I don’t really remember where the concept of “only gifted and talented artists can draw” came from, but surely it takes toll on everyone, sort of laying down the line between talented individuals to those of ordinary ones. Of course there are extra ordinary artists that live here in our midst but that does not discount the fact that we all can be like them or just learn how to draw like them.

I believe that it is really time to re examine our traditional beliefs about creative talent, be it hidden or otherwise. Did you know that we don’t really need a special artistic talent for us to be able to draw? Drawing is like reading, it can be learned over time with the right attitude and discipline. Can you imagine if we all believe that reading are only for those people who had a god-given talent to look into those books and identify letters? Reading has nothing to do with genetics, so as drawing.

So the first thing we have to learn before I started giving some insights in drawing/sketching/painting let us first kick roadblocks to our paths in order for us to have a smooth travel along the way. Our first roadblock is the word “no talent for drawing.” Let’s kick it out first!

The feelings most everyone felt when they are confronted with a blank white paper and a pencil in hand is somewhat fearful. Anxious students are all worried that their drawing skills are all weak and really don’t know where to start, coupled with surprising meekness and even crestfallen agreement. It is like your first day in a speak French class where the instructor suddenly called you and make you stand in front of the class and instruct you to suddenly speak French. Dreadful.

Artistic talent has always seemed rare and extra ordinary because we always expect it to be like that. We often regarded artistic ability as unreachable and unteachable, and most of the times teaching habits remained unchecked. Others might regard artistic ability as non-essential especially in these modern technological times, yet we do value creativity, in all aspects of our works and daily life we seek ways in which to be more creative ourselves. The question is: Do we have to possess a God-given talent in order to be creative? Or is it possible that creativity can be taught?

The perceptual skill

Any person with the sound mind can draw; anyone who has eyes can learn how to draw. Have you seen those handicapped people who do not have legs and arms but have held their one-man painting exhibit recently? You will be stupefied by how they manage to paint those landscapes and still life painting without hands; much more of an arm, really amazing isn’t it? That goes to show that talent and creativity does not lay on the hands alone. If you have eyes and you can see things better, and you have a sound mind to go along with it then you can learn drawing too. Talent and creativity can be achieved if you will have a “trained” eyes and a “creative” perception.

Perceptual skills can be learned, their use is of the same as using a basic language and mathematical skills. If you will be using your perceptual skills along with the art, then eventually you will become an artist through time, just like everybody else who uses language and mathematics along with perceptual skill and eventually become writers and mathematicians. But in order to go further or to advance in the field one must go beyond the basics and advance and enhance whatever they have learned. That is to enhance thinking skills.

In the next series of topic I will start pointing out how to enhance your perceptual skills that will greatly help in any creative process of daily life, including drawing using the right side of your brain.

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I received an email from one of my fellow artist these last few days. The email is quite disturbing and to my judgment needs immediate attention. You see, aside from writing I’ve been freelancing as a T-shirt designer for Harley Davidson apparel, submitting artworks online makes working from home an ingenious way of earning money without the hassle of the city streets. The pay is ok until the email.

Apparently some artists discovered that the $37 per design the middle man pays us is quite a David compared to the Goliath of a profit the middle man makes. According to sources Harley Davidson pays them $300 per design approved, that makes them eat the whole pie and share us the crust if not the crumb. I would not mention here the name of the middle man’s company so as to protect their identity pending actions from the artists.

This kind of practice has been going on for quite a long time. Not only in the field of apparel designs but also from where I came from—the Animation industry. Artists had been robbed, so to speak of the true worth of their works. That explains why the first world businessman prefers to outsource their jobs from the third world because the labor costs are so damn low. Well, from the third world point of view—beggars can’t be choosy.

Artists don’t need any resume writer that technically lists all their achievements--their works speaks for themselves, they are not the kind whom you can place in one corner at the office and order drudgery and toil to transpire. You cannot produce artworks without the artists pouring their heart out in it. As contrary to old beliefs that artists are moody, well, finding inspiration from within often misunderstood as a “moody” thing.

Artists are not big businessman, tycoons, magnate, mogul or industrialists that can make or break a nation. We are not politicians nor military that can re shape the nations future. But we are also a part of the culture-shaping sector that in one way or the other contributes and molds values and communicates the past from the present.