Inspiration Not Copying

 Still working on my art.  Still tough.  Still moving.  Still copying.

Cut that last part.  When I try to copy a style or technique my results are, well, poor.  

Still Inspiration is better.

There are so many styles and everyone’s is different (mostly).  I can see parallels to this when I started fly fishing.  I didn't know what I was doing and my success rate was low and frustration level high.  It was nice to be out there but for a long time I didn’t think I was getting anywhere.  I copied the flys, I fished in the same area and the same line placement and handling, but not really.  I was copying but not understanding.  I had not yet reached a level of knowledge and technique for do my own thing.

Fast forward to today.  My fly fishing has greatly improved so that almost every time I go I catch at least 2 (and don’t break and ankle).  I’ve found my niche.  I don’t do all different techniques, just the ones I enjoy and it works for me.

I saw this when I was working too.  I had done software engineering for so long that I had worked out a zillion bugs, conditions and techniques that I understood what to do and how to do it without a whole lot of thought.  Maybe so much that it no longer holds my interest as I saw too many people copying with out understanding and thus causing so many problems.  Do they even teach what a “state machine” is anymore?  Glad I left.

Back to art and inspiration.  I’m re-learning to see and working to learn my own path.  Still playing with different tools and styles.  Yes I produce a lot of crap but once in a while a good one slips through and my path comes into a little better focus.

It’s the time put in.  I’ve got a lot of fishing in and still working on my time in art.