I remember when I was a young kid, maybe 8-10 years old, and I would get this random idea that popped into my head, and I would think: “I need to draw this NOW!” So my art process as a kid was to obsess over it for the next 45 minutes, making sure I got everything in my head down on the page.

I miss that.

How easy it would be. So simple.

As I got older, life just kind of sucked the energy out of me. Now, I have to learn to love the process again. I think as kids, especially pre-internet/smartphones, we don’t even think about that part, were just worried about getting it down.

Not worried about the proper technique.

Not the anatomical structure.

Color theory? Nah.

Art process? What’s that?

And as artists, in this overstimulating, chaotic society, we need that simplicity.

Everything is about providing value, and making it into a business. And while those are good things to strive for, it shouldn’t get in the way of the artistic process.

Reconnecting with Art

As we grow more self-aware, we overthink every process. Not just creativity. We’re our worst critic, and sometimes, our worst bully.

We bully our creativity, constantly nitpicking and never satisfied.

We never really get to experience it in its entirety, because we don’t even let it fully come out. If it does at all.

I’ve been playing around for a long time now, on different ways to be more consistent with my art. I spent so many years disconnected from that part of myself that, it feels foreign trying to come in contact with it again.

I just have this intense need to create something, but when I get to the page, I come to a blank. Lately, the most creativity I get to express is poetry.

That’s a discussion for another time. But it’s another art form I love.

What I’ve been testing in my art process

I should add that I have ADHD, so focusing is really difficult for long periods of time. I’ve been playing around with different ways to do what I have to do, while giving myself the breaks I need, and also practice some self-compassion.

Lately, what I’ve been doing is the pomodoro technique. If you don’t know, it’s basically a time management technique for people with ADHD.

The idea is, you’d work on a task for, let’s say, an hour. After an hour, you take a mandatory 30 minute break. Then, you’d start the process again, however many times you want.

So far, it’s going okay. I don’t feel as burnout as I normally would.

But I have been able to at least get something done. I have to learn to be okay with good enough.

Music helps to a degree, it keeps my brain distracted enough to not overthink.

Just accept it..

While I do feel I am making progress, a lot of the work is really mentally. The words we repeat to ourselves does impact our behavior. Even complaining.

So I feel I have to reframe how I speak about the art process to myself, and really drill self-compassion into my brain. Perfectionism is a disease. While striving for th ebest we can be, we shouldn’t allow our obsession with getting things right the first time, stop us from doing what we love. Or getting into new hobbies. It’s only hurting us in the end.

The work is really mental. The words we repeat to ourselves out of habit, really do affect how we we view ourselves and shapes our worldview.

With that being said, that’s my task for my art process this upcoming week.

Until next time,

Love, Selva.

 

Astrological Weather at the time:

Waning Crescent Moon in Taurus 5H