You are exhausted.
It’s been 3 hours of just you sitting there, staring at that blank page.
What’s wrong with you?
Other people can just sit down and whip out a sketch in 30 minutes.
Hell, there are people that can do it in 30 seconds!
So why can’t you?
Why are you such a failure?
Can’t you do anything?
I’m sure you just need to try harder
Do something, anything–
Oh-
Oh my word.
That is absolute,
Utter,
Garbage.
You can’t let anyone see this!
There are people that can create art with anatomy and proportions
Hell there are even people that use color theory and lighting!
So why can’t you?
Why are you such a failure?
Can’t you do anything?
I’m sure you just need to try harder
Just think about what you’re doing more
I’m going to interrupt here, for just a moment.
To narrate with an unbiased voice
This cycle continues for a long time
Rushing
Overthinking
Rushing
Overthinking
Over and over again
The artist’s devil continues to berate them:
Why are you a failure?
Can’t you do anything?
I’m sure you just need to try harder
Do something
Do more
So the artist did
Rushing
Overthinking
Rushing
Overthinking
Over and over again
It looked like the vicious cycle would never end
The artist’s devil would get its satisfaction
In seeing the artist
Squirm
And cry
And fail
But only because the artist believed their devil
But one day, the artist met another
One who cherished in their time at the canvas
One who cherished the art made
Seeing you there, furiously
Scribbling
Sketching
Thinking
It makes my day
And what comes out of your time furiously
Scribbling
Sketching
Thinking
Is always beautiful
But you are a failure!
You can’t do anything!
You need to try harder!
You are a terrible artist!
And the artist was torn.
Between their angel
And their devil
The devil’s insults
That is terrible!
The angel’s praise
It is beautiful!
The artist believed both
But neither ever agreed
The artist continued their cycle
Rushing
Overthinking
Rushing
Overthinking
Over and over again
But now
Occasionally
It was interrupted
With pride
And satisfaction
Of knowing that even though they still despised their work
That someone out there liked it anyway
This kept the artist through the cycle of
Rushing
Overthinking
Rushing
Overthinking
Over and over again
The artist wanted to keep going
For the first time
They didn’t despise their time at the canvas
They didn’t want to quit
The artist never got rid of their devil
But they did stop believing in it
Instead
The artist listened to their angel