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Originally posted by PEARLat32

I don't think it's just an artist thing, it's a human thing.

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I agree. Creativity has to come from within. Artists don't need always need to be tortured. It's your creative 'voice' that you need to find and develop.

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Originally posted by FemaleJayne:
Artist like torutered poets who have to have diversity in their lives to be creative?

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Artist need to be diverse. I was taught that if you wanted to be an artist, you need to learn everything from sculpture to watercolour. Even if you just wanted to be a comic book artist. I slightly agree with the tortured thing though. It does help. Whenever I'm ill I seem to draw better than when I'm not.

The phrase 'to draw' has two distict meanings. The first is drawing something across a surface. The second implies drawing from within. (Like drawing water from a well.)

That's the important one because artists should draw what they see, but especially draw what lies beneath. (From the subject or themselves.)

I probably sound like some stuffy art tutor now That was an interesting thread.

"Are artists like tortured poets who have to have diversity in their lives to be creative?"

I hope this is hypothetical and not personal for you. But being an artist myself (graphic designer by trade), I know what it's like. I used to be. Or at least I thought an artist had to be a tortured soul to create. Ironically, some of the best art (no matter the medium) is born from pain. But it's not necessary. A lot of it has to do with your perception of things. I suffer from being too hard on myself; there's where my torture lies. It's detrimental to my well-being and the quality of my life. Life is too short not to enjoy and not to have the courage to create. Keeps me alive. :)

I don't think it's just an artist thing, it's a human thing.

interesting question, luv. who says how life lines are lived out? are you an artist because you are tourtured or are you tourtured because you are an artist? what about the tourtured who are accountants? should they be artists? *mind boggles*

I think its a toss up. you are what you are. most tourtured people are very sensitive and thoughtfull... does that make them suseptable to bursts of creativity? maybe.