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Do any Riot artists have ADHD? If so, how do you do it?

John Berserk·2/8/2019, 10:50:51 AM·18 votes·17,362 views

So I've wanted to be an artist pretty much my entire life. I've dabbled in it throughout my elementary, middle, and high school years, though I never really got any formal training. As an adult now though, I've made the decision that I want to seriously pursue art as both a hobby and possibly a career. So, the first step obviously is to build up my skills as an artist and learn.

However, my biggest obstacle seems to be that, without any direct guidance, I feel completely unable to teach myself any new skill, art included. I have ADHD, and I went undiagnosed my entire life, so learning how to deal with it was never something I had the luxury of getting. Staying focused on any one task for too long always results in very quick burnout, and how does one improve at any skill? By doing it constantly.

And this is what leads me to making this topic. I can't find any useful guides or helpful advice online for learning new skills with ADHD outside of schoolwork, so I'd like to request any help from a Rioter with ADHD, preferably an artist. How did you learn art with it? And how do you keep at it?

10 Comments

RiotRiot PizzaNinja2/8/2019, 9:37:01 PM25 votes

Hi I can comment on my experience! I was diagnosed with both ADD and ADHD as a teenager, but never was medicated or received treatment. I struggled incredibly with getting through high school and my first few years of college. It wasnt until I decided on my career path (Sound Designer) that I made any type of progress.

What really made a difference for me was self evaluation, to determine what I am passionate about, why am I passionate about it, and how can I apply that to other areas in my life? For example, I had no problem playing video games or guitar for 4 hours straight, but why couldn't I muster up the same type of motivation for my art and career? Once I identified the things that motivate me, I was able to reprioritize what I was doing in my life and how I was performing. Bringing your most productive self from an area that your passionate about to other areas requires tons of self-discipline and realistic goal setting. I had to abandon many things in my life in order to reach my goals and eliminate distractions. Ultimately I didnt get a job in games until after I went to trade school where I was able to practice and hone my skills. That was a couple years after college.

I still suffer from ADHD to this day, but I can turn the switch on and off now so that I can deliver the best gaming experience I can to all of you! TLDR: look inward and evaluate what you want in life. Change your behaviors by using your strengths to move towards your goals. I hope that helps, good luck!

DuskDaUmbreon2/8/2019, 1:06:28 PM13 votes

Not a Rioter, barely an artist tbh (It's a hobby more than anything), but how do I do it?

Concerta, mostly.

Well, it's that and basically having to be obsessed with the idea of the art I'm doing. Whenever you're in a mood to draw, draw. If you leave that mood in the middle, that's fine. Just finish up the bit you were doing, then set it aside. Come back to it later. Most art can be broken up into stages - Rough sketch, detailed sketch, lines, coloring, shading...And you can break it up by body part, too.

For learning to draw...It's mostly just practice. Find something you love, and just trace it for a while, until you learn the basics. You can also adapt learning techniques from school to art, as well.

Sihari2/9/2019, 12:26:27 PM2 votes

I may be no professional, but I would consider myself an artist that struggles with ADD. So here are some things I have noticed.

When looking at my folder I see many unfinished pieces. Sketches, linework, half colored stuff... Things that I loved to start but never touched again after the initial boost of motivation. And thats ok. Those pieces may never be something that is worth showing off, but every one of them helped me practice.

The other thing that came to my attention was something that most of my finished artworks had in comon: they all where made with a clear goal in mind. It seems to help a lot, if I have a deadline and a reward that waits for me, if I finish something in time. People may say that having a finished artwork is rewarding enough but, at least for me, most of the time this is not motivating enough to keep my attention for long. Thats why I draw not only for myself but also for something or someone else. Maybe its a competition with a sweet little prize, maybe its a friend who tells me how much he loves my gift. When something waits for me at the finish-line the way there seems always less difficult.

Smashed Hash2/8/2019, 2:32:54 PM1 votes

https://gph.is/1ykY06i

14daysuspensionk2/26/2019, 11:22:44 AM1 votes

Well I don't work for Riot but I do use Deviantarts free to use drawing program, I think it works out pretty well for me, here's my work using it, https://www.deviantart.com/sama-lass