[INKTOBER '23 | DAY 1 - Dream]
In fields of green, a shepherdess lies,
Besides her flock, under starry night skies.
Dreaming of valor, a knight on a quest,
enjoying adventures at her queen's behest.
Well hello, I'm back from my little vacation, ready to try my hand at this year's Inktober-challenge! ⭐️ It's gonna be a story about a young shepherdess going on an adventure and it's gonna be fruity, don't you worry! 😉
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Hi ma'am, what environment works best for you to work in? Like time of day or specific place?
Hi and hello dear Anon, thanks for getting in touch with your question - I hope you're well! 🤗
Since your question might be interesting for everyone, I've taken some time to answer in depth. I hope it's useful for y'all!
🔽How I work best as a full-time artist🔽
Time/Schedule
I personally work best early in the day when my concentration and energy is at its highest.
Since I am prone to either ALWAYS work/draw or be exhausted from rushing myself, a good schedule is vital! Currently, I am in the process of figuring out a new, much more flexible schedule for myself, where certain days of the week are reserved for tasks with some flex days to switch things around if needed.
I like to start with admin tasks, which I find difficult, and work my way down until I can "just draw", which I find easiest.
Workplace/Set-Up
I work with a PC and drawing tablet set-up, so I am bound to my desk workplace-wise, but I would love to upgrade with a portable tablet so I can draw out in nature or in society.
I've surrounded my desk with things that inspire me: Plants, postcards, trinkets, you name it. This keeps my brain fresh and oftentimes gives me a boost to keep drawing.
My monitors are positioned high enough that I can see them well while sitting upright. Good posture is vital if you spend a lot of time working!
I now have my big Huion Kamvas tablet that has a display, so I need to remind myself to not be crouched over it all the time. I also pull up the artwork on my further-away monitor to check the overall composition and/or values, instead of drowning in details!
Health While Working
While drawing, music, documentaries or Let's Plays are vital to keep the overthinking at bay and to keep me in the flow!
WATER!! I can't stress enough how important it is to drink. Enough. Water. If I don't, that results in brain fog and art is no.
Sometimes I need to rest my eyes on something else than my WIP art - I usually keep my desktop wallpaper something calming and almost neutral (like a mist-covered lake or a mountain ridge) and just stare at it for a few moments.
I am mindful of my breaks, especially when drawing! I use a pomodoro timer to know when it's time for stretching my hands and for water breaks.
Snack breaks are also a good thing - I definitely recommend fruit (because of course!), nuts and dark chocolate. They help me stay energized without making me drowsy.
Process
I keep a very detailed To Do list to keep myself motivated and also to know where exactly in the art/project process I am. My brain can either be in admin mode or creative mode, not both.
If I feel blocked either artistically or energy wise, I try to do some personal sketches for at least ten minutes.
If I absolutely can't motivate myself to draw (due to energy levels or whatever reason), I honor that and see if I want to do something else, like learning Blender, learning more about the business side of the artist life - or maybe just take a breather and let myself be a human bean.
Some days, I like the challenge of sketching a new idea, some days I prefer the cozy and less creative task of doing outlines and shading of existing sketches. I now try to let myself do what I gravitate towards more and it pays off with me not feeling overwhelmed as easily. It's about just doing what you can most of the time.
When I'm done with a piece of artwork, I try my darndest to be very supportive and proud of myself. I take a longer break and return to look at the finished artwork, trying to name my favorite thing about it as well as something I can see needs more work.
Something I don't do YET but will do: Keeping a document with all the positive comments I receive. I think validation and acknowledgement are things that humans almost always enjoy and keeping a record of praise around is sure to motivate me at least a little.
And that's that! If any of you read to this point: Thank you very much, I hope you found my list useful!
If you have any tips or tricks regarding drawing, staying motivated and in general doing a hecking survive as an arting individual, why not drop it in the comments for all to benefit from?
Stay healthy and stay happy! Much love! 😊
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"They say flowers that bloom in the moonlight are the most beautiful - and truly, the most captivating beauty blossoms in the shadows"
I'm back to bring you some delicious Donna x maid food. 😌 Yep, I'm still around and kicking and alive. I had to deal with two very not nice health problems back to back, so it has been a ✨TIME✨ since I posted. Missed you all! 🥰
I'll try and return to the drawing board slowly and mindful of my energy. And I hope that you also take care of your precious selves! ❤️ Thank you for being patient and sticking around!
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