Why do you paint?

[Van]

Why do you paint? I’m using the word “paint” here because this is a site dedicated to art created using a “paint program”… the more general question might be, why do you do art?

Even if you’re one of those annoying people who can create fabulous images with a bare minimum of brush strokes, still painting requires a certain amount of time and effort… why do you bother? And unless you were gifted with a perfect ability, it took time and study and thought to learn how to turn paint (or pixels) into waterfalls and tigers and bodies dancing. Why do you do it? What is it that causes you to move your body into position in front of a computer and go through the myriad steps needed to produce a finished artwork? Grand passion? Curiosity? Boredom? Habit?

Some people find painting relaxing – they may do it to de-stress after a hard day’s work. Other people, I know, find painting challenging – they have to work up to it each time, the stress falling away only after they’ve finished.

For me, there are a couple of factors. First, I get these images in my head, and I really, really want to let them out. Some of the paintings I’ve done (and expect to do) have been on my list for years. The back pressure of having all these images swirling around in my head can be kind of exhausting.

Also, although I can “see” each of those as-yet-unpainted images in some detail, I can usually only hold a little bit of it at a time in my imagination – or I can step back and visualize the the whole image, but not in detail. Actually painting the image lets me really see the whole thing for the first time, all at once.

Finally, I like the challenge of figuring out how to paint new things, in new ways. I would never want to settle down and do the same kinds of subjects over and over, in the same kinds of styles. Having to figure out how to paint a feather or an automobile or a faceted jewel is a part of the fun for me. And having figured it out, now I want to do it again, in a different way.

I’ve browsed a good many discussions on this website, and I have heard some of the reasons people “do it”, but I haven’t seen a topic that asks it straight out – Why do you paint?

[Andreich_DMBL]

The time given to various games over the last 20 years frightens me, and I consider drawing to be the best pastime. It is both a hobby and a desire to learn new things, to give embodiment to images. (the latter is probably the second problem after the lack of skills, I regularly encounter “washing out” the initial idea and replacing it with what is on the canvas at the moment, instead of bringing the “canvas” closer to the “idea”) Time spent on drawing feels meaningful, the process of drawing itself is moderately hard, but comfortable, in comparison with other life activities, probably this is a reason to draw.

[KRITAKOUGAR]

I think all the myriad of reasons why we paint can be blanketed under Self-Expression. We all want to be heard and understood to a degree (some enjoy the persona of mystery), and that was not untrue for ancient civilizations who decorated caves with visual records of their existence. I treasure the ability to create and attribute my gifts to my Creator! Sharing my art and bringing a smile to the faces of the viewers is a precious reward for the privilege of utilizing this talent. I believe we all have the ability to create, and with that ability we have a responsibility to bring forth something for the benefit of the world.

[AhabGreybeard]

I have ideas in my head and I want to get them out and free to run around with anybody who wants them.

[ynr_nohara]

For medical purpose at first. I was a depressed person, if I didn’t channel my brain energy into something productive and positive, it will automatically spent all those energy into thinking about negative stuff like all the bad things happen in this world.

Got encouraged to actually learn by some people I know on internet forums years ago, somehow able to do request and then actual commission for friends and family, and then from strangers I met on social media. I don’t really have an artist mind, I think I have a more draftsman or illustrator mind set and I feel happy when I can put an idea into observable media. Currently learning 3D model (blender) too for that purpose.

[Sakura_Snow]

I can’t write novels and can’t express my ideas, so I can only draw

[Guerreiro64]

I really don´t know. Drawing came into my life by chance. As a child I liked to collect books, magazines and comics about dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, when that wasn’t the fashion.

I started to draw these animals…until, little by little, I lost my taste for these subjects. We change and our tastes, too.

The design has remained until today, more for personal taste than for professional reasons. In my country the market is terrible for designers, it always has been. My work is currently more design related.

Yes, knowledge of drawing helps me and has always helped me to make a difference in my career, which is why I never abandoned it.

[ARandomPage]

I used to make (bad) drawings on paper because I had some ideas that I wanted to see become something that isn’t just in my mind. In 2021, I then got the idea to start making them digitally using this app I’ve had on my computer for around a year but never actually used. These days, my reasons for making digital art are still quite similar to my past self’s reasons for making physical bad drawings - I want to make things that I’d like to see, and drawing is a way for me to do that.

[I9S]

To understand myself. In spite of having a plan and an idea I never knew a result, and a result always contains some things that broaden my understandings and worldview.

[Van]

I spent about ten years, years ago, trying to learn 3D. I used Raydream Designer, Bryce, Carrara and finished up with Daz Studio. I loved it, but it took up so much time! I eventually decided that I would have to tackle 3D in my next life. and concentrated on 2D.

[YRH]

I used to draw a lot back in school days, it was basically my main activity in the class, rather than following along. I was never really good at it (I can see it especially now, when I go through those old notebooks), but I enjoyed it very much. On the PC, I used to have fun with Autodesk Animator and later, MS Paint. I drew monsters from the games I played, designed levels, drew comics… all sorts of stuff.

Fast forward to today, I had a very, very long hiatus and just recently decided to get into digital art. I have a highly technical job, I enjoy it a lot, but I though it will be safer to have a creative hobby to balance it out. Being able to create something beautiful always inspired me and I couldn’t help but be in awe of what some people can do. If I can draw something myself, it gives me a lot of satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. It’s also great being able to capture part of your imagination in tangible form. Lastly, I think the process of creating something simply feels good.

Of course my approach to drawing is quite different today. I feel like I have a much higher awareness of what looks good and what doesn’t and it’s much harder for me to meet the quality bar that I set for myself. I’m an amateur, but my long-term goal (bonus objective?) is to try to get to a level at which I will feel comfortable calling myself an artist. I try no to stress too much over it though, and just push through, as I do see some improvements every now and then and that is very gratifying too.

[kacart]

Well… It’s Complicated. My first forays into art beyond kiddy stuff was in high school when I attempted to draw (with markers) some comics — Magus Robot Fighter in particular… Guess I was wondering if I could do it etc… it faded away like most teenage things…but it did make me aware of art and the art world. my mother was into oil painting all this time and I took it up as well… even painted the Tarkus Album Cover on my Dorm Room in college…got involved again in early 90’s in order to create graphics for the web. That when I started using all kinds of art programs to draw and create graphics for web pages including photoshop…at some point I ran across Painter and was totally floored… you can actually do fine arts with a computer… Wow! Never any intent to make money from my painting (other than the web stuff as an aside which didn’t last that long…I was more into the programming)…have never done commissions or sold works other than one print on Fine Art America many years back. Also took up pencil/graphite drawing in the early 90’s just because DAMNIT I CAN DO THAT! I like the simplicity of it … black on white… just a pencil and paper… took about 20 years, but I got pretty good at it. in the mean time kept fiddling with Painter through all it’s owners and finishing something now and then… Ran across Krita a few years back and loved it’s more intuitive and easy to us interface…been there ever sense … painting birds… and landscapes… and …

I strive for realism for the most part but am trying to loosen up a bit here and there. Painting is quite meditative for me as I work the details and textures…I just want to get the textures/colors/details right and as realistic looking as possible…

but the real reason I paint? I’m a creative. I have to be creating something… writing, coding, poetry, art, music, photography… that’s the reason…and sometimes my muse pulls me away from one to the other to the other so if I disappear for a while…well that’s okay…I’ll be back…

[Gopidi]

Singing, dancing, drawing/painting existed in every culture, creed, caste, tribe…etc .etc…it still exists in every part of the world…if you remove the cerebral part from it … I think they are as natural to humans as crying, smiling and laughing… its about expressing emotions and communicating them in one format or the other!

[Van]

I had a love/hate relationship with Painter for years. I started with version 1 or 2 (I can’t remember!) from Fractal Design. Back then, they distributed the software in an actual paint can! One of my very first images created with Painter was that paint can; I include it here:

The love part was because for years there was nothing on the market (or at least, I never found anything) that could do what Painter did; the natural media brushes in particular were unique. The hate part was for Painter’s annoying, ill-constructed, buggy user interface. Painter frequently crashed, and I learned to save often. Then came a version that tended to crash on save – that taught me to make A/B saves, never overwriting the latest save with the current (possibly crashing) save. I conclude I must have really wanted to create images.

[kacart]

Yep…I hated fighting with the UI/Brushes…never really worked like I would have preferred…The last couple of releases seemed much more stable for what that’s worth…I tried it again a few months back and it is stable but still a PITA to use IMO.

[Van]

Sorry you had to go through such travail to get back to getting satisfaction from doing art… but yay for getting back to satisfaction. Creating art is satisfying, however well or badly we think we’re doing.

[kacart]

Excellent! Go for it @Charly61!!

[kaichi1342]

I’m someone who goes from hobbies to hobbies, trying stuff out until I figure them - then forgetting them,
Drawing is the only thing that stuck, drawing and well my desire to create random things, designing stuff, creating boxes, 3d. If i was still a child and I have the means I would probably delve on alot more hobbies.

On all this things art / drawing / painting is the one I keep coming back to. It’s relaxing and in my on/off relationship to it, i found i was the lowest point in my life when I can’t have time to pick up the pen [in any form] and draw or paint just for the sake of it.

expanding @Gopidi statement , our ancestors draw on cavewalls - the egyptian, mayans and other various old civilization found different ways to depict life and express. I also consider the desire to create and express something innately human. Maybe it’s just our brain doing exercises to make sure neurons are well connected.

[kynlo]

No idea why. I don’t do it intentionally. I’ve tried to stop plenty of times. A few months is the best i’ve been able to manage. I post a lot of people, but I sketch all kinds of stuff- a lot of it is completely abstract (especially when i start drawing with markers and pens).

[ynr_nohara]

Yes! when I start learning 3D I was shocked how technical it is, and so many buttons and features to remember. When I am a bit lazy but need to do my 2D daily practice, my wacom pen has the pencil and eraser, and that is all I need. I think learning 3D need more commitment than 2D because of the tools (hardware, software, extra resource like plugins, premade materials/meshes for big project). Learning 3D actually boost my willpower to do more 2D, because I realize 2D is so much more accessible and more reliant on the artist effort than tools.