Nurture vs Nature

Hi, Friends, how is your weekend?
This week, I'll chat over talents vs efforts in how I've learned human figure drawing. Often people ask me Qs while sketching people. The typical two questions respresent nature vs nurture. 
"Wow, you're talented," 
"How/where did you learn it? "

According to Oxford Dictionary, "talent" is "natural aptitude or skill." 
In the analysis, the semantic definition is quite vague, because something being "natural" or (a person is) born with a specific skill is, again, ambiguous. Can any kid draw well? Could anyone compose 9 symphonies or paint Sistine chapel from the beginning of life? My drawings in young days had nothing outstanding.

Only the difference from other kids was I loved drawing! No less than others! Today, some parents show me thier children's paintings that they believe talented. I really do not know which work is good or not. Parents urge me for suggestion. I reply, "Does your child like drawing? If so, encourage him/her to keep up." My answer often dissapoints the parents who expects so high. (I always feel sorry for children silently standing beside their parents.)  

Also, people often ask me to teach how to draw a human. No magic, but practice. “Every artist was first an amateur,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson and true. My adivce is, "Sketch people for 3 or 5 minutes every day. Just only ONE drawing is enough. But keep up." Sadly, none of advice seekers has come back to me with a sucessful story, so far. I've been drawing people for years. Not wise to expect too much so soon. 

As far as I know, all the big names have made manmous efforts behind their masterpieces. Perseverance and endurance are great assets that I call talents. In my view, the people, who have been "diligent" and "never given up," become wonderful artists. A talent, the dictionary definition above, is not the necessary element to be an artist, in my view.

The graffiti for those years have clarified my direction to go, "figures and illustrations." Later, when I started watercolour, I began to  "loosen up" my realistic approach. I'm still learning lots and your blogs are great teachers and .... to the present! 
So, I'm nothing different from others, but long years drawing.

Nurture seems to be more important than a vague talent. Also,  enthusiasm for drawing is vital! Joy must come first. Otherwise, we cannot keep it up. Yet, some opinions might support talent. So, lastly, I'd devote this say for you and myself,
"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'" --- Erma Bombeck

Friends, let us use what we have up to the maximum! The picture book projects are going well. Very happily busy!
Happy Painting and Happy Drawing!! 

Nurture vs Nature