I’m in a situation where it’s obvious I more or less MUST learn to draw (most of my useful skills are in visual arts and would synergise immensely, and I frequently get struck by fits of inspiration that inflict severe emotional damage when they can’t be realized, etc.), and I have heard basically what you’re saying in this post a bazillion times, including multiple perspectives on why, to the point where it seems obvious what I need to do, but I can’t actually do it for a variety of reasons that can mostly be summed up with “akrasia”. I lack the attention span and patience needed to do something “just for practice”, I am constantly stressed out and never feel i have the time to do so, my tools and skills in related areas makes it to easy to cheat around the problem at the cost of quality, and I have an overwhelming ugh field about basic motoric skills, etc.
Any idea on how to get out of this? If I could actually practice consistently just 10 or 20 hours would probably yield enough of an improvement to overcome most of these problems and keep climbing by myself, but right now I get like 10 minutes of practice every few weeks and then I ragequit and feel horrible.
One of the benefits of a class is that a) it forces you to work for more than 10 minutes, b) the teacher will be there to provide both direction and positive encouragement.
If a “real class” isn’t an option, try finding a meetup group of people also looking to get drawing practice in. I certainly suffer from akrasia. The things I DON’T have an easy time with I usually need friends to help reinforce the behavior in some way.
Thanks. I suspected this, but hearing it from you is good for confirmation and makes it more likely I might actually go for it.
Nether option is really very available to me thou. I’ve been unsuccessfully looking for meetups and groups for a long time, and will continue looking but I don’t have much hope. A class might work, but just getting time for it and getting to and from the location would pose huge problems due to health issues. An online class like the current Stanford AI one would be easier for those reasons, but doesn’t really work well for an art class due to the more practical nature of it, and might not fix the akrasia problems either. Hmm...
Because I am great at a lot of other things along the visual arts tree/pipeline(s), like composition and colours and 3d modeling and art analysis and concepts for images and design etc. and absolutely love to do them, but don’t have anyone to collaborate with. This also indicates I’m likely to be very talented at it, and would enjoy it immensely if I weren’t so frustratingly untrained at it.
And because I get strikes of inspiration, and I feel horrible when I can’t share the amazing things in my head and discus them with others.
And because the set of people that: are on lesswrong AND have the determination to dedicate themselves to it AND understand the power of art to influence minds AND have the talent needed to create something truly good with reasonable amounts of practice AND have the deeper understanding of how art in general works to leverage stuff AND are willing to ruthlessly exploit Dark Arts in the creation of subversive propaganda… is quite small, possibly 1 or even 0.
I’m in a situation where it’s obvious I more or less MUST learn to draw (most of my useful skills are in visual arts and would synergise immensely, and I frequently get struck by fits of inspiration that inflict severe emotional damage when they can’t be realized, etc.), and I have heard basically what you’re saying in this post a bazillion times, including multiple perspectives on why, to the point where it seems obvious what I need to do, but I can’t actually do it for a variety of reasons that can mostly be summed up with “akrasia”. I lack the attention span and patience needed to do something “just for practice”, I am constantly stressed out and never feel i have the time to do so, my tools and skills in related areas makes it to easy to cheat around the problem at the cost of quality, and I have an overwhelming ugh field about basic motoric skills, etc.
Any idea on how to get out of this? If I could actually practice consistently just 10 or 20 hours would probably yield enough of an improvement to overcome most of these problems and keep climbing by myself, but right now I get like 10 minutes of practice every few weeks and then I ragequit and feel horrible.
One of the benefits of a class is that a) it forces you to work for more than 10 minutes, b) the teacher will be there to provide both direction and positive encouragement.
If a “real class” isn’t an option, try finding a meetup group of people also looking to get drawing practice in. I certainly suffer from akrasia. The things I DON’T have an easy time with I usually need friends to help reinforce the behavior in some way.
Thanks. I suspected this, but hearing it from you is good for confirmation and makes it more likely I might actually go for it.
Nether option is really very available to me thou. I’ve been unsuccessfully looking for meetups and groups for a long time, and will continue looking but I don’t have much hope. A class might work, but just getting time for it and getting to and from the location would pose huge problems due to health issues. An online class like the current Stanford AI one would be easier for those reasons, but doesn’t really work well for an art class due to the more practical nature of it, and might not fix the akrasia problems either. Hmm...
Can I ask what you “must” learn to draw for? Job you currently have? Job you’re looking for?
Because I am great at a lot of other things along the visual arts tree/pipeline(s), like composition and colours and 3d modeling and art analysis and concepts for images and design etc. and absolutely love to do them, but don’t have anyone to collaborate with. This also indicates I’m likely to be very talented at it, and would enjoy it immensely if I weren’t so frustratingly untrained at it.
And because I get strikes of inspiration, and I feel horrible when I can’t share the amazing things in my head and discus them with others.
And because the set of people that: are on lesswrong AND have the determination to dedicate themselves to it AND understand the power of art to influence minds AND have the talent needed to create something truly good with reasonable amounts of practice AND have the deeper understanding of how art in general works to leverage stuff AND are willing to ruthlessly exploit Dark Arts in the creation of subversive propaganda… is quite small, possibly 1 or even 0.
That’s a good reason. I wish you luck and I hope I can help.