Older than most to art
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I feel like I should weigh in since I’ve got you beat age wise by a year (61 in two weeks) and I also work full time, six days a week. I’m impressed with how many hours you are able to do right now! It makes me feel like I need to get more disciplined
I try to do 1/2 hour a day of watching videos and if I’m lucky an hour a day of painting. (Right now I’m trying to learn watercolor painting.) I save sketching and practicing fundamentals for the evening while I’m watching TV. (I have a lot more creative energy in the morning.)
I find the hardest thing about doing this as an older person is that I want to learn everything right away and I have higher expectations for myself than I did when I was younger. I’m sometimes my worst enemy.
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In podcast 2 when the host used 30 as being “older”, the balance of the podcast lost credibility and interest to me. I’ve not really listened since.
Good art is good art, the age does not matter and I am sure few art directors would even know the age (or care) of the artist.
The issues facing “older” artists is not much different than a younger or young artist. Other than talent/ability, I think all artists face the biggest issue of time. If you are a working professional artist drawing and creating are a part of your work day but for the rest of us it simply is shoehorned in when and where we can.
Like most here I work full time +, have family matters to attend to and have a second volunteer job 5 nights a week. It’s touch to fit time for artwork.
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@jimsz I don’t think that the gentlemen meant the podcast to come out as age-discriminating but more of a thumbs up for people getting ready to make a switch in their career and not being scared to make the jump. To tell their audience that you don’t have to be young and gone through art school to be able to follow your dreams even if they happen to become more of a reality when you’re “older” and more settled.
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@jimsz If I recall, when the host referred to 30 as older all 3 of the speakers erupted into laughter. It was obviously a joke poking fun at the fact all 3 hosts are at least a decade older than that.. I wouldn't take it that seriously if I were you and if you stopped watching just because of that, you're missing really great content and useful information.
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@jimsz I agree with @nessillustration that Jake, Will, and Lee were joking about old being “over 30.” They are all older and all have families which is one thing I enjoy about the podcast. They have a lot of real life experience to share and have had to balance work and family for a long time. I listened to another podcast about illustration in which the host said that they had gathered a panel of people who had been working in art professionally for “some time” and would be talking about their experiences. It turned out everyone on the panel was under 30 and no one had been working professionally for more than five years. Three Point Perspective is rare amount the podcasts I’be heard in that it is not at all age biased. Give it another try
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@jimsz if you can get past the well intended references to how many years constitutes olde, this episode was one of my favorites and most helpful.
Age and “older” is a matter of perspective for sure. With each passing year, Mekong old requires an even higher number-those horizon gets pushed out.
I’ve gotten such good feedback here and so many ideas I’ll respnd to later but just wanted to say I didn’t think any of the comments on the podcast about how many years old any of us take this on we’re meant as anything but supportive.
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Hi Susan.
I'm older and work full time as well. I am also going back to school at community college part time. So between 2 courses per semester, work, and having teenagers, there isn't much time left!
But I do manage to do some art every day. On my lunch breaks I sketch or draw or plan out my next piece for a half hour. I usually can find at least another hour before or after work/class. I probably do art about 15 or so hours a week. I also listen to art podcasts sometimes at work or watch speed paints before bed.
I flip back and forth between learning and having fun. I started a couple of years ago, and do get frustrated I am not further along, but have to be kind to myself and remember I can only do what I have time for. I was a college art school drop out at 19 - if I had only stuck with it!
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@jimsz I can assure you, you heard that reference in a way that we didn't intend. 30 isn't old at all. I had just started painting at 30! haha!
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@susan-marks The fundamentals are important but it is also important to do things that are fun for you, IMO. Be creative with the skills you have and do projects of your own. The more you draw and learn, the more you'll see where you can improve. It is hard work to get better but it can also be fun! Mix things up. Learn the fundamentals and apply them to what you want to learn to draw. My biggest challenge is perspective, I think. I have a project that will involve a truck and a parking lot with cars so, I am trying to take what I learn in the perspective class and use it for my project. (when I'm not sidetracked by things like Inktober and monthly prompts, etc. ) BTW, I'm not new to art but I am 61 years old
I am fortunate to have lots of time to be creative at this point in my life. Have fun! -
@jimsz Hi! I’d just like to correct you there. Yeah 30 is definitely older. What they say is true. They are not wrong. 30 IS OLDER. Their credibility is still intact. However, they’re not saying 30 and above artists create works of lesser quality. In fact, they even further discussed in the podcast that no one cares about an artist’s age. As long as the work is good, it’s good. I encourage you to give the podcasts another chance. There are really some nuggets of wisdom in there somewhere.
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@nessillustration I think some of your thoughts and suggestions might work for me. You’re right in that while I like to draw from my imagination, I do get frustrated when what I draw is so far from what I see in my head, but more importantly isn’t believable. So going back and forth between that fun creativity, working on the fundamentals helps improve the believability.
I’m really struck by the ideas on the podcast about having a good, or the “ mountain” that I’m trying to move toward.
I had a good but mean piano teacher when I was a child. I really wanted to give up but my mother negotiated with me to stick out the school year and then I could quit if I still wanted to. I somehow found the musical score for The Sound of Music, which was technically way over my head. But I went for it, practiced and practiced and got to play it very well, alongside m boring scales and tempo exercises and all that. But it rejuvenated m love of piano playing and really took back some control. Your post sparked that memory, and so I’m thinking about how I can do something like that with my drawing.
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@nyrrylcadiz , I found that as I got older, my concept of what qualified as "older" changed as well. If you're a person in their early twenties, 30 may seem older. But if you're a person in their 50's, 30 seems quite young. The idea of "older" is all about perspective, really.
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@kat I'll never forget what my younger sister said when she started coloring her hair at the age of 40: "I always said I would never color my hair but I never thought I would feel this young when I was this old."
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@kat so true but i believe your age didn’t lessen the quality of your art, right? Age really doesn’t matter when it comes to art.
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@nyrrylcadiz, absolutely, the quality of your art does not depend on your age. I think anyone at any age should pursue art if it interests them. And "older" is a fluid concept.
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I agree.
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I also think older can translate to a lot of interesting and refined ideas to bring to the table. Life experience definitely influences and enhances your art!
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@eli absolutely
