akkushisu
05-17-2011, 06:28 PM
Hello and good day.
I've decided to share something about myself in the hopes that it may inspire some of you here on the forum. Now, it's no secret that I'm a digital artist, but some of you may not know that I'm also blind. I'm not totally blind, but I am nearsighted enough to where it impacts my everyday life. Sometimes, it impacts my ability to draw, too, which is why I primarily work on the computer instead of paper. Basically, my eyesight is roughly ten times worse than a normal person's. This means I can never drive a car, I cannot read street signs without a magnifying device, and I also need to look very close to read most books.
In spite of my disability, I can still draw. I'm not perfect, obviously! Nonetheless, I'm tireless in my artistic pursuits. Those of you who know me on a more personal level know that I'm extremely passionate about art, positive, determined, and rarely fall into a rut. Well, there was one point where I did fall into one, early this year, in fact, and I nearly gave up on my dreams of animation and writing.
So, what happened, You ask? Well, a trusted friend and someone I really looked up to made the suggestion that I stay home, not work, and not bother pursuing my ambitions. Because of my disability, I accrue an income just for being such. It's not very much, but it's enough to sustain me. When my friend suggested that I just abandon my dreams and milk the system, it crushed me. For a good month or so, I had to struggle just to keep myself motivated enough to draw, and for much of the time, I didn't. I'm not entirely sure what caused it, but slowly, a fire started to burn in me and the words of my friend serving as its fuel. I started to draw constantly! From the moment I woke up until the time I went to bed, I was drawing. At first, it was to vent my anger and to give me something constructive to focus my frustration on. In time, my anger left me, but my unyielding desire to draw remained and still remains.
Currently, I draw for about 12-16 hours a day, I write stories, and I even compose music. I'm a blind artist, yes, but I'm a determined artist. I'm just thankful I live in an age where technology helps me to see well enough to draw. It's a lifelong goal of mine to inspire others, so I'm hoping my words here do just that. My apologies if this is a bit of a long read. :)
I've decided to share something about myself in the hopes that it may inspire some of you here on the forum. Now, it's no secret that I'm a digital artist, but some of you may not know that I'm also blind. I'm not totally blind, but I am nearsighted enough to where it impacts my everyday life. Sometimes, it impacts my ability to draw, too, which is why I primarily work on the computer instead of paper. Basically, my eyesight is roughly ten times worse than a normal person's. This means I can never drive a car, I cannot read street signs without a magnifying device, and I also need to look very close to read most books.
In spite of my disability, I can still draw. I'm not perfect, obviously! Nonetheless, I'm tireless in my artistic pursuits. Those of you who know me on a more personal level know that I'm extremely passionate about art, positive, determined, and rarely fall into a rut. Well, there was one point where I did fall into one, early this year, in fact, and I nearly gave up on my dreams of animation and writing.
So, what happened, You ask? Well, a trusted friend and someone I really looked up to made the suggestion that I stay home, not work, and not bother pursuing my ambitions. Because of my disability, I accrue an income just for being such. It's not very much, but it's enough to sustain me. When my friend suggested that I just abandon my dreams and milk the system, it crushed me. For a good month or so, I had to struggle just to keep myself motivated enough to draw, and for much of the time, I didn't. I'm not entirely sure what caused it, but slowly, a fire started to burn in me and the words of my friend serving as its fuel. I started to draw constantly! From the moment I woke up until the time I went to bed, I was drawing. At first, it was to vent my anger and to give me something constructive to focus my frustration on. In time, my anger left me, but my unyielding desire to draw remained and still remains.
Currently, I draw for about 12-16 hours a day, I write stories, and I even compose music. I'm a blind artist, yes, but I'm a determined artist. I'm just thankful I live in an age where technology helps me to see well enough to draw. It's a lifelong goal of mine to inspire others, so I'm hoping my words here do just that. My apologies if this is a bit of a long read. :)