Productively Creative!

It’s been a while since I’ve updated this blog! So without a doubt it’s about time again to write out some of my thoughts. In this case I’m going to think a bit more about the paper I’m working on for school: Productively Creative. Related to that, is my work routine.

My work routine is highly irregular, and I don’t want that anymore. I eat whenever I think of it – if there’s food in the house. I draw whenever I feel I must, or whenever I feel like it. There’s no set timing – everything is flexible and moveable. Now I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you get your work done, but the truth is that at the end of the day I’m usually disappointed. I wanted to study some Swedish too, or play a game of chess. Or I wanted to get two pages out instead of just one.

I feel reasonably productive, most of the time, but then come the days where nothing happens. As if someone blew out my candle, and I have find the lighter AGAIN. I might qualify for someone who fears to make something bad, but I feel like that’s not the case now – because I’m certain I can do the assignments given to me. I’m not dealing with a fear of failure, but probably more so a loss of discipline.

Now how come I can be crazily disciplined on some days, and completely at a loss on others? I’ve been on a strict food diet for three months two years ago. I ate at exactly the same times every day. Went to bed around 10 every day, and started producing drawings even while sitting in the train. Thinking back to that time I’m convinced that a regular production schedule that becomes nothing less than a HABIT is what’ll make my production skyrocket. The need to create has to be a habit. It used to be when I was a kid, then I started working as a graphic designer and it vanished. One of my hopes was that going to an art academy would help me find that love again for drawing – and it did. Now to make it a habit! In my paper I’ll discuss various routines of other artists/writers and I’ll try out some routines for myself – and based on that finally create one that I think suits me best.

So what do I already know my routine consists of?

     Sports. I love it, I feel great afterwards, and it’s lifted my spirits in general throughout the last half year. This means that my evenings 6-9 are generally not hours I can spend on art. I’ve found myself in two rhythms: either I work and totally lose myself in it from 10 to 3 midnight, or I work from 2 to 5 in the afternoon. Except in the days when I woke up early: then I found myself working from 8 to 4 during the day and I clearly made more hours. For some reason I could never keep this up and fell back into another pattern.

     Healthy food and regular eating schedules.
I have to admit, the three months I stuck to a food schedule were brilliant. I had more energy, I felt much better, so yes, I would to love to have that back in my life somehow.

What do I really want to include in my optimal routine?

     Weekly Disney Drawings. Let’s face it, I want to be an official Disney artist. The thought of it makes my skin tingle with excitement. Now that I’m working on a Disney comic for Egmond with Wilma van den Bosch this actually seems possible, and I want to give it my all. The Disney Lineart series I started back in 2006 is still very popular and I’d really love to expand on it in my free time.

     Running. It feels great to run three times a week, at least. I’d love to improve my conditioning so I can run further and faster than I ever did before. One day I hope to join a marathon – something I never EVER thought I was able to do. Knowing that I can is a great eye opener to my physical abilities. Like Socrates said: “it is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable."

     Less distractions. One of my biggest problems is something that I also consider my greatest strength: interest. Everything around me is utterly fascinating! I’d love to study astronomy, or neurobiology, philosophy, engineering, chemistry, social studies, chess, oh yes, and definitely languages! I can communicate in about 5 or 6 at this point, but I’d love to polish them up too, so I often find myself watching a movie in French, randomly opening up my Spanish textbook and making exercises or reading tons of non-art related articles on the internet. One after the other. Fact is, I can’t do that whenever I feel like it, because it gets in the way of things that are more important: like graduating. Like improving the one skill that was always with me from the start: drawing. I hope I can find a way to balance my interests whilst still creating art on a daily basis.

I hope it makes sense in a way, maybe I’m missing something in this post, but it always feels great to put my thoughts on paper and read them back later. Maybe tonight I’ll conclude I’m absolutely bonkers, but that’s fine too.

How am I going to shape this paper?
This is something I’m actually quite excited about. The routines of my chosen artists should all be designed onto posters. Separate posters, so you can pick one out that inspires you and hang it on your wall. They will be folded in a book, and you can take them out.

Another project that has been lingering in my mind is to make smaller posters of inspiring productivity quotes. I’ve always wanted to make my own posters so I could hang them in my workspace to remind and encourage myself. This might just be my chance to make that happen.

To be honest I’ve come to the conclusion that I find it ridiculous to keep track of what happens to me during a work day by taking photos or drawing sketches every hour, or per change of activity. I’d much rather draw a one panel comic/cartoon at the end of the day to summarize what the routine I’m trying out feels like. Maybe I could ask other artists to do this too? To make a one panel cartoon/drawing about their daily schedule? I’d prefer that much more.

Measurement of a successful schedule is a combination of happiness level and hours spent productively. Hours spent productively are the hours I’ve spent on my school assignments.

Feels great to have that clarified to myself! :)

And of course, I have been drawing too. Here are some updates!