Comparisons to others, doubt, and feeling out of place.

[fish]

How do you guys deal with comparing yourself to others, especially in the early ends of your career?

I'm fairly new to the Graphic Design world and love it here. There is a lot of stuff that I have made that I am proud of. But, whenever I see other people's work, especially in and around this community, I always get this overwhelming feeling of not being good enough and unable to reach that level.

I have to say that I'm not a ''Metalheart Designer'' or a ''Vectorheart Designer'' by any means, as I have made only one attempt at it, and that was for the 2024 contest, that poster didn't turn out to be either Metalheart or Vectorheart, and I wonder if that contributes to it. I do a lot of clothing, movie posters, and noise design, but I have a deep love for Metalheart/Vectorheart and I always wish I was more talented in that field rather than what I do now.

Any advice, outlooks, and/or kind words?

 

[Sonachine69]

I feel like everyone here is forced to deal with this stuff from time to time. It's just a curse of mastering any field, and your experience doesn't really matter. I don't know If I'm a good person to help you, because I'm still bad with this stuff, but here are the things that helped me A LOT:

1. If you're just starting out with something, do it like nobody is watching. Do it for yourself, rather than for the audience. Find motivation in the pure, childlike joy of messing with something you like and learning something new. Spend this period of your art journey exciting, fun, and enjoyable, and it will leave you with great, warm memories and a ton of experience. It's a shame to poison it with toxic overthinking.
   
   
2. At some point, there is no way to stop the feeling of doubt. As an artist, you naturally will feel attached to your works, and your self-criticism can ramp up badly. And here, you have two options - you can let this feeling control you, overwhelm you, and leave you in a painful burnout, or you can be more strict with yourself while keeping a cold mind. Use this feeling to help you notice the areas where you can improve something to the best of your abilities and move on. Never take this doubt too seriously - acknowledge it, but never treat it like the end of your life. It's not an indicator of your lack of talent or skill.
   
   
3. You can, and will be the shittiest critic of your own works, you need to accept that. While you can be proud of some of your art, there will definitely be times when you can't force yourself to even look at it. It doesn't mean that it's objectively bad, it's just your stupid monkey brain ruining it for you. When I'm working on a project for too long, I can completely lose any sense of quality in the process. It's unfortunate, but you should know that and never let this feeling be taken too seriously. When people around telling you that your work is gorgeous but you can't believe it - value their opinion more, they are most probably right.
   
   
4. Don't forget that other people compare their works with yours too, and it can be a pretty positive thing. You will never see your art with other people's eyes, and you have no idea what they find so special about it. BUT THEY DO and that's all that matters. People love your art not for your skill level or how it compares to other artists' work, but for your own creative vision, things, and quirks that exist only in your own art. You don't need to be comparable to be fulfilled as an artist, roll with your own style, get more experience, meet new people, have fun and everything will get better - the quality of your art and your life too.
   
   
5. Get enough sleep and eat good food. And switch your Twitter timeline from "For You" to "Following"

If you are a person like me with constant internal dialogue and unhealthy levels of self-consciousness you WILL gaslight yourself on a daily basis. It's hard, but try to filter those thoughts and be more accepting.

Don't listen to yourself, listen to me -

YOU'RE A GREAT DESIGNER WITH A BRIGHT FUTURE AND YOUR POSTER ENTRY WAS FLAWLESS AND DEF ONE OF MY FAVOURITE.
YOU DESERVE TO FEEL GOOD AND HAVE FUN WITHOUT ALL THE BULLSHIT THAT YOUR BRAIN IS FEEDING YOU.
WHATEVER YOU'RE PLANNING TO ACHIEVE - YOU WILL GET THERE WITH ENOUGH EXPERIENCE, AND YOU WILL GET IT.

TO HAVE SOME FUN CREATING BEAUTIFUL ART - THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT NOW!!

 

[atradaitoshi]

How do you guys deal with comparing yourself to others, especially in the early ends of your career?

I'm fairly new to the Graphic Design world and love it here. There is a lot of stuff that I have made that I am proud of. But, whenever I see other people's work, especially in and around this community, I always get this overwhelming feeling of not being good enough and unable to reach that level.

I have to say that I'm not a ''Metalheart Designer'' or a ''Vectorheart Designer'' by any means, as I have made only one attempt at it, and that was for the 2024 contest, that poster didn't turn out to be either Metalheart or Vectorheart, and I wonder if that contributes to it. I do a lot of clothing, movie posters, and noise design, but I have a deep love for Metalheart/Vectorheart and I always wish I was more talented in that field rather than what I do now.

Any advice, outlooks, and/or kind words?

If you put in as much time as those you look up to - you'd be able to the same as them. Comparing self to others is natural. While there is always going to be someone that's better than you go off of the principle that ultimately you have something unique to offer. It's about being content with what you have but also being proactive and not idle.

 

[ChunkOfWax]

Personally, I think learning to feign confidence is a really valuable skill and funny mental trick. If you're just able to overcome that initial hurdle of putting yourself out there, and then continue to pretend that you are confident in yourself and your work, you'll eventually just become actually confident. It takes time, it's much easier said than done, and it can have the unintended side effect of pretty annoying imposter syndrome from time to time. But! I think it's worth it. You'll find yourself comparing yourself to others a bit less, and I think it's worthwhile as long as it means that you're making stuff at all.

Also, generally, I think learning similar mental tricks can help a bunch when it comes overcoming your doubts. From the outside looking in, a lot of our doubts and anxieties as creative people can appear irrelevant or contrived. It can be really easy to say, "just get over it, it's not real", but it feels like the most unconquerable, insurmountable thing ever when it's in our own head. But personally, I think letting yourself get comfortable with those doubts and learning to understand them is really valuable. Cause then you can figure out little mental tricks like the one I mentioned that appear to work within the constraints you've imposed on yourself, but actually allow to do more than you could've previously imagined. For example, when I was first learning digital art, I had basically zero prior experience, and I knew that if I really, truly tried to make something good and from the heart, it would suck SO hard. So, I purposefully made dog shit art. I leaned into a sloppy, childish aesthetic, and became known for that within the tiny community I was in at the time. And thankfully, that opened the door for me to actually learn and practice, and with time, I've learned a lot and have gotten (at least I hope) much, much better (lol). I had a lot of doubts initially, but I tricked myself into making art anyways under the guise of it purposefully being bad art. Not at all saying you should do what I did, per se, but y'know. It's all about figuring something out that works for you.

That being said, it's also important to recognize that we're all fallible. I struggle with doubt all the goddamn time, and in the title you mentioned feeling out of place, and that's something I especially struggle with ALL the time. I like to think that I believe in what I do and make, but I can't help but feel anxious when trying to share that. I tend to let a lot of my anxieties get in the way of making stuff sometimes, and as much as I want to beat myself up about it, I have to recognize that doing so isn't really that productive either. It'd be really cool to be able to heroically overcome our anxieties and doubts instantaneously all the time, but that's rarely possible. So, most of all, I think allowing yourself to be patient with yourself as you work through your doubts, however long it may take, is a very valuable skill to learn too!

My advice is pretty anecdotal, but I hope this could maybe help :)

 

[fish]

I feel like everyone here is forced to deal with this stuff from time to time. It's just a curse of mastering any field, and your experience doesn't really matter. I don't know If I'm a good person to help you, because I'm still bad with this stuff, but here are the things that helped me A LOT:

1. If you're just starting out with something, do it like nobody is watching. Do it for yourself, rather than for the audience. Find motivation in the pure, childlike joy of messing with something you like and learning something new. Spend this period of your art journey exciting, fun, and enjoyable, and it will leave you with great, warm memories and a ton of experience. It's a shame to poison it with toxic overthinking.
   
   
2. At some point, there is no way to stop the feeling of doubt. As an artist, you naturally will feel attached to your works, and your self-criticism can ramp up badly. And here, you have two options - you can let this feeling control you, overwhelm you, and leave you in a painful burnout, or you can be more strict with yourself while keeping a cold mind. Use this feeling to help you notice the areas where you can improve something to the best of your abilities and move on. Never take this doubt too seriously - acknowledge it, but never treat it like the end of your life. It's not an indicator of your lack of talent or skill.
   
   
3. You can, and will be the shittiest critic of your own works, you need to accept that. While you can be proud of some of your art, there will definitely be times when you can't force yourself to even look at it. It doesn't mean that it's objectively bad, it's just your stupid monkey brain ruining it for you. When I'm working on a project for too long, I can completely lose any sense of quality in the process. It's unfortunate, but you should know that and never let this feeling be taken too seriously. When people around telling you that your work is gorgeous but you can't believe it - value their opinion more, they are most probably right.
   
   
4. Don't forget that other people compare their works with yours too, and it can be a pretty positive thing. You will never see your art with other people's eyes, and you have no idea what they find so special about it. BUT THEY DO and that's all that matters. People love your art not for your skill level or how it compares to other artists' work, but for your own creative vision, things, and quirks that exist only in your own art. You don't need to be comparable to be fulfilled as an artist, roll with your own style, get more experience, meet new people, have fun and everything will get better - the quality of your art and your life too.
   
   
5. Get enough sleep and eat good food. And switch your Twitter timeline from "For You" to "Following"

If you are a person like me with constant internal dialogue and unhealthy levels of self-consciousness you WILL gaslight yourself on a daily basis. It's hard, but try to filter those thoughts and be more accepting.

Don't listen to yourself, listen to me -

YOU'RE A GREAT DESIGNER WITH A BRIGHT FUTURE AND YOUR POSTER ENTRY WAS FLAWLESS AND DEF ONE OF MY FAVOURITE.
YOU DESERVE TO FEEL GOOD AND HAVE FUN WITHOUT ALL THE BULLSHIT THAT YOUR BRAIN IS FEEDING YOU.
WHATEVER YOU'RE PLANNING TO ACHIEVE - YOU WILL GET THERE WITH ENOUGH EXPERIENCE, AND YOU WILL GET IT.

TO HAVE SOME FUN CREATING BEAUTIFUL ART - THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT NOW!!

I mean this in the best way possible, trust me when I say that, it's a compliment; your work was actually some of the stuff that I looked at and made me feel two things: like shit, and inspired. I appreciate your words and your advice, I will always take them from people in this community.

 

[fish]

If you put in as much time as those you look up to - you'd be able to the same as them. Comparing self to others is natural. While there is always going to be someone that's better than you go off of the principle that ultimately you have something unique to offer. It's about being content with what you have but also being proactive and not idle.

I do hope that time is the answer, and it probably is. Practice makes perfect in many cases, but it's just my brain playing tricks on me, telling me that even with time it's just a matter of talent, that I don't have. I'll have to overcome those thoughts somehow. Thank you for your words.

 

[fish]

Personally, I think learning to feign confidence is a really valuable skill and funny mental trick. If you're just able to overcome that initial hurdle of putting yourself out there, and then continue to pretend that you are confident in yourself and your work, you'll eventually just become actually confident. It takes time, it's much easier said than done, and it can have the unintended side effect of pretty annoying imposter syndrome from time to time. But! I think it's worth it. You'll find yourself comparing yourself to others a bit less, and I think it's worthwhile as long as it means that you're making stuff at all.

Also, generally, I think learning similar mental tricks can help a bunch when it comes overcoming your doubts. From the outside looking in, a lot of our doubts and anxieties as creative people can appear irrelevant or contrived. It can be really easy to say, "just get over it, it's not real", but it feels like the most unconquerable, insurmountable thing ever when it's in our own head. But personally, I think letting yourself get comfortable with those doubts and learning to understand them is really valuable. Cause then you can figure out little mental tricks like the one I mentioned that appear to work within the constraints you've imposed on yourself, but actually allow to do more than you could've previously imagined. For example, when I was first learning digital art, I had basically zero prior experience, and I knew that if I really, truly tried to make something good and from the heart, it would suck SO hard. So, I purposefully made dog shit art. I leaned into a sloppy, childish aesthetic, and became known for that within the tiny community I was in at the time. And thankfully, that opened the door for me to actually learn and practice, and with time, I've learned a lot and have gotten (at least I hope) much, much better (lol). I had a lot of doubts initially, but I tricked myself into making art anyways under the guise of it purposefully being bad art. Not at all saying you should do what I did, per se, but y'know. It's all about figuring something out that works for you.

That being said, it's also important to recognize that we're all fallible. I struggle with doubt all the goddamn time, and in the title you mentioned feeling out of place, and that's something I especially struggle with ALL the time. I like to think that I believe in what I do and make, but I can't help but feel anxious when trying to share that. I tend to let a lot of my anxieties get in the way of making stuff sometimes, and as much as I want to beat myself up about it, I have to recognize that doing so isn't really that productive either. It'd be really cool to be able to heroically overcome our anxieties and doubts instantaneously all the time, but that's rarely possible. So, most of all, I think allowing yourself to be patient with yourself as you work through your doubts, however long it may take, is a very valuable skill to learn too!

My advice is pretty anecdotal, but I hope this could maybe help :)

My mom has always told me again and again to ''Fake it till I make it'' and oh boy have I done that in my real life. I strongly relate to feigning confidence, but I guess I haven't put that thought process into my world of Graphic Design yet. I do wonder if it would apply. I am confident in my work, but I am not confident that it's as good as other people's work. Like... I'll see designs and sometimes just automatically assume that it would be impossible for me to make something as beautiful as that, and then I'll make something and I'll be extremely proud of it. I guess I need to fake the confidence that anything that other people have made is something that I myself can make too? Hmm....

Thank you for your words man, I really appreciate it.

 

[Sonachine69]

I mean this in the best way possible, trust me when I say that, it's a compliment; your work was actually some of the stuff that I looked at and made me feel two things: like shit, and inspired. I appreciate your words and your advice, I will always take them from people in this community.

Thank you. It really means a lot. And I can relate to this; everyone does, I think. When I just discovered DeskGen and its artists, I felt like the most incompetent shit that can't even be qualified as an artist or creator. I really dig this style, and everyone here is an extremely talented and skilled individual who deserves so much praise. Still, It doesn't mean that I should ridicule myself to be able to enjoy their work.

Maybe I can't completely eliminate this feeling of incompetence, and the curse of constant comparison is hard to get rid of, but at least I can acknowledge this feeling and think of it more logically. And when you look closer, it looks and feels pretty stupid—we all have different levels of experience, backgrounds, and inspirations, and we work with different mediums, too. We all have our unique approach to work that nobody else can replicate, so instead of toxic comparison, I think it's better to cherish our differences.

Some of the people I follow and love spent 10 - 15+ years mastering their craft, and It would be silly of me to feel discouraged by comparing. Every great artist was a beginner, and I bet they were crushed by the same amount of doubt as we are. Still, they persisted; that's the only thing that matters, really. We can't lobotomize ourselves and get rid of our emotions, but we should try hard to make this nasty doubt and self-hate feel as little as possible, unimportant, and not taken seriously.

--
As everyone says - you should continue mastering your art through the feeling of being shit, but I would add; instead of accepting and enduring this feeling, you should fuck those thoughts up from time to time and fight for your happiness in this journey. You deserve to feel happy and fulfilled by doing what you love.

 

[fish]

Thank you. It really means a lot. And I can relate to this; everyone does, I think. When I just discovered DeskGen and its artists, I felt like the most incompetent shit that can't even be qualified as an artist or creator. I really dig this style, and everyone here is an extremely talented and skilled individual who deserves so much praise. Still, It doesn't mean that I should ridicule myself to be able to enjoy their work.

Maybe I can't completely eliminate this feeling of incompetence, and the curse of constant comparison is hard to get rid of, but at least I can acknowledge this feeling and think of it more logically. And when you look closer, it looks and feels pretty stupid—we all have different levels of experience, backgrounds, and inspirations, and we work with different mediums, too. We all have our unique approach to work that nobody else can replicate, so instead of toxic comparison, I think it's better to cherish our differences.

Some of the people I follow and love spent 10 - 15+ years mastering their craft, and It would be silly of me to feel discouraged by comparing. Every great artist was a beginner, and I bet they were crushed by the same amount of doubt as we are. Still, they persisted; that's the only thing that matters, really. We can't lobotomize ourselves and get rid of our emotions, but we should try hard to make this nasty doubt and self-hate feel as little as possible, unimportant, and not taken seriously.

--
As everyone says - you should continue mastering your art through the feeling of being shit, but I would add; instead of accepting and enduring this feeling, you should fuck those thoughts up from time to time and fight for your happiness in this journey. You deserve to feel happy and fulfilled by doing what you love.

Something that stuck with me with what you said is that every artist was once a beginner.
It's really interesting to think about. Every person who is great at what they do, whether it's graphic design, football, fashion, music, or whatever it is, was once a beginner and surely had doubts in their path.
That's comforting to think about.

Graphic Design is a beautiful thing and it's genuinely changed the way I look at life in general. The doubt will always be there, I'm sure, but like you said, I'll try to fight for the happiness a little harder. I know it's there, because I feel it.

Thanks, my friend.