Tag: tips

Tips for Artists & Keeping Motivated

~ Brooke F. ~ 8 Comments

While I generally enjoy populating my blog with tips for writers primarily, from the few art posts I have on my blog, you can probably tell that I dabble a bit in the realm of drawing both digitally and traditionally. It is not a source of income for me nor do I ever really plan on it being however, I still find myself in a much better mood having created something that appeals to my eyes (for the most part. Every artist knows you must create an abomination every now in then to keep thinks spicy).

So, all that being said, I felt like it would be fun to make a little “tips and tricks” post for my fellow artists out there for keeping motivated to draw and create even when you feel like you’re not improving or find yourself in a rut creatively.

1. It’s okay to have a pretty scuffed sketchbook.

I know first hand the discouragement that Pinterest drawing journal inspo can produce. On one hand, I feel inspired to create such beautiful pieces myself! On the other, it can cause me to obsess over the “cleanness” and perfection of not just my individual sketches but the state of my sketchbook itself. And, like I often say over here on my blog, perfectionism can be one of the biggest obstacles an artist must overcome. So take heart, artists with beat-up and banged-up sketchbooks! It is totally fine to have a collection of drawings with a few “scrap” pages and maybe a few coffee stains on the cover. Actually, I’ve found that I often draw more when I have a slightly scuffed sketchbook as it prevents me from being nervous about messing up the book with a less than perfect sketch.

2. Draw, Draw, Draw. Quantity (mostly) over Quality.

Just like with writing, often skill comes overtime with the production of a lot of creations. This is the whole practice makes perfect phenomenon. Not that you shouldn’t try of course. Keep trying, by all means. But try not to get all caught up in creating the perfect piece now.

3. Not every art tip you find online will apply to you.

This is another important thing to note when you’re an artist with an internet connection. You have an endless supply of lists of “Do’s and Don’t” that you should follow when drawing. However, while it is good to at least CONSIDER these tips when making your own art, you probably shouldn’t follow every single one. Certain things are creative decisions and a piece that follows all the “rules” can sometimes feel boring or devoid of creativity.

4. Practice the things you struggle with.

I don’t like this tip but once I decided that I was going to draw a hand every day for a month, I saw a huge (though gradual) improvement with my ability to do so. Now that’s a pretty intense solution that I don’t think everyone should do, but I think you get the idea. Try not to avoid things that you struggle with and feel you aren’t good at it. Not that you have to now make your living as a hand-sketcher but it really pays off to put extra practice into those artistic pet-peeves you have whether it be drawing hands, eyes, people, animals, etc.

5. It takes time to find your style.

Not to mention it also evolves constantly. That’s alright though. That’s actually good because if you weren’t changing, you wouldn’t be improving in the slightest. Remember, change is (usually) good.

And I think that’s about it! Thanks for dropping by and reading! Also feel free to let me know in the comments section below of what tips really helped you as an artist! I’d love to hear them!

And I’m outta here! Bye!

Things to Remember as an Anxious Creator

~ Brooke F. ~ 3 Comments

Being a creator of any sorts whether it be a writer, an artist, or anything in between can be an awesome experience with the internet. More than ever before, you can share your work with a larger audience than you would have ever imagined. But, if you’re anything like me, this can come with its own set of stresses. Especially if you’re a people pleaser, sharing your work can be a tough process especially when you find yourself fighting with your own insecurities. What was once fun and freeing can turn into a huge stressor as you worry about how people perceive you and the work you produce. So I composed this list of “Things to Remember as an Anxious Creator”. I’m not saying it going to fix some of the stressful aspects of being a creator who posts their work online but it may help you remember that the important thing about creating is that you enjoy the process and at the end of the day, no one can make everyone happy. Which, coincidentally, is the first reminder.

1.You can’t make everyone happy.

It’s unrealistic to think otherwise. The things you create won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Additionally, there are always going to be people who think you should be doing something differently. And while one should make room for constructive criticism, at the end of the day, your work will speak to some people and not to others. And that’s okay.

2. Nothing you create will be perfect. Take pride in your work but don’t agonize over it.

You are an imperfect person. So, by proxy, you will create imperfect art. You are always going to think you that you could have done something differently in a piece when looking back on it. That’s good, that means you’re improving. But don’t discredit your past work as being useless because it’s not perfect. Additionally, don’t discredit your present or future work because it’s not perfect either.

3. Don’t take every critique or criticism as gospel.

Listen to people’s advice but if you took in and applied everything people said about your work, it wouldn’t look like your work any more which would be an even bigger tragedy than producing something imperfect. Learn to filter the criticism and apply where you think it is needed.

4. Also note, that criticism is still good.

Don’t let the stressful thought of listening to others make you plug your ears and ignore ALL OF IT. This benefits no one and especially not you. You’ve got to walk the line between “taking all criticism” and “taking no criticism at all”. There is a happy medium to be found.

Also note that is still valid to walk about from some criticism when you feel like you cannot handle it AT THAT SPECIFIC TIME. If you are feeling that you are not in a good mental space to accept to respond to people’s critiques, it is good to recognize that and walk away from it and return to it when you feel you can handle it in a healthy way.

5. Perfectionism inhibits the artistic vision.

Don’t get in your head that as soon as you start a project that it must be perfect. I know I have reiterated this already but it is such a common struggle among artists that I feel the need to remind you again. If begin to fall into the lie that everything you make needs to be on a masterful level, you will most likely experience a sort of “creator’s paralysis” and will become so scared of creating something imperfect that you will not create at all.

Aaaaand I know this because I do this. A lot. And I have to continually remind myself that perfectionism has only ever hindered my act of making something. It never helped it.

6. Taking a break is okay.

Remember you are not a machine. Taking a step back from creating for a little while it healthy and you are more likely to return to your work with a fresher perspective and clear mind which will result in even better and more inspired art work!

Breaks are good.

7. Creating is supposed to be fun.

If you are stressed over your work constantly, it might be time to pause and take a step back and evaluate as needed. Creating is not supposed to be a pain staking act every step of the way. Also note that sometimes we are made to enjoy something only for a time and then move on. If you find yourself constantly hating the act of making your art, it may be time to change how you are approaching that art, or take a break from being an artist entirely. We all need to do this sometimes with all kinds of work, not just creating.

For example, if I found myself dreading the very thought of working every day in my field of expertise, that would be a sign that I would need to pause and evaluate my choice of career. Whether this means changing it entirely or simply switching to another job in the same career field but with a slightly different approach to that thing, depends on how I feel.

It doesn’t make you a failure to do this. Life is too short to force yourself to subject yourself to something that you hate on a daily basis. I repeat, take a step back.

And I think that’s it. Those are all the big reminders I have to tell myself as an anxious creator. I hope you got some sort of insight from them! If so, maybe consider following my blog as I post a lot of content similar to this on my little space here. I also encourage you to leave any thoughts you have on these reminders in the comments below and whether or not these helped you! Is there a specific one that you struggle with? For instance the *cough* perfectionism *cough* one? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Have a lovely day & take care of yourself!

Let’s talk about YOUR Art

~ Brooke F. ~ 6 Comments

I read a tweet awhile back (as all good stories start I’m sure) and I just really wanted to discuss it. It’s a tweet that is by a woman named Elicia Donze (an artist) that reads as follows:

I immediately knew I wanted to talk about this, especially since I, myself, am a creator of art. All different kinds in fact, the biggest one being writing. And, subsequently, I know a few writers (and artists) follow me as well. So I think this is good for both me and my readers to hear.

Sometimes you spend a lot of time working on a piece of art, usually for me it’s a writing piece. I work and work on it until I’m done. I step back and reread over the piece and instant dissatisfaction. Not because it’s BAD but because it just doesn’t sound like I want it to. I want it to sound like that narrator in that book I just read a few days ago. The one that was particularly clever. I want it to sound like my favorite authors. In short, I want it to sound like someone else. Because, apparently, the sign of creative genius is your work sounding nothing like you. Something like a stranger wrote. This is, of course, a lie. One that I am often guilty of without even realizing it.

It’s hard when I get so inspired by the world around me that I want what I create to look EXACTLY like that. But, in doing so, I’m defeating the whole purpose of me creating. The joy comes from MY specific take on something. The point is it becomes unique by the fact that I’m merely creating it. If I am creating something correctly, it should look different from everyone else’s work. But it should also sound like ME. And, as the tweet above states, that’s the valuable part of your art.

I know this is a short post but I really wanted to talk about this because I think it’s something that many creators struggle with. Let me know in the comments below what you think! Have a lovely day!

How to avoid burn-out in college

~ Brooke F. ~ 1 Comment

Make short-term achievable goals to go along with your long-term big ones.

This can look like a daily to-do list where you check off little things like doing laundry or cleaning out that messy desk drawer. Your long-term and big goals can be rather daunting. So break it off until smaller bites that you can see yourself accomplishing.

Have at least one weekend day open for catching up (if you can).

I know this isn’t doable for everyone, but leaving at least one weekend day open for catching up on anything that needs to be caught up on is a great thing to do. This can be homework or housework or both. You just need to keep a day open for the things that tend to pile up if you don’t.

Evaluate Priorities (you’re probably going to have to say “no” to something.)

There’s going to be a lot of things bartering for your time in college and I’m sorry to say, you’re likely not going to be able to do it all. I know it’s hard, especially if you have a people pleasing complex (cough, cough), but you’re going to have to say no to some things and some people. You cannot do it all. So prioritize the things that are really worth your time.

Celebrate little achievements and accomplishments and reward yourself every now and then.

Buy yourself a coffee if you did well on that test. Allow yourself to watch an episode of your favorite show when you finish your homework early. Celebrate the small mile-stones and you’ll maintain your wind for future projects.

Keep an eye on your mental state.

College moves so quickly. So much so, it is very easy to cultivate some very unhealthy thinking patterns and habits without even realizing it. I nearly broke one semester because I didn’t even realize I had an issue till I was on the verge of falling to pieces. Keep a conscious eye on your mental state. Sometimes being mentally unhealthy can sneak up on you. It is very easy to lose yourself in a school schedule.

Try to take care of your body.

You study like crap when you feel like crap. Coffee is not a substitute for water. Get some sunlight every now and then. Take your meds. Go for a walk every now and then. Shower and wash your face at the end of the day.

Keep a schedule of some sorts

Especially towards the beginning of the semester when you have lots of room numbers and time slots to remember. But really it’s good to have a schedule year-round if you can manage it. This kind of organization can really help you manage and budget your time and therefore lead to less stress overall during the school year.

Know that it’s okay to ask for help and seek out tutoring resources if you can when needed.

I know asking for help is on most people’s “least favorite things to do” list but trust me, you’re probably going to have to do it at some point during your college career so might as well get used to the idea. And try not to wait till you’re halfway through a class and you’re completely lost to ask for help. If you’re struggling now, ask for help now. Nail down those concepts that you’re shaky on; most subjects build upon earlier concepts.

Make time for passion projects, social activities, or hobbies every now and then.

Don’t run yourself ragged and deprive yourself of spending your time doing fun things or hanging out with friends. These are not “luxuries” that you can deprive yourself of long-term. Sure, don’t skip studying and exam to go partying but definitely schedule a coffee date with a gal pal or a day to indulge in one of your long-neglected hobbies. You are not a machine. You are a person with many different needs, some of which are social. Don’t deprive yourself of these things because you feel you don’t deserve or have “time” for it. You need to make time for it.

Water Adventures to be Had

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

Here are a few water related adventurous activities:

Canoeing 

Kayaking

Beach walking 

Swimming in a lake or ocean

Fishing 

Creek walking 

Swimming in a pool

Paint next to a body of water or even the scenery around said body of water. 

Or if you want to get real creative…

Picnicking in a boat. 

Reading in a boat 

Get a friend and send off a floating lantern in a boat, tangled style. You can buy floating lanterns online and they’re not that expensive. 

Have a water war

Throw a bottle with a note in it into the ocean. 

Paint or write in a boat. It’s incredibly relaxing. 

Learn a few sea shanties.

Road trip Tips

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

Road trip Adventure Tips:

You and your friends each compose a playlist for the trip, and go through all of them. A wonderful way to share your music and explore new stuff as well. 

Stop by museums along the way. 

Libraries are good underrated places to stop as well. Not only can they be beautiful and fun, but they also have super clean bathrooms usually. 

Don’t forget your camera. You have your phone but it usually dies when it’s inconvenient. 

Bring a book selection and share it with your friends. 

Get a 5-Way Multi Headphone Audio Splitter Connector for you and the squad. If you don’t know what that is, I recommend looking them up, they’re way cool. 

Find interesting out of the way places to eat. Going to a Burger King anywhere is pretty much the same experience no matter where you are. 

Or if you don’t have the extra money to spend, being your own snacks. 

Play the license plate game. 

Keep a journal of all the days you spend traveling. 

Bring lots of pillows a blankets for a comfy ride.