Here’s what I’m facing today — the struggle to BEGIN.
Today I begin final artwork for a children’s book. Blank illustration board is lying on my table taunting me. Insecurity surfaces, as always. Will I be able to do it again? Do I have what it takes today? What if the work isn’t good enough?
The deadline is real. A promise has been made. Like any performer, there comes a moment when you must simply step up and deliver. Didn’t sleep well last night? Me either. The deadline doesn’t care.
Here are some strategies I’ve learned for building momentum. These are simple, but it really does help me to remind myself:
1. I can’t paint an entire book. (For fine art, I can’t paint an entire show). Not today. What I can do today is steps. Break the project into doable action steps.
2. Prepare materials and the work space. Enjoy the fact that you get to make art today. You don’t have to shovel dirt. This is a blessed day already. Be grateful.
3. Review the project. Divide the number of images needed by the days available. How many images do I need to complete per day? Per week? Set a reasonable goal for each day.
4. Build in margin. Expect mistakes and do-overs. Plan on it. Amateurs expect magic on the first try. Experts know when to start again.
5. Shut out all thoughts of audience response, sales, awards, accolades of any kind. That’s NOT what this is about. That’s not where art comes from.
6. Play music that energizes you.
7. Forget everything else and lose yourself in the joy of image-making. The feel of the brush in your hand, the smell of the paints, the textures, colors, line… FIND THE FUN and get lost in it.
These are the things I’m telling myself and doing today. Because the inertia is real. The fear is real.
The one other thing I always do is offer the gift back to the Giver and ask for help. No point in trying to do this alone.
Time to get in there and make some art.
very good and timely advice – I will print it off to refer to often.
So many of these things apply even to us non-artists. Thanks! (Don’t forget #8 – Go home after a good day’s work and hang out with your wife.)
Its nice to see you doing this work again.
I can definitely relate. Thanks for sharing this wonderful advice!
I know it shouldn’t matter (see #5), but for what it’s worth, I’m really looking forward to seeing the end result. Good luck!
Charles- Audience response does matter- that’s the irony. In order to please the audience, which MUST happen if I’m to keep my gig, I have to forget about them while creating the art. At least that’s how it works best for me.
Thank you so much for being so honest. I thought something was wrong with me for being so scared to start every time. This really helps. Love #2!