This isn't related specifically to art, but the General forum is closed, so...

also I hope posting this doesn't end with me making such a fool of myself that I have to make a new account again but here goes:

All I know is that I want to create something. No ideas whatsoever as to what that thing should be. They say "Only do things because you enjoy them", but I don't really enjoy anything, so does that mean I should never do anything?

I've also heard lately "Don't wait for your dreams, go out and achieve them ASAP", but I don't have any specific dreams. I'm currently pursuing a BSc in Geography, and an aptitude test I took told me I would probably enjoy careers such as "medical illustrator", "web developer", "editorial assistant" "economist", "art appraiser", "architect", "cryptanalyst", "video game designer", "writer", and "illustrator".

The only thing I enjoy is, sadly enough, consuming media. Video games, TV shows, books, movies, music, you name it. You might say "Why not become a video game designer/television writer/author/filmmaker/musician/etc.?" So let's go over them:

Video game designer

Video games have been a longtime hobby of mine, and I used to dream of making one. Two obstacles - first, I find coding mind-numbingly boring. Second, I have no ideas whatsoever. All I have to show for video game development so far is this '70s-style arcade game I made for a high school assignment a few years ago. Not to mention in only three months I'll be the same age Toby Fox was when he released Undertale, plus I'm same age as the developer of Lethal Company. Methinks that ship has already sailed.

Musician

I took piano lessons for about six years and have been out of practice in the four years since. I don't really see myself as a singer, so I supposed I could enter the world of electronic music production. However, the problem, again, is original ideas. In the ten years since I started piano lessons I have yet to compose a single piece that is completely original.

Illustrator

A little over three years ago I picked up drawing, and have made little to no progress since. Every attempt to learn the "fundamentals" via books and YouTube has failed. Again with the whole "original ideas" thing, all I have drawn is fan art of characters from video games and cartoons. I'll admit my primary reason for wanting to improve with drawing is so that I'll stop feeling so envious whenever I see a cool piece of art online made by someone half my age with a gazillion retweets. I was concerned that I wasn't enjoying the process and if that meant I should hang it up, but my psychologist said looking forward to the end result is good enough. However, 99% of the folks over at r/artistlounge would disagree with that notion.

Animator

I have little to no experience nor knowledge of what goes into animation; all I know is that I would love to contribute towards a Newgrounds collab one day (Sketch collab doesn't count).

Author

Reading has also been a longtime hobby of mine, especially narrative fiction and astronomy-related non-fiction. Again, the question must be asked: what exactly would I write about? The only story ideas I have are fan-fictions of TV shows I've watched, and the golden age of online fan-fiction ended years ago.

So what now? Should I act on my desire to create something, even if my ideas are vague, or should I resign myself to living as a consumer?

I'm a little late, but here's my 2023 "summary of art" thing, template by PennyPalBlork on DeviantArt

I assume it means they don't want services like Internet Archive to access their content

wait you guys are making progress and improvements?

"Surface Tension" in Half-Life

The first time I was scared by a book without pictures as a kid was when I read Goosebumps: The Tower of Terror by R. L. Stine. Nothing involving a spooky monster or anything; merely the protagonists suddenly being unable to remember their parents' names or what they looked like - my introduction to psychological horror

only example I can think of is "I Hung My Head" by Sting, famously covered by Johnny Cash

I guess the thought of "someone's already done this and done it better"

every now and then the internet discovers something from long ago and starts memeing the shit out of it. Same thing happened with Breaking Bad a couple years ago

I'm planning on doing a "2023 summary of art" once this month ends in case I draw something later this month that is more worthy of being in the "December" box than what I've already drawn this month

DOOM and Half-Life I guess

The only "game" I've ever made was a '70s arcade style space shooter for a high school comsci assignment

I don't know how to export projects in Visual Studio so the only way to play it is to download the VB code itself

if movies count, then Nausicaa of Wind Valley (1984). if not, then Dragon Ball (1986-1989)

call me basic, but Dragon Ball

From when I was 8 to around 10, just maps and stick figures. Didn't draw anything at all for the next 8 years.

No local bands that I know of, but I live within an hour's drive from Toronto, which Rush, Broken Social Scene, Crystal Castles, and many more all hail from

I don't mean to turn this into a self-deprecation circle-jerk or come across as saying "I have it worse than you so you have no right to complain", but it can be helpful to have a wider perspective by comparing yourself to those worse than you as well; I'm much older than you and my art doesn't come close to yours, but I try to factor in the many people my age who don't draw at all.

"Self-taught" is a very broad term. Instead of a Boolean "self-taught or not" type deal, it's more of a spectrum. Some call themselves "self-taught" just because they've never enrolled in a dedicated art school but have taken online courses, while others have never taken any sort of mentorship but have relied on books and/or YouTube tutorials, while some legitimately are the closest thing to "self-taught" (95% of the way) by improving solely through drawing still lifes.

Due to all those artists online who brag about being "self-taught" by putting it in their Twitter/Instagram bios, I used to be obsessed with being able to call myself that to the point that I refused the prospect of any sort of external learning resources, even making an NG post on my old account asking how to keep the "rights" to the "self-taught" title. I thought I had to somehow magically absorb the knowledge without using anything to help me. I didn't get over it until I watched this video:

XP-Pen tablet and Clip Studio Paint

"Progression"? Never heard of it

Joke's on you, I don't like any of my pieces. Yet at the same time I wish they performed better?

I've dicked around on it sometimes, but only in single player mode

Mostly Twitter and Tumblr, and sometimes Instagram and Reddit

I remember playing that one; 90% sure that's it

Perhaps try posting some in this thread!

1. it's fun
2. I want to be good at something for once
3. to quench the envy I feel whenever I see art online
4. I feel like I need to create in order to make up for all the time I waste consuming media

I don't see the connection; people aren't exactly cube-shaped. Also I did all of DAB's chapters 1 & 2 before it got too complicated for me

Yeah Bridgman's Complete Guide was so complicated I could barely make sense of it. I've been contemplating getting Loomis' Figure Drawing for all its Worth lately though

I am part of a club at my university that has art meetups so I'll try to fight through my fear of asking others for help to see if I could get some pointers. About courses, I'm a little hard up for cash at the moment so I want to try to only spend tuition money on courses required for my degree

I know 3D shapes just fine (I did drawabox.com's 250-box challenge, and also know my way around ellipses and cylinders), but for gesture the best I can manage is this

The thing about that is I'm way too thin-skinned for critique...

I post pretty much every digital piece I make, to Newgrounds, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and sometimes Reddit