im gonna cry...so frustrated

im so frustrated because everything i try to do turns out horrible...i got so upset i actually started to cry...i dont understand it i used to think i was pretty good... was content with what i could do...but when i try something new it turns out horrible...i practice every chance i get hubbys beside himself doesnt know how to help (other than to lend me his back)...i want to get better so bad... i want to wow someone...ok ill be honest i want to do beautiful things like everyone on here. im trying so hard but it just doesnt work..i think ive watched every tutorial out there and all the step by steps...i just suck...boy was i naive when i thought i was actually good... i dont know what to do...cheek art i can do...monster masks i do ok...but the rest... a lil kid could do better...thanks for the vent...

Oh Tra, I don't know what to say, I just wanted to offer ((( big hugs ))) Please don't be so hard on yourself!!

Don't forget alot of the people on here have been at it for quite a while or have arty backgrounds. Also, I think it's safe to say they only post work that they're happiest with. We don't see everyones failures. I'm often rubbing stuff out in complete frustration muttering "oh my gosh my 6 year old could have done better, what am I doing here!" BUT I love it. That's why I keep at it. So I keep persisting and trying and practising. I don't know. Just keep going and enjoying this world.

Your avatar is so darn cute - I think maybe we are always our own harshest critic.

While I'm at it......if I'm not mistaken, aren't you responsible for the babycakes idea??? Am I right? I think. If so....THANK YOU!! I'm going to try and make some tomorrow. I found an eyeshadow case the other day. YAY!

(((hugs)))
You know that this isn't true! YOur avatar is adorable! We are all our own worst critics (believe me I have confidence crisis' as well!). Be content with the artist you are. You will struggle to see your own improvement because it's your work (kinda like a dieter being the last to see that the weight is going!) you see it all the time.
I would love to line up my work along side some of the talented ladies and gents in here and the Pashur's/Mark Reids and have it compare favourably! (It's nice to dream lol!) but in reality I am light years from there....but the smiles from the kids as they look in the mirror when I finish with them, lets me know that THEY are happy (lord knows, the kids aren't surfing the net and youtube looking for what face they want @ their next event!)

Chin up there is a silver lining somewhere there, sometimes you just have to search a bit!

Tra, your avatar is so cute and I'm sure you bring so much joy to those you paint - just remember the way their eyes light up and their smiles of thanks for what you've done for them.

There are some masters of face painting on here and some just beginning; there will always be someone better or not as advanced.

Try to be proud of what you've already accomplished - look at how far you have come yourself. I know it's so hard not to compare work with other people's, especially when there are so many amazing examples surrounding us...but they're not 'you' (or me ) - you have your own unique style and comparing our own work against our own earlier pieces is the fairer way to go.

Don't give up = every mistake we make is something we can learn from, I know I spend ages looking at photos of my work tearing it apart to figure out how to improve them... and oh boy, do they need improving.

But people are happy and we are happy when we're making them happy and really, that's what counts.

(((hugs)))

Hi Tra,

How long have you been in Homosassa?! I am from the Beverly Hills area originally (Florida) mom is still there.

Do you have anyone to jam or practice with? Do you know anyone that can offer helpful suggestions or feedback? THAT might be your biggest help. Sometimes, one simple tip, like how to hold the brush or getting the paint the right consistency REALLY makes a difference.

It has helped me a lot through the years.

If there is no one up there, use this board as a resource, and if you don't post the item publicly, I am sure a few folks would be happy to give you some pointers privately- and believe it or not, I am sure YOU have things to share with all of us as well! Always feel free to drop me a note if there is something you want feedback on.

NO ONE does anything perfect the first time... Everything evolves. You are a Human BECOMING- and so you shall become the talent you strive for.

Dean

Post some pics on here..*gasp* but it's totally worth it, the critiquing will help you improve for the next time, then post again, then the next time. Most faces don't turn out as planned the first time. Don't get discouraged

Tra, I know exactly how you feel and I'm sure even the most experienced of painters have days they feel like the suck! I am still learning and practising like crazy and trust me, it is soooo frustrating to not be able to instantly do what you want with a paintbrush! I just can't seem to master butterflies, and its like the most popular girls thing ever! How annoying! And then you see all the amazing stuff on here, and boy, its intimidating! But these people are the nicest, most encouraging and helpful bunch around so all we can do is try and learn that bit more from them! Stick with it, you obviously love it and thats why you feel so passionately about it....big hugs sent via the computer

ok heres some practice stuff ive done:















thank you everyone for your kind words and encouragement...deep down i already knew everything you have said.... in my head i know it to be true but in my heart i feel the way i posted above...i will try to go by what my head says and put a muzzle on my heart...and ive been in homosassa for around 9 years...no i dont have anyone to jam with...yes rea i did the baby cakes ... no i dont have anyone to help me learn and everyone around here that sees my stuff is bias (friends and family) they wont say anything bad or tell me how to improve... the only other "face painters" around here are older ladies that insist on using acrylics...i tried to get to know a couple but it was not a good experience they kind of have a lock on the clubs that do most of the events around here...but i do 2-3 big events a year and a few smaller ones here n there... i want to be able to knock peoples socks off...ok hitting the send button before i chicken out...lol

WOW- I saw nothing on there that I would consider junk, and certainly BETTER than many I have seen who charge.

Your characters were recognizeable, and your sea scape pretty involved.

General feedback- I saw a few bases that were a little blotchy, so maybe more practice on getting those smoothe. Line work could use practice, but was not BAD, just the more you practice, the better it will get.

For me- I had to slow down and get deliberate about what I do. If I have to THINK about what step is next or the like, it looks rough. On a new design, the first time it looks bad because I still don't know what goes where in relationship to what. 2nd time the placement gets better. 3rd, the line and fill in gets better... 4th and 5th time I get the "extras" in my head. After 6 - 10, I usually "have it".

Pick a technique you want to get better at- Weather it is lines, blending, bases or whatever, and if your hubby will volunteer his back, do some big abstracts with colors you like and focus on the TECHNIQUE first.

It's hard to work on your lines and tear drops WHILE also trying to make a new design look like what it's supposed to look like. Once you know you can make the brush or sponge or airbrush do what you want, where you want, when you want... then you can focus on the designs themselves and not be fighting your tools at the same time.

Remember- this advice is free... so take it with a grain of salt.

I dont know how easy this might be, but Heather offers classes through the silly farm store and she is very hands on. Im sure if you take her class you will see a major growth spurt

Tra, you're doing great! Please understand, many of us have been doing this for 5 yrs or more. I was quite horrible when I started & was at least blessed to not have all the great resources there are now. I didn't get to see what great art looked like till a few years later. Be happy w/ what you can do & be patient. Take classes, practice, find a jam if you can & you'll see improvement. Some things will come easy & some you'll have to work at, but the things you work at will give you more satisfaction when you do figure them out! And.... I suck at cheek art & am ok with that. I just avoid it
{{HUGS}}

Awwww!!! *hugs*

Well I think your stuff is GREAT!

Just an FYI, I tried to do that little dragon you have in your avatar.... BAD idea LOL it came out looking like a green blob from outer space :p

SO know that your work is envied too!! Hang in there

Trina

I'm just a newbie and in my eyes your work is GREAT! I'm hoping I can do as well as YOU!!!

We are all definitely our own worst critics (obviously!). As someone else here suggested, if you are not happy with a particular design, why not post a pic and get some help from some of these fabulous ladies?!

I love your work I want to tell you it all takes practice I'm going to show you my 1st attempt facepainting in 2007 and see gallery on what I do now I still don't think I'm the best but God is always there to give me strength and he sure will be for you just practice and watch alot of youtube videos.

I think that sometimes it is not a good thing looking at every tutorial and step-by-step. It just becomes overwhelming! And there are so many out there, that you can spend forever watching them. It is more important to practice, practice, practice. And as leapinglizards say, focus on one technique at a time, but it is fine also thinking about how you place the lines. Like if you practice teardrops (and they are really really important, you can do so much from flower petals, dolphins, butterfly designs and so with them) try to make them go to a specific point, so you can control where they are going, because that gives so much to a design that it is just not random lines floating around.

You don't need a back to practice on, your own arm or legs are fine too. Maybe start in a light colour, and then darker. That way you don't have to go wash every ten minutes!

And then remember to compare with your own work, not everybody else! I can also look at maybe Lynne Jamiesons work and be totally depressed thinking that I am so bad I should stop painting because how can anyone be happy with what I am doing. But then I remind myself, that I am doing better know than two years ago and that the costumer is happy (and that they don't know how she paints) and then I practice some more =)

Plus, your designs are nice, the dragon is really cute!

thanks for all the feedback ill try not to be so critical and work on one thing at a time...i do use my leg alot , last night it was stained blue from thigh to ankle...lol

yall are great! it means alot to hear the nice things...ill keep pluggin away and reach for that one that wows

Everything is said, just want you to know I recognize your feeling. ((Hugs))

Hello

I think we all feel frustrated sometimes, but it can't steal your joy!

I am a little new at this and certainly not as good as many here, but it's OK, just have fun and keep going.

I became a Bob Ross ("happy little trees" ) oil painting instructor about 5-6 years ago and have loved, I mean LOVED doing that and teaching others too. Recently I was organizing my hundreds of canvases in the garage and wow, the first ones were not too great, but I practiced and I can see such improvement,and in 5 more years.......

The point is that you must enjoy the creative journey, rather than cry that you have not arrived at your destination. I bet the people you have painted were happy, so you be too, OK?

Practice your basic strokes, look for inspiration and go for it.

Blessings to you
Evelyn

PS: live south of Jacksonville and will probably be moving to Texas in two months, but if you need some help
I would be glad to do it.

oh my dear - you sound like me when I started out doing henna - and me about 2 hours ago as I did my very first ever skull. I think that, over the years of meeting artists, some of whom I literally worshiped at their feet (Kim!) I've learned this much - the people who hate their work always strive to make it better, and they wind up getting better. Those who sit back smugly and say "no, really, this is the best ever, I'm not going to change a single thing ever" never learn a new thing - and never go any further than where they already are. I'm slowly learning to do my darnedest, take down notes of what I would change at the end, and then, take a deep breath and. . . wash it off! Let it walk away! Let it go! I do pysanky too, and every egg I do has about a billion mistakes. I note them, think about how to change it next time, and move on! Wanting to be awesome is very very good for your art - as long as it doesn't make YOU go crazy. I'm still finding that delicate balance - and I'll probably be the one upset in a few weeks or so when I do my first paying gigs!!!

is that your first ever skull in your avatar?

how far south of jacksonville? i can travel a bit

Yep, Tra, it is - I'm actually CRAZY happy with it now that it's washed off and the pix are all I can poke at, but like I said, I see about 48 spots that need fixed! Ugh, the cheekbones - and why the HECK did I shade the heck out of the teeth in black and only liver-spot color shading on the bony parts? See what I mean?

i think its amazing!!! if thats ur first id hate to see the bad ones...lol

Thanks!!!! Well, in a sense I'm a little bit of a cheat - I've spent a few years doing pro henna, and before that I painted and did some stone carving along with dabbling in jewelry and doing eggs, too - so I think most of my issues are dealing with a new medium and trying to actually disguise features, rather than shaping them accurately. And I should def point out that I borrowed it from a Wolfe book, too!!! But you see what I mean, right? I think I can tweak that into a face that a client will be very happy with, but to me it's a mess! A not-bad face, but certainly not what I think I *could* do. So I took notes, especially on the mouth and jaw, and washed it off. It isn't great to me yet, but I think I can get there with some more practice, so it felt pretty good to do it today!

i gave this a shot...got insiration from here...i can already see ooodles wrong but over all not too bad since this is the biggest thing ive ever done