Jan AMA: Answers (Patreon)

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Claire_3C had some questions this month, which I'll break up into a few answers!  

I have two questions this month :)  First off - I am trying to get into the habit of squeezing art in when I can, even if its while waiting for the kettle to boil, grabbing a snack or wait for the laundry cycle to do its thing... basically swapping out my mindless social media / phone games habit for a pencil and some paper or a drawing program - not that I'm saying all social media and apps are bad, but I know my balance is way off and I want to work on tipping it back.  One of the problems I can find is the blank page can be super daunting in the short window and the kettle might have boiled by the time I have decided what to do. I was wondering if you have or know of any "If in doubt..." drills that are your go to if you experience a small block but want to make the most of your time?  

Blank page paralysis is one of the hardest challenges for both early and experienced artists, but each person has their own solutions for it.

You've set a schedule or started to find times throughout your day...but now what? There are a few aspects of habit-building that help you actually get the wheels turning: discipline, motivation, and inspiration.

Some folks say only one or two of these matter in the long run, but I find all three to be important in their own ways. You have to be disciplined to avoid distractions, stay on task, and follow through to the very end while creating instead of ending up with a bunch of unfinished WIPs. You need motivation to have the energy to put pen to paper and get started. You need inspiration to have direction and ideas that you're excited about and will follow through on.

When you're ready to get shit done but don't know what to create, I suggest building up an inspiration library.  Some people think this just means creating a bunch of Pinterest boards, but you can get more creative than that! Integrate other mediums into your art. Brainstorm with other artists. Find a resource like Ctrl Paint or a YouTube channel you can follow along with.

I personally am inspired when I have motivation to grow. This means I identify a weakness of mine that I want to strengthen, and I push that forward. This varies from huge, vague goals like being a better illustrator to more granular things, like wanting to get better at painting fur. Turning my weaknesses into my strengths is a huge motivator personally and is incredibly rewarding, but remember to keep things actionable and bite-sized!

When I'm struggling on a micro level: ideas come to us throughout the day, so I carry around a small notebook that I can write or sketch ideas in. These small rough sketches that just capture the moment in mind creates an entire bank of unfinished, fun, rough ideas. These aren't intended to be pretty or complete. It's really just plucking the concept out of the air before it passes out of your mind. Scribble some notes so you're able to read it later. I think this is my #1 recommendation! You'd be surprised by how many ideas you come up with throughout the day, it's just a matter of storing them somewhere :)

Secondly - I just finished mapping out a half keyboard for my most frequently used Photoshop keys and I was wondering if you had any favourite tangible or intangible things as a freelancer or maybe had in house somewhere that you feel has helped your workflow or just day to day in general?  Thank you! 

Oh gosh,  yes. Working at home over a few years has caused me to build up a variety of goods that keep happy, focused, and sane throughout the day.

I've been meaning to do a "software for freelancers" post that breaks down all of my digital tools, but to summarize: I use the free version of Toggl to keep track of time while I'm working, which functions as a formal timekeeping tool while also helping me guesstimate how much time I put into each task. I don't trust hardware very much (too many hard drives have gone kaput on me) so I save everything on OneDrive and Google Drive, as well as locally. We use Airtable for task management, but Trello is a great option too!

Other software stuff...make sure that the pressure settings on your tablet don't require you to push your pen very hard, that can fatigue your hand over time. Keyboard shortcuts are a lifesaver. I like to assign the tablet pen buttons to right click and double click, I find that speeds up my workflow a lot.

As for hardware: I personally just use an old Intuos Pro that I've had for 7+ years. I've used Cintiqs at jobs but I find they strain my shoulder. I'm also not a huge fan of the colors on their screens, and I don't like that my hand covers up what I'm drawing.

I absolutely recommend investing in a good office chair that is designed to be sat in for 6+ hours at a time. Chairs at Staples are rated by how many hours/day is appropriate for usage, so you can make sure you buy one that is good for long days! Here's mine. I like having a mesh chair so I don't get sweaty on my back or legs. Warm chairs get stinky. Nooo thanks.

I'm an obsessive post-it note user. I never have less than 4-5 post-it notes tacked up around my desk at any given time. Yeah, you can do that digitally, but there's something really physically satisfying about physical pen on paper. I also keep a lot of physical journals for brain-dumping, ideas, making sure I haven't forgotten any work responsibilities, etc. I ~love~ dotted journals. The blank page journals stress me out and the lined ones are too structural for me.

I try to create a space that I actually enjoy being in! I'm a big fan of Ikea furniture, having plants and a physical calendar, pinning up nice notes and pictures on a whiteboard, and organizing all my physical documents in cute folders~ I got some good speakers on sale, a pretty solid little mechanical keyboard, a charming mousepad, and good headphones over time. I keep a running mental list about things I can improve around the space, and then very slowly check them off one at a time. I also always keep a big bottle of water with a reuseable straw in front of me so I'm drinking enough water!

Don't be afraid to invest in your tools or workspace, especially if you're spending a lot of time in one spot. That doesn't have to get expensive- a couple of little things can really brighten up a space!