I’m an oil painter as well as a graphic designer, and there’s a compliment that gets under my skin. It usually goes something like this:
“You are so talented. I love your work. I wish I was good at drawing.”
I always say ‘thank you’ and take the compliment in the good nature it was intended. There is a negative side to their statement.
Attributing my ability to make art to talent implies that I’m lucky and I’m just born with the ability. That’s negating the tens of thousands of hours I’ve spend making art, the time I’ve spent looking at art and the world, the sacrifices I’ve made, and the support of my family. I wasn’t just lucky.
I was perhaps born with good hand-eye coordination and a passion for the visual arts, but anyone can learn to draw. If schools were focused on teaching kids how to render things visually as much as they focus on reading and writing, then everyone would be able to draw as well as I can. If my kid told me that I’m lucky to be such a talented reader and he could never read like me, I’m still sending him to school. Anyone can learn to render things.
I guess it feels a bit like your achievements are written off if they are just attributed to talent.
I get the same vibe as a graphic designer
You would never tell a lawyer that he’s so talented. We attribute a lawyer’s skills to hard work and brain power. A good lawyer is talented, but they also have passion for what they do and work hard. The same is true for any professional, even a graphic designer who is good at drawing.
