What is the Secret to Art?Truly? It's a lot of things, but one biggest part to art, or really anything for that matter, that many people overlook is quite simple! Dedication That is really the biggest, most important part of creating art- and it's both the easiest and hardest! The below photos showcase my first ever crochet projects. I bought a case of various hooks, this book, and got to work. That was it. In fact, I was doing it completely wrong for three months! I was hooking the yarn wrong, I thought sew meant to take a sewing needle and actually sew it with thread, and I didn't know how to FO (Fasten Off) the entire time. As you can see, they didn't hold up well. I was even unsure how to attach eyes so I simply didn't.   To me, after all this time, they look like monster factory pieces- yet I thought they were the most adorable things when I finished them! It's not that they aren't, they certainly have the charm of being first projects and they still have the love I put into them- but I honestly couldn't tell at first what they even where. I had just finished my latest project (which also happens to be my favorite right now!) and I stumbled upon these in a box. I won't ever get rid of them simply because they inspire me to keep doing what I do. Take a look at comparisons!
Dratini is my latest Pokemon, and one of the best I've made! Compared to the second item I ever made, a seal.
A new version Vulpix with the third item I ever made, a lion.  Some of my newest items (as of Jan 2017) and my VERY first item, a rather beat up hippo. So for real, how long ago did I make these? I started around 2004 and took a two year break from 2013-2015. As of this post, I have been dedicated to the crafts for around 11 years! To be honest, I was mostly doing so many different crafts and never really challenging myself, that I feel only in 2015 have I really tried to improve. In 2015 I dedicated myself only to crochet and to improve my skills. HOW DO!?Young Padowan, the biggest problem with dedication isn't the lack of want- it's the lack of time. How do I get enough time? How do I dedicate my full attention? How do I start a regiment? Unfortunately I have no answers for you, again, art is all about individuality. What works for you? Does a schedule? Does a certain music, or environment, or even cup of tea, get you in the mood to create? I struggle myself to get the motivation, for personal reasons I cannot set a regiment and I struggle with schedules- so I try to think up workarounds. Since schedules don't work, I do spontaneous. If I have time, and the other things I do aren't 'beyond important' then I do art. Dishes in the sink? I can wash them later. Laundry to do? I can start that in a few hours. It won't work for everyone- but I think of it as I DO need to do art. I DO need to create. So making art is just as important to me as laundry or dishes. It's just choosing what important task you need to do and organizing them in a way that works. Why do some people do better than ME!?There always will be someone that has better skill, naturally. We're all different. But it's useless to compare. Some people just happen to understand lighting better. Some people understand colors better, or shadows, or measurements. It's totally unfair and I hate those people too. :) /joke That doesn't mean you can't try to be as good or better- or even use them as your rivals. I personally have a few Gary, and they inspire and ignite me- it's important to respect everyone's talent and skills while simultaneously using their work to motivate yourself to a higher level of you. Again, dedicate yourself. Lose yourself and love it. Don't compare but be inspired. But don't steal. Stealing designs is totally wrong. It's Worth It. My adorable Dratini is the latest item I've finished that really showcases my changing skill. Art is worth it, it really is. Just setting aside fifteen minutes to read up on new techniques, or setting aside an hour to start something, or shopping sales to look for inspiration. It's all part of dedicating yourself to learning- if you want to get better, then you have to try.
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What the heck is Crochet?
So...why do you tangle yarn into stuff?
I wish to tangle yarn into stuff too!
But...how do I make really cool, original stuff? I actually don't have any tips for making cool, original stuff, or how things are supposed to look, or really much of anything. What I learned when making my own items isn't how to make the best stuff, it's how to make stuff using my own creativity and my own ideas. It's important to know that everyone starts somewhere, and every single person has their own creativity. I started by working on pre-made patterns and learning exactly how I crochet as a person. Every person makes items differently, based on their tension (how you hold the fabric/yarn), what hooks/machines you use (they're all slightly different), how firm/soft you want the stuffing (some like squishy some like firm), and how you want it to look. Guides and tutorials and DIY can help you learn the skills and techniques, you also need to learn your own personal quirks (i.e I hold yarn really tightly) and work with it to get the best outcome. Sometimes you won't have the correct machine, or the correct hook, or you hold the yarn too loosely, or you have different stuffing. It's all about getting creative with what you have and what your quirks are. |
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