(This was old, I felt like brining it up again. New people might need it. Heck, even I need it right now...)

I heard a friend feel their art wasn't worth it because they thought they weren't too good. Instead of giving them a personal comment I'm gonna make this public, because I know a lot of artist feel this way at some time. I know I have. But I want to share what I've learned while being in my art academy. When I heard great artist I admire feel like this. When I see artist I know have great talent and big possibilities give up before they've even tried.

When my own teacher tells me. "I'm not that good..." every time I praise his own art which I'm jealous off sometimes(not in a bad way).
My paint teacher for example. He can pull out such wonderful masterpieces out of a canvas or a sculpture. Yet, he struggles with drawn art.

So here goes. To every artist who ever doubted his talent.

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I will tell you what I tell every single artist that feels similar to the way you did.
Never. And I mean, NEVER. Compare yourself with another artist.
There's no better artist, there's no worst artist. There's no two artists alike. Just like there's no two people alike. Similar, yes. But the same, never. So this means there is no set best to reach.
Each artist specializes in different things. Style, technique, materials used, way of using said materials. There is only different levels of skill and they're measured individually for each person. When you become a great artist is when you've reached the top of your own skill. Not when your art looks close to another artist you admire.
Never pair up your drawings aside another's unless you want to compare techniques or you want to copy it. Because they will never look the same.

You sure you haven't gotten comments saying "I wanna draw like that!", "I wish I could color like you do."? I sure have, but guess what? I also say this to other artists, and I've heard those very awesome artist say this to others. Does it mean I'm a bad artist that could never par up to them? No. It means they've got more experience, better techniques, better improved techniques.

There's also the kind of art we like. There's drawings that have very high levels of skill, yet it might not be liked by everyone because of the style. Have Anime and manga for example. How many people say they hate it. No matter how great the art is, it simply isn't their preferred style.
So there's always people who won't like your style and say it's bad. Doesn't mean you're a bad artist. Always pay more attention to the positive comments. And if the bad ones mention something in specific, then aim to improve it instead of thinking you're just bad at it.
No artist is perfect, ever. No artist will ever stop learning, the ones that think they have nothing more to learn are stuck and will never get any better. Those are bad artists.
So you said you couldn't stop drawing? Of course you couldn't. Being an artist is not something you do because you have to. Not something you do for other people. Not something you should use to gain anything. Being an artist is a very personal thing. Is a very rare talent, another one of those that makes us different. Some people are musicians, some are dancers, some write poetry. All is considered art and art is nothing more than the expression of our souls and hearts.
"Work is what we do for others, art is what we do for ourselves." A friend on Livejournal said this once. Couldn't be more accurate.

Don't you ever give up something because you don't think you can please everyone, yourself included. Do it because you simply enjoy it. Do it because it makes you happy. Because you feel like it. Your own emotions will go into your works for others to perceive. Art can be used to teach lessons, to share feelings.
Art is the most important trait from me. The one I'm very proud off and it has nothing to do with the amount of skill I have. It has to do with how I use it as a way to free my emotions. the only way I can. If I didn't have art, I would die from my own despair of bottling everything up.
Most of the things I draw are never made public. Some are very good, but I really didn't make them so others could tell me if it was good or not. I made it because I felt like it. Because i had something to express. To clear up my own head and emotions.
Lately my life have been very emotionally heavy and without art I would have gotten mad.

Art says what you can't express in words. Art gives life to that which does not exists. Art will give form to feelings that can't be touched, or seen. We create entire worlds full of life. We create new beings and watch them grow. Is one of those few things we are in full control of.
Art is magic. Don't you ever let anyone take your magic away from you. Don't you let anyone make you think it's not worth it. Not even yourself.
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I don't just admire those who draw better than me. I also admire those who's hearts and feelings can be seen in their art.