Personally when I look back at my art I never cringe. My first reaction is never ugh that’s so bad, but memories from when I made it. And I guess those are precious to me those little stories or moments in time. The only time I ever cringe at my art is when I was merely trying to make something that looked cool by other peoples standards. Well those are my thoughts on the matter lol. Thanks for the video Adam!

As a wise fish once told me. ''Just keep swimming''

When I first started this video I thought: “this I going to make me feel bad.” I’m an adult and only started taking art seriously about a year ago now. I’m not a young adult, nor middle aged, but old enough to regret not taking art more seriously when I was younger and looking at people my age who are working for Disney. But the more I listened, the more I realized how it does apply. When I was younger, a high schooler, things were out of my control where I couldn’t take art in school, and at the time, I couldn’t afford technology to do digital art. My circumstances were so different than many people in my age group who took art from junior to high school, who were able to get decent tablets and art programs. In the same sense, i have to look at things differently. Even in the past year I have improved so much it’s a bit confounding. I can’t compare myself to others my age who are more skilled; they’ve still had a decade and more to improve. So I guess let me be a lesson for adults who want to try. There’s no wrong time. There’s no lost time. There’s only the time we still have. I can’t compare myself to others because our starting points are different. In a way, artists my age are still “ten years older” than I am. Just in a different way

So I was proud of myself for making it through 19 minutes and some without crying and then came the waterworks. Celebrating our own successes and even just being kind to ourselves can totally accelerate our growth! Instead of pushing ourselves down every time something doesn't work out. All that comparing and critical inner voice, ugh.

The moment I'm looking into the abyss questioning my ability to perform... Adam drops this. You always pop up at exactly the right time haha

I agree that children's/amateur art has such incredible creativity and free thinking, and honestly I'm envious! I focus so much on improving form and color, and while it's good to practice and improve, it has a way of dimming the heart's expression if focused on too much. I look back to my crappy drawings, and remember them for the idea I had behind them. The crazy, wild idea that still sparks excitement decades later. And I miss them. I don't know yet if I would trade artistic skill with boundless expression, but I'm sure I would in the future. So glad your channel is back! I hope everything's safe!

Never clicked so fast! So happy to have you back, Adam!

Ive been having a really rough time, artistically and with life, but this vid actually made me feel a bit better about both. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your art.

Artistic growth feels incredibly slow for me, but I'm also starting to appreciate every step of this long life journey. Because, in the end, NOW is the most important moment in our lives. Even if some days suck, even when life just loves throwing rocks at you, sometimes it's a relief realizing that every day you improve, just a little step at a time. x)

I noticed that doing things for others not only makes me feel miserable, but also undermines my capabilities, I don't even have fun doing what I'm doing if I think about others, not only in art but even in reading, studying and other facets of life.

Wise words like always Adam ! Michelangelo start art seriously at 14 years old. He works ass off during more than 10 years and be discovered for his first masterpiece at around 25. When someone compliments their works, he can't take it and refuse it. "I'm worked to hard for get this level...". Work hard is good but don't overwhelmed and lose your passion, you will probably regret it...

"Think of a word that rhymes with screw and starts with an F" Flew

I remember being elementary school and drawing Pokémon in comic book style. That’s honestly when I was the happiest. At one point in high school that’s when I started becoming a lot more judge mental towards my own art. It’s only recently that I started to take pride even in my older art even if it’s not as good as right now. It shows my progression and it kind of sets a reminder of why I love art. Thank you for this video.

tears literally fell. i dont know man, maybe because im getting all the support from people ive never met or havent seen my art . its amazing but sad at the same time. thank you

This video really hit me Home, I think as artists we always compare ourselves as if it’s an Olympic game, trying to be the number one and reaching that position as fast as possible. But ironically we end up torturing ourselves to reach that position.

So true, that's why i really love it when those great name artist share their old works. Sometimes when we admire somebody so much that we forgot they are also humans just like you and I. It's a gradual process

i think we as your audience, can feel your emotions in your videos because you actually talk to your daughter.

Needed to hear this. It's just so difficult not to constantly compare yourself to other people.

I was not aware of how much I needed to listen to this video. It's amazing to hear something about "You can't see you're growing because you can't see your life in timelapse", and it's such an important thing, but we can hardly realize such a thing on our own.

I had to do a lot of mindset exercises to recognize my own growth. To get over obsessing over perfectionism, I had to force myself to do vent art where I did a bunch of sketches quickly, with no erasing allowed. It sucked because I had such a fatalist mindset when it came to myself and everything I did, but honestly doing these self-imposed exercises broke something free in me eventually, where I could recognize an actual change and improvement. Now I catch myself believing in others who think their stuff isn't good, with all my heart, and wanting to encourage them. Because I know it can be done. I'm still not perfect... depression is a helluva buzz kill and motivation drainer... but I can see change, and that honestly makes a world of difference.

Holy shit. It's exactly like you said. I've always been attached to my drawings, when I was younger, it was because I was arrogant and thought they looked awesome. Then social media became a thing and I started to realize I couldn't do 10% of the stuff I saw online. That's when I stopped drawing. I just felt like I was a delusional kid. After that art completely left my life. And it only came back because I took a hard look at where I was going and realized it wasn't a direction I really wanted to go. So I did something art adjacent, but didn't go full on illustration focused. I'm still not brave enough to quit my job and have the same confidence I had in my art when I was younger. Today I look at my old sketches, from 10, 15 years ago and I think they may be technically terrible, but oh boy, the idea is so good. It was full on experimentation, I didn't care about "finding my style", I just wanted to draw something cool. I came to the conclusion that it's not that every single one of them was a brilliant piece of art, but because I was just creating stuff all the time, some of them ended up would inevitably end up being really good. So now I'm trying to just create stuff and take out the pressure of external stuff that didn't have anything to do with me in the first place.

Welcome back and thank you THANK YOU!!! I started learning to draw this year and I am fuckin 38... and it's so difficult for a person of my age to look at all those kids who are so good at it, while I just started the journey they started at the age of 5. This week I actually gave up.... But here you came and told me not to... So, here I am. Ready to fight again! THANK YOU

Well the second part about the childlike creativity resonates so well for me. I always feel like I'm "lost" in all of these technicals that I begin to forget what made me want to draw in the first place. It becomes less of a fun activity and more into a "chore". I feel like I have lost all that, those pure unadulterated imagination and creativity because I was just trying to improve or getting better... because I started comparing my works to everybody. Sometimes looking back at my old artworks it makes me rather sad because I have lost that part of me, the bonkiru that made those works without all the care in the world. While I have gotten far better I feel like I haven't even moved an inch.The improvements feels empty and it's what I'm trying to "regain" nowadays, those parts of me who has lost and missing. Thank you for the insightful video as always.

I left this video in my Chrome tab bar for quite a while. I left it for a night like this one. My eyes are shit and I struggle to learn anatomy to improve stories in images I draw. Today I re-drew a pair of arms at least 20 times each time feeling even more and more defeated. I felt that after 3 years of learning art, I learnt nothing. It's not like I was trying to do be accurate, I just wanted it to be good enough. I got sad, looked around at my walls filled with posters while listening to this video. And I smiled through tears. Because I am not giving up. And I hope I will never give up on my dreams. I am 23, KZfaq won't probably exist in 10-20 years, but If it does and I will see my comment, I hope I will be in a place where I can smile about what I am just reading, a smile that I never gave up, regardless of the outcome. That 10-20 years from now, I'll keep on trying and failing. Thank you, I needed that ;)

Adam is the Art Dad we all need

I really struggled a lot with the question if I even get better or just waist my time. I'm "already" 26 now. It often times kept me away from drawing, because the thoughts of doing art might be pointless and just frustrating for me was just to overwhelming. at some point I just tried to redraw something I drew a year or so before and it helped me to see, that my drawing looked different and did change. It's calming to here, that to people, who are way better then I am, it feels like this too. Great video, thank you :)

Adam always made me tear up a bit... what a struggle, what a lovely, painful and beautiful struggle art is, I'm so thankful that you make this videos and share a bit of yourself, I don't know you personally but I love you man... what a blessing.

This video came in the right time after I completely broke down a few days ago about the progression of my art. Though I see improvements, I thought I'd be good enough by the time I graduated to be satisfied with myself, but I was far from that. Though this video may not solve my problems like magic, it still reassures me to continue to push on and maybe be less harder on myself. Graduating during the pandemic is both troubling and relieving, but I suppose we all have to make use of the situation. I have instead focused on personal health and exercising since I figured a healthy body is a healthy mind. All in all, thank you for the videos, and glad you got your account back.

Your words make me cry. I'm realising how pure you are. Thank you.

I feel this way recently… And so I now enjoy the slow growth instead of forcing things like I used to. Time is an illusion, anyway. Might as well enJOY the process of growth. I’m just starting my art career in my 40’s. 👩🏼‍🎨😃🍀🇨🇦

I needed to hear this, I am at the moment where I am trying to build myself artistically and creatively, I am fashion designer and my family criticize me that I am not doing much with my life, when all I do is to invest in my career and skills, but my family doesn't see that and they think I don't wanna do anything with my life, it's soul crushing. Coz it makes me hopeless and not motivated. because all this criticism makes me feel like I am not moving fast enough, and they don't understand that it takes time and Sattle improvement and I have to learn so much to improve or implement things, they want this grand spectacles of evolution and I can't give them that. And it feels like my progression is slow, and they not patient, they always say I don't want to do anything, but everyday I wake up and put effort in this and it's all I do.but they don't see it happen coz it happens very slowly. Thank you for this video

When you said "be the kid that shoots their hand up way up in the air and says 'me'" I just stopped in my tracks and listened. And I truly listened to the rest of the video and something about the message and the tone and the delivery just stuck to me. Thank you. I am the most brilliant artist in the world and I'm making the decision to not care how anyone else feels about that. I'm going to choose me.

I always cry when I hear your videos-- not because it makes me feel bad, but because it's true and it resonates with me. Thank you Adam for being the tender and caring artist-father to us little artists.

I had that childlike mindset about my art up until age 21....i used to fill multiple sketchbooks. Now at 23,i feel like I'm not good enough at anything I do and I'm trying my best to not give up. My current goal, is to finish at least one illustration. I haven't been able to go past the sketch phase for a while but seeing all the colors on my current illustration, i feel a bit like myself again. The best advice I've heard, is to go into your drawing with no expectations.

The one thing that got in the way of my progression the most was being in a hurry to "get there". When I became a father I had to slow down and that's when things finally started falling into place. Thanks for the reminder to keep an even tempo - you're the best at pep talks and I really love what you're doing to help the art community ❤️

I am in a point of my life where I am transitioning in all aspects of my life. But the most important to me, is picking up my art supplies again. I've spent too long of my life being berated by others that I have lost my way. Your words are an inspiration to me. Thank you.

Well...your video and words were so meaningful that some tears started collecting in my eyes. I just don't have words.

Oh, where would I be if I never discovered you and your videos... It's wonderful to have you back. Thank you for sharing your thoughts !

My weekly therapy is available again heh heh nice to have you back.

Guys. We're gonna raise our hands in the air and wave them like we JUST DON'T CARE!! Thank you for another inspiring video

My God, watching your videos for two weeks has gotten me further than like 10 years of therapy! 😂

I've been thinking and worrying about this a ton lately. Perfect timing, Adam

Happy to see your re upload. Keep strong!

Omg hi i missed those talks, just what i needed .thank you 🙏🏼

Really glad you’re back! It’s always nice to see a lucid upload :))

I needed to hear something like that right now, thank you ^^ and thank you for all those awesome video too, I'm glad you're back !

Thanks man. Needed this today.

Really hyped for the next part of the painting !!

Thank you so so much!

I woke up this morning feeling incredibly anxious about my progress and saw this. Awesome timing

Ahhh, time to pop this in the background again while drawing. Good to see you back.

The increasing desire to sacrifice reason in favor of emotions is a source of many problems. The feels are more often than not ALL ABOUT THE PERSON, all about the self which the feelings evolve around. Then there is the distorted effect emotions have. If one pictures a moon and the reflection of the moon in the ocean, the latter is how emotions would describe the moon. Yes, emotions are not for accuracy. Many artists and people are so wrapped up in their own emotions and so out of touch with reality they do not how to separate reason from emotion and thus they say feel when they are actually thinking. Bottom line, touchy feely is not a good guide nor an accurate measuring stick. Touchy feely does not make one a good person, good deeds do (that which benefits others without ulterior motives).

So happy to see your upload! Your content helps me get through the quarantine and artistic meditating, thank you

Someday I'll have words to convey how much these have helped Thank you and I'm glad to have you back ❤️

I love catching these videos bright and early with a hot cup of coffee and some breakfast. Keep doing what you do Adam it's always great and you have support despite any future changes you may make. ^-^

40 year old here starting deep dive into art. For the first time I'm allowing myself to do this simple pleasure I've wanted since I was a child, but for "practical reasons" [read: adult discouragement] didn't even try... and these type of videos just wrap me in soft pillows as I plod along. Thanks for this 💛

it really helps to hear this coming from someone. I'm at a point where I feel so slow at progressing. Seeing younger people than me progress so much more convinced me that I was being lazy. That the year i took a break from art was a mistake.

thanks adams I feel comfortable hearing it from someone with experienced, that things will change especially when iam strugling throught rough patch.

Thank you Adam for all of the life advice. This made me cry

Thank you for this.

I did really miss your channel while it was out. Welcome back

Perfect timing, thank you.

this video is just what i needed! Thanks for this!

Happy to have your videos back! this one was really something i needed to hear :)

this was really helpfull , I started thinking about this a few days ago , so thank you Adam !

Great video, I really needed to hear this. Thanks :)

Honestly couldn't have been grateful enough to see this channel back up again. With every video I've seen so far it has really helped me to realize alot more about not only what art is about but also how it really ties into alot of the struggles & obstacles in order to get to that point in time where you finally become satisfied and happy with your progress and ability to inspire others, knowing that you really did make it far without seeing it clearly as you could've even after having those past doubts about yourself. Gifts like these will come when you least expect them to, and underestimation towards yourself will be the enemy that drags you away from those life-changing oppertunities.

Thank you for this. Just thank you. ❤

Diving into art is plunging yourself into a deep ocean The thoughts you have along the way will cripple you But you just have to let go of these complicated feelings and just sit down and train

This video is really nice. I needed to hear this. Thanks a lot. :)

Thanks for the video Adam. Inspiring as always.

I missed your art talks so much, happy your back Adam 💕💜 this one definitely helped me realize that I need to be more patient with myself, thank you for sharing ❤

Yay! Glad to have you back, Adam!!

Thank you for this video your words are always a inspiration and getting to see you draw is helpful

I'm so happy you're back omg

Thank you, I really needed it. Thanks also for using this calm tone, I really needed that too

I’m so thankful for this video, it just appeared when I most needed it, thank you so much

thank you Adam for this video! its a pleasure to have you back been missing your videos and I had no clue what happen but I am happy for this community coming together helping one another out! every video you post I always watch

Love the vid, Adam!

U r a hero. Thank u 🌸

Love listening to your videos! been listening to your videos from time to time since last year

Damn, I needed this.

Thank you Adam :)

Thank you for such inspiring words!

This video was so inspiring! Thank you so much!

Thanks so much, this made me cry and reflect. Thanks again

Thank you adam, I'm easily discouraged. Usually, I would stop whenever I saw a mistake. After your video, I would try to keep pushing through to finish the idea I have no matter how bad it would look.

I can't state how much I needed to hear this. Thank you Adam

Very warm and inspiring words, thank you!

Thank god you're back, thanks for the video, i needed that. Be safe.

It happened again! Every time I think about the topic you're talking about, I find it was something that I myself was thinking about recently. This is so important for artists to do. TO keep our art even if we don't like it at the time. I actually found that the more progress I made, the less I wanted to keep my art. And when looking through my older art, I actually found a few pieces that I remember feeling proud about at the time, and in a small way I still do today. Because I was just having fun and didn't compare my art with others as much at the time. As always, thank you for the talk, so glad that your channel is back up and running! Can't wait for more, love from MD!

Welcome back and thank you for making this video. Real motivation to keep on going. :D Cheers.

Good to have you back!

You really are such a powerful asset to the art community! Thank you for creating these videos. They're so encouraging.

Thank you, Adam for always reminding us to be grateful for the things we take for granted including a slowly but surely growing as an artist and a person

YES! You are back, my man

Thank you I need to hear this

Good to see you back :D

So glad you’re back.

Thank you Adam! I always tear up listening to your kind thoughts