The Creative Artist’s Survival Kit
- At October 20, 2011
- By Laur
- In tips
0
29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE from TO-FU on Vimeo.
Embedded above is a useful video for keeping your creative juices flowing.
When you run into one of those off days when nothing you draw seems to turn out right and your work feels lackluster compared to your peers, it’s helpful to remember you’re not alone! All creative individuals feel their energy rise and fall. On days like that be sure to check out these fantastic posts on art, creativity and the creative life. Inspired by this Artist Survival Kit I found regarding painting, I present my favorite links dispensing advice for the artistic soul!
How to Steal Like an Artist
I love the sentiment behind this because the author acknowledges the flaw in pursuing completely “original” ideas. He mentions how artists can take cues from your inspirations and idols to create your own work. The author compares the idea to genealogy whereby each artist is a unique product of his own artistic influences and preferences.
“Persist” A Letter from PIXAR artist Austin Madison to Aspiring Artists
Austin stresses the fact that all artists have to work hard to get to the easy parts of creating. The key is to persist and never give up on yourself! You can read other inspiring letters from animation industry professionals at the Animator Letters Project blog.
Super Obvious Secrets I Wish They’d Teach in Art School
There are lessons about making art you get in a classroom setting and then again, there are some you end up discovering on your own with some experience behind you. Lucky for us beginners, other people are willing to share their wisdom!
This American Life’s Ira Glass on the Skill Gap
I am always grateful to have stumbled onto this wonderful video because it’s the first time someone discusses the frustration between how you want to see yourself and your current skill level. Again, the important takeaway is to just keep at it!
The 50 Things Every Creative Should Know
All very useful advice for beginning professionals in the creative field.
The Complete Guide to Not Giving a F*ck
Remember this advice when you find yourself paralyzed with anxiety and worried people are not going to like your work. Spoiler: Stop worrying!
Hope you enjoyed this post! You can share this using the handy social media buttons or let me know what you think by commenting below!
My Blogging Missions: What to Expect at the Laurbits Show!
- At October 13, 2011
- By Laur
- In updates
- 0
Graphic via Wordle.com
It just occurred to me I dove in right away at this blogging stuff without really having clarified my intentions yet. In some ways, the unrestrained nature meant that I felt free enough to post whatever I like, but the weekly schedule quickly ended up becoming a daunting deadline and I’ve started second guessing myself as to what I should actually be posting. Suddenly, I’ve got a stage and I need to put on a weekly show but I’ve no idea what the acts should be!
So, here’s what I plan to do with this blog:
1) I want to chronicle my journey towards the goal of self-publishing a manga-influenced graphic novel by providing updates and insights on the stages of my processes. I am still planning on releasing the first book online for free leading up to the book’s launch next year. Though at this point, I really can’t give an exact date because everything involved in book production seems to require huge chunks of time! I’m also learning as I go through the steps of publishing and research is a big part of this endeavor.
2) I want to curate and share available online resources for illustrators, animators and from other fields of creative work to encourage continued study and growth as a visual artist. There are a lot of great articles, advice and resources shared by professionals in the industry and I’d like to dedicate a page on this site where I can access them easily.
3) I also want to create a space for other posts related to the creative life. I’d like to feature artists that I admire and give shout-outs if any of them have new work to promote. I may recommend comics and books I’ve read, blog about events I’ve attended or post some productivity tips that help me get work done and stay motivated to make art.
4) And ofcourse, I’d like to share my own art and comics here! Drawing and creating stories provide me great joy and I have always been grateful for the chance to reach and move people through art. I’d like to meet and engage with other artists, foster a community to discuss important and address the unique challenges to “making it as a professional artist.”
I hope this clarifies my intentions for starting this blog and if you have suggestions or ways I can improve anything I’m doing now, I’d love to hear them! Feel free to sound off below!
Change up Your Routine to Get Unstuck
- At October 06, 2011
- By Laur
- In tips
- 0
The Brief Standing Desk Experiment
A couple of weeks ago, I assembled a DIY standing desk because I was feeling a little frustrated creatively. I was having a hard time concentrating and decided to rearrange my work on-the-fly. For the most part, it was a success. My elbows were at a comfortable 90 degree angle to the keyboard and tablet (thanks to my medicine box) and the mouse was elevated by a useful box of instant noodles filled with comic books. (See, Ma? They weren’t as bad as you said.)
The set-up didn’t last that long though. While I found my aimless surfing and scrolling about tumblr decreased, I found myself crashing on the couch in the living room more often from the sheer exhaustion of working. It was also around this time I was about to work on my second set of thumbnails. Since tolerating discomfort while drawing was not a good idea, I switched back to my old space. (with the exception of the elevated monitor. I’m not sure why I had it so low before but I’m much happier with the extra desk space!)
With the realization that work can actually be even more painful than it should be, I can actually focus a little better. (Nothing like a little perspective!) Anyway, sometimes it helps to change things up a bit especially when you’re feeling stuck. If you’re stuck art-wise, try experimenting with different media or work in a style that you’re not usually comfortable with. You could be surprised with the results!
