Oh gosh, but I like you a lot.

Sorry, that probably sounds a bit strange, but reading your amazing, well above average word count answer to my comment made me smile. I also happen to be A) impulsive, and B) fond of wordy literature and you express yourself beautifully. Your book will be an excellent read, no doubt about it. Oh and C) Your writing style reminds me somewhat of my brother. Whom I simultaneously adore and want to strangle most of the time.
So you see, quite impossible for me not to be fond of you immediately.

Aaaanyway, moving on~

Leaving someone "no excuses" is a pretty lofty goal but oh my~ , judging by this, you're well on the way to coming at least as close as humanly possible.

It's always a bit boring to say "I completely agree with everything you said" because then, where does the discussion go? but... I completely agree with everything you said.

I tend to make the comparison with professional sportspeople when I try to make my point, because no-one doubts the hard work and endless hours of training a sportsman puts into their craft. Yet Art is always somehow... not an acquired skill in the mainstream mind.
I think I may like the paycheck analogy even better actually. Damn.

"I'm not gifted or talented. I'm stubborn as hell."

Oh, but I love that. It's true for me as well to some degree, though it's a constant battle against my natural inclination to procrastinate and lie around in sunny patches of carpet like a cat, doing f*ck all, all day long.

Your quote actually reminds me of something the great animation legend Milt Kahl once said, which I loved:

"I got accused over the years of being a fine draftsman. Actually, I don’t really draw all that well. It’s just that I don’t stop trying as quickly. I keep at it. I happen to have high standards and I try to meet them. I have to struggle like hell to make a drawing look good."

And it was my absolute pleasure. This kind of quality content is mainly what I am here for after all.
That, and to have some fun with a pretty great (and wonderfully silly sometimes) community.

Cheerio @art-mess. Till the next time. I have no doubt I will be back soon. ~ ;)