Artistic ability: learned or inherited?

I am curious what the OT thinks about this subject.

Some people at a young age seem to pick up on things like perspective and perhaps have a more artistic eye than other children their age. Others seem to be able to catch up with enough practice.

Do you think artistic ability (whether it be music, drawing, sculpting, etc...) is an inherited (natural talent) or learned ability (practice)? Now, before answering this, I realize that you do have to learn to draw and it may not entirely come natural -- but do some have natural advantages over others with their artistic ability?

Artistic ability anyone can learn. Artistic vision is inherited.

Artistic ability anyone can learn. Artistic vision is inherited.

Pirate700

Both. I find it hard to believe that an artist can ever be considered great without both.mindstorm

Both. You can teach anyone how to paint or play an instrument, but some people have natural aptitudes that enable them to learn more quickly and reach high levels that most people can't attain with any amount of practice.

[QUOTE="mindstorm"]Both. I find it hard to believe that an artist can ever be considered great without both.Lethalhazard

Since art is so subjective, I think so. Hell, this painting apparently sold for $140,000,000

[QUOTE="Lethalhazard"][QUOTE="mindstorm"]Both. I find it hard to believe that an artist can ever be considered great without both.EolGul2

Since art is so subjective, I think so. Hell, this painting apparently sold for $140,000,000

http://mofoyo.com.nyud.net/files/images/501.preview.jpg

Both. Some have a born talent or start creating art with a body/mindset/personality that helps them with it.
But You can learn to do anything in some way. You have to find out how to make it possible, and then You have to practise.
For indication, if You practise doing something (for real) every day 2 hours for 10 years You will be in the top 10 of the world even with no talent at all.

Just want to make it clear that You never have to give up hope, even though You might want to.

Artistic ability anyone can learn. Artistic vision is inherited.

Pirate700

[QUOTE="EolGul2"]

[QUOTE="Lethalhazard"] This is what I'm thinking. To be a supreme artist (top dog) you probably have to have a bit of natural ability and a ton of practice. But do you think someone without any "natural ability" could become a top-of-the-line artist with just pure practice?Lethalhazard

Since art is so subjective, I think so. Hell, this painting apparently sold for $140,000,000

http://mofoyo.com.nyud.net/files/images/501.preview.jpg

Some people have a special aptitude (Mozart), but it's learned to some degree. Any painter or musician I know about spent years studying to leave what they did for history.

Both. Some have a born talent or start creating art with a body/mindset/personality that helps them with it.
But You can learn to do anything in some way. You have to find out how to make it possible, and then You have to practise.
For indication, if You practise doing something (for real) every day 2 hours for 10 years You will be in the top 10 of the world even with no talent at all.

Just want to make it clear that You never have to give up hope, even though You might want to.

KungfuKitten

Unfortunately, I'm dead serious. Google Jackson Pollock and check out the images for a good laugh at what passes as great art these days.

Eolgul

Yeah I just googled it. I'm ashamed.

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

Artistic ability anyone can learn. Artistic vision is inherited.

hockey73

A little half and half.

A bit of both. To the extent of which, I am not sure.

I believe artistic ability is part learned, part inherited. Sketching is usually learned, but artistic vision and ability to draw is possibly inherited.

Well, my grandfather was a great painter. I'm limited to stick figures.Marka1700

[QUOTE="Marka1700"]Well, my grandfather was a great painter. I'm limited to stick figures.Lethalhazard

[QUOTE="Lethalhazard"][QUOTE="Marka1700"]Well, my grandfather was a great painter. I'm limited to stick figures.Marka1700

I am curious what the OT thinks about this subject.

Some people at a young age seem to pick up on things like perspective and perhaps have a more artistic eye than other children their age. Others seem to be able to catch up with enough practice.

Do you think artistic ability (whether it be music, drawing, sculpting, etc...) is an inherited (natural talent) or learned ability (practice)? Now, before answering this, I realize that you do have to learn to draw and it may not entirely come natural -- but do some have natural advantages over others with their artistic ability?

Lethalhazard

Of course some have a natural advantage over others, but they'll easily lose that advantage if they don't work at it.

It's like, very few people will ever be AMAZING at guitar. It's also probably also a small percentage of people who are so "naturally disadvantaged" that they will never be able to be any good at guitar. Meanwhile, the majority of people can play guitar if they want to, provided that they have the means and will to work at it.

Most people have the ability to become "good", provided that they work at it, even if they'll never be "great".

I think it's learned, but creativity is inherited. I'm not artistic enough to challenge a concept artist, but I'm definitely more artistic than most of my peers.CRS98

You can "learn" creativity as well. Just like skill with a brush, learning creativity takes a lot of effort and practice.

I think it is a bit of both.

Really, I think inheriting it does help, but I believe that if someone is determined/interested enough in the arts, even coming from the least artistic family on the planet, could become a great, well known artist.

considering music is put in the arts category, I come from a family with no musical ability at all, but in the last 2 years of playing I have become one of the best drummers out of anyone I know. Mainly because since I started, I have had almost an obsession about playing. I have "studied" almost every genre I felt necessary and can now play anything from jazz to alternative rock.

so again, I really don't think it comes down to if the artist has inherited the skill, but how much interest and ambition the artist shows

I took alot of Art and Drawing classes in school, and to this day I have essentially zero artistic/drawing ability. I cannot draw, paint, write or play music. So I believe that you need at least a little bit of inherited ability. Practice and learning just build up whats allready there.

I would say that I'm a better than average writer, though. Ironically, writing isn't something I enjoy doing all that much, and English and Literature classes were the two subjects I hated the most in school. But I always recieved good marks on history papers and science lab write-ups.

I took alot of Art and Drawing classes in school, and to this day I have essentially zero artistic/drawing ability. I cannot draw, paint, write or play music. So I believe that you need at least a little bit of inherited ability. Practice and learning just build up whats allready there.

I would say that I'm a better than average writer, though. Ironically, writing isn't something I enjoy doing all that much, and English and Literature classes were the two subjects I hated the most in school. But I always recieved good marks on history papers and science lab write-ups.

ProudLarry

[QUOTE="ProudLarry"]

I took alot of Art and Drawing classes in school, and to this day I have essentially zero artistic/drawing ability. I cannot draw, paint, write or play music. So I believe that you need at least a little bit of inherited ability. Practice and learning just build up whats allready there.

I would say that I'm a better than average writer, though. Ironically, writing isn't something I enjoy doing all that much, and English and Literature classes were the two subjects I hated the most in school. But I always recieved good marks on history papers and science lab write-ups.

Lethalhazard

I think that artistic ability is first inherited, then developed over time if the person chooses to hone their talent.

I do not agree that creativity can be learned - I myself am on the analytical side of the spectrum. If I could I would write fiction - but when I try nothing comes to mind. The most I can manage is one or two pages every few hours (or days) when I'm full of inspiration and have an idea. A natural born writer on the other hand could write tens, even hundreds of pages in the same amount of time.

You have to be born with these talents - but again once you have them they need to be developed.

Inherited all the way baby 8)

Artistic ability anyone can learn. Artistic vision is inherited.

Pirate700

I think that artistic ability is first inherited, then developed over time if the person chooses to hone their talent.

I do not agree that creativity can be learned - I myself am on the analytical side of the spectrum. If I could I would write fiction - but when I try nothing comes to mind. The most I can manage is one or twopage every few hours (or days) when I'm full of inspiration and have an idea. A natural born writer on the other hand could write tens, even hundreds of pages in the same amount of time.

You have to be born with these talents - but again once you have them they need to be developed.

darktruth007

Naw, you can learn creativity. It's just a matter of training your mind in the same way that other people might train their hands. I'm sure you can look online and find all sorts of exercises designed to help you to get more creative.

Now, that's not to say that the analytical-minded person will ever be AS CREATIVE as the personal born with a tendency towards creativity. But you can certainly become MORE CREATIVE than you are now, if you work at it enough.

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

Artistic ability anyone can learn. Artistic vision is inherited.

JustPlainLucas

I have the vision, but I can't translate it very well on paper. My ambidextrousness is a double-edged sword. In this case, I am equally bad at drawing with both hands. :P

Artistic ability anyone can learn. Artistic vision is inherited.

Pirate700

I'm a good drawer but artist worthy *laughs*

Both. You can't expect to be an amazing artist the first time you paint, even if you have the most natural talent in the world, and some people can never seem to be a good artist no matter how hard they work at it.

Depends on how good you are at putting what you see onto paper or a canvas. I'm a gifted writer and lyricist but I can't draw or paint for the life of me, though I do pretty well at sumi-e and kanji calligraphy. Sometimes you need instruction though or a motivation or instructor to help you find your spark.

I chose "other," because I think it's a bit of both. In my case, I was fortunate enough to show talent at an early age (so that would be an example of natural ability), but now that I'm studying fine art/digital art in a serious way, my skills have increased greatly. So, I honestly think it's really both, and this goes for most things, like skills in math, sports, etc.

I didn´t vote, I always think everything is learned but smetimes some people like savants prove me wrong so I´m not sompletly sure