok to have negative feelings towards a piece. ive drawn some stuff i hate so much that i quit working. i can 'id my mediocre pieces. i know my stellar work from my ok work.

but for goodness sake, try to be positive. dont influence your audience's expectations of your work with nasty captions.

i mean, crap guys, bee keeping may not make as aesthetic instagram pages as drawings do, but you do you. make yourself happy and have fun with your hobbies