College life is a struggle for everyone. There are things that every student has to adjust to (roommates, community bathrooms, dining hall food, etc.), but each major has it's own struggles that only people from that major will understand. Here are a few things that art majors can relate to.
1. When people think that being an art major is "easy."
NO. Just... No. Art takes just as much blood, sweat, and tears (emphasis on tears) as any other major. It can be rewarding, stressful, infuriating, and fantastic, all at the same time. Sometimes, we are proud of our work. But many many times we absolutely hate it because we are our own worst critic...we swear we're gonna quit making art but then we remember it's the only thing we know how to do.
2. You realize how emotional you really are.
An artist's worst nightmare is to work so hard on a piece and then have something ruin it. Once, I literally had an emotional breakdown because I had worked for hours... and I mean HOURS... on a video project and thought that I hadn't saved it correctly and would have to start all over again! (Amoment of silence for artists who have experienced this. You are not alone.)
3. The struggle of not being able to get what's in your head out onto the canvas.
We often have this great idea in our heads of exactly what we want our piece to look like. It's brilliant! People will love it! Then we put it on the paper and it looks absolutely nothing like what was in our head and it is very, VERY frustrating! This usually leads to screaming, "I HATE EVERYTHING!" and eventually giving up and saying, "This is as good as it's gonna get."
4. When you literally become part of your artwork:
Artists get to work with lots of fun mediums, but some of them can be quite messy! I can't tell you how many times I've looked down and found myself covered in charcoal! And I literally can't paint anything without also painting myself. It's a struggle, but it's fun!
5. When you make artwork that you're actually proud of:
Your art is a way to show the world a piece of yourself. It's like your baby! You are so proud of it and want to let the world see just how valuable it is to you. And you know what? It's totally worth all of the long hours that you were so focused you forgot to eat (yes that actually happened).
I hope that those of you who are not artists now understand us crazy people a little better! If you see an artist friend who is screaming in frustration or pulling out their hair, bring them some ice cream or coffee (or both) and reassure them that everything is, in fact, going to be okay.
To my fellow artists - when you just can't seem to get your work to look the way you want it to, just remember the words of the great Bob Ross: "We don't make mistakes, just happy, little accidents."
