/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

Stop watching videos and lectures. You don't need personalities to tell you what your body is already letting you know. That's avoiding the problem. The time spent watching them is time that could be spent doing shit that matters.
Porn, cumming, junk food, "etc" are not whats causing you to be unmotivated. There are plenty of people who indulge in these things and still create.

>may be responsible
>may

Your problem is that you have no self confidence and let fear run your life. Otherwise you wouldn't be here asking 4channers for advice and watching ted talks about shit you clearly already figured out.

Believe in yourself. focus on what you apparently say you care about and treat everything else as unrelated treats.

>>4524423
Ignore this idiot.

I suggest continuing to try and develop self awareness and if that means opening up to authority and watching lectures or listening to people’s advice then that’s fine. But at the end of the day you must be conscious of all your faults and work at your own pace to correct them. I think it’s good your eliminating potential influences in your life that may not help if any. Ultimately you must choose to love yourself and from loving yourself you will find a rest of ease to indulge in passions you love.

>>4524448
>Develop self awareness
>Listen to other people

wow genius
The guy literally watched "Various videos and lectures" about this and he STILL came here to ask if he understood them instead of realizing he already knew this information in the first place. The fact that he asked if he should cut out things that are harmful to him is a sign that his issues are self esteem based not idle pleasures better men can touch and handle appropriately.

>>4524384
Put paper in front of you, a pencil and an eraser. Turn the computer off and grab the pencil.

I have the same problem as you, and I have found that this strategy works, as simpleminded as it sounds.

>>4524462
Irregardless if it stems from self esteem, which is just a subset of self love, one can only grow by the limits of their conscious. If he must listen to others and digest and think upon their ideas to grow himself, he must do so. Every human in existence has perpetrated the concept of following, and said true or false to every idea presented to them. OP must only listen intently to their words, present himself in abstraction and critique to their arguments, and come to conclusions if it is true or false to himself.

Eventually when he does feel confident enough to forego others words he can replace them with his own conscious, now the leader and not the follower. You can love yourself as both a leader and a follower, and I think it wise to walk before he runs.

>>4524471
Listening to random personalities that he has no relationship to is a waste of time if your body is already screaming for you to make certain changes. He already has that self awareness inside of him and he's allowing other people to talk over it! That is horrifying.

This is what modernity has done to people. And you're encouraging it in this instance.

He should feel confident NOW. Not after he's consoom'd enough academic bloviating.

>>4524479
You don’t have any relationship to anyone but yourself. The urgency you present is not there because achievement only comes from personal growth. If OP is like a baby in the wind then he needs to grow, and if he is not consciously aware of what ideas are and the ability to dissect and revision them he won’t be able to let go his ego of role and will remain insecure and fret over these worries he has imagined. Once he loves himself there is no urgency, no worries, no self guilt or shame. He can just be him, and his art will become an extension of his mind, of himself, it regardless of the topics he creates or the images he imagines.

>>4524384
> i'm trying to eliminate things from my life
Let me give you a simple example. Every time I would come home, first thing I do would be eating some pringles. Not an healthy choice, but Schopenhauer would be proud. Anyway, I tried not doing it, and it wasn't hard but it didn't give me any good feeling. One week later, I caught myself eating chocolate instead. I put raisins where the pringles used to be and it worked: I come home like everyday, go to that particular place then eat what is there (which is now raisins). It was an effortless change and more importantly it felt good. My point is, if you just eliminate stuff, the cues to do them will still be there. Good luck being focused on drawing at night on your computer if you are used to watch some porn every night - your brain has associated the place, the time, the computer with porn and will urge you to keep your habit. Not saying it isn't doable to destroy a bad habit, if you really want it, I'm saying that it will be easier if you're conscious of those tricks - your brain isn't your friend here.

Try drawing your family or friends (:

>>4524489
I just don't want to encourage people to keep chasing the endless rabbit hole of getting their self improvement from youtube videos and motivational book scams.
I've been there. And I've seen other people go there. There's a lot of shit being passed around that claims it's for a good intention, but is just another sedative.

If cooming and junk food make you feel depressed or unmotivated there's your advice. The consequences.

>>4524505
Most people aren’t conscious towards striving to become more than life, anon. But I do agree with your fears of his stagnation and think there is a fine line to walk in watching and doing.

>>4524384
>Do you think this will help me enjoy art again or am I just wasting my time?
Those things aren't responsible for your lack of art.
Set up a small desk or area in your room where you solely dedicate to studying and drawing art. Even when you don't feel like doing it, tell yourself to ''just draw for 5 mins then if i dont want to, stop.'' You'll more often than not draw for longer.
Do this everyday and you'll develop the habit of drawing.
Your enjoyment of art will come once you start getting competent of drawing at a higher level. Don't wait for a time when you feel like it. Eventually you'll develop the habit and drawing will become as second nature as brushing your teeth and taking a shower.

OP here.
I have cut out video games, fast food, and havent watched any porn or masturbated since i made this thread.

The boredom is killing me. Haven't cut out internet though. I'm not strong enough

Surprisingly,though, i have started to draw again and for much longer periods of time(drew for 2 hours straight without even realizing it today). I think whatever is going on, its working. If i keep this up, i can probably establish a good drawing regiment within a few weeks.

>>4524384
That's what everybody wants to know buddy. I did the same thing too and once in a while I get that "block". Shit really gets in the way of progress. Out of my experience reading about it: nobody knows what exactly to do and what exactly makes people get up their chair and work.

>>4526847
Jerking off is normal, just don't watch any fucked up porn while you do it. Also junk food is not the devil either, once a week or so it's ok. Knowing that you're not giving it up forever makes it easier.

Other than that, great job anon. We're proud of you

>>4524471
>irregardless

>>4524423
To add to this, something I struggled a lot with is the difference between information and knowing. We often accumulate information when in truth what we seek is to know. To know something has a significant psychological impact on us. What we know doesn't even have to be factually correct, but it has to observed with our own senses (ie. experienced). This is why just doing whatever it is you want to do is so important. You have to observe things yourself to really know them.

>>4526847
i noticed that i started to feel the need to be more active after i cut out the shit you cut out (vidya/porn/fap)
i cut out vidya for 100 days though and didn’t see much of a benefit. i was still lazy as fuck and didn’t want to do shit
but man, after 4-5 or so days on NoFap, i just can’t stop from doing shit
i think i’ve drawn more today than i have the past couple months
NoFap is the answer. i hate to be the guy that says this since people see it as a meme
>>4526884
look at this guy doing mental gymnastics to cope with the fact that he can’t get rid of his addiction, i probably shouldn’t shit on you though since fapping when you’re trying to stop is depressing as fuck

>>4526907
>look at this guy doing mental gymnastics to cope with the fact that he can’t get rid of his addiction
What are you talking about?

>>4526884
Masturbation maybe normal, but i need to stop indulging in anything that can give me immediate satisfaction for a period of time.

It's a experiment. All of this could be just in my head, but I haven't sat down and been this productive with drawing in months.
>>4526907
There's no need for any of that hostility, dude. I'm not even 100% that NOFAP even works and most of it does sound like a meme, but I'm willing to be open minded and give this thing a try.

>>4526915
yea, sorry about that
but quitting video games didn’t do shit for me even after 100 days
now that i’m doing NoFap (5 or so days in), i’m already seeing better results than i had in 100 days of quitting video games
i feel more productive and overall better
i used to feel so depressed that i didn’t even want to wake up but now i’m finding it much easier to just get out of bed
i think that if i can last even longer, my dopamine stuff will be back to normal and i’ll actually have an urge to draw rather than having to use discipline to make myself draw

>>4526915
>Masturbation maybe normal, but i need to stop indulging in anything that can give me immediate satisfaction for a period of time.
If it's for a period of time then OK, but quitting masturbation for good doesn't seem logical to me, unless you have a great gf or something. Some people say they got erectile dysfunction from not ejaculating for very long periods of time. Masturbation once a week or something like that is not going to do damage and it actually may be a good thing for your health if you're not having sex imo, but you do you

>>4526977
>Masturbation once a week or something like that is not going to do damage and it actually may be a good thing for your health if you're not having sex imo
stating opinions rather than facts as scientific evidence
...

>>4524384
I've only just gotten into art and I have the same problem as you. Despite being a NEET with the whole 24 hours of the day to myself, I still struggle to put more than 15 minutes a day into drawing.

>>4526991
whatever, do what you want. I don't give a shit

>>4527006
your hard coping is not making you bery convincing

>>4527011
ok

>>4527006

this guy isn't me >>4526991
he reminds me of that one schizophrenic autistic guy who posts about NOFAP a lot on r/9k/ and becomes really hostile to people that say otherwise...

to prevent any further assocation with him, this will be my last post in the tread. I feel like drawing again.

>>4527015
>goes on r9k
bad attempt at doxxing
>hostile
you need to learn the definition of hostile buddy
did you just come from safespace on reddit?

>>4524384
taking stimulants like amphetamine helped me a lot. You are probably just adhd or dont like drawing that much.

>>4527019
there is literally nothing wrong with reddit. you can go back to /pol/.

>>4527019
you should take a break from 4chan buddy

>>4527029
Pls seek psychiatric help bud.
No amount of NOFAP will fix your crazyness.

>>4527019
Different anon. You were more passive-aggressive than hostile.

There are in fact studies that show ejaculating is good for prostate health, but good luck with the ed you'll get later in life.

>>4527039
Nice EDIT.

>>4524384
internet and social media have fried the brain of an entire generation, it's not your fault OP, you're a victim like many of us.

Been there. Imo try no fap and see what it does for you. But do it as an overall lifestyle choice, don't expect immediate results.
Having said that, focus on the end goal. The goal is to become a proficient artist. Having a healthier lifestyle is something that might help, but it is not a necessary condition. If improving your habits somehow gets in the way of drawing, just fuck it and do what you have to do to get in the zone. Feng zhu talks about rewarding yourself with junk food or vidya after drawing. There's a habit circuit that goes '"cue-routine-reward". Cue: just put a pencil and a paper in front of you. Another trigger is the time of the day. Doing things always at the same time of the day helps a lot, it helps to reinforce the habit. Preferably start drawing as early as possible, so you don't feel like you've been unproductive all day.
Routine: now, let's define drawing. Drawing is not online moving the pencil across the paper, it's also mental work. Don't fall for the meme of 'drawing 12h a day'. They should say 'I do something drawing related'. There's intensive, focused mental work (design, thinking about anatomy, perspective, rotating things in an imaginary 3d space) and there's unfocused, repetitive work, like rendering. Choose some time of the day to do intense work where you don't have distractions (limit of this is 3-4h) Then spend the rest of the working time rendering. I recommend always doing a personal projects and subordinating the fundamentals to that. If you just do fundies without any goal you will get discouraged and bored.
Reward: the ideal would be just resting or feeling good about yourself. If you need to indulge in pleasure to recharge energy, do what you have to do. I agree that masturbation/porn is the unhealthiest, I suggest eliminating it completely, while keeping video games and junk food constrained to specific blocks of time.
And lastly, focus on one thing, don't try to do to many things.

>>4526847
>I have cut out video games, fast food, and havent watched any porn or masturbated since i made this thread.

it has been one (1) DAY. stop this pointless cringeworthy blogging about your personal problems

>>4527063
STFU. didn't ask you.

>>4527063
yea one day isn’t really that much
most people can’t ever make it past 2-3 days

>>4526847
>havent watched any porn or masturbated since i made this thread.
>two hours have passed

>>4526899
You should read the rest, it's a treat.

>>4524384
nofap update, OP?

>mfw having an idea for a new piece

>>4533489
>mfw trying to execute that idea

>>4524384
Inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us just show up and get to work.

>>4524384
Last time my computer died I couldn't play any video games and ended up going through an entire mathematics book. Boredom is a great motivator.

>>4524384
Get some exercise

>>4524384
>>4524423
>>4524448
>>4524462
>>4524464
>>4524471
>>4524479
>>4524489
>>4524492
>>4524505
>>4524542
>>4526847
>>4526882
>>4526884
>>4526905
>>4526907
>>4526915
>>4526936
>>4526977
>>4527004
>>4527015
>>4527019
>>4527039
>>4527040
>>4527056
>>4527067

>>4524384
masturbate while watching vilppu

>>4524492
>raisins
I'm in tears, anon... why would you do that?

I never get these threads.

I don't eat junk food, fap once a week at most, don't play videogames, do some light physical exercise every other day and I have all the problems listed here about not feeling motivation, being always distracted or whatever.

Whether it's genetic or a learned behavior, I don't think it really matters if you're eating bigmacs or not, you will find your own little ways of being miserable without the burger because that's what you've trained to do your entire life.

>>4534207
Which is why >>4524423 said it was low self esteem and fear. Drawing is about being confident.

>>4533517
Based Chuck Close.

>>4526905
Yes! You have to make decisions and test them out. Not consume other opinions endlessly.

>>4534207
Well that's the trick. If you're not motivated to do something, that means that you don't need to do it.

There are an infinite supply of people who want to draw. There are a very finite supply of people who need to draw.

>>4524384
>As a result i'm trying to eliminate things from my life that may be responsible (pornography, masturbation, junk food etc)
Yeah. Sometime last week, I just uninstalled league of legends for the second time. I am currently playing no games (though I plan on finishing Hat in Time later, because why not?). As a result, I can spend that time now focusing on real-life stuff, like my school, and especially my art. So cutting out some real problems/addictions in your life can definitely help. Just be careful not to relapse. Sticking it out will show you there are other ways to spend your time and still have fun with it.

>>4534479
Of all the things I do that are not passive consoomption, drawing is one of the few where I experience fun once in a while.

>>4524448
>>4524423
A balance between both these anons seem optimal

>>4534207
which is why I addressed it earlier here
>>4524542
yet no one acknowledges it

>>4529334
>two hours have passed
Also reminder that KJG has stated that he watches a lot of porn.

I'm depressed today
messing around but not accomplishing anything

I hope tomorrow will be better and I can focus

there has been a change in the weather too, overcast which I think is affecting my mood as well

>>4536068
he jacks off literally every day, but it has zero effect on his productivity

>>4524384
>I HAVE NO DISCIPLINE AND I NEED TO BLAME A BRAIN CHEMICAL FOR IT

I AM SICK AND TIRED OF SEEING THIS FUCKING CHEMICAL ALL OVER THE INTERNET.

HOLY SHIT. IT'S THE BIGGEST FUCKING EXCUSE FOR PEOPLE BEING UNHAPPY WITH THEIR SHITTY LIVES
>I CAN'T STOP PLAYING VIDEO GAMES
>I CAN'T STOP DRINKING SODA
>I CAN'T STOP MASTURBATING
>I CAN'T STOP WATCHING ANIME
>I CAN'T STOP BEING DEPRESSED

DOPAMINE THIS DOPAMINE THAT

YOU WOULD GET THIS SHIT IF YOU WERE CHAD THUNDERCOCK MAKING A MILLION DOLLARS A WEEK AND FUCKING MIA MALKOVA AND MANDY MUSE TIER THOTS WHENEVER YOU WANT OR BEING A LITERAL DRUG ADDICTED FUCKBOI. YOU GET THE SAME DAMN THING REGARDLESS AND THE PROBLEM IS YOUR LAZY ASS DIDN'T MAKE SOMETHING OF YOUR LIFE TO GET IT.

TAKE SOME DAMN RESPONSIBILITY IN YOUR LIFE THIS SHIT ISN'T LSD OR HEROIN WHICH LITERALLY TAKE IN TO LET IT FUCK WITH YOUR BRAIN, IT LITERALLY COMES FROM YOUR OWN LAZY ASS CHOOSING TO BE A WORTHLESS XOOMER FOR WHATEVER SHIT YOU THOUGHT WAS MORE WORTHWHILE UNTIL YOU FINALLY GOT A KICK IN THE ASS TO MAKE SOMETHING OF YOURSELF.

/rant

Now stop feeling sorry for yourself and go study/draw. You can still beat off now and then but FOCUS on what you want in life instead of distracting yourself because what you want is too hard.

>>4536397
It's funny you would call someone a zoomer while spouting a meaningless "literally" every 2 words.

>>4524384
>Dopamine Overload
Didn't even bother to read the rest of it, try dopamine fasting TL;DR:

>no sustenance except water
>no entertainment except writing
>spend the day in isolation
>repeat this every year
>purpose is restoring motivation
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dopamine+fasting

In other news, nofap works. The anti-nofap bridgade doesn't actually have any arguments or purpose, they just got annoyed that people started repeating it and decided this is their crusade.

>>4536481
please argue better

>>4536397
Based

>>4536550
Why? I don't disagree with your point. You're just a nigger.

>>4536540
Please provide any medical or scientific literature proving NOFAP works and its not just schizophrenic movement reduced to cult status for online communities of losers trying to fix their lives.

And no, some motivational youtube speaker you follow does not count.

I'm using this as the vent thread because one doesn't exist and I need to get some shit out.

>bag was stolen
>sketchbook was in there which hurt the most as I had some drawings and paintings in there I really loved

>Studied and painted for years
>all the people around me always say what a good artist I am
>can't get a job, commision or anything more than 50 likes no matter how hard I try I get no reach
>never want to give up but it hurts that it feels like I'm going nowhere

>fell in love with another artist
>she eventually broke down and ended up in a mental institution turns out she has a rare form of schziophrenia and bipolar
>she calls and texts me daily telling me how much she loves me in a delerious state from the mental ward
>too much of a coward to tell her I can't do this anymore because I know she'll do something if I do

>grandma died
>at the funeral after party with all of family
>they all want me to paint her portrait from when she was young
>couldn't say no, feel depressed everytime I pick up the paint brush to paint her
>can't even finish it in time for grandads birthday

I just feel numb at this point, this month has just broken me.

First thing in the morning you should just draw. You can't be effected by dopamine if you have no time to dope!