Journals149
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Updates
1 min read
Some things on my blog- character designs in progress.
lbsketches.blogspot.com/2012/0…
Busy busy busy!!!
lbsketches.blogspot.com/2012/0…
Busy busy busy!!!
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On Motivation
6 min read
I will probably re-post this on the blog with my next update.
I have difficulty with motivation, just as much as the next person. It's HARD to draw every single day all of your free time always. I mean it. And if you suffer from anxiety or depression-related problems, you are more likely to fall into "ruts" when you "can't do anything" or at least nothing "good".
Here's the deal...
You want to be a professional? Suck it up.
I'm not being mean, I'm being practical. If you're a doctor and you decided one day you don't want to get out of bed because work is too hard, or the amount of work waiting for you is huge, or you don't "feel it" or you aren't 100%, do you just go back to bed?
If you said yes, then good luck with that job at McDonald's, Jim.
The rest of us still have to haul our sorry asses out of bed and FIND A WAY TO REGROUP. We build up systems for ourselves, goals and rewards for getting up out of bed when we'd rather hang ourselves with our dirty socks. And it's up to us to figure out how we do that, whether it's coffee, a decent lunch/breakfast, making plans for drinks or ice cream or shopping later... we do it because it's our JOB, it's how we make MONEY and without it we are FUCKED.
So, as a professional artist it is your JOB to get up, and go make art for hours on end. If it isn't 100% up to par, guess what? It's not always going to be. But you have to do something. You have deadlines to meet, clients to satisfy, goals to achieve and you have to work on it every day because it's a skill you must continually hone and improve.
You can take a day or two off like other people with jobs, but you had better be doing full-time art between those days. Most of us don't get to do that- we do part-time art 7 days a week 365 days a year. Breaking into the industry full-time is difficult and until you get there you have to work work work work work and produce!!!
So, what I'm saying is, find ways to get yourself moving on art. On the days when you are the crappiest, if you have been drawing continuously, then even your shittiest art will be somewhat decent from sheer muscle memory!
And here are some tips that I personally use to get motivated when I'd rather just not:
1. Buy a UV lamp. Especially if you suffer from seasonal depression or work late into the night and sleep during the day. You would not believe how much a little spot of your own personal sunlight will build up your energy and drive!
2. Clean your work space. Whenever I find myself getting furious or frustrated or unmotivated, I will tidy my shit. You can always tell when I'm having an off day because everything is clean and put away. I find that this helps me relax, helps me re-order my thoughts, and by the time I'm done I'm so tired of cleaning I will launch myself head-first into the first creative endeavor. When I'm on a roll or in The Zone, my work space is a disaster.
3. Make lists. Make goal lists. Make lists of ideas. Make lists of projects you want to work on. To-do lists really help me organize my plans and help with time-management.
4. Buy a little dry-erase board and write out everything you have to get done with dates you want them done by. Break down big projects into chunks so they seem less intimidating. And then, and here's the kicker, DO THEM ON TIME. Meet your goals!! Stick with the plan. Even if it takes you months to finish that one 2-page comic, if that's the goal and you meet it then YOU ARE ON TOP OF THINGS, BUDDY! This also helps with those pesky social engagements that can push you into all-nighters. You know when you're ahead of schedule and can go do Shakey's Booty Pub, or when you have to say, sorry guys I've got a deadline!
5. Build a collection of inspirational material. Mine are on a folder on my laptop so I can cycle through them but I also have printed copies of tons of things in folders. When I'm working on a project with a specific feel, I like to find images that have that same feel to them, fish them out and pin them EVERYWHERE. Suddenly, all I have to do is look up or around to get inspiration!
6. Collect art exercises. I have a document on my computer called "warm-ups" and in it are hundreds of exercises to get the juices flowing. Things that are simple or fun and not too terribly intense. I will list some at the end of this post.
7. Draw from life. Seriously, if your brain has gone to mush and you simply can't think of anything worth drawing, go find something that already exists and draw it. GET YOUR HANDS MOVING. That's important. Eventually your left brain will wake up.
8. Change locations. Take your work to a cafe, bar, library, park, museum... anywhere else.
9. Eat well. Sleep enough. Exercise. (Actually, sometimes if I'm having an off day just doing 30 min of a workout can bring me right back on top of things!!).
I see a lot of artists who think that they're entitled to long breaks from work or don't meet deadlines and think they can get away with it because their job requires creativity. Those people very rarely get anywhere in the industry. Don't be those people.
My favorite warm-ups:
-Draw your shopping list
-A self-portrait in the style of another artist
-Choose a line from a poem or song and illustrate it
-If a genie gave you three wishes, draw what they would be for
-Draw various objects in your room/house as people
-Make a comic about the events of your day
-Draw yourself as a monster-creature.
I have difficulty with motivation, just as much as the next person. It's HARD to draw every single day all of your free time always. I mean it. And if you suffer from anxiety or depression-related problems, you are more likely to fall into "ruts" when you "can't do anything" or at least nothing "good".
Here's the deal...
You want to be a professional? Suck it up.
I'm not being mean, I'm being practical. If you're a doctor and you decided one day you don't want to get out of bed because work is too hard, or the amount of work waiting for you is huge, or you don't "feel it" or you aren't 100%, do you just go back to bed?
If you said yes, then good luck with that job at McDonald's, Jim.
The rest of us still have to haul our sorry asses out of bed and FIND A WAY TO REGROUP. We build up systems for ourselves, goals and rewards for getting up out of bed when we'd rather hang ourselves with our dirty socks. And it's up to us to figure out how we do that, whether it's coffee, a decent lunch/breakfast, making plans for drinks or ice cream or shopping later... we do it because it's our JOB, it's how we make MONEY and without it we are FUCKED.
So, as a professional artist it is your JOB to get up, and go make art for hours on end. If it isn't 100% up to par, guess what? It's not always going to be. But you have to do something. You have deadlines to meet, clients to satisfy, goals to achieve and you have to work on it every day because it's a skill you must continually hone and improve.
You can take a day or two off like other people with jobs, but you had better be doing full-time art between those days. Most of us don't get to do that- we do part-time art 7 days a week 365 days a year. Breaking into the industry full-time is difficult and until you get there you have to work work work work work and produce!!!
So, what I'm saying is, find ways to get yourself moving on art. On the days when you are the crappiest, if you have been drawing continuously, then even your shittiest art will be somewhat decent from sheer muscle memory!
And here are some tips that I personally use to get motivated when I'd rather just not:
1. Buy a UV lamp. Especially if you suffer from seasonal depression or work late into the night and sleep during the day. You would not believe how much a little spot of your own personal sunlight will build up your energy and drive!
2. Clean your work space. Whenever I find myself getting furious or frustrated or unmotivated, I will tidy my shit. You can always tell when I'm having an off day because everything is clean and put away. I find that this helps me relax, helps me re-order my thoughts, and by the time I'm done I'm so tired of cleaning I will launch myself head-first into the first creative endeavor. When I'm on a roll or in The Zone, my work space is a disaster.
3. Make lists. Make goal lists. Make lists of ideas. Make lists of projects you want to work on. To-do lists really help me organize my plans and help with time-management.
4. Buy a little dry-erase board and write out everything you have to get done with dates you want them done by. Break down big projects into chunks so they seem less intimidating. And then, and here's the kicker, DO THEM ON TIME. Meet your goals!! Stick with the plan. Even if it takes you months to finish that one 2-page comic, if that's the goal and you meet it then YOU ARE ON TOP OF THINGS, BUDDY! This also helps with those pesky social engagements that can push you into all-nighters. You know when you're ahead of schedule and can go do Shakey's Booty Pub, or when you have to say, sorry guys I've got a deadline!
5. Build a collection of inspirational material. Mine are on a folder on my laptop so I can cycle through them but I also have printed copies of tons of things in folders. When I'm working on a project with a specific feel, I like to find images that have that same feel to them, fish them out and pin them EVERYWHERE. Suddenly, all I have to do is look up or around to get inspiration!
6. Collect art exercises. I have a document on my computer called "warm-ups" and in it are hundreds of exercises to get the juices flowing. Things that are simple or fun and not too terribly intense. I will list some at the end of this post.
7. Draw from life. Seriously, if your brain has gone to mush and you simply can't think of anything worth drawing, go find something that already exists and draw it. GET YOUR HANDS MOVING. That's important. Eventually your left brain will wake up.
8. Change locations. Take your work to a cafe, bar, library, park, museum... anywhere else.
9. Eat well. Sleep enough. Exercise. (Actually, sometimes if I'm having an off day just doing 30 min of a workout can bring me right back on top of things!!).
I see a lot of artists who think that they're entitled to long breaks from work or don't meet deadlines and think they can get away with it because their job requires creativity. Those people very rarely get anywhere in the industry. Don't be those people.
My favorite warm-ups:
-Draw your shopping list
-A self-portrait in the style of another artist
-Choose a line from a poem or song and illustrate it
-If a genie gave you three wishes, draw what they would be for
-Draw various objects in your room/house as people
-Make a comic about the events of your day
-Draw yourself as a monster-creature.
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Still Alive
1 min read
Hey folks- been bed-ridden for a while due to an accident- can't say more for legal reasons. But I've been slowly getting the use of my drawing arm back and working on things. I am working on a freelance project for a friend that involves an NDA so I can't show that, but I DID post some things on my blog lbsketches.blogspot.com/ and will continue to do so!
Hugs and Kittens!
Hugs and Kittens!
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Animation
1 min read
I made an extraordinarily short animation blip. It is on my blog lbsketches.blogspot.com/. Brain am dead now. Goodbye.
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BANDWAGON!
1 min read
Updated the blog lbsketches.blogspot.com/ . Not much but better than nooothinnnggg....
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