AWKWARD ZOMBIE

Two reasons for this.

1. I like seeing others poinions because a good political debate never hurt anyone! It's perfectly legal.
2. Wanted to see how well you guys can take seriousness here. >D

I say number three here. If I draw something, and people don't like it, and tell me to stop, but I enjoy it... Hell no! I am NOT going to stop having FUN just because YOU can't seem to deal with the fact that PEOPLE are allowed to be DIFFERENT.

So there.

A lot of artists hate creating art, though. An artist is an artist because they produce what they interpret as art, even if it's a photograph of Jesus Christ being crucified in a jar of piss.

Because they can draw.

Like Lawliet said, not all artists enjoy making art. It sounds tupid to do something you hate, but if you're great at it, what can you do? *shrug* And just liking what you produce doesn't make you an artist. I'm happiest with my random, pointless doodles I do with friends, that don't make sense to anyone but us and even we have a heard time deciphering what the hell we drew. Enjoying that doesn't make us artists though.

Well, as an example, say someone can't draw as well as me. I'm not going to tell them they're not an artist because they're not very good at drawing a specific thing. In fact, that could easily just be their style. But I'm not going to tell a person who draws poorly that they're not an artist simply because they draw worse.

And that is why I did not choose skill.

Your only what other people go out and consider you. Without them your just a normal person with some nifty talents.

Media.

You can be an artist yet no one knows of your existance.

Titles are just names given by the media and fans to someone they idolize based on what they think they are. You can call yourself an artist all you want, sure. Its just a title, its what you do however that shapes what you really are. Some consider video games art, some people find fat people sexy, I don't pretend to understand why they name things and take after what they take after. Titles or Labels are just what people call you based on what they see you do, and most just form into that whether they like it or not because, hey! They found something.


This excludes Merlin, who, as far as I can tell, really is hardcoh.....core...whichever.

I saw what you said yet I shall not repeat it. 8D

Alrighty then, think about it. I am going to name a few people. Name those you believe you would call an "Artist"

Me
My friend Thurman, who draws very small alien things and ninjas... not the best drawer in the world. (avoiding the world artist here)
Someone who draws something you don't like (whoever)
My mom, whom had a great chance at being a well-known artist, but did not take the chance, but she is still good at art, she just doesn't do it for cheddar.

Gee, I completely agree.

That's exactly what an artist is...someone who calls themselves an artist. No amount of skill, style, enjoyment or cheddar means anything unless the person in question considers themselves an artist. The only requirement for an artist is to use a medium to express themselves as an artist.

Something about this entire topic just sort of pisses me off, but I'll let it pass, because I can't figure out what it is.

But one thing I do know is that it's incredibly exclusive. Am I an artist for drawing? Painting? Sculpting? Designing? Writing?

Why stop there? What about public speakers? Comedians? Actors? Directors? Cooks? My personal favorite, musicians?

Most everyone, from painters, to accountants, to the winner of a professional hot dog eating contest, could consider themselves an artist, and probably has at one point or another.

Art happens where passion meets skill, I suppose is what I'm getting at. But that isn't always the case. One day you might discover you have a gift, and from that point flourish it until it becomes your life. Or you may love something so much that you'd work for the rest of your life to create a skill for it.

But I'm afraid I may have only overanalyzed art. The way I look at it now, I can't find one answer for what makes someone an artist. Maybe you just have to know.

Yeah, it kinda bugged me at first too but I wasn't sure why.

I encountered someone once who had stolen my artwork, flipped it horizontally, and added song lyrics, and stated that by doing that it was then their work because they used their 'awesome powers of photo alteration.' They considering themselves an artist, but I didn't. Like everybody else has been saying, it all depends. You can call yourself whatever you want, but that doesn't necessarily make you that.

Awhile ago there was some drama about someone ranting that people are not artists unless they have artistic degrees. Everyone successfully had to call the WAAAAMBULANCE, and the person was chased from the site. So really, being an artist is basically an opinion.

I do not have 1337 drawing skillz, but I enjoy drawing a lot. I make lots of other kinds of art too, like anime wallpapers and vectors. I also enjoy writing and have written a couple short stories and several poems. Are they good? I think so. Are they 1337 uber awesome? Probably not. But then again, it all depends on opinion.

I enjoy what I do and I don't care that I'm not really all that good at it. I think that's what makes you an artist. Loving what you do regardless of whether or not you suck.