talent...? anyone...?

I couldn't draw until I found the anime style and started drawing with it all the time. Art takes practice. Some people have an innate skill, like Escher with his tesselations and VanGogh with his...specialness. But other great people learn their skills over time.

I think its both. Some great artist and singers are just born that way while others have to work their butts off to reach greatness.

I know all about being the middle child I have an older sister and 2younger sisters plus 3 younger brothers. The thing about it is you can't compare yourself to them because you aren't them and never will be. It's harder than it sounds to do, I know. I think you should blow off what your bro can do and consentrate on what you can. So what if you never sing like an angle or create a work of art that will  hang in museums centuries from now? You have skills of your own that rock just because their not like your bro's doesn't mean they are any less sensational.

First off, I know I'm not anyone to be saying this because I've got enough of a hard time pulling myself together on the art field.

I was never born with anything in my oppinion. When I was 9 I was still putting too many fingers on my half-formed stick people. I was no artist. Not in any way. The only thing I thought about was reading and school. It was by my on choice. No one pushed me into being that way.

As of right now art is one of the VERY few things that I care about. I love it. I've only been this into drawing for about 2-3 years. I think I've done a lot with that time and used it to the most I could have.

I don't fully believe in tallent. No one in my house has any kind of like for drawing at all. I'm the only one. And when I was little I all but hated art. If I was born with tallent, wouldn't I have at least liked it then? I think if there is something called tallent, it's something that you yourself have to work on and refine. It's not just there and you can pick it up like a magic pencil and do something great.

Try not to think about it too much. Just make our own shaddow; away from your brothers. Find something you love and perfect that. Then you'll have your own shaddow. ^_^

I believe that becoming a good artist is about one thing...practice.  I can't stress that enough.  When I first started drawing anime I was absolutely terrible at it.  But I just didn't give up and eventually I got some good things out of it.  And everytime I draw a picture I learn something new or a different technique.  So, don't stress.  Keep doing what you love to do...draw.    I gaurantee that you'll start to surprise yourself at what you can do if you just keep at it. 

Practice.Tis it is that simple.I don't think anyone is born knowing how do draw, sing, or whatever.You have to be taught or teach yourself by looking at somebody else.So I think the only thing that you can do is practice and believe in yourself ! I hate when people always tell me that I had to get my drawing ablitly from someone else in my family! ( Besides no one else in my family can draw besides my cousin )It isn't that easy to draw or sing..it is just that practice makes perfect. ^__^

My opinion is that a person can be born with potential. Some people are born with the potential to be good at something. Then they still need to practice and practice to get better. Some learn faster than others and I think that has to do with many factors, including a persons potential for something and if the type of learning that works best for them matches the type of training they are receiving.
Right now I'm drowning in school. I took an incomplete in Advanced Illustration. I've done terrible in that class from the start. But before that I got A's and did very well in my other illustration classes which were MORE informative than this advanced class. Why did I do so poorly? My teacher for that class didn't believe in "holding peoples hands" which meant, he never really taught you anything. He'd give you an assignment and expect you to figure out how to do it. The illustration classes I had before I actually learned something in because the teacher explained everything in minute detail. They even printed out detailed steps for you to follow.
So yeah, my point is, it's both. You have to have an innate aptitude for it and you do have it. Now you need to just figure out what type of training methods work best for you and get that training.
btw, I believe Van Gogh was classically trained in the arts. He didn't just start painting. He was trained.

Talent I believe is the ability to see somehting lively in your mind that inspires others. if you doint practise, then it doesn't perfect. You do need to try lots of new stuff to keep your mind open, but anyone can do it. They just do it in different ways.

Have you ever thought that your brother is differnt cause he puts something extra into it? Maybe he feels an emotion as he sings, or draws? The ability to feel is a huge part of the arts. YOu'll find you can be that good in some other medium maybe. Untill then- what makes you happy? Are you happy singing/drawing? Don't worry. It's only important if you want it to be

Born with it.  I can't draw to save my life, seriously.  I've made several attempts to be an artist, but I'm not...at least not visually.  I do think that talent can be developed and improved, but I think there's got to be something there to start with.

Don't sweat it emmet849- I'm not that great. I just spend aaaages drawing. You will get better. You just have to try harder, and love art that much more

Besides, how can you knock what you don't do? (I haven't seen any of your art) Art is one of those things that if you want to do it- do it. You can only get beter. People that give up cause they can't draw a line are wankers- that's why we have rulers. Its all about asthetics. Some people think up asthetic things easier than others.

I don't know about the rest of you, but personally I think it's a little insulting to say that it's only talent or that you are born with it. An artist has to work hard and practice to get better. And I've worked d@$% hard to get to where I am and I've only scratched the surface. Saying it's only talent is like saying us artists didn't work hard to obtain our skill, as if it was a gift that was just given to us.

I do think there is some talent involved in the form of potential, like I said before. But the truth remains, practice practice practice!
We aren't born understanding light and shade, anatomy, gesture, color, composition, etc...

Its the same thing with everything else. My first webpage was complete crap. And so were my other early websites. I made a LOT of website designs in my time. I've probably gone through about 40 or 50 website designs and with each one I get better.
The first songs I learned on the piano by ear were melody only and were innacurate in some places. But then I got traditional training in piano and practiced a lot. I practiced for at least an hour every day. (although I only spent about 5 minutes practicing my lessons and the rest on my own stuff). Now I have the classical training under my belt and can learn a song by ear, melody and chords, in like 10 minutes when before it would take me an hour just to get the melody.

We all start off sucking when we try something new. But with practice, proper training, and motivation we get better. Period.

I'm am totally for saying that artistic talent is something learned and not inherited or born with. I was'nt born with the ability to draw a kickazz DBZ fanart... I was born with the WILL POWER to WANT TO draw really aweosme pics.... And I learned overtime. I was born with the ability to hold onto a pencil and scratch random lines across the page :/ That's  all I was born with as far as 'talent' goes. It took years of study and practice to get to where I am at... And the reason why I am here, is cuz I WANTED to be.. I really like art, and so that's why I am where I am at. :3

Way I see it, everybody has the potential to do with it. Whether they build on that potential or not is about the individual.

 

That's my two cents at least

I have to agree with BR's idea that we are born with potential.  I didn't get any training until I went to college for Fine Arts (and then it wasn't quite the training I was looking for, but every little bit helps), but I started really seriously drawing when I was eight.  I wanted to be an artist so badly that I would go to the librar every week looking for new books that would help me get there.  Mind you, I never followed the step-by-steps..  I made my own steps.  That's what makes us unique.

There has to be an absolute drive to get to a goal, and a consuming love for what you're doing as well, before you can achieve greatness.

You know how there are some people who just can't hold a beat? When I was in middle school I was a drummer in band and there was this other drummer that just couldn't hold a beat or rhythm to save his life. I think a person has to have some sort of innate feeling for rhythm and it's that sort of basic thing that I think is the talent/potential for music. I dont know what it is for art. Perhaps some sort of innate feeling for porportion? Or perhaps a steady hand?

On another note I just got myself a brand spankin' new Intuos pen tablet today! XD

I know what you mean, Susie. I think it's just that they say it without thinking. People who don't love to draw don't really seem to understand what people who do put into their work. But, that's why I try to keep up with art sites like this one where there are people who understand. ^_^

I think time comes into it too- you can be that ehind every awesome pic is 10+ hours of hard work. Most arts that do photorealism easily cap 20. I know I do. That's almost a DAY working on the one pic. Its takes persisitance skill and desire to get it the best you can. Persistance comes from the want to be better, skill from doing it for a while, and desire fromt hte passion of art. Without all three, your final picture will always lack something. That's how I see it