Phased Return

I’m sorry it’s been a while.  I have a faint memory of our departure; I wanted to take a break as I found myself spending less effort on drawing than on writing about it on here.  But I think my last post has disappeared, so I haven’t a clue how long I’ve been away for (one year perhaps?).

I won’t publicly commit to a schedule but I don’t want to disappear for another year either.  I was no less distracted during my absence but I learned to accept my own aspirations and let go of the ones that belong to other people (am I making sense?).  I’m here to learn all over again, and hope you will join me.

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By Definition

When can I call myself an illustrator?

I know I don’t need to wait until I’ve done the (un)necessary training, have a certificate, or passed a test.  So, must I have a pre-specified number of followers on Instagram?  Or an extensive online portfolio (which I’m sure is very helpful indeed, but I’m new here).

So, what if I don’t?

When two completely disconnected people* raised this question, it got me thinking.  I well and truly dread being asked what I do for a job, as mine isn’t a straightforward answer.  I feel I have to justify my own situation with an abridged version of my awkward journey through life and work so far.  Concluding with “but I want to be an illustrator”.  This alone isn’t self-explanatory.  And I feel I have to justify what I’m doing to get there (although I’m continually fighting self-doubt that I could ever be so lucky as to live the life I always dreamed of).

So, having given this some thought, I’m choosing to call myself an illustrator right now, despite not having much stuff “out there” to prove it.

[Audible intake of breath]

Well, where has being a hopeful illustrator gotten me so far?

If you’re also fed-up of self-doubt and the niggling, irritating voices that accompany this, try calling yourself an artist, illustrator, or whatever you hope to be, and listen to the new thoughts that start popping into your head.

*Hat’s off to Jessica Abel and my Canadian friend J for raising this.

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Fly or Flow?

Did I mention my resolution for this year was to Simplify?

My attempts haven’t quite gone as expected these past few weeks as I have more commitments rather than less.  So I’ve been asking myself: “Is it better to spend a few good hours on a project, seeking flow?  Or is a quick sprint better for productivity?”

I’m currently practicing quick sprints, setting my timer so I jump from one activity to another, and rushing to finish before the buzzer.  I also gave myself permission to complete even the simplest sketches over several consecutive days, rather than putting them off because I have a heap of other priorities.  I’m not sure this was the best strategy as a drawing that should take 30 minutes is dragging on.  But I’m drawing daily, and that’s a good (re)start.

Footnote ~ I can recommend this apple drawing tutorial which I found on the Will Kemp Art School website; it’s part 2 of 3.  Part 1 explains the theory of shadows, and part 3 is an acrylic painting tutorial.

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Keeping it Simple

I believe in fate, and sometimes things happen because the timing is just right; things are just meant to be.

With my life feeling more like an ongoing game of Tetris, I’ve decided I need to simplify.  I feel like I’m at that point in the game where you’re a few levels in and you’re just about managing to maintain some control, but those blocks keep appearing and stacking up around you.  Imagine those little blocks are the things you want to spend time doing, and the longer you go on the more they stack up and although those stacks keep going up and down you never quite clear all of them.

Over the past two years my (almost) weekly blog posts have helped me identify my real and imagined obstacles, and led me to make some remarkable changes.  But catching up with my resolutions last week, I realised I’ve spent more time writing blog posts than I have being prolifically creative.  So, in order to simplify things I’ll be posting here on a monthly basis.  For now anyway.

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Now We Are Two

Happy 2^nd Birthday Filbert and Smudge!

The start of a fresh new blogging year is the perfect time for me to reflect on my ‘New Year Resolutions’, and set my goals for the next year of my life, too.

For the past two years I set out to: i) overhaul my wardrobe, and ii) become prolifically creative.  And, unlike last year, I’ve made some great progress.

Wardrobe Architect/Overhaul – Finished?

Over the past year I’ve completely reorganised my wardrobe with feng shui, I’ve parted with a few items and added a few as well.  I may not be down on quantity just yet, but now I’m conscious of the stuff I don’t tend to wear, we may be parting company soon.  My wardrobe project is still in progress, but it won’t be my focus for this new year.

Prolific Creativity

When I resolved to be prolifically creative, I intended to draw more often.  Two years’ on and I’m well aware of my own real and imagined obstacles, so this one is coming with me for another outing.

I’m undecided what my resolutions will be for the next 12 months, but as soon as I’ve decided you’ll be the first to know.

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