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[MBTI General] NFs and Art

KLessard

Aspiring Troens Ridder
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I know the SPs are usually the ones associated to artistry, but I find it unfair. I am an NF and am very involved in painting, writing and music. And the inspiration and motivation definitely come from intuitive feeling.
I also find that SP art is often about performance and style, and devoid of philosophical or symbolic depth.
Are there any NF artists around here and what are your impressions on art ?

A link to my art page: KetsiaLessard on deviantART
 

GZA

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Interesting point about the differences between NF and SP art in theory. I agree that, at least in theory, SP art would be more about the style of it all, the trend, the current trend, and where it can go. It would likely be about the "scene". NF art, is, in theory, about representation (not neccesarily the same as symbolism though). Really, it's obscure and hard to discuss this, especially considering it's all theory, and only theory. I think in reality they would be fairly similar...

The one thing that is certainly true is that NF's make a lot of art and are very interested/concerned with it as well. Maybe even more so (you don't hear of too many ESTP's or ISTP's who are artists)
 

Haphazard

Don't Judge Me!
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I may not exactly be an NF, but I'm an artist too... sort of.

Mostly I write, but I do draw a lot, too. It's all connected. It's just trying to splatter the ideas I have down in my head, usually the personification of amorphous ideas. The slope of somebody's shoulders is an integral part of what the person is in the drawing, and it's an attempt to get that across -- or something. I don't know why, and I'd rather leave the reason why without words. There are reasons to what I write and draw, but words ruin the meaning, they always do, no matter whose work it is.

What about SJ art? Are there any SJ artists around, too?
 

KLessard

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What about SJ art? Are there any SJ artists around, too?

I know this ISFJ lady and she paints and has great artistic taste. But I dare say SJs need to be introverted and probably F to care about art at all. Art is too abstract, dreamy and useless to an SJ. They can appreciate it, but rarely create it.
My mother is an ESTJ and she struggles with finding my artistry "useful." She definitely thinks I'm wasting my time and claims haut et fort that washing the dishes is far more important. :huh:

I realise that capturing a person's face or feeling is what I'm best at (I love painting portraits and declaring something universally soulful or human through it). I have no patience with teachers who encourage me to work up an eccentric style while they overlook the deep meaning of a painting or a text.
 

nightning

ish red no longer *sad*
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The typical SP artwork is a more faithful descriptive depiction of the subject... where as the N artwork is a lot more about what's imagined, often aiming to expose the subject from an unexpected perspective.

Ni artwork frequently utilizes symbolism.
Ne artwork, juxtaposition of different ideas
Se artwork, pure expression from the senses
Si artwork, (this one I have to guess) captures a moment...

Difference between Se (SP) vs Si (SJ) is one is created to express, the other is created to record.
 

GZA

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I can see a lot of Se's doing "abstract" stuff because it simply looks cool visually. For example, Claude Monet strikes me as ISFP but he doesn't paint in a literal sense. It also depends a lot on what period of art...
 

DigitalMethod

Content. Content?
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I'm going to school to be a graphic designer, and I am an INTJ... gasp.
The only thing I don't like about it is the people part.
But that is really manageable for me when I consider how much I enjoy the design.

I don't think personality type has too big of an influence on artistic desire or skill.

Although I do have to admit I prefer structured designs, and modern furniture heh.
 

anii

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I would love to be an artist. I make alot of collages. If I could go back to the day I graduated high school, I'd go to art school.

PS - I'm curious. Have you sold any art on deviantart?
 

KLessard

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PS - I'm curious. Have you sold any art on deviantart?

No, I have never sold my art and don't really want to. I rather give it away to the model or to a person to whom it means something.
Some artists add "Painting for sale, contact ..." with the art's description on deviantArt. It probably works.
 

Haphazard

Don't Judge Me!
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The drive to create art is a very human one, but some types may be more inclined than others -- STJs might not be so interested unless they see a 'purpose' for it, for example.

One thing that I could definitely see is that J art (because of Ni and Si) would generally be more orderly and focused on a narrower subject to say something specific, while P art would be more chaotic (because of Ne and Se) and be more inclined to 'look cool' in an aesthetic sense, whether it be literally to the senses or to the mind's eye.

All types could make art, it's just that some wouldn't see the use to it and therefore would be less inclined to try and get good at it.
 

phoenix13

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Nightning's comments are intuitively satisfying.

Here's a piggy-back question: Does the N's lack of S actually put us at a disadvantage? I don't think so.

Perhaps that's a misuse of the functions. So let's say there's a difference between a preference for a function, and an intelligence in that function. Sure, they're correlated (we prefer to use functions we're naturally gifted/intelligent in), but what of the order? To be honest, I don't know how they came up with the tertiary and inferior functions... I see the pattern, but why is it that way? :shock:

Oy, I digress. Here's an example of the intelligence vs. preference for functions in the art of an NF: My musical training has resulted in a certain sensory intelligence. Somewhere around freshman year of college I became very sensitive to textures and nuances in sights, sounds, and tastes. I can't quite describe what I mean by that... my brain just clicked (and no, there were no drugs involved:1377:). Of course, this is NOT my default, and only happens in museums, concerts, etc. So my Se intelligence seems to be more developed than Si (I have no Si... NONE...), despite it being my nth function as far as preferences go.

Conclusion: Intuits can rock the senses. :rock:
 

quietgirl

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I tend to be really good at decorating and matching colors, which I think is more of a Se sort of thing. I also tend to draw really abstract pictures with vivid colors. I don't think this is really typical of my type, but for what it's worth, I tend to be more artistic when I'm stressed out or depressed so maybe it's my inferior coming out.

I write way more than I draw/paint and I also tend to incorporate words into my drawings at times. My favorite drawings are the ones where I've taken words and make a picture of what I visioned to be the meaning of those words.

My ISFJ boyfriend is artistic and his work tends to be very exact. He's also good at still life drawing and duplicating logos, etc. He draws tattoos for friends and they tend to be very precise.

My INFP brother is a tattoo artist with a photographic memory. I have never in my life met an artist as talented as him and from childhood, he's had natural, raw artistic talent. His work outside tattoos tends to be filled with emotion and he finds a way to bring emotion into the tattoos that he creates.
 

Haphazard

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My ISFP friend draws amazingly. I don't know how she does it, but she never uses any guidelines or anything and somehow things always turn out perfectly. They may just look like 'doodles' but the fact that they're perfect and formed the way they are is, well, amazing.

My mother (who may also be ISFP, or ISFJ) is an artist in that she plays the viola, but she teaches strings -- most of her art goes towards getting other people to appreciate it. She says that she's not very good, but that's certainly not true.

Then again, just because you make art doesn't mean you're very good at it. I mostly draw people to get ideas down. I've gotten a good sense of proportion and layering, but I don't put a lot of work into making whatever it is look 'finished' -- anything I complete still has guidelines everywhere and everything looks pretty simplistic, even though I call it done and say that I don't want to work on it any more.

I guess that could be another thing -- do you want the work to merely get your point across, or do you want it to be as perfect as you can possibly make it? Is it just for you, or do you want to show it off? That sort of thing...
 

Kyrielle

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I have to say I'm typically a little envious of those who can draw with perfect precision and expression. Like those artists who can draw a building and have it look like drawing it was no big deal...but at the same time it looks like you could walk into it from the page.

For the most part, the way I naturally draw is loose and energetic. When I paint, I let the paint do what it wants to do--because I've learned that I have not-so-great judgement when it comes to knowing when to stop painting...so less is more in my case. (Actually, if I have too much to accomplish in an image...I end up overthinking the concept so I can fit it all in.) I like to create slightly surreal things while maintaining some basis in reality...I guess you'd call it "magical realism."

Every type can create art. I've noticed that some have a tendency towards decorative elements, while others dive into almost complete abstraction. Some have an interest in digital, graphic styles, while others are more traditional in their approach. I suppose what matters is whether or not they can create something that means something to them even it's as simple as it looking really cool or creating a certain mood.
 

6sticks

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I'm definitely not "artsy". In particular I'm positive that abstract art is more of an NF thing. I'm one of those soulless beer drinking proletarians who thinks a couple of squibbles on a bit of paper is pretentious crap.

I can make some pretty mean doodles though.
 

pocket lint

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I know the SPs are usually the ones associated to artistry, but I find it unfair. I am an NF and am very involved in painting, writing and music. And the inspiration and motivation definitely come from intuitive feeling.
A few weeks ago, my friend (INFP) and I got some of our classmates from the color design class to take the MBTI test online. There were three INFPs (including my friend), one ENFP, two ISFPs and an INxP, just in our little group :).

The one thing that is certainly true is that NF's make a lot of art and are very interested/concerned with it as well. Maybe even more so (you don't hear of too many ESTP's or ISTP's who are artists)
My ESTP friend creates art in his spare time, but he's more into metalsmithing and woodworking, which are more along the lines of crafts?

The typical SP artwork is a more faithful descriptive depiction of the subject... where as the N artwork is a lot more about what's imagined, often aiming to expose the subject from an unexpected perspective.

Ni artwork frequently utilizes symbolism.
Ne artwork, juxtaposition of different ideas
Se artwork, pure expression from the senses
Si artwork, (this one I have to guess) captures a moment...

Difference between Se (SP) vs Si (SJ) is one is created to express, the other is created to record.
I'm an ISFP with some N, and what you guys have said about typical SP artwork is true for me so far. I am definitely more focused on making things look as realistic as possible and don't really think about adding "meaning". I like to draw because I usually feel more connected to reality when I do... I will notice subtle details in light, shadows, texture, and etc., it's exciting when ordinary objects look new to me again. Hahah, this will sound stereotypical, but creating art for me is about experiencing the moment.

I am always amazed by my N friends. :cry: I don't think I have much of an imagination to draw from nothing to create more symbolic/dream-like art, if that is typical for Ns. Errr... I guess technically I could... but I am just obsessive about being realistic. Go figure... my favorite style of art is hyperrealism.
 

SillySapienne

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Yeah, I've been refraining myself from posting in this thread.

If you want to express something, for any reason or purpose at all, and you do so in a creative manner, then what you do or produce is art.

No type does it "better".
 

placebo

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Yeah, I've been refraining myself from posting in this thread.

If you want to express something, for any reason or purpose at all, and you do so in a creative manner, then what you do or produce is art.

No type does it "better".

Yea I think that any type is good at whatever art they produce whether it be dance, music, a painting, a drawing, a novel, an empire, or a building, but you can totally say that someone is better at painting a replica of the Mona Lisa than someone else and they're probably a certain type that tends to be able to do that.

Comparing myself to my friend who tested ISFP I would say we are both very artistic and considered pretty good, but we have very different natural styles. We are both capable of imitating each other's styles to an extent I think, but it's very obvious how different we produce art, most obvious example by drawing. She's amazing at copying things from real life, still life. When she doodles she usually doodles people and actual objects based in reality. When I draw I just tend to let whatever flow from my hand. I think she said that she usually has an image in mind of what she wants to draw. I don't usually, and if I do it almost always never turns out how I expected it to. I draw a lot of strange things out of shapes and lines, creatures, or just whatever. Very organic and abstract things. I lack the patience and eye for proportions for copying something from life to make it look so realistic, and she says she just doesn't get how I can let all these things flow out when I doodle around. Our art is very different in these ways, but both I think are equally impressive.

I don't know how much these observations mean, but if it seems to mean anything, well it's interesting.

I think each type is more inclined to a certain type of art than others.

Looking at my mom who I think is ISFJ, she's more inclined to interior design... furniture and very physical things that suit the environment. I have a sense that T types might be attracted to graphic designs too maybe, because of a sense of structure in aesthetics? or maybe I'm BSing heh.

Anyway I love arrrrt... I love seeing ANY type create art. It's quite beautiful, because I think it comes from within.
 

sriv

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Art is related directly to creativity and fun. These attributes tend to come up more in select types than others so, Captain, I dissent.

Again this will turn into a superiority argument. There is no way to measure superiority in such a broad term, such as art. Picking styles of art would be simpler. In this case, NF's would be better with abstract or emotional art.
 
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