What inspired you to be an Artist?

[candid silence]

it started out as a little hobby, something to do on my spare time and when i was impossibly bored. then my parents got me nothing but art supplies and this (neat lookin) cloth binder to put papers and stuff in for christmas one year. Ironically, i was really ticked off since I was hoping for a game or something XP ... then i thought i'd put the junk to use and I got and hopfully will stay hooked. gosh i live a simple life ._.  

[theannacracker]

Seriously. This is it. I lived in Japan when I was 5, and I was IN LOVE with Sailor Moon back then.

Started tracing (I know, I'm bad) from an art book when I was around 8-9, and never stopped drawing since.  

[Pathos]

haha, well, in the first place, a cute boy I liked in junior high who was an artist. I wanted to have something to talk to him about, but then I started realizing how much I loved it for me too, how wonderful it is so shape something from nothing.  

[Michael Doubt]

It's the only thing I have  

[iToxicOreo]

basically my big sister was an amazing artist she used to draw me for my birthday presents like me as a leprechaun then she moved to California and i couldn't see her draw any more then one day i just started drawing and i sucked at first but im getting betetr  

[ShiftyCheese]

hmmm... That's an interesting question. I've never really thought about it before. Well, my dad is a wonderful artist, and I think that is what really got me into art. But, I can't really place that feeling I get when I am drawing and creating things. I REALLY want to get better, immensely...  

[Captain Kolita]

Once upon a time, there were two guys I knew who were kind of cool. They did a project in elementary school on manga and I went *gasp!* Wow, that's cool! Because I've always been kinda art-happy, even before I was drawing, I went to check it out, and then later I read Naruto and was so touched by it that I had to draw characters from it really badly. Then I got a horrific how to draw book for kids by good ol' Christopher Hart, back when he was actually doing the art in his books. Ever since, I've been drawing comics and what not, and I really don't think it would be physically possible to quit coz it's so natural for me now. ^^' It's a rare day when I don't at least sketch something. I've been doing some animation lately so I've been drawing so much it's kinda ridiculous. XD  

[Whee Glee Me]

I really enjoyed reading all of the replies to this topic. It really inspired me. Everyone here is so incredible. It makes me want to improve and draw right now.

I started drawing because my older sister drew so much and shared her love with me. She drew these fantastic things when we were young, I was amazed by her talent and enthusiasm.

She noticed me taking an interest in art so she introduced me to manga and anime. Since I was a bit of a loner in my single digit days I would study manga and anime at home. And from then on it has made up my pastime and I draw everyday.

Even if its a doodle or a full inked and colored drawing I love to draw them. And I want to keep improving. Drawing the things I imagine. Imagining things to create. Letting Creativity take the wheel. I don't have a definite and firm goal yet.

I hope everyone luck.  

[Hikari de Grazia]

My Inspiration: Anime.

I wouldn't be as good of an artist as I am now if anime never came into my life!

Yeah, you may say shallow, but that's really my source of inspiration! It's thanks to anime (well, cartoons at first but I grew out of it) that I even started to draw! And that's one reason why I continue to draw...

Hmmm... maybe deep inside, I want to be on-par with the mangakyas of my fave animes and mangas? xD
(but my answer is no xD)

*thinks a little bit more*

*mind getting troubled...*

Now that I think about it, I honestly don't know what my real inspiration is...

I think anime is just a stepping-stone for me... xD

Who knows? -w-  

[AKeikoB]

I don't really know, but I started drawing since I was like 2 or 3. I guess drawing more and better came from looking at other people's art on Deviant Art and google images. ^^  

[tingtongten]

Because I want to make a story and get known. And make money off of it and enjoy it and yadda yadda yadda it's also very fun.  

[Carantathraiel]

Personally, i had such an imagination and a brain that wouldn't stop talking that eventually i learned to draw everything. I'm not always good with words, so drawing things usually helps.
Plus, when I see things I like, I like to put my signature on it, and i do that by drawing it my way, making it mine.
I've been doing this since I was like, 3 years old.  

[Kieden]

Porn!  

[The Syndra]

Art is the only way I can express myself without being sloppy/frivolous/cynical.
That and Saint Seiya razz