The Internet is one of the most universally depressing things an artist can look at, because other people are So Stinking Good at what they do. If you see any flaws in your work (and you’re a questionable artist if you don’t), they will be magnified by a factor of twelve as you behold the awesomeness on Behance, Drawn, or other showcases of genius.
Heeere’s the solution: the “Archives” button. I love, love, love me some Kate Beaton, and break every pen within reach in surrender to the quality of her work after spending a few minutes at harkavagrant.com. But yesterday, I was exploring the archives, and made an angel-singing discovery: her first stuff wasn’t as great as what she’s doing now.
If you’re ever drawn into hero-worship and self-despair online, track back to the earliest possible work of said hero. If the record goes back far enough, you’ll see that the biggest difference between them and you is that one key factor: sticking-to-it. Keep doing what you’re doing, a little bit every day, and when you’re a super-star, be sure and point people back to your archives page.
It’s only fair.