So other than that I've been getting back into skateboarding. Trying to spend at least 30 min- hour a day skating around. I spent a good 5-6 years skating before I really got into art and have always loved it. Its weird how I approach it now since art really took over my life/work... When I used to skateboard it was always hit or miss when approaching new tricks, constant trial and error. After hours of repetition day in and day out the moves would become second nature to me. But now that I've started again I have a new way of approaching learning tricks.
Once I became serious about art I started really analyzing what it is about my anatomy/lighting/edges that's really messed up. I started looking at my pieces with a critical eye, focusing on my weaknesses most. I'm still looking at each piece I do very critically so that I can move forward. What I find now that I've taken up skateboardin again is that I'm really looking at what works and what doesn't. I'm focusing on the placement of my feet and the amount of force I use for each trick. Now that I have that discipline from forcing myself to improve at art I'm finding that every trick I try is just a series of steps. Analyzing what works and what doesn't. I've been able to pull off things I had so much trouble with before. When I was younger it was always try really hard until I get either extremely frustrated or just really tired. Now I can really take a step back and figure how I can control the motion of the board.
What I'm trying to say is that its really easy to think lazily about something. Its very easy to just keep painting what you know and just shooting in the dark for answers on how to correct problems you're having. But you can cut time in half if you just sit back and really look at what it is you want to be doing. If you're not painting the way you want to paint then look at what it is about the pros you really admire. What skills do they possess that you don't, what might they have a better grasp of, a broader knowledge of. Its up to you to really look at yourself and take steps to fixing these issues. Its all about the fundamentals in art, skateboarding, or whatever it is you wish you were great at. There are steps along the way you gotta take to grow and you have to have the discipline to realize what the next steps are to reaching those goals. I'm nowhere near my goal as an artist, but I can feel that if I keep going on pushing myself I'll make it no problem. Its just a matter of looking at my work with a critical eye and knowing where I wanna take it. Then the only thing left is to sit down and start making moves in that direction!
Heres a commission I did, a little off topic from what I usually do! But I gotta post something on here :D!
Some Metal Church for you as well :D!
4 comments:
you're a great inspiration dave, I love your attitude. I couldn't agree more about being able to have critical self-analysis is the best thing I've learned how to do. It will carry through all aspects of your life, if you choose to think a little.
It's really easy to lose focus tho...and also really easy to be lazy and eat potato chips all the time D:
my dad always said: work smarter, not harder....but still work hard :)
i've been having the exact same experience, except on a 20" bike. i rode bmx as a kid and never really got that good at it, not for lack of trying. now, roughly 14 years later and a month into my re-obsession, i'm already hopping more than twice as high and starting to land proper flatland tailwhips. 360 hops, here i come!
keep up the good work. oh, and post photos of your road rash for us.
dude, you're truly an inspiration to us all. Those words, damn, they kinda got me all choked up. damn you Dave, for making a grown man cry.
I hope I can take with me your words of wisdom when I continue my quest for epicness
Woah Bro,
Man, you got the insights of the experts kid. Keep ripping it up. And check out www.LiberatedFitness.com for more on the virtues of skateboarding.
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