18 Problems Only Artists Will Understand

Easier said than drawn.

Art: for hundreds of years, it has inspired the masses, and provided us with some of the greatest creative minds the world has ever seen. Without visual art, there'd be no Michelangelo, no Vermeer, no Kahlo- the list goes on and on. And art is truly great: it gives everyone an outlet for their emotions, a way to communicate without using words, and, on top of all that, it's fun! Whether you be a painter, sculptor, glass-blower, cartoonist, or any other type of artist, you have chosen a path that is full of joy, exploration, and fulfillment. But art is not all fun and games. Underneath the pretty colours and intricate details of breathtaking finished products are struggles that can only be understood by those within the artistic community. From uncooperative materials to conflicts between mind and body, frustrating and disappointing results to outsiders who just don't understand what being an artist really means, artists are faced everyday by just as many dilemmas as anyone else living in this world. People might often write off art as a real and challenging career, but that is not at all the case. When it comes to the life of an artist, it's easier said than drawn.

18. Running Out Of Fingers To Smudge With

Yea, yea, yea, we all know that they make special tools to smudge with. But let's be real: no tool is as effective as your fingers. That's why it's so devastating to you look down at your hands and see that each and every last phalange is covered with a nice coating of graphite, charcoal, or whatever medium you're working with. What are you meant to do now? If you use a dirty finger, you risk the catastrophe of an unwanted smear. Yet that section *must* be smudged! Sigh. Time to go scrub your hands...

17. Accidentally Tearing Your Paper When You Erase

emma stone no It's strange that something as precious as art can exist on something as flimsy as a sheet of paper. It's also terrifying: one wrong move can destroy a beloved and slaved-over piece. Erasers, which are normally such handy little tools, can be particularly vicious; even the most unassuming of rubbers can create a tear the size of the Marianas Trench across your page, ruining hours of hard work in the blink of an eye. What did you do to deserve such betrayal? And, anyways, erasers are meant to fix mistakes, not cause greater ones! It's just not right.

16. Everything You Own Is Stained With Paint

the aristocats disney paint artBuena Vista DistributionIn the art world, paint is on the same level as glitter in that it gets absolutely EVERYWHERE. Even hours after finishing work on a piece, you might notice paint still dried onto your hands, shirt, hair, floor, teacup, and really anything else you might have come into contact with since you picked up that paintbrush. And, yea, some paint is washable, so some stains are avoided, but other paints, like acrylics and oils, are totally permanent, leaving many an artist with a very colourfully-flecked world. Colours are nice. Chipping dried green paint off your kitchen table isn't.
 
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College kid with an affinity for sarcasm and sleeping too much.