essay on art talent

Essays About Art: Top 5 Examples and 9 Prompts

Essays about art inspire beauty and creativity; see our top essay picks and prompts to aid you.

Art is an umbrella term for various activities that use human imagination and talents.

The products from these activities incite powerful feelings as artists convey their ideas, expertise, and experience through art. Examples of art include painting, sculpture, photography, literature, installations, dance, and music.

Art is also a significant part of human history. We learn a lot from the arts regarding what living in a period is like, what events influenced the elements in the artwork, and what led to art’s progress to today.

To help you create an excellent essay about art, we prepared five examples that you can look at:

1. Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists? by Linda Nochlin

2. what is art by writer faith, 3. my art taught me… by christine nishiyama, 4. animals and art by ron padgett, 5. the value of art by anonymous on arthistoryproject.com, 1. art that i won’t forget, 2. unconventional arts, 3. art: past and present, 4. my life as an artist, 5. art histories of different cultures, 6. comparing two art pieces, 7. create a reflection essay on a work of art, 8. conduct a visual analysis of an artwork, 9. art period or artist history.

“But in actuality, as we all know, things as they are and as they have been, in the arts as in a hundred other areas, are stultifying, oppressive, and discouraging to all those, women among them, who did not have the good fortune to be born white, preferably middle class, and above all, male. The fault lies not in our stars, our hormones, our menstrual cycles, or our empty internal spaces, but in our institutions and our education–education understood to include everything that happens to us from the moment we enter this world…”

Nochlin goes in-depth to point out women’s part in art history. She focuses on unjust opportunities presented to women compared to their male peers, labeling it the “Woman Problem.” This problem demands a reinterpretation of the situation’s nature and the need for radical change. She persuades women to see themselves as equal subjects deserving of comparable achievements men receive.

Throughout her essay, she delves into the institutional barriers that prevented women from reaching the heights of famous male art icons.

“Art is the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects that can be shared with others. It involves the arranging of elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions and acts as a means of communication with the viewer as it represents the thoughts of the artist.”

The author defines art as a medium to connect with others and an action. She focuses on Jamaican art and the feelings it invokes. She introduces Osmond Watson, whose philosophy includes uplifting the masses and making people aware of their beauty – he explains one of his works, “Peace and Love.”

“But I’ve felt this way before, especially with my art. And my experience with artmaking has taught me how to get through periods of struggle. My art has taught me to accept where I am today… My art has taught me that whatever marks I make on the page are good enough… My art has taught me that the way through struggle is to acknowledge, accept and share my struggle.”

Nishiyama starts her essay by describing how writing makes her feel. She feels pressured to create something “great” after her maternity leave, causing her to struggle. She says she pens essays to process her experiences as an artist and human, learning alongside the reader. She ends her piece by acknowledging her feelings and using her art to accept them.

“I was saying that sometimes I feel sorry for wild animals, out there in the dark, looking for something to eat while in fear of being eaten. And they have no ballet companies or art museums. Animals of course are not aware of their lack of cultural activities, and therefore do not regret their absence.”

Padgett recounts telling his wife how he thinks it’s unfortunate for animals not to have cultural activities, therefore, can’t appreciate art. He shares the genetic mapping of humans being 99% chimpanzees and is curious about the 1% that makes him human and lets him treasure art. His essay piques readers’ minds, making them interested in how art elevates human life through summoning admiration from lines and colors.

“One of the first questions raised when talking about art is simple — why should we care? Art, especially in the contemporary era, is easy to dismiss as a selfish pastime for people who have too much time on their hands. Creating art doesn’t cure disease, build roads, or feed the poor.”

Because art can easily be dismissed as a pastime, the author lists why it’s precious. It includes exercising creativity, materials used, historical connection, and religious value.

Check out our best essay checkers to ensure you have a top-notch essay.

9 Prompts on Essays About Art

After knowing more about art, below are easy prompts you can use for your art essay:

Essays About Art: Art that I won't forget

Is there an art piece that caught your attention because of its origin? First, talk about it and briefly summarize its backstory in your essay. Then, explain why it’s something that made an impact on you. For example, you can write about the Mona Lisa and her mysterious smile – or is she smiling? You can also put theories on what could have happened while Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa.

Rather than focusing on mainstream arts like ballet and painting, focus your essay on unconventional art or something that defies usual pieces, such as avant-garde art. Then, share what you think of this type of art and measure it against other mediums.

How did art change over the centuries? Explain the differences between ancient and modern art and include the factors that resulted in these changes.

Are you an artist? Share your creative process and objectives if you draw, sing, dance, etc. How do you plan to be better at your craft? What is your ultimate goal?

To do this prompt, pick two countries or cultures with contrasting art styles. A great example is Chinese versus European arts. Center your essay on a category, such as landscape paintings. Tell your readers the different elements these cultures consider. What is the basis of their art? What influences their art during that specific period?

Like the previous prompt, write an essay about similar pieces, such as books, folktales, or paintings. You can also compare original and remake versions of movies, broadway musicals, etc.

Pick a piece you want to know more about, then share what you learned through your essay. What did the art make you feel? If you followed creating art, like pottery, write about the step-by-step process, from clay to glazing.

Visual analysis is a way to understand art centered around what the eyes can process. It includes elements like texture, color, line, and scale. For this prompt, find a painting or statue and describe what you see in your essay.

Since art is a broad topic, you can narrow your research by choosing only the most significant moments in art history. For instance, if you pick English art, you can divide each art period by century or by a king’s ruling time. You can also select an artist and discuss their pieces, their art’s backstory, and how it relates to their life at the time.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Is Art a Skill Or Talent?

by Carrie Brummer | Build Your Skill | 96 comments

Artwork by Whitney Waller via Creative Commons Is this drawing reflective of skill or talent?

Today is a standing on my soap box kind of day.

A few weeks ago at work I had a conversation with a colleague I’ve had more than once in my life. Someone with limited to no art education started a conversation with me about skill versus talent. It ultimately led to the same larger question many people ask me “my opinion on:” Is art a skill or a talent?

This is a question that I get really passionate and riled up about. In schools parents use the art as talent justification to argue their kids deserve higher grades if they “try” at the course, even if they have no skill. (I’d love to see someone posit that argument for a math class).

Adults I know use it to justify their lack of skill and their discomfort talking about and practicing art. The most recent argument I heard art was equated with sports and people’s performance in sports (people can practice but that doesn’t mean they will be an Olympic athlete). (Funny, still feel like I could argue that for math or any other subject).

When people ask me this question it is still framed as “my opinion.” I want to kick someone in the shins when they do this. Especially when I share my opinion, based in years of education and experience, and they push it aside and hold to their beliefs, as ignorant as they might be.

Art has elements of SKILL, just like learning to write an essay has techniques, or playing football has techniques. If you never learn those basic skills and steps, then of course you will have limited skill! But, if your education incorporates those techniques and skills, you will become more skillful. This isn’t rocket science people.

Is art skill, or purely talent? Artist Strong has the answer: read to learn more.

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I see this especially from my experience with students from Korea who come to our school. Almost every student I’ve worked with from Korea here can draw nearly photo-realistically. This does not mean the stereotype people hold is true (People from Asia are better at art). Actually, their education incorporates drawing skills as part of their curriculum from a young age. And as we all know the sooner you put hours into something and if you are taught a skill and made to practice it, you will get more skillful.

Now, I’m not saying there is no such thing as talent. Just like any subject (math, sport, English), some people are predisposed to specific skills. And that predisposition can lead people to their choices in school, and/or even a career. I just HATE IT when people use this “story” as an excuse.

It’s okay if you have no interest in learning how to draw or don’t have the time, but admit to it. “I just don’t have the talent” is an excuse. Own that it is. And its more infuriating to me that someone with no background in the arts feel they can make that justification with the same authority as an arts educated individual (which leads into a whole question of how the subjectivity of arts allow people to feel authority of statement and opinion without educated support or justification). Yet, is it their fault when our society and institutions do not support arts education?

BE COURAGEOUSLY CREATIVE: What’s your take on the art as skill or talent? How do you handle the question of art versus skill? What responsibility do we have to educate others about the arts?

96 Comments

I absolutely agree that artistic ability is a combination of both talent and practice. As you say, with practice just about anyone could become fairly proficient with one medium or another. But a truly great artist (think Bouguereau, Raphael, Velazquez) can never be the product of mediocre talent and intense practice. To be at that level takes something that some have more than others; to say otherwise is to say that the truly great were no different from anyone else…they simply practiced more.

thanks for the thought-provoking post!

Thanks Matthew. I wonder about the notion of “mediocre talent and intense practice.” I generally agree with the statement, but I then I think about someone like Ben Franklin who went through hundreds if not thousands of ideas that failed until he reached one like the lightbulb. Can’t intense practice bring us to another level? What about Malcolm Gladwell’s argument that reaching success is about 10,000 hours of practice? Do we elevate people to statuses we feel the “everyday” person can’t reach because we are intimidated by those that do or because we can’t truly match their success and talent? Thanks for your reflection and insight!

Hi, I am a very mature lady who having an mental illness discovered the joy of art. I try and find out about skill, but it is hard for me as young people now have art taught well in school. I enjoy producing pieces, but I think I have n’t a talent for drawing. Especially when looking at others brilliant work. I think yes it is important for skill, but when people mention skill and talent they forget about the therapy of art. I’ve seen wonderful pieces produced by special needs people who haven’t been taught skill but just through patience and thorough enjoyment produce good pieces. I feel that just the joy of doing art is often overlooked.

Hello A, I totally agree people forget about the joy of doing art. It depends on people’s goals for their art, buy my hope is everyone is creating from a place of joy. For those who wish to develop their skill there are strategies to do so. It takes committed practice to become increasingly skillful. Thank you for sharing! 🙂

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The work is impressive, thank you for sharing!

I actually believe that talent exists in my life. When I was six years old, I had started drawing and did a lot of things. After a while, I putbit down, and years later, I returned to where I left it. It was just waiting for me to come back, and I didn’t lose it. Today, I am always drawing.

Thanks for sharing John. Skills are something once we learn that don’t go away. Once we learn how to ride a bike, we never forget really.

I’m a woodcarver . I carve with hand tools . Collect my own materials , even make my own tools when needed , I never use a pattern , a cutout . I never repete a piece specific ” tho themes continue as my muse is nature ” mostly , I do not even know what I’ll be creating till I begin the process.

I’ve been carving for a long time , started at age of 14 , I’m into my early 50,s , had some issues with ptsd and such , art is medicine.

The best , my practice as an artist , is the life of being an artist . Not just the process of art . But living intuitively, as the same I create .

I’ve met many well meaning ” ish ?” Sorts in my life . I’ll never forget in one particular demonstration at a show , while my father ” who taught me the start of the craft ” was sitting with me .

A woman walked up to watch , and insisted that the work I was creating , wasn’t just a gift of god , but that I hadn’t really much to do with it .

Dad laughed and said , quick Son ! Drop the knife and watch

We sat there staring at the still piece of wood and knife, held firm by gravity .. woman walked away very put out . As we two laughed out loud .

Point being , ” skill ” or ” talent ” doesn’t cut it without years of practice . However, each individual has their own approach, and differing strengths .

There are many who search for years , for the right fit for their interests or passions. There are many more who are unjustly miseducated that you have to be ” gifted ” To be skilled .

Time is essential , so is patience, perhaps that is one of the key elements missing in our education .

Intelegence is subjective . When paitent , even if one struggles, one may learn . If one gives up before even getting started . They will never know .

A great saying to share . Try 100 times , fail 99 . Great Sucess !

Many do not learn from their experiences, some only survive them .

Ultimately, sometimes it’s more luck than skill .

I’ve seen more hacks go father as professionals , than those who have given their lives to a passion or cause.

Talented , skill . Is just achieving well practiced action into form , or function . Whichever form of attention the skill is referenced towards .

Even those who are inexplicably capable at an aspect of life .

Its basically a fine tuned attention, call it focus or mindfulness of you will . Some minds are more focused that way .

Understandably ,its frustrating when one has tried so hard at something , to see another dance through it like a breeze .

I guess then humility is essential for some . And compassion more for others right?

What were we talking about ?

Art , or life ?

Love the story about you and your dad. Thanks so much for sharing Ryan!

Art is every in the world without art everything is useless

I wholeheartedly agree with this. I started drawing when I was a 8 years old, and before that, I had refused to draw or colour at all, mostly because I’ve always been a perfectionist. I would not do something unless I could do it well. However, as you grow up you tend to learn that you never get good at something if you don’t work on it. Getting good at anything takes work. I have often heard people refer to art skills as talent. I don’t like this term because I think this term creates misconceptions, making people think art skills are something that is only achievable for certain people. It also undermines the artist themselves because those all art pieces that you admire so much took a lot of work and time. They didn’t just happen. Skill and talent are developed by three key things, interest, mistakes and practice. And also a lot of patience. You can be taught by someone else, or you can be self-taught. I was self-taught but my skills didn’t and do not just happen to me. I wasn’t born with it. In the same way, I wasn’t born with the ability to be able to walk or talk. These skills had to be developed. I’ve never actually heard of anyone who was really ever born with artistic skills. No matter how young the artist is, there is no artist who has immediate skills the first time they try. What you are seeing is skills that have developed over time. The more intensity and focus they put into it, the sooner they develop these skills. The more you do something the more you build those neuro pathways. And it is certainly a lot easier for someone who enjoys the process and is intensely focused on it, than for someone who is not. You’ve got to be willing to make mistakes and then critique yourself frequently. I am a perfectionist so this comes easily for me. It also helps to observe and learn from other artists. You don’t need to be in a classroom to do that. You can watch what other artists do online. Another suggestion is to look at as many artworks as possible because they will have likely have developed a technique you hadn’t thought of, and it is amazing what you pick up by just looking at a piece of art. And then you need the patience to keep improving your technique. And it’s not just technique but also the way you observe. Rather than looking at the image as a whole, artists tend to break down the image to observe smaller details. These small details are extremely important.

Sam thank you for sharing your thoughts. My heart grieves for all the creatives who feel they will never be good enough and that they can’t do anything about it. I hope the conversations here give us all greater agency to show up for this thing we care about called art.

This is such a great explanation. After over 40 years of learning art, I have found it really boils down to desire. This applies to learning an instrument, getting in shape, etc… Most don’t want to do so as much as they think they do. Also, “talent” is only used for the “arts”, why are there no “Talented Architects”, Talented Plumbers”, “Talented Window Washers”, “Talented Lawyers”, etc…

Artist learned their skill for FREE, so it seems amazing. But if you offered someone $10M to learn to draw decently in one year, all of a sudden, one would make the time to practice. This shows they could have learned all along, but just didn’t have the right incentive.

If you can learn to read, write and do math, you can learn to draw. The difference is we are FORCED to learn those skills in school for 13 years. You can quit everything else if you don’t like it. If everyone was forced to learn to draw and graded on it, all would leave school being able to do so as well as they can Read, Write or do Math (very proficiently).

Thank you so much for sharing!

Sir I am a 18 years old student.. my drawing told me I have a drawing talent in landscape… but I don’t express my talent in gesture,figure drawing…??????

Shuvam, being naturally good at something doesn’t mean you are skillful at all aspects of the discipline. It means you find some parts of the discipline easier than others. This means it takes work, and dedicated effort, for you to develop other areas of skill, which for you includes gesture and figure drawing.

There are eight or nine basic genres in art: 1) Landscape, 2) Still Life; Biblical themes, 3) Mythology 4) Genre painting (everyday life) 5) History 6) Portraiture 7) Allegory 8) The Nude. I think I left one out but you cant excel in all these themes overnight. Artists specialize and it is your studies that will guide you in the direction you must go. Most beginners are humbled when confronted with the complexities of the human form. So, they resort to a doable style, called Anime.

I agree. There is something intangible about talent. I believe talent is the unique ingredient, maybe something that come from our sub-conscious that expresses itself when we are “in the zone” as they say. It is not teachable as a skill is. However practicing your artistic skills and knowing more about art and other artists is key I believe to providing us with inspiration and ideas that our talent can them turn into truly unique works of art.

Thank you Debra! So well said 🙂

I do believe that everybody is born with a talent. Everybody has something that they’re naturally good at, they just know how to do it without thinking too much or studying too much, because it’s their passion. However, anybody that wants to try something new, such as painting/drawing, has to put work and determination into it and they WILL 100% get better because like you said it becomes a skill, and learning new skills is amazing! 🙂 People need to connect with their inner self and find their talent, sometimes it is very hard to do so, but once you find it you will feel fulfilled and happy because you would’ve found your passion 🙂

You mention passion, which I think is very important. But I don’t believe passion is something we are born with either, it is something we grow to understand about ourselves over time. Without passion or interest or investment in any skill, follow through is WAY harder, especially when challenging moments happen (as they always do when we are learning!) Thanks so much for sharing Marian.

I have wondered about this and truly believe that some things definitely come easier for some than others. It seems that some naturally have “attributes” that contribute to a skill being acquired more easily, as opposed the their simply being “naturally good at” something they have never done before.

Someone mentioned earlier in the thread that no one is good at something first try. But if one already possesses or developed a certain attribute, it may “appear” they are naturally good, when really it’s carryover from attributes they already possess.

Any example is how a person with better coordination is going to be a better athlete or musician. Someone who is naturally more patience or has perseverance, will progress better because they don’t give up easily.

Even these things can be improved upon, but someone that has them already will have a head-start at improving a skill. It definitely seems that some people “catch on” easier due to preexisting attributes as opposed to already knowing how to do said thing well.

You often see a huge disparity with kids. A coordinated kid looks like a “prodigy”.

I love how you stated people have to put work and determination into learning a skill. If we consider that Expert Level is a 10, it seems people with natural attributes start with at a 2 or 3 , whereas those lacking that start a zero. We can see have as the skill is developed some will be ahead in skillset sooner.

Everyone can improve at everything, but not everyone can get to 10 Expert Level! lol

You are so right about having to have PASSION!!!

Look into been doodling my whole life. No electronicshe just imagination. As a kid when I said I was bored my parents said I had cars legos or piece of paper. Sitting in doctors offices, waiting for extended periods of time needed to do something. No Gameboy cell phones so I sat there and drew what ever was in front of me. Doodles until I got older.. now I can use all of that to start drawing very detailed pictures. Trial and error. But you have to have patience..but I started very early. Now it’s a game. Can I top the last drawing with this one. Like they say when you hear an artist say, “I am my own worst critic “that’s something out learn with time is to know when to walk away. Also the ability to break objects or anything is with numbers portions fractions. The ability to see things through all the details and focus on proportions. It’s hard to explain.. giving lines a number objects numbers and being able to decider all those things just to make that one square the size you need it.. without using numbers or giving something a value it’s very hard to put that on paper.

Thank you for sharing your story Ed!

How do you explain how at the age of two i could draw my favourite cartoon characters from memory on my bedroom wall and new what colour I would get if a mixed than together before I actually mixed them ??

Hi Valerie,

I would argue you were exposed to information and tools, maybe related but without you knowing that helped train your vision and understanding of color. I suggest you read the book Peak by Anders Ericsson. He’s done 30 years of research on this and has been able to explain the reasoning behind even the perceived “innate” talents of idiot savants. The only thing God may have given us is the interest and predisposition to certain skills: it’s up to us an individuals to make use of them and bring beauty/value to the world, or not. I find that very empowering. We can all grow and learn, no matter where we are in life. Thanks for reading!

I agree Valerie. I was also able to draw from an early age without instruction. How can that be explained? Just as in dance and theatre, “presence” cannot be taught, it just is there within someone. I do believe my talent can be mastered using instruction and proper techniques. And many hours of studio time.

As children we have teachers and parents encourage certain behaviors in us. Having people encourage hand-eye coordination and observational skills will immediately predispose someone to drawing and help them be stronger the first time they try. Foundational skills that are encouraged in us (and that we have interest in pursuing) help create that “predisposition” for a subject. IF you are enjoying this conversation I highly recommend reading the book Peak by Anders Ericsson. His research pretty much has a counter-argument for every argument I’ve heard about placing a lot of weight on talent.

Oh Carrie, thank you for standing on your soapbox, and for your perspective on a topic of great interest to me. I’m in line with your thinking, as someone who appreciates art as a craft. I wrote about this a few months ago — http://artistsroad.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/are-creatives-born-or-made/ — and you made a great contribution to the conversation with your insights based on the class you taught on the Theory of Knowledge. Thank you again for that.

One thing I’ll share: I go out of my way never to refer to an artist I admire as “talented,” and I take offense (quietly) when I am called talented. It seems dismissive to me, tossing aside the hard work the person has done to produce whatever it is that is triggering the compliment. I use the word “skilled.”

Patrick, Thanks for your support as always. We work so hard towards something I do worry this labeling of talent takes away from that. I’m going to remember that distinction myself and keep to the word skilled as well because that does better encompass my feelings on the matter. Some people may feel I’m parsing words, but I feel the words we do use reflect our education and understanding of the arts as a discipline and reflects our cultural values.

While I didn’t take formal art education in high school, my mother had always encouraged any type of creativity even when I was a very young child, and I think that encouragement and constant exposure to different types of creativity, developed my ‘eye’ so that I could draw and paint far beyond anything my peers could do in the early school years. I believe that having an ‘eye’ is the result of observation and taking a keen interest so that patterns, methods and how they work together becomes part of how you look at life so that it becomes habit, although it’s so much a part of you that it can feel innate. In my life, while I haven’t been an artist per se, everything I’ve done has been informed by my interest and observation of the world around me. My involvement and enjoyment of music, singing, and design of all descriptions have been endeavours that have built upon each other. The work I’ve done in each area has required continual practise in order to increase my skills.

Harriet I think you’ve nailed it. There are ways to encourage a child to be observant and essentially train them to notice details that would then support them as an artist, for example. (And I’d argue if you’ve made art, you’ve always been an artist). 🙂

I so agree with you. I heard many times people tell me you’re so talented, your lucky. Totally dismissed the idea of hard work that put into it to be skillful. Last time, a guy asked me what do I do to produced my work, said, “do you take classes? Draw everyday? Or naturally talented? I responded by saying I draw and practice everyday.

Exactly! Thank you for sharing Eledel.

Hi Carrie dedication and practice is key thing in my own creative expressions… i remember looking at a beautiful painting one day and heard a voice inside saying; ‘you know, you can do that’. my first and immediate thought at the time was you’ve got to be kidding….but something kept urging me in that and i’ve finally embraced the idea and with hard work and practice and some classes that help in the process i am finding myself enjoying painting more and more while my skills become more fine tuned with each practice session….i think there are super remarkable individuals in every field that stand out as geniuses of sorts… borne with a special star shining brightly …perhaps reincarnation wise they are reaping the fruit of culmination of many many hours already spent and the fruit just fell so easily in its ripeness…perhaps that is another subject…perhaps not…but dedication and work it is for me…think its true for all learning and art is no exception.

Hi Bonnie! It’s so wonderful to hear that you are ignoring that inner critic and honoring that first voice you heard that expresses your interests and passion for the arts. You are right, practice really helps us to refine, improve and grow. And yet, there will always be people better than us, and there will always be people who do seem to have that special something. I’m quite confident, however, that almost all of those with that special something had to work their butts off to get there. I know many people more talented than me who haven’t put their work out there so I’m the one with a list of gallery exhibitions tied to my name… Thanks so much for reading and for your thoughts!

Skill is half of it at best, you an be skilled and everything but it wont make your work a masterpiece, look at Basquiat, his stuff was chicken scratch but also a masterpiece since it was a raw look into people, place, time, and the artists mind. That is what adds up to a masterpiece… no skill is more important than one that you are either born with or not, creativity!

We are ALL inherently creative. Thanks for sharing and reading Chris! 🙂

I completely agree with ArtistThink!

As some one who is visually and verbally talented (innate and worked on), I envy those who have innate musical talents. I fall into the hypocritical trap of claiming I can’t be taught to play or sing even as others tell me about stick figures being their limit. Truly, most all skills can be taught (for some more easily learned than others) even if you are not born with an aptitude for it. Though I believe the skill Chris mentions, creativity, can’t be taught it is a skill EVERYONE is born with. There is not one subject in which creativity is not required. Math, history and science for example actually can be as creatively worked with, learned and developed as art.

If something needs solving one of the best ways to come to a finished product (whether it be a drug via chemical equations or a history book with famous quotes as chapter openings) is creative thinking! Leonardo da Vinci one of the greatest Renaissance men of all time was not only a brilliant artist but a scientist and inventor to boot! Newton and Curie are just two examples of great scientists who utilized creativity and applied it to solving problems.

Scientists, can also be artists to. They may think outside the box and with microscopes come up with beautiful photos of the organisms they study. Or use their skills to design anatomical and geographical maps of deep complexity and breathtaking handwork.

Teaching art to young children has shown me that from the least to most artistically skilled, every student displayed creative skills! As adults that creativity is still there. Now what form it ultimately takes for whatever purpose is a different matter all together. While creating, studying and looking at art is my true passion, having studied and worked in the medical field has shown me better than anyone could, that the potential and necessity for creativity is EVERYWHERE.

So well said to say all subjects areas demand creativity. Creative thinking is an important skill for most walks of life. So glad to have you on board. Welcome to Artist Think Aaron!

Talent is a predisposition toward a certain medium of self-expression–painting, writing, photography, etc. Art is a powerful emotion with which you use your talent to express universal truths that resonate with audiences in a unique fashion. Skill is something you acquire through repetitive practice and learning from mistakes, to best fashion your art into the clearest and simplest expression possible.

I’ve never thought about art = emotion. I’ve considered the emotive nature of some art, but never considered art emotion. Thank you for sharing! Great perspective.

I saw this post on Pinterest and feel I need to reply. Skill vs Talent…such a charged topic!

I am an artist and an art teacher. I listen to my students lament about how they can’t draw. My reply…” of course not I haven’t taught you yet!” I hear from them (and others) you are so “talented” BUT I have a secret…

I hated to draw and was not very good at it…terrible really. I loved all other aspects of art though…just don’t ask me to draw.

I decided to go to art school but how to get around drawing? PHOTOGRAPHY! Yup you don’t have to draw with that…I had my solution.

Alas…it wasn’t so. I still had to take drawing classes. In that time I had professors who took the time to TEACH me. Showed me how to look at an object or scene…even a human body, and translate that onto paper. I developed a SKILL in being able to draw (and do it well).

So when people tell me I am so “talented” I ask…

is it TALENT or is it SKILL?

Candace, AMEN fellow art teacher 🙂 If you enjoy this topic I highly encourage you to read the book Peak by Anders Ericsson. He has pretty solid evidence that shows this is no longer a debate, but an area of ignorance in which we all need more education!

Thank you for the book recommendation, I will find it and use the information as “education”. ☺

Need a help. I have pencil drawings that I would like to get prints and sell.. where do I go I’m stuck. Any help would be great.. thanks

Hi Edmund. It’s not as simple as finding a place to sell your art: it’s about finding and serving the people who want to buy your art. What kind of art do you make? Who would enjoy your work? Where do they spend time? You need to build visibility and trust with your potential collectors to do this and it takes consistent time and effort.

In terms of making prints, I recommend Redbubble.com, especially if you aren’t concerned about limited edition prints and don’t want to outlay costs yourself.

Good luck to you.

hello,this is a nice post and i really enjoyed reading it . my english might not be that great but i am really curious about how you would respond to my argument.if by drawing ,you mean drawing from reference then please ingnore my comment.well if it isn’t ,then here you go.The difference between drawing and swimming is that you can express all your feelings towards swimming through drawing but you cannot express your feelings towards drawing through swimming.your love towards any genre can be expressed through drawing which makes drawing unique .you need to know a lot about swimming inorder to draw a swimmer swimming from your head but you dont have to know anything about drawing inorder to be a good swimmer .Coming to drawing being a talent or not,i find anechdotes of artists or people very unrelaible even tho they are masters at drawing or teachers. The reason why is that i believe they are no more resposible for the natural raw talent or wiring in their head than they are responsible for their height.talent being 1% or 99% , that’s a claim on biology that only neuroscientists have the right to make.I personally believe it can be anywhere on the spectrum.my opinion on drawing is that what you draw or want to draw is more important, than drawing itself.Most people dont like rape and might have moral issues seeing it as dynamic , same with war. no matter how much they practice drawing ,they might not be good at drawing these topics from their head.evolution might also have a huge impact on this,most girls arent into weapons or war stuff ,it is highly unlikly that they will ever be or will be able to draw them from imagaintion . My point is that the genre you want to draw or the thing is also of greater importance.But avoiding all these and simple saying drawing is 5% or whatever percent is talent and the rest is hardwork seems absurd to me .let me know what you think 🙂

Hi Sharan, thank you for your thoughts. I suggest you look for the book Peak by Anders Ericsson. It quite clearly outlines academic research that shows drawing ability (whether drawing from photo reference, or a desire to draw from the imagination) comes from deliberate practice. ANYONE can learn this, should they want to commit time and practice the right way. The problem is: most people don’t know how to practice to achieve the growth in skill they wish to achieve.

This isn’t a question anymore – this is fact. And he has over 30 years of research that proves this for any discipline. He looked at experts in many different disciplines.

I highly encourage you to seek out the book if you have interest in the topic. Thank you again for reading and sharing your thoughts.

All I can say is at the age of 2 my mother used to draw picture of babies for me a because I constantly asked her too! I was hooked and every time I got the chance of getting hold of watever medium I could I would draw paint or sketch on whatever space I could find walls paper anything I could I could draw complex pictures before school age and I was left handed but didn’t hold a pen or pencil back hand like left handed people normally do! I made my mums life very trying because I was a perfectionist with everything and it really made me feel that nobody understood me and it made me unapproachable until I may my art teacher in high school and at a parents meeting told my mum that she after at least two years as her pupil she didn’t know me any better from the first day entering her class than when I left with my art higher and art prize from the school I attended but she told my mum that I was externally tallented and that I taught her a thing or two!!

What a wonderful story and experience Val! What a difference it makes when you have family that does all they can to encourage the things we are drawn to explore. It sounds like your parents and teachers have offered you some wonderful support. <3 Thank you for sharing your experience.

Thank you for this! I have had many parents feel compelled to prepare me for their child’s artistic inabilities because of their own insecurities and I get so infuriated! If you can write your name, I can teach you to draw. Your “c” in high school doesn’t quantify your ability to create art if you willing and interested. Yes,I’m grading a skill, but there are many ways to create art and maybe someone who is “no good at art” will introduce the rest of us to a new way a making art because they were able to let go of the inhibitions of making art. It’s so true, I could be much better at many other disciplines like math, writing, economics, etc…if I practiced and studied them but if I am not interested, motivated or inspired, I will probably not be very successful.

YES!!! YES! and more YES! Thanks for sharing your own experience. And feel free to send those parents my way 😉

What if you were drawing good from the start? I mean,that,if you didn’t need to learn HOW to draw.You were already good.Is that considered talent?

Hi Rafiya, I’d say something in our lives prepared us to draw then: a job that required a lot of detailed observation, for example. As a child, it could have been parents pointing out all kinds of observational details that get us seeing the world around us with artist eyes.

Great question! Thanks for asking, and reading.

Carrie,there is such a thing as talent!Just because you dont have it, doesn’t mean you should considering art as a skill and not a talent, try to learn how to sing like Whitney Houston and see what you got! I’ve practiced singing and never will be as good as a great singer. Now when it comes to art painting and drawing my dear, I dont remember seeing another HR Giger, Michelangelo, Raphael and many more again . Sure lot of unknown art painter didn’t get to fame path and sure lot of people are learning, practicing and get good at it, but iam sorry, you are absolutely wrong, they are talented artists they just maybe dont like the word talent or something, talented people are born with a gift, often basic, and a great imagination, imagination is the key and those ones dear, are becoming very great at art. In my days back when I was a teen, I knew how to draw while my best friend and many more students in my class were desperately trying to draw and couldn’t do it. I stopped drawing for years and made my very first painting last week without practicing and I did a fantastic job. You can learn but often its in you. If art was just a skill,everyone would be an artist today. I dont mean to brag about myself, I was born with a talent which I need skill for it get it? ambition, time, inspiration, compassion skills? yes but talent first. talent is something you possessed, skills is something you learn……

I know this is a paradigm that is hard to shift our understanding about and I totally recognize what you are saying: I once thought this way. I highly encourage you to read Peak by Anders Ericsson or The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle. The idea of talent is seriously overrated and because of that, many people stop trying because they assume they don’t have the talent if they don’t get it straight away. At minimum, listen to this podcast episode where they share the story of someone who couldn’t sing who now can and has an award winning record http://freakonomics.com/podcast/peak/

A lot of people are threatened because the notion of talent makes us feel special, and it also gives us permission to stop trying at things because well, if we don’t have the talent then why try? A more concerning thought to me: how many people have potential to share with the world but haven’t and gave up trying because someone told them they didn’t have the talent?

Thank you for sharing your perspective with me and I hope you will consider reviewing some of the resources I shared.

Both views are correct! There are geniuses & great people who are just born that way, and they are either going to be waisted or used. Upbringing, experiences, emotional stability, life choices, etc…determine those individuals level of achievements.

There are people with little or no talent, and/skill, but develope them through hard work and persiverence. Again, upbring, life choices, so on and so forth, will determine those individuals outcomes.

Talent without hard work is not enough to make someone great, but if an individual works at something hard enough, they will be great it. The genious is sometimes in ones ability to never give up. If you have a passion for something do it, and it will lead to joy.

With all that said, no matter how much most people try they will never be great. To be intelectually dishonest with them is wrong. No one is born a Master at anything, and most people don’t have what it takes to learn the amount of knowledge, skill, creativity, emotion, originality, and intelligence.

Lately I’ve been binge reading art blogs, trying to work through an existential “why bother” kind of artist crisis of my own, and I have to say your outlook is intriguing to me. Mostly because my best friend constantly tells me I’m wasting my “talent” (I work a 9-5, instead of, I don’t know, trying to hock paintings of Flour De Lis to tourists in the French Quarter?) – and there is something that has always irked me about that word in reference to myself. You know, beyond just the normal bouts of self doubt and criticisms.

I realize this was posted a number of years ago, but I see you’re still replying to comments through pretty recent, and so I thought I’d throw some thoughts out there, and pose a couple questions.

I apologize for the novel.

I think that talent is not so much a natural “god given” ability to magically create perfect expressions of emotion or inspiration, but a predisposition to passion, or a desire to create, coupled with an affinity for perhaps recognizing a process without formal instruction. Like, I think a passion or drive in a person is manifested at a young age, and the obsession to improve is what begins in childhood. Skill is everything that comes of nurturing that passion?

As a child, it started simply with loving characters in a cartoon, and wanting to put that character on paper for myself, and tell a story that wasn’t the one on TV. But I knew what was on the paper was not exactly what I saw in my head. But I wanted it to be, and so I never stopped drawing. I would study, very closely, what I thought made a cartoon look like a cartoon, and I would try to imitate that. When kids accused me of tracing, I guessed that I was getting better (even though I was offended, because tracing was cheating, and how boring was just copying what someone else drew exactly?).

As a teenager, I was obsessed with finding and expanding my own style of story telling through picture. And so I borrowed and mixed elements of various periods, classical and modern, East and West. When I developed a style I considered unique, I decided I didn’t want to have only one way I could draw, and so I researched and experimented to be as malleable as possible, and change my entire process depending on what exactly I would like to convey… The point of all this is, my flexibility is skill developed over years and years, not talent that sprouted from nowhere.

The only thing I feel came naturally, was the never-ending want to be better, to be more skilled than I was, or am. What is responsible for drive, and if everyone has the ability to create, and it’s not just natural wiring of the brain, then does every being on earth have that *drive* to create deep inside of them? Using my aforementioned friend as an example… she constantly says “Oh, I wish I could draw” or “If I could draw like you”. I think, yes if you learned how to draw, then you *could* draw. But, I doubt she has the discipline. Wishing isn’t enough – and I can’t say that most people I know could take that wishing to “be as good” as someone else or to draw a picture in their head, then turn that into a dedication to devote a lifetime to learning how to do it; living in and breathing for years the brand of misery that is perfecting a craft. Would my friend draw until she forgot to eat, through the night until the sun was coming up for the next morning, until her eyes were bleeding from staring at the same piece for days just trying to get it *right*? And without this sickness of soul, this obsession, isn’t there a limit to potential skill level?

Also, do you consider an artist’s ability to self-teach (or rather, I should say independently study and learn lessons on their own, as opposed being told what lessons to learn by an “authority”) a skill in of itself? I ask, because you put a lot of emphasis on “art education”, and seem to see it as a prerequisite for posing any valid discussion about the topic of Skill vs Talent. I apologize if I misread your outlook here, but that is the tone I got from the article. Because I have a very dour opinion of institutionalized learning. Art schools, in particular. So I suppose my question is, what to you consider an art education, really? Is it merely the accumulation of knowledge gained over a lifetime of a person’s creative development, and the experience therein… or do you mean education in a more socially normalized sense?

What is the defining line between a student of passion and life experience, and a student-student? I don’t actually think much of my work when pitted against some of the local, poor street artists I’ve encountered just *this year*… and yet, shake a stick at any random recent AI graduate and I’m arguably “better”.

Perhaps it’s just envy convincing me in self preservation, but I don’t think I’d be a more proficient, rounded artist if I’d gone the way of school to mold my growth. In fact, I know I wouldn’t, allowing other powers to dictate my focus and put a grade value on my evolution. Having no formal education makes me feel less employable, but not less skilled. I don’t see “marketable art” as being synonymous with “good art”. It CAN be, but it can also be flaccid, unimaginative and regurgitated.

As strongly as I agree that talent is not the word to use, I also think the notion that “practice, practice, practice” being all it takes to get to “good” is understating what it really takes by an almost offensive degree, because there’s no real quantifiable formula that makes a good artist. A lot is the interpretive, suggestive and ill-defined nature of creativity. You can scrutinize and build technique, but how do you teach vision or original thought? Can you practice, practice, practice never running out of ideas?

Your thoughtful comments and reflection tell me YOU should be teaching others too! 🙂

I love this: “I think that talent is not so much a natural “god given” ability to magically create perfect expressions of emotion or inspiration, but a predisposition to passion, or a desire to create, coupled with an affinity for perhaps recognizing a process without formal instruction.” YES YES YES. We have to have passion in order to improve our skill. I have a problem when people suggest talent is innate because it takes all onus away from us as individuals to DO something about it.

School is irrelevant to the word artist for me. It is absolutely a skill to develop our own ability and make conscious choices to do so. Art education is everything we do as individuals, with or without institutions, to consciously develop as artists. I will always consider myself a student, but that doesn’t mean I’m not also a professional artist. And in today’s day and age, artists have more ability to decide what their future should look like than artists have had in the past. You don’t have to be employable unless you want to be. So many artists are finding multiple sources of income to create the life THEY want. And that’s my hope and aim: to serve artists so that we each individually reflect on what we want and how to get there.

It’s not just practice, either. We can practice the wrong way and see little to no strides in our work. I talk about this in another post here: https://wp.me/p6Xq2T-2nS . I have done A LOT of research on this and the research shows “deliberate practice” is the formula we can use to build our skill. To become expert and to be better at something are also two different things.

I also recommend the book GRIT by Angela Duckworth who also researches these topics. She’d tell you can develop vision and original thought. And if we can develop it as individuals, we can find ways to teach it.

Thank you for the great conversation!

Having read all these amazing opinions the word that keeps coming to mind is ‘desire’. If you have the desire and then gradually passion arises, then I think any skill can be mastered or honed.

Absolutely!

Thank you so much for sending me this article. It gives me much hope, and will serve as a deterrent to the discouragement that often comes. I’m so passionate about art and it gives me great joy. I’m not afraid of hard work and it is refreshing to know that I CAN get better!

YES you can. It’s not easy, but the process is simple. And the more we show up and use deliberate practice as a tool to help our skill, the more we can spread this knowledge to be more widely known! Imagine a world where everyone feels empowered to improve their skill in their discipline of choice? 🙂

I reached this article from a google search. It’s really nice and logical and I agree. I’ve spent my life (I’m still 26) thinking I don’t have the artistic talent! My brother had it since a young age! He could simply draw beautifully! I couldn’t! I still remember the frustration in our art class at primary school, when we had a class and it began with the teacher saying: “get your colored pencils out and a white paper, and start drawing a beautiful scene” I was always puzzled about drawing the big sky! it took a long time to fill it all with blue! and the class was only 45 minutes! so I used to fill it in a careless way! My only wish if they had took more care about it, and just followed more closely, maybe if they allowed us to finish the drawing in 4 to 5 classes or gave us instructions and feedback! I focused on science and I’m now a CS graduate and my “hobby” is physics! During my study in CS I was always afraid of making any UI I always thought it was “Art” and I could never understand art! So I stuck to the command line programming, and never tried to draw any UI. Now came the time at my career when I’m asked to implement UIs as a web developer, and I started learning that they are all UX principles, best practices, and research! No magical talent only continues learning and hard work! So now I proudly say it: I’d love to learn art, and I think I simply can it’s only a matter of time and priority! Sorry for the long comment, I’ve had this trapped inside for a long time! I will probably turn this to a blog post. Best wishes!

Thank you Baha for sharing your story I really appreciate it. I’m glad you see that you can learn now should you have the desire and commitment! Best wishes to you.

Thanks Carrie!

Hello everyone, Everyone can draw or learn the skills of drawing (or any other art field), but not everyone can become an artist. People with talent can be great artists if they spent an effort on themselves and acquire skills. Finally, talent can discovered on youth and if not, their talent is going to decrease. Khalel, R. A., PhD Helwan University, faculty of arts education.

Dear Abdelrahman,

I appreciate your understanding and perspective. Our worldwide perception of talent being so very valuable is a paradigm we all need to change. And our perceptions as teachers can often determine and discourage students from engaging in the arts for the very argument you describe. I ask you: what’s the point? If people want to become artists, why should we tell them they can’t try?

I’d also love to see the science-based research that backs up your claims. I’ve read and researched many things on this topic. I heavily encourage you to review the research by Anders Ericsson where he spent 30+ years studying what are the underlying traits and mechanisms used by experts in their respective fields. He concludes ANYONE can make these changes and become talented if they use this formula and put in the time.

As for age – this is completely false. Famous successful artists have started their art ranged in ages from childhood to their 70s and have thriving art careers.

I also have a masters in education from a very prestigious university, but that doesn’t mean I know more than everyone else. It just means I’ve been in the education system longer, which can sometimes mean I’m less open to new ideas because I’ve been in the system so long. I hope you can use these resources I share and it might help you see the world with fresh eyes.

Warm Regards,

Hello, I want to know the date of publishing this article for research purposes. I’m preparing a research about this topic. I’d like to thank you about the resources; it was useful. I am an proponent to this stance in present. Best regards,

Original date of publication is Feb 16, 2013. Good luck with your research!

ART is a skill not a talent,depending on how you take it, can be a talent to you or a skill

Holly I’m not sure I understand, tell me more? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I think talent is different, a talented artist can create something special that a skill artist cant.

I wish i had more talent.

Hi Alan, I totally respect that you feel that way. Society has been telling us that for ages, not to mention this gives us a bit of an excuse for why haven’t improved our skill or make the art we may be scared to make. At least I know I can feel that way!! You can grow talent – you can make special art. It takes showing up and making a lot of art to find that special voice. Best wishes to you. Carrie

hi! how could you explain my situation? (i really need answers) the drawings that i made when i was in elementary were always bullied, i was always bullied about it, then after a few years i had realized that my drawings were really bad. Then i stopped for 4 years, but when I tried to draw an entry for art club, my drawings,as my mom said, had improved greatly (not to brag) i haven’t practice coloring and shading techniques but my art teacher was very impressed on my work.

Hi Gwyneth! Thanks for asking.

First off: bullying offers no useful information. Bullying is about exerting power over another person, so, that tells me people were threatened or uncomfortable with the art you made (perhaps because you showed enthusiasm or skill).

I’m sad to hear you stopped. But I’m glad to know you are returning to your art. Art isn’t something you are “just” good at or bad at, it’s something you have to practice to build your skill. No one is good to start. That’s just how it works!

As for taking a break and coming back to art, I find when I take a break and return to my art making my skill is always improved. Just because we aren’t drawing or painting doesn’t mean we aren’t observing the world around us and learning things that will help us make better art!

I’m so pleased you are finding reward in your art again. But please understand to make art means to make a lot and I mean A LOT of bad art. That’s the path to the good stuff. So: keep making “bad” art! <3

I’m not an artist. In fact, my stick figures usually look like they need to see the chiropractor. What I am though, is a musician. I sing and play nine instruments. Some I picked up easily and others I know only the basics of playing even after years of practice. I have an in born skill to hear music and reproduce it, but I spend hours a day working to hone it. Like you, I don’t like the word talent because I worked very hard to get where I am. If I had not worked to hone that inborn talent, I would not be able to play and sing the way I do now. It takes a lot of practice and work to get really good, just like anything else

For any discipline, some people find things easier or harder than others. It still comes down to our desire to persist and practice in the right way to develop those skills. Thank you for sharing some of your experience!

I believe you are born with a talent and that talent can be honed by practice. I also believe you can have little to no talent but acquire the skills to become competent, even talented at using those learned skills. People with natural talent will, unsurprisingly, grow their talent more easily and have more potential to become exceptional. I know that from a very young age I drew compulsively and could easily capture a likeness or scene and knew instinctively about proportion, perspective, values, even colour mixing. What sets a born artist apart is their compulsion to create. It would kill me to not be creating artwork on a daily basis apart from when I need to step away to recharge my imagination. I actually prefer the term painter to artist but that!s another discussion altogether.

Thanks for sharing Carol! I’m concerned when people use talent as an excuse to NOT pursue their interests, because either they have “it,” or they don’t. That’s patently false. As you say, people who are not naturally interested in a topic can build skill and become really good at it. It’s that magic of desire, persistence and being willing to fail repeatedly that helps us really take our art to the next level.

Carrie, I really respect your optimism and hope that anyone can do it. The truth is that yeah anybody can do it, but not anybody can do it with greatness. That takes a natural born talent. I have not been brainwashed into thinking this way, it is the simple truth. Years ago I was really into starting a band and I bought a brand new bass and started taking lessons. I did this for years and I did get better but it only went so far. My sense of rhythm just was never very great and my bass lines were mediocre. That being said all of my life I have been a great painter and drawer. I am pretty much self taught. I have shown my work in numerous galleries and I have even done a little teaching. I do agree that anybody can learn art and become somewhat good to great at it, but the ones that do become great at it are always and I mean always the ones that have had a talent for it at an early age. I consider myself a very good artist who in my lifetime has…not joking…put about 30,000 hours into practice. I am still going to create art till the day I die, but no matter how many more hours I put into it, I will never paint with the genius and talent of a Picasso or a Van Gogh. I can’t say I put more hours and practice than Picasso but I have been creating longer than Van Gogh ever did. He was a more talented artist than me, it really is that simple and I am ok with that. I think a big part of the problem is that too many people want to be the good guy rather than the honest guy. However I will leave it on one more thought… I do believe we are all good at something or that we were meant for something, whether we find it or not.

Thanks, Mike

Hi Mike, thanks for your contribution to this conversation. People can be super skillful and talented and still not “succeed” by today’s measures. You mention van Gogh and he’s a perfect example. He was a failure during his lifetime. Today we acknowledge his work. That isn’t about skill or talent, that’s about societal standards and definitions about what’s “worth” our time and investment. That’s about cultural norms.

HOW we practice to develop our skill is important and is more important than any perceived talents we have. Talent, as I mention in the article, is that pre-disposal to be committed, interested, and stckl with something to keep developing our skill. And maybe it’s the will to keep going, as van Gogh did, because we are called to do it.

Carrie, although I do not agree with everything you said, the fact that you believe in people is a greater gift than being a great artist (as cheesy as that sounds)…which is why you would make for a great teacher. You are by the way, a great artist. I saw your artist page to see some of your work…very well done. I also like the fact that you’re bringing a spotlight to women who truly meant something yet sometimes are forgotten simply because of the era they lived in or the fact that they were women. I never had to worry about this problem. It is a sad thought knowing you might never be appreciated or considered great simply because of your gender. That is ridiculous. This is changing of course for the better. It is a male run world no doubt about it, maybe that is why it needs so much improvement.

Hello Carrie,

What do you think of someone who start from 0 ground at the age of 38 in arts. Currently i’m learning sketching, trying my very best to squeeze time to practice daily. I often feel bit down and intimidated whenever i see other work of arts and can’t stop wonder if i can get up to that level.

Suedev you absolutely can improve in your skill and make great art. What happens is when we are adults and have our lives put together, we often don’t give ourselves the leeway to fail and learn from those failures, which is an IMPORTANT part of the learning process. It’s how we learn techniques and develop our skill. You can get to the level you seek. Strategic practice is integral to making that happen. You CAN do it.

Obviously, I can’t speak for others out there about my opinion on talent or if it exists, but in my experience I believe talent has nothing to do with being good at art.

In my case, I have no “talent”. But, what I do have is a disposition to create artworks. I could stare at a work for hours scrutinizing it and taking mental notes of what’s good and bad, but I could not tell you why I do that. However, by unconsciously examining the artworks of artists over many years, I’ve “naturally” been able to draw decently from imagination. I have an understanding of proportion, composition and what looks aesthetically pleasing. I am very good at criticizing my work, which increases my rate of improvement. So, does being able to analyze and have an interest in art make you talented?

On the flip side, while hard-work or constant practice is important, it doesn’t always mean you will create great art either. I take huge breaks of a few months to half a year. Not to mention I hate doodling or sketching because it’s laborious without any purpose for me. But, every-time I sit down and draw after months of not-practicing, my art advances to another level. Why? Some may say it’s talent.But, in reality it’s because I have accumulated artistic knowledge that can never be gotten rid of due years of observing and acquiring other bits of knowledge from online.

Sometimes when I look at artists that I admire, I have a feeling that I could almost duplicate their artworks. If I am able to duplicate their works, that means I have the technical prowess to create such cool artwork. But, the reason I cannot create such amazing artwork alone is because I don’t have the knowledge these artists have accumulated. Yes, practice helps acquire knowledge. But, If I go straight for finding artistic knowledge via youtube, then I can avoid mindless hours of sketching or being hit with “inspiration”. So, the difference between me and amazing professionals is not something as vague as “talent”. Instead, knowledge key, whether that is intentionally learned or subconsciously absorbed.

Knowledge in art, makes you understand how to draw a face, how to render an environment, how to composition etc. I’ve even found information about how to boost creativity and ways to make more visually interesting pieces, or approaches to visual development. Overall, Creativity and making art expressive are what people would typically associate with talent. But, once again, these can be learned!!! I learned them!!!

The reason you don’t have emotion in your work is because you don’t have knowledge to what makes an artwork look more emotional. So you have to learn it, digest it, then gain it. “Talent” and “practice” is a means but not an end. Talent and Practice doesn’t guarantee you will create good art, IF YOU DON”T HAVE KNOWLEDGE. Skills are powered by knowledge. So in my opinion being artistic, creative, and technical is a skill of having mass knowledge.

Yes! Personal experience, interpretation, curiosity, desires, interests… all of this feeds into art. Love what you have to say. thanks for sharing!

Nice article. Although there are people who have more raw talent than others, the truth is that talent and creativity are acquired over time. As an example, when I was younger I loved playing guitar and writing songs. Initially, I wasn’t very good, but, I kept learning new songs from other bands and the more I learned, the more I was able to formulate my own style, playing and writing better music. When I stared taking classes in graphic design, I sucked! Why? Because of the lack of knowledge I had. But over time as I learned more from other people I became better.

So, nobody is just born with absolute knowledge and talent, it all takes discipline and the acquisition of knowledge. Practice makes perfect!

Thanks Alan for taking the time to share such a thoughtful comment. It’s all about the practice!

LOL! Weighing in as the person who sketched the picture accompanying this article, I totally believe in skill and have beef with talent. There’s often a mystique presented by skill sets an individual does not posses.

ha awesome Whitney! Thanks for chiming in here 🙂 I totally agree re: mystique people feel about skills we don’t understand or possess.

I want to do art for the money hoping my skills will develop. I know this sounds funny. I do not think this is the way any goal should begin, however, one should start somewhere with something in mind. I believe my reasoning has nothing to do with talent or skill or wanting to produce wonderful work. In fact, I know nothing about creating art. I don’t think the art world works that way. My Veteran brother dabbled in art. He sold to judges, and lawyers, and was commissioned by certain clubs for his work but he never thought he was talented. He did attend college for about two years concentrating in art. I think his lack of total commitment led him to believe he was not talented.

Here too I think we can conflate the words talented and successful. Both words can mean very different things to different people. Thanks for sharing Lanette.

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Unleash Your Inner Artist

Is Art a Talent or a Skill? The Definitive Answer

You’ve probably heard some variation of the question “is art a talent or a skill? or “is an artist born or made?” It seems there are two camps: those who believe that an artist has an innate gift and those who defend that with good training you can reach the same goal.

Ability or talent?

Firstly, to talk about an artist having more skill or talent than another is fraught with problems. Art, as I discussed in a separate article, is for the most part a very subjective discipline . What constitutes a masterpiece for some can be trash to others. I have certainly met artists who I consider more talented than others, but that is only my subjective opinion. Please, read on with that in mind.

What is “talent” or “ability” in the first place? Working with young people I have seen what might be considered a “natural talent” go to waste through laziness. I have seen others who displayed no such innate gift work at their craft until they were able to produce work of real quality. I in NO WAY consider those children who started a little further back than their classmates, and who eventually caught up, less talented or able.

I’ve seen natural ability with my own eyes. After all, Beethoven composed his first symphony at 12 years old. But, I DO believe outliers like that are far rarer than we might want to believe, and that hard work will beat natural talent 99% of the time.

I believe that it is far easier to oxidize a natural talent than it is to develop it, and a facility in learning artistic skills ultimately means, in a lifetime, little more than a small head start.

The answer to the question, “is art a talent or a skill?” is both, but there is a disproportionate weight put on a natural ability. Let’s explore some reasons why that might be.

People don’t like to feel lazy or like quitters.

Art being a genetic gift is the perfect excuse not to continue or even try at it all. I’ve seen countless people frustrated with their artistic learning experiences whether it be music, painting, writing, etc.

“I’ve been learning guitar for two years and I STILL don’t wail like Hendrix!”

What they forget is that their two-hour guitar lesson once a week doesn’t come close to Hendrix’s regime. Hendrix started playing at 15 and didn’t become famous until ten years later . He played constantly. In the army he was said to sleep with his guitar, he would play as he walked around his apartment, go to late-night jam sessions and play until morning. For Jimmy Hendrix, time with the guitar wasn’t practice, it was his way of life. Give me an ounce of obsession or passion over natural talent any day.

The world moves quickly nowadays. We are used to instant gratification. Sadly learning any artistic ability doesn’t work that way, it takes years. You need to appreciate the journey rather than the results. To hear that your hard work and effort in honing your craft is passed off as a genetic gift can be somewhat insulting. This, to my experience, is somewhat of a consensus among the artists I talk to.

Creativity is not a genetic gift.

Another common comment I hear is “I’m not creative, therefore…” I can’t begin to tell you how silly that sounds. Creativity isn’t something you either do or do not have. Creativity isn’t a divine gift, it’s an innate human trait that we all have. Children will scribble on paper before they can even speak, creativity and art help children develop the building blocks required in learning.

If you’ve ever said, “I’m not creative,” the good news is, you are.

Without creativity, you wouldn’t be able to make decisions. You wouldn’t be able to conceive the probable outcome between two actions and make a decision based on the most favorable imagined result. That’s at the core of decision-making.

Without creativity, you wouldn’t be empathetic. You wouldn’t be able to put yourself in the life or situation of another individual and imagine what it is like to live in their shoes. The heart of empathy.

…do you want me to continue? Ok, a rather silly but no less true example.

Ever use an adverb? “The car stopped suddenly.” “The dress fit her beautifully.” No, the car stopped and the dress fit, everything else is you expressing yourself creatively. Face it, my friend, YOU are a creative machine. We all are.

How you choose to express that creativity is a different matter, perhaps it’s the way you dress, the way you speak, the way you organize your Spotify playlists. The fact of the matter is, you can learn to express it artistically. You learned how to crawl, and at some point, you expanded that skill to walking, running, and jumping. It’s all a matter of time and patience.

My experience.

I was what you might call a “troubled child”. The inner-city school I went to couldn’t control my behavior leading to a downward spiral for me which lasted into my twenties.

The only class in which I felt comfortable was in Art and Design. I wasn’t particularly good at it, I wasn’t especially gifted in any academic way. Thanks to an amiable teacher who didn’t treat me like a “problem” and the opportunity to express myself in less destructive ways, I started to work at it.

Through my troubled childhood and adolescence, I drew and painted. Without formal training but grinding until I achieved some level of competence. Through the periods in my life where I concentrated on other artistic disciplines (I’ve worked professionally as an actor, writer, and musician) I never lost passion for the visual arts. I would paint and draw in my spare time.

Now that I enjoy a certain amount of recognition for my painting and illustration I often hear, “I wish I was able to do that, but (art/painting/drawing) isn’t my thing.” My common reply is, “if you decided to make it ‘ your thing ‘ it would be.” That in essence is my position on the subject. Its root is in my personal experience of going from “talentless” to somewhat competent in various artistic disciplines.

Is an artist born or made? – or – is art a talent or a skill?

Where is the definitive answer I promised in the title of this article? Don’t worry, I wasn’t click-baiting. As close as we can get to an answer is to ask you, the people who follow my artistic journey. While writing this article I launched a poll on Instagram . It represents a good cross-section of people, I am approaching 5k followers and a disproportionate number of you are artists.

So, of the 503 people who saw the post up to now, 127 interacted. The clear results are that 60% of those asked thought that an artist is made and not born (although I did get a ton of people complaining that “both” wasn’t an option, an intentional choice on my part). But diving a little deeper, I went through the profiles of all 127 participants. 82% of the people who believe that art is an acquired skill were other artists, compared to 40% of the people who believe it is a natural gift. Those of us that are artists know it’s about working at it.

Now, does my experience mean that I don’t believe that some people are born with the ability to develop artistic skills quicker than others? No, of course, I believe it. The answer, in my mind, to the question, “is art a talent or a skill?” is both, but again, over a lifetime of creating art, talent represents nothing but it’s nothing more than a little head start.

Drawing a blank: can artistic talent ever be taught?

While Romantics insist artists are born not made, some of the best painters, sculptors and modern artists followed conventional teaching

Modern Toss on whether artistry is a result of nature or nurture

Genius cannot be taught but skills can. And even the wildest, most visionary of artists relies on the techniques they were taught. If you want to make digital art, you need to learn to code. A training in film will help with moving-image art. So much is obvious. But today we’re in thrall to a vacuous Romanticism that insists artists are born not made.

The first modern artists rebelled against a style of art education that had become deadening 150 years ago. The “academic” teaching tradition that evolved in the 18th century forced every aspiring artist to learn the same rules and habits – drawing from the nude, calculating perspective. The likes of Monet and Cézanne broke with this academicism, and by 1913 artists such as Duchamp were putting bike wheels on stools, making collages and doing lots of other things no teacher had ever taught. Now we have art schools that teach Duchamp’s readymade to kids who discovered collage at primary school. But what if there was something in the older drawing-based art education after all?

“Poor is the pupil who does not surpass his master,” said Leonardo da Vinci . He outstripped his own teacher, Verrocchio, when as a teenager he added a brilliant angel to his elder’s Baptism of Christ. That’s genius. Yet the originality of Leonardo was made possible by a medieval art education. The kid from Vinci joined Verrocchio’s workshop in Florence as an apprentice when he was 17, and worked constantly at drawing and painting. He probably also studied sculpture at an academy founded by Lorenzo de’ Medici.

Bog standard ... Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain.

The disciplines that Leonardo gained from his education gave him the freedom to design flying machines as well as paint the Mona Lisa . So teaching young artists refined skills doesn’t necessarily crush creativity. This is true across the arts – being hothoused as a child gave Mozart the knowledge to compose Don Giovanni, learning Latin at school helped Shakespeare write Hamlet.

They were boys, of course. Education was much less available to women in the past and the apprenticeship tradition in visual art was all male. Only rarely did women get access to art teaching at all. Artemisia Gentileschi was taught at the beginning of the 1600s by her father, an artist friend of Caravaggio. When she was 17 she was so skilled she painted a canvas of Susanna and the Elders that is both perfect and personal. She went on to use her skill to paint visceral scenes of suffering and strength.

It is not just as students that artists learn, however. Artists who constantly revolutionise their art are looking and studying all their lives. Paula Rego and Lucian Freud are examples of artists who develop as they get older: Rego took up pastels, learning a whole new technique in her later career, while Freud gradually taught himself to paint like Rubens with grand, fleshy freedom. Titian, Michelangelo and Rembrandt also got better as they aged – maybe because they learned to use their youthful skills more freely.

We wouldn’t want to go back to the fixed rules of the past. Art can be anything. But what we need is an art education system that lets kids emulate Leonardo da Vinci as well as Marcel Duchamp.

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My Journey in The World of Art: Narrative

Categories: Personal Beliefs Personal Experience

About this sample

Words: 907 |

Published: Mar 18, 2021

Words: 907 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Works Cited

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention. Harper Perennial.
Dissanayake, E. (2007). Homo Aestheticus: Where Art Comes From and Why. University of Washington Press.
Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. Basic Books.
Guilford, J. P. (1950). Creativity. American Psychologist, 5(9), 444-454.
Howett, C., & Pegler, M. (2015). The Fundamentals of Creative Advertising. AVA Publishing.
Lindauer, M. S. (Ed.). (2007). Aesthetics and the Art of Musical Composition in the German Enlightenment: Selected Writings of Johann Georg Sulzer and Heinrich Christoph Koch. Cambridge University Press.
Richards, R. (2007). Everyday Creativity and New Views of Human Nature: Psychological, Social, and Spiritual Perspectives. American Psychological Association.
Sawyer, R. K. (2006). Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation. Oxford University Press.
Sternberg, R. J. (2003). Wisdom, Intelligence, and Creativity Synthesized. Cambridge University Press.
Winner, E. (2000). The origins and ends of giftedness. American Psychologist, 55(1), 159-169.

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Essay on Art

500 words essay on art.

Each morning we see the sunshine outside and relax while some draw it to feel relaxed. Thus, you see that art is everywhere and anywhere if we look closely. In other words, everything in life is artwork. The essay on art will help us go through the importance of art and its meaning for a better understanding.

What is Art?

For as long as humanity has existed, art has been part of our lives. For many years, people have been creating and enjoying art. It expresses emotions or expression of life. It is one such creation that enables interpretation of any kind.

It is a skill that applies to music, painting, poetry, dance and more. Moreover, nature is no less than art. For instance, if nature creates something unique, it is also art. Artists use their artwork for passing along their feelings.

Thus, art and artists bring value to society and have been doing so throughout history. Art gives us an innovative way to view the world or society around us. Most important thing is that it lets us interpret it on our own individual experiences and associations.

Art is similar to live which has many definitions and examples. What is constant is that art is not perfect or does not revolve around perfection. It is something that continues growing and developing to express emotions, thoughts and human capacities.

Importance of Art

Art comes in many different forms which include audios, visuals and more. Audios comprise songs, music, poems and more whereas visuals include painting, photography, movies and more.

You will notice that we consume a lot of audio art in the form of music, songs and more. It is because they help us to relax our mind. Moreover, it also has the ability to change our mood and brighten it up.

After that, it also motivates us and strengthens our emotions. Poetries are audio arts that help the author express their feelings in writings. We also have music that requires musical instruments to create a piece of art.

Other than that, visual arts help artists communicate with the viewer. It also allows the viewer to interpret the art in their own way. Thus, it invokes a variety of emotions among us. Thus, you see how essential art is for humankind.

Without art, the world would be a dull place. Take the recent pandemic, for example, it was not the sports or news which kept us entertained but the artists. Their work of arts in the form of shows, songs, music and more added meaning to our boring lives.

Therefore, art adds happiness and colours to our lives and save us from the boring monotony of daily life.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of the Essay on Art

All in all, art is universal and can be found everywhere. It is not only for people who exercise work art but for those who consume it. If there were no art, we wouldn’t have been able to see the beauty in things. In other words, art helps us feel relaxed and forget about our problems.

FAQ of Essay on Art

Question 1: How can art help us?

Answer 1: Art can help us in a lot of ways. It can stimulate the release of dopamine in your bodies. This will in turn lower the feelings of depression and increase the feeling of confidence. Moreover, it makes us feel better about ourselves.

Question 2: What is the importance of art?

Answer 2: Art is essential as it covers all the developmental domains in child development. Moreover, it helps in physical development and enhancing gross and motor skills. For example, playing with dough can fine-tune your muscle control in your fingers.

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Is Drawing a Talent or a Skill? (Spoiler: It's a Skill)

Have you ever marveled at a stunning piece of art and wondered, "Is the artist born with this incredible ability, or did they learn to draw this well?" This question - whether drawing is a talent you're born with or a skill you can develop - sparks lively debates in coffee shops, classrooms, and art studios around the world.

Some argue that drawing is a natural gift, something you either have or you don't. Others believe it's a skill honed through practice, patience, and lots of pencil shavings.

In this article, we'll dive into both sides of the debate, explore what experts say, and uncover whether anyone can become a skilled artist with the right approach. So, grab your sketchbook, and let's unravel this artistic mystery together!

Key Takeaways:

Talent is a Head Start, Not a Determinant: While natural talent can give some an early advantage, it's not the sole factor that determines success in drawing.
Skill Development is Accessible to All: Drawing is a skill that can be learned and refined by anyone willing to put in the time and effort.
Perseverance is Key: The most significant growth in art often comes from overcoming challenges and persisting through periods of slow progress.

Drawing is both a talent and a skill. Some people may have a natural aptitude or talent for drawing, which can give them a head start in learning. However, talent is not a requirement to become proficient at drawing. Drawing skills can be developed through practice, learning, and dedication. Regardless of innate talent, anyone can learn to draw effectively with time and effort. In essence, while talent can be helpful, it is not necessary to become skilled in drawing.

Understanding Talent and Skill

When we talk about drawing, two words often pop up in the conversation: 'talent' and 'skill.' But what do these terms really mean, especially in the world of art?

Talent: In the simplest terms, talent is like a head-start in a race. It's a natural ability or inclination that some people have right from the start. For instance, think of a friend who just seems to 'get' how to draw without much effort. They might have an eye for detail, a steady hand, or just an instinctive sense of how to bring lines and shapes together. This inborn talent can make learning to draw easier and quicker for some, allowing them to create impressive artwork with relatively little training.

Skill: On the flip side, skill is like building a muscle. It's not something you're born with; it's something you develop through dedication, practice, and learning from mistakes. Think of skill as the journey of an athlete training for a marathon. They might not be the fastest at first, but with consistent practice, they build up their strength and technique. Similarly, anyone can become a skilled artist by studying various techniques, putting pencil to paper regularly, and learning from every stroke they make.

Now, you might be wondering: "Which is more important for becoming a good artist - talent or skill?" Well, it's not as black and white as you might think. While talent can give someone a head start, it doesn't guarantee they'll cross the finish line first. That's where skill, nurtured through hard work and persistence, plays a crucial role.

The Role of Talent in Drawing

It's hard to ignore the dazzle of natural talent. Some people just seem to have a magical touch with a pencil, effortlessly sketching out images that capture our imaginations. This natural flair can be seen in people who, from a young age, show remarkable hand-eye coordination, an innate sense of aesthetics, or an ability to grasp complex visual concepts easily.

Talent, in this sense, acts like a springboard. It can launch artists into the world of drawing with a certain ease and grace that seems almost otherworldly. For example, consider prodigies like Kim Jung Gi, whose childhood drawings of complex shapes and scenes left people in awe. Such artists often find themselves in the spotlight, hailed as geniuses for their exceptional abilities.

But, and it's a big but, talent isn't the end-all and be-all of drawing. It's more like a head start in a marathon. Talented artists might sprint ahead early on, but they too need to develop their skills to keep advancing. Talent can open doors, but it's not a golden ticket to artistic mastery.

Drawing as a Skill

Now, let's talk about skill, the true backbone of an artist's journey. Skill is where the real magic happens in drawing. It's all about learning, practicing, and refining your art over time. Think of it like building a house. You start with the basics - understanding lines, shapes, and shadows - and gradually add more complex elements like perspective, anatomy, and color theory.

The beauty of viewing drawing as a skill is that it's accessible to everyone. You don't need to be born with a pencil in hand to become a great artist. With dedication and practice, anyone can improve their drawing abilities. In fact, many artists who start without any apparent talent often end up surpassing those with natural ability. Why? Because they learn to approach drawing methodically, understanding every nuance and technique deeply.

Skill development in drawing is a journey of continuous learning. It's about pushing boundaries, making mistakes, and learning from them. It's about challenging yourself with new subjects and styles, and most importantly, it's about not giving up, even when the progress seems slow.

In the world of art, hard work, patience, and perseverance are just as celebrated as natural talent. The mastery of drawing skills is a testament to an artist's commitment to their craft.

Learning to Draw: Overcoming the Talent Barrier

If you've ever felt discouraged about drawing because you think you're not 'naturally talented,' here's some good news: drawing is a skill that can be learned and mastered by anyone. The talent barrier is more of a myth than a reality. The key is understanding that progress in drawing, like any other skill, requires time, effort, and a willingness to learn.

Starting with the Basics: The journey begins with mastering the fundamentals. Perspective, anatomy, rendering (light and shadow), and color theory are the building blocks of drawing. You don't have to tackle these in any specific order, but diving into these topics methodically will lay a solid foundation for your artistic growth.

Embracing the Learning Process: Remember, no artist masters these fundamentals overnight. It takes years of practice to feel confident in every aspect of drawing. The learning curve might seem steep at first, but every bit of practice brings visible improvement. Embrace the process, enjoy the small victories, and keep pushing forward.

Practical Tips for Improvement: Stay curious and ask questions about the things you're drawing. Understand their form, function, and how they might look from different perspectives. Challenge yourself by stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new subjects and styles. Drawing the same thing repeatedly can be comfortable, but variety is the spice of life - and art!

Talent vs. Skill: A Balanced View

In the debate between talent and skill, it's crucial to recognize that both play a role in an artist's development. Talent can give you a head start, but without the hard work and practice that develops skill, that initial burst of brilliance may plateau.

Skill: The Equalizer: While talent can influence the speed of learning, skill levels the playing field. It's through skill development that artists of all backgrounds find their unique voice and style. Hard work, dedication, and perseverance are often the hallmarks of the most respected and accomplished artists.

Talent: The Accelerator, Not the Destination: Talent might make learning faster, but it's not a destination. Even the most talented artists need to refine their skills and challenge themselves continually. The journey of an artist is an endless pursuit of growth and improvement, regardless of where you start.

In conclusion, while drawing starts as a skill for some and a talent for others, it's the dedication to the craft that ultimately defines an artist's journey. Everyone's artistic path is unique, and embracing both talent and skill is key to unlocking your full potential as an artist.

Conclusion: Embracing Your Artistic Journey

As we've explored the intricate dance between talent and skill in drawing, one thing becomes clear: the journey of an artist is as unique as the art they create. Whether you start with a natural flair for drawing or develop your skills through consistent practice, the path to artistic mastery is both challenging and rewarding.

Remember, every artist's journey is different. Some may find their stride quickly, while others may take a longer route, savoring each step of progress. The beauty of art lies in its diversity and the unique stories each artist brings to their canvas.

So, whether you're just starting with a sketchpad or you've been drawing for years, remember that your artistic potential is limitless. With patience, practice, and a dash of courage to step outside your comfort zone, you'll continue to grow and surprise yourself with what you can achieve.

In the words of the great Vincent van Gogh, "If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." So keep drawing, keep learning, and most importantly, keep expressing yourself through the wonderful language of art.

Artist, Blogger and Coder

I'm an artist and I draw realistic cars with alcohol markers and colored pencils. I have been doing so for a decade now. On my blog, you can find all you need to know to learn how you can draw realistic cars yourself. I have studied at uni twice and also quit twice to pursue my dream of owning a Porsche 911 and a Ferrari 812. Let's hope this works out🤞. Follow me on Instagram .

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Literary Theory and Criticism

Home › Analysis of T.S. Eliot’s Tradition and the Individual Talent

Analysis of T.S. Eliot’s Tradition and the Individual Talent

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on April 30, 2020 • ( 1 )

T.S. Eliot’s essay Tradition and the Individual Talent was first published as an anonymous piece in The Egoist , a London literary review, in September and December 1919 and subsequently included by Eliot in his first collection of essays, The Sacred Wood, published in 1920. That it continues to exert a genuine influence on thought regarding the interrelationship among literary classics, individual artists, and the nature of the creative imagination, is a comment on its value. In any case, Eliot was able to let loose in this comparatively short essay—it runs to little more than 3,000 words—packing virtually every sentence with pronouncements that, in any other context of presentation, might have required far more elaboration and persuasive defense.

Despite these genuine virtues and the essay’s deserved renown, Tradition and the Individual Talent is rather loosely, perhaps even haphazardly constructed and is worthy of consideration far more for the power of its suggestiveness than for the precision of its organization. In essence, the essay proposes a series of key concepts that would subsequently become germane, for one thing, to readings of Eliot’s own poetry and that would also eventually become the root if not the immediate source for major critical approaches with regard to modernism in general and the methodology of New Criticism in particular. In addition to exploring the question of the relationship between the tradition—that is, works already preexisting in a national or even multicultural body of literature—and any one poet in particular (that is, “the individual talent”), Eliot also delves into and, so, makes pronouncements on the relationship between the poet as a person and the poet as a creative intellect.

He comments as well, finally, on how much or how greatly a work of literature ought to be regarded as giving expression to the personality of the poet, giving birth to the impersonal theory of poetry. Coming relatively hard upon the poetry of the English romantics, the longest-lived of whom, William Wordsworth , had been dead nearly 70 years by 1919 and whose subjective, expressive approach toward the writing of poetry still wielded excessive sway over both the composition and the reading of poetry, Eliot’s efforts to found in principle in what would later become known as the impersonal school of poetry can hardly be scanted or overlooked. While his essay may not have initiated the powerful reaction to romanticism that is now thought of as literary modernism, the essay certainly gave that movement voice and a clear agenda.

In keeping with an analytical approach, Eliot structures his central argument around various issues of separation. Specifically, and as will be examined in more detail shortly, there is the matter of the quality and degree of the separation that may or may not exist between the body of past literature, or the created tradition, and the individual living poet creating within the tradition’s most current or ongoing moment. Eliot also considers the degree and quality of separation necessary between that living poet as a fully rounded person (what he calls—perhaps a bit too colorfully—the “man who suffers”) and those aspects of that individual’s intellectual choices and other selective processes that result in the making of an actual work of literature (what he calls the “mind which creates”). Finally, Eliot takes into consideration the degree and quality of separation that is necessary between, on the one hand, the artist as an individual whose utterances may be thought to express a personality and, on the other hand, the semblance of personality that is, or can be, expressed in the work without any need for reference to the author’s own personality.

As may be apparent, there is some considerable overlap and confusion of terms here, as well as some overlap between matters that involve the act of writing—actions that involve the creation of a text—and the act of reading, which, because it is a process that involves the reception of a preexisting text, is a quite different approach. Nevertheless, the essay’s central premise, as well as its continuing critical value, is, in essence, Eliot’s argument that the creative process is an impersonal process, despite the tendencies of many readers to persist in identifying the speaker of a poem with the poet. Keeping this central premise in mind ought to demystify many of Eliot’s pronouncements on similar subjects.

The Living Talent and the Tradition

Eliot begins his presentation by directly addressing the essay’s ostensible topic, the relationship between tradition and the individual talent. What may seem to be the most obvious point in his opening argument is certainly the most salient, that the tradition is at any one time a completed whole that comprises all of the preceding creative endeavor out of which the individual author creates a new work. Tradition, then, is a continuum, and this point is one of the essay’s more daring stances. It may seem by now to stand to reason that the living practitioners of any one discipline add to and, so, shape and alter the accumulated store of their predecessors’ efforts—that, in other words, these past efforts live in a present that is continuously transforming itself into new efforts that then themselves become the efforts of the past, and so on.

Though such a position may sound reasonable and justified, Eliot’s taking that position, as his feeling the need to defend it to his readers should readily attest, flew in the face of the conventional wisdom to that time and that had been in place virtually from the beginnings of the European Renaissance. According to that wisdom, the ancients, meaning the classical writers of Greece and of Rome— Homer, Sophocles, Seneca, Virgil, Ovid , and others—were giants who towered over their puny modern descendants, who consequently characterized themselves as pygmies.

In that older way of casting the debate, the moderns, although by no means capable of being better or wiser than their ancient forbears, still had the advantage of being able to build on and improve such models as those ancients had left behind. Indeed, the term classic, in addition to connoting excellence in its field, implies a representative prototype within the particular genre or kind of work— epic, drama, lyric poem, and so forth. To complete the metaphor, if the ancients were giants and the moderns pygmies, those pygmies could nevertheless stand on the shoulders of the ancients and, in that way—but that way only—surpass them.

Eliot comes out firmly against any notion of couching the tradition in terms of a conflict and competition between the old and the new, the past and the present. In sharp contrast to this older idea of a combative relationship among long dead and living traditions and long dead and living artists, Eliot, who shortly before writing the essay now being considered had visited the underground caverns in southern France where cave drawings that were tens of thousands of years old had recently been discovered, could talk of a mind of Europe that had discarded nothing of its virtually timeless creative traditions along the way, as if there were in fact neither any seam nor any conflict separating the present from the past, the ancients from the moderns, or one work of art from another. Rather, there was only that constant stream of statement and restatement, adjusting and altering and coming back upon itself as each new voice is added to, and adds to, the mix. So, then, Eliot asserts that poets cannot write after the age of 25 unless they have developed what he calls the historical sense, that being a sense not of the pastness of the past, as he puts it, but of its presence.

It is at this point that Eliot’s argument takes a sudden, or at least unanticipated, turn by suggesting that the more perfect they are, the more artists express not their own personal lives and points of view so much as contribute to that living stream of creative endeavor. This abrupt turn makes much logical sense, however. Having just redefined the nature of tradition, one half of his title, Eliot is now obligated to define what he means by the individual talent, the other half.

Andy Warhol: Artistic Talent Essay

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Andrew Warhol born in 1928, known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement knows as pop art. At an early age, he showed an artistic talent and studied at the School of Fine Arts at Carnegie Institute of Technology. In 1949, he moved from Pennsylvania to New York City and began a career in magazine illustration and advertising. In the sass, he gained his fame, but during the sass’s was Venn his first pop exhibits hit the galleries. Andy Whorl’s first New York solo pop exhibit was held at Eleanor Ward’s Stable Gallery in 1362.

The show included the works, Marilyn Diptych, 100 Coke Bottles, 100 Dollar Bills, and 100 soup cans. During this time period, Warhol began to create paintings of iconic American Products as well as paintings of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Elizabeth Taylor. Warhol painted a variety of paintings of the actress Marilyn Monroe after she committed suicide in 1362. He made it his goal to mass-produce his art by producing prints using the silkscreen method. He used a photograph by Gene Kormas and painted Marilyn Monomer’s paintings with one color: green, blue, yellow, and turquoise. He then silk-screened her face on top.

In this way, he created different styles and depicted many different colors. For this piece of art he expressed his attestation of morbid concepts, except for this piece, the results were astonishingly beautiful, Andy Warhol had a struggle before he became successful. In the early ass’s Warhol tried to exhibit some of his artwork, but only to be turned down, In time, he became a very successful career as a commercial illustrator, but after he became famous working as painter, filmmaker, record producer, author, and public figure. He has also been the subject of numerous retrospective exhibitions, books, and feature and documentary films.

As well as painting, Warhol worked in the areas of photography, drawing, and sculpture, but also a highly prolific filmmaker. Between the years 1963 and 1968, he had produced more than sixty films. Today, his work has shown in many galleries and museums like the Museum Of Modern Art. There is also a museum dedicated to him, called The Andy Warhol Museum. One would feel that Andy Warhol changed the way people looked at art. He took pieces of art and manipulated them into something so different but magnificent. Depending on one’s point of view.

Andy Warhol can e considered the greatest American artist of the second half of the 20th century. He can also be a cultural transformer. Even though he was the last of his kind to reach the galleries, he soon became better known than the artists before him. Personally, like his sense of style. It seems as if he grasped new, interesting, and different techniques. It’s unique in a way that it stands out from the rest of the other artists. He draws people?s attention by creating multiple portraits of movie stars or basing some to his art on eye-catching images. For example, gruesome car crashes and electric chairs.

His work can make people think and analyze his work in a way that completely different because of his focus on such dramatic events. That’s some of what people find interesting. Warhol doesn’t stay in the comfort zone of what the viewers are used to. Andy Warhol died in 1987 _ Soon, the Andy Warhol Foundation released its 20th Anniversary Annual Report. The Foundation still remains one of the largest grant-giving organizations for the visual arts in the US. Throughout the decades, it has become more and more clear that there had been a profound change in the culture of the art world, and that Andy Warhol was at the center Of that shift.

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Talent Matters Even More than People Think

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic

If anything, it’s still underrated.

Why are some people more successful than others? Leaving aside luck, which equates to confessing that we don’t really know, there are really just two explanations: talent and effort. Talent concerns the abilities, skills, and expertise that determine what a person can do. Effort concerns the degree to which the person deploys their talents.

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic is the Chief Innovation Officer at ManpowerGroup, a professor of business psychology at University College London and at Columbia University, co-founder of deepersignals.com , and an associate at Harvard’s Entrepreneurial Finance Lab. He is the author of Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? (and How to Fix It ) , upon which his TEDx talk was based. His latest book is I, Human: AI, Automation, and the Quest to Reclaim What Makes Us Unique. Find him at www.drtomas.com . drtcp

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“Tradition and the Individual Talent”

by Pericles Lewis

T. S. Eliot expressed a typically ambivalent view of the past when he wrote in his essay “Tradition and the Individual Talent” ( 1919 ). The essay gives voice to the fact that modernist experiments seldom simply destroyed or rejected traditional methods of representation or traditional literary forms; rather, the modernists sought to enter into a sort of conversation with the art of the past, sometimes reverently, sometimes mockingly.

No poet, no artist of any art, has his complete meaning alone. His significance, his appreciation is the appreciation of his relation to the dead poets and artists…. The existing monuments [of art] form an ideal order among themselves, which is modified by the introduction of the new (the really new) work of art among them. The existing order is complete before the new work arrives; for order to persist after the supervention of novelty, the whole existing order must be, if ever so slightly, altered… the past [is] altered by the present as much as the present is directed by the past. [1]

Eliot emphasizes both the way that tradition shapes the modern artist and the way that a “really new” work of art makes us see that tradition anew. [2]

Full text of “Tradition and the Individual Talent”

↑ T.S. Eliot, Selected Prose of T.S. Eliot, ed. Frank Kermode. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1975: 38-39.
↑ This page has been adapted from Pericles Lewis’s Cambridge Introduction to Modernism (Cambridge UP, 2007), p. 27.

Essay on My Talent Is Drawing

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Talent Is Drawing in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Talent Is Drawing

My love for drawing.

I love to draw. It is my special talent. Drawing lets me create pictures from my mind onto paper. It’s like magic, turning a blank page into a story.

Tools I Use

I use pencils, crayons, and markers to draw. Each one adds different lines and colors to my pictures. They are like my magic wands, making my ideas real.

What I Draw

I draw everything I see or imagine. Animals, trees, superheroes, and even my dreams. Each drawing tells its own tale.

Sharing My Art

I show my drawings to friends and family. Their smiles make me happy. Sharing my art is sharing a piece of me.

Drawing Makes Me Happy

When I draw, I forget all my worries. It’s just me and my imagination, dancing together on paper. It’s the best feeling ever.

250 Words Essay on My Talent Is Drawing

Drawing is my special talent. It’s like a superpower that lets me create new worlds on paper. From the moment I hold a pencil, I feel like a magician. With just a few strokes, I can draw anything from a giant dragon to a tiny ant.

Starting to Draw

I began drawing when I was very young. At first, it was just scribbles and random shapes. But soon, those shapes started to look like real things. My family and friends would smile and tell me how good my pictures were. That made me happy and encouraged me to keep going.

Practice Makes Perfect

To get better at drawing, I draw every day. It’s like playing a sport or learning an instrument; the more you do it, the better you get. I try to draw different things to improve. Sometimes I draw from real life, and other times from my imagination.

Sharing my drawings with others is the best part. When people see my art and it makes them happy or curious, it feels amazing. I love when they ask me about what I’ve drawn. It’s like sharing a piece of my mind with them.

Why Drawing Matters

Drawing is important because it is a way to express feelings without words. If I’m sad, happy, or excited, I can show it in my drawings. It’s a language that everyone can understand, no matter where they come from.

In conclusion, drawing is not just a hobby for me; it’s a way of life. It helps me see the world in a special way and share that vision with others. My talent in drawing is something I cherish and will always continue to nurture.

500 Words Essay on My Talent Is Drawing

Discovering my talent for drawing.

When I was very young, I found out that I had a special skill. This skill was not running fast or solving math problems quickly. It was drawing. I could make pictures with pencils and colors that looked like the things around me. My friends and family noticed that I could draw well. They would ask me to make pictures for them, which made me very happy.

What I Love About Drawing

Drawing is my favorite thing to do because it allows me to create my own world on paper. I can draw animals, people, trees, and even places I dream about visiting. When I draw, I feel like I am telling a story without using words. I can be sad, happy, or even angry, and my drawings will show those feelings. It’s like magic how a few lines and shades can show so much emotion.

Practicing My Talent

To get better at drawing, I practice a lot. Every day after school, I take out my sketchbook and draw something new. Sometimes I look at a picture and try to draw it exactly as it is. Other times, I use my imagination to make something completely new. I have learned that making mistakes is okay because each mistake helps me improve.

Sharing My Drawings

Sharing my drawings with others is something I really enjoy. I give my drawings to friends and family as gifts, and I love seeing their smiles when they look at my art. At school, my teachers use my drawings in the classroom, and my classmates ask me for tips on how to draw. It feels good to help others learn to draw, too.

My Dreams for the Future

I have big dreams for my drawing talent. One day, I want to be an artist or a book illustrator. I want to make books for children with my drawings, or maybe even create cartoons that people can watch on TV. I know that I have to work hard and keep practicing to make these dreams come true.

The Joy of Drawing

Drawing is not just a talent; it’s a part of who I am. It brings me joy and helps me express my feelings. Even when I am older, I know that I will still love to draw. It’s a talent that I will always be thankful for, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me in the future.

To sum it up, drawing is a special talent that I have. It lets me show my feelings, create beautiful things, and share my art with the world. By practicing every day, I am getting better and moving closer to my dreams. Drawing is not just what I do; it’s a big part of me, and I love it.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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My Talents and Skills

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Essays About Art: Top 5 Examples and 9 Prompts

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