Artists' Greatest Enemies (and the weapons against them)

I received a message a few weeks ago from someone who was struggling in their pursuit of art. As I read the message, I found myself nodding and smiling. I’ve been through all the same things before. Actually, I think every artist has! So what do we do with these ‘Art Enemies’?

*I have no confidence in drawing and my perfectionism gets in the way.

In high school I sat next to a girl who could take anything and make it a masterpiece...while mine looked absolutely elementary! I'd often walk out of the class feeling incredibly frustrated and disappointed with myself. But what helped me most in overcoming that was looking at each new drawing as a step in the right direction. I used to stick notes to my drawings and picked out what I did like in each piece. I called it my 'positive study'. It really helped me find my confidence in drawing. I kept all of those drawings. Every single one, even…or perhaps, especially if I hated it. I tucked them away in a folder and put that folder out of sight, slowly adding to it until I found that those sticky notes were getting fuller and fuller of the things I liked in each drawing. It seemed a little pointless at the time, but it became ritual. Not only did I get a lot of practice, but I gained a lot of confidence! I still do that mentally every time I’m working on a drawing. It helped me turn my perfectionism into a skill for me to use, rather than to despise.

*When I’m finally in the mood to draw, I can’t find anything too draw.

I think I hate this more than the perfectionism! So I started looking for ways to head off the problem before I ran into it again. I found a nice, fat binder and started filling it with pictures that caught my eye. For any reason. I collected magazines and calendars and newspapers and went crazy with scissors and glue! I call that bright, heavy binder my Idea Book. I’ve had it for years now and still add to it…and I still find myself referring back to it whenever I get stuck.

BUT: if you’re not such a great fan of glue and paper cuts, I also have a digital version. Just a folder on my laptop filled to the brim of pictures and art that I’ve stumbled across on the internet that inspire me. Works just as well.

*It takes me forever to even finish a drawing

Same here! Most of what I do takes anywhere from 25-45 hours to finish, spread over weeks…or even months! You just have to remember that you’re drawing for fun. Because you love it. Not because it’s something that needs to get done…even if it’s a class assignment. There’s no timer clicking down on the wall. Take every last second you need and don’t worry (or even count) how long it takes you. Just enjoy it.

*I get distracted and can’t focus enough to stick with a drawing.

Oh, the distractions and shiny things around us! The first thing I recommend is a space for you to draw. Somewhere comfortable and secluded where you can gather all your supplies to get creative. I usually choose my bedroom or my converted art studio.

But the key for me (and many others)? Music. Simply play your favorites or whatever you’re in the mood for and keep it playing in the background. Music not only keeps me focused, but I also find that I’m more inspired and creative when listening to music. I very rarely ever draw without it. (or else, I start singing some random song to myself instead)

We all have our own little quirks and tools, and I’d love to hear what works for you! Comment and let me know!

The New Year

The New Year is hours away and the new start means a lot of different things to a lot of people all over the world. We set goals and resolutions and take time to reflect on the past year. We aim to break bad habits and start some good ones.

Most years in the past, I look back over the past year and am disappointed with the list of things I didn’t get around to. This year, though? 2010 has been one of my best, most meaningful years to date. Especially compared to last year. In 2009 I lost my grandpa and my biggest artistic inspiration. My mother was without a job for 13 months. I took up a job in fast food at Arby’s, which sent me into an 8-month creative dry spell. It’s hard to dream when you’re dunking fries in grease all day

But to follow that with a year I am proud of? Is nothing less than a blessing from God. I started LainyArt in April relying solely on faith. To see where I am today, compared to the day I held my first prints in my hands, is more than I expected when I started out. And I know there’s only more to come!

For 2011, I’d like to take the time to set some actual goals for myself.

1. First, I need to get my license. Most people get those at 16, not 21. Though I do not expect to have a car available for me to drive, it’s one of those steps in life that (here in America) tell you you’re an adult. To be honest, I hate driving. But in the future, I’ll need to be able to run my own errands cross-town.

2. I want to finish my novel. I’ve been working on it off and on for about 4 years. Writing and re-writing and… I’m finally feeling it’s time to write the ending and head down the publishing road!

3. Expansion! I need to reach more people through LainyArt and I’ve been dreaming up ways to do that. I hope to have some funds to do some advertising this year. (local and internet!)

4. One of my goals from the very beginning was to get an original of my work accepted into a local gallery for display. I will likely start with coffee shops and work my way up. It’s just one of those things I have to do. A marker of some sort, in my mind.

5. And (since my town is a fan of them) I’d love to set up a booth in one of our craft shows! It’s a great way to meet people face to face and spread the word around. (That’s and it’s a great reason to go overboard with beads and scrabble pendant stocks! :P


I think that about covers it! These are the big things I missed this year, so here’s to the accomplishments to come in 2011 for all of us! Happy New Year!

Making a list and checking it twice

To Do List by robayre

In the past months, I have discovered that writing down what you want to accomplish is the best way to get it done. Now, it’s not magic. But if you use right, it sure can seem like it! I keep a total of three lists per day. Sounds daunting, I know, so let me break it down for you.

My first list outlines my goals for the week. (I usually write this one Sunday evening) It contains ‘mini goals’ like designing 10 new pendants or completely finishing a commission, things that would take a few days before I can scratch it off. I keep this list next to my bed and keep track throughout the week of my progress.

My second list is full of all the little things that will get me closer to my weekly ‘mini goals’: spending time on a commission, cleaning up my studio, listing a new item on Etsy or a reminder to ship off a package. This list is a time saver. I’m continually going back to it and checking things off through the day. I find that I waste much less time when I know exactly what it is I need to do.

The third list is more for the sake of my family’s sanity. It has all the less fun, but also quite essential things that need to get done everyday. Dishes, laundry, vacuuming…the things that will keep the house running smoothly and toes from getting stubbed. I write this one on the same page with my Art list…otherwise, it’s far too easy to forget about it!

So, today’s the start of a brand new week full of things to finish and steps in the right direction. It’s time to make list!

Overcoming Obstacles

Things are slowly starting to come together! Just waiting on a few more things in the mail and I can make some real headway towards my Etsy shop overhaul. A lot of my job is waiting right now, which is a huge, huge lesson. And it’s given me some time to sit and reflect on some of the other lessons I’ve learned. If you’re venturing into a similar realm of employment, maybe you can learn a little from my obstacles.

Budget. Oh, the horrible dreaded word! Even with the fast food job I quit a year ago, I’ve always been thrifty and very careful what I spend money on. But with the economy and family losses, most of the funds from that job were tapped out by the time I decided to actually go for my dream. I started from absolute 0. So what are my best tips and tricks to make it?

1. Only buy what you need. No, really! Write out your goals and set them in stone. Think honestly over every potential purchase: “Will this help get me closer to my goal?” If not, take a deep breath and walk away. If so, then scour the internet and all the stores in your area for the best deal possible!

2. Shop thrift stores and take advantage of garage sales! Not only for clothes and household items, but for supplies as well. I’ve saved hundreds of dollars in frames alone!

3. Keep a close, watchful eye on your bank account. It’s so easy these days to hand over that plastic card and forget the total amount! Check it every day, if need be, and remind yourself it’s okay to be a bit of a tight-wallet! OR switch back to cash. Trust me, the spending makes a bigger impact on you if you have to count the money out and hand it over.

4. Spend money to make money…sad, but the saying is true. Just don’t go all gung-ho about it! Take it slow and start with the most important thing to get you on your way (for me, this was setting up and testing prints). Slowly build yourself up. Like I said…it can be a big waiting game, but you’ll get there if you play it smart.

Certainty. This kind of adventure isn’t for the fickle tip-toer. Be absolutely sure this is where you want to take your life before you jump in. And believe me when I say that this was the hardest part for me. With a more than shaky economy and unemployment, I had the mindset that I needed a steady job…even if minimum wage. It actually took an intervention from some close friends to make me realize this dream could be a reality. You’ve got to get rid of the ‘guilt’ of leaving the workforce, banish any crumb of pessimism, and be solid in your determination to make it!

And our good old friend, Time. When I started out, I bounced around from one thing to another without really accomplishing much. As soon as I found some sort of routine, I found myself making more and more progress every day. I usually clean in the morning, draw around 11-3, and then switch over to jewelry until around 5:30. After that it’s writing, uploading, updating and finances until bed starts to call.

The main thing to remember here is progress. Taking little bites every day won’t get you anywhere. You have to get ahead! Work hard every day, no matter the mood or task at hand. Every day should feel like a leap forward. Remember, this is a marathon. Not a sprint.

Now, don’t get me wrong…I’m still a ‘newbie’ at this. Still learning every day. But I think these are still the most important things to keep in mind if you’re heading down a similar path! Good luck to you and drop me a line if you’ve learned any other helpful hints!

To split or not to split?

The curse of being creative? Too many ideas to sort out!

I’m still going back and forth on whether to open a separate shop for jewelry or not. All the pros and cons keep floating around my head, I get more ideas and the decision is, once again, put off. So, how do I best deal with this?

Charts.

Yeah…I’m a nerd at heart.

I’m going to take you through my decision making process and make the call. Right here, right now.

To split or not to split?

It’s much like a scale, weighing good against bad and here, clearly (thank goodness!) there is a sure winner!

The only thing on the con side that really stands out to me is where my paper jewelry fits in. But seeing as how it’ll be better to keep it all together, I’ll just have to make it work.

This means a shop overhaul! New logos and advertisement. New photos and color scheme. New packaging. It also means new products! In the next month, I hope to double my prints available for sale, have 25 different 'wearable art' designs (Soon to be revealed!) and a full selection of my upcycled paper bead jewelry.

Good thing I'm a determined little creator. haha Off to work!

Efficiency, Presentation, and planning for the future.

So, I've been thinking. About efficiency. Presentation. Future.

One of my biggest advances in pursuit of a profitable living as an artist and jeweler has been creating my own little space to work. Having an area to keep, store, organize and display my work has done wonders in the amount of work I've been able to get done. Everything is right where I need it, when I need it. (And more importantly, out of the way of my family)

One of the biggest hold backs in being efficient is actually the time I spend on the computer, keeping up with marketing, listing, researching, and all that other good stuff. I'm slowly getting better at it, though. I manage websites in the morning with my cup of coffee, check emails and hop off to take care of the house. (dishes, laundry, cleaning, pets) I try my best to be done on the computer by 9:00. It's simply a matter of not becoming distracted by all the shiny things on the net. :P


When it comes to presentation I've got the display of artwork down...well, to an art. But I'm kind of clueless on the aspect of jewelry display. I play with lighting and fabrics, angles and everything I can think of. What I really need is something unique...something more eye catching and professional. I'm just not sure what that is, yet.

But one of the biggest issues I've come to face is my Etsy shop. All of my artwork seems to have gotten lost among all the jewelry and the feel of the shop is not at all cohesive. Lucky me, there is a hopefully simple solution: Open a second store. One focused on my jewelry, one focused on my art.
The only problem with that is likely more time spent on the computer to promote both shops.


All in the hopes of a future. I dream of living by my art and I will do everything it takes to get there. I just wish it didn't take so long to learn exactly what it is I need to do. Regardless....I'm loving the ride, highs and lows. And I can't wait to see where this goes.

Been a while?

Life gets crazy, right? We all know the feeling.

In the past weeks I've learned a new love for commissions. There's something special in creating a work of art that's already tailored for it's owner and home.
But I never said it was easy! A week and a half ago, I sent out my first finished commission to London. Handing over that artwork into someone else's care was horrifying! I'm actually still nervously awaiting the news that it has arrived there safely....until then, I'll be on pins and needles. Is it odd that shipping it was harder for me than drawing it?



So, what about that other commission? That crazy huge one with the five portraits? It's mere hours of work from being completely finished and I honestly couldn't be any more excited. It's the biggest project I have ever taken on and I'm almost sad it's nearly over. Here's my progress and coming soon is the whole piece!





Here's a little clue on what is left to do:

Arts, Parks, and my Grandpa

As an art town, we have an event every summer called "Art in the Park" where local artists of all kinds gather in our largest park to show, share, and sell their work in booths and tents on the grasses. I'm hoping to team up with a friend and fellow artist of mine to buy a booth this summer and sell my artwork, prints, and paper bead jewelry.
Nothing is set in stone, but the idea's been keeping me excited and motivated towards my work! I'll try and keep you all updated as I do more research into it!

I love to keep as busy as I can, so I must say this past week has been wonderful. I'm building up both my paper bead jewelry collection and my artwork for galleries and coffee shops.(and possibly Art in the Park) I'm looking forward to starting on my "Peacock Dancer" drawing later this week as well as my second commission!

I'm only able to start on new projects because I have been able to finish another piece. My "secret project" was finished this past week and given to my mother on Father's day. It was her first father's day without her dad and she was so touched by the portrait. This one was actually incredibly difficult, more in an emotional sense than anything.
But as drawing has always done for me...it's helped me to heal and to remember someone very special that I love.