Fragmented art time

[Whoopidoo]

@nasvikdraws Similar I have 4 children although my eldest has moved out now and is setting up home on her own. My next eldest is coming up 18 and has honestly been a star this year with helping with my 10 and 5 year old. My partner works away in another county during the week so I pretty much feel like a single parent most of the time but he does help huge amounts at the weekends etc. I am self employed recently so not much money coming in but it has enabled me to work around and to start uni on an illustration course - just about to start my second year. Didn't feel like we did a whole lot of illustration in our first year and of course with the kids and work and the uni projects it feels like I have no time for actual art. So I am going to try the tips in the podcasts and from you all to block out time, get up early, stay up late etc and be disciplined (I could win medals for procrastinating) but you definitely are not alone.

[Whitney Simms]

@nasvikdraws this drawing is spot on! That creak is real. Errrrr. Some days it’s super adorable, other it’s like “Get your little butt in bed!” Write the other ones down that you don’t get a chance to draw. You will forget them! I promise. I’m still guilty of that!

[JODY]

@nasvikdraws I’m pretty sure I’ve heard little ones sneak in on at least two SVS classes I’ve taken. Lol. Sorry SVS instructors....I listen to classes with quality headphones and can hear you whispering to your kid to go back to bed. Hahahaha!

[nasvikdraws]

@whitney-simms Thank you. Started writing the ideas down. So far I am disciplined about it

[nasvikdraws]

@jody I heard them too. Lol

[nasvikdraws]

@pamela-fraley That's a good tip. I am too prescious about my artwork. I need to loosen up more too.

[nasvikdraws]

Hi All, Thanks again for all the tips. I already progressed a lot in the last week. I write down my idea and sketch then out when I have time. Thinking about all the lost ideas in the last decades. Lol.
See the below image. A random idea (when I was looking into the mirror rushing to work the other day) made it to an artwork. Thank you guys

[Adriana Bergstrom]

#realtalk
This is the artist's life. I've also got a little dude. Tricks on staying productive... sleep when you can so you're not totally fried when you do get a bit of free time and your work is good work. BUT if you're still dealing with a non-comformist sleeper like mine... be kind to yourself, be realistic about your expectations of yourself and understand that just like anything else, it takes time to make art, to be a good mom, etc. If all we've got is a teensy bit of time here and there, it's gonna take that much longer to get good at what we do. I also have small notebooks I take along with me to sketch, doodle, etc. I paint small so I can finish canvases and feel a sense of completion.

[QuietYell]

@nasvikdraws Thank you for posting this and for everyone’s responses. To hear others sharing in the same struggle is such an encouragement. It is something I have been fiercely wrestling with myself.

I saw this a few months ago when posted and kept a tab of it up these months intending to read it; finally getting around to it! Hah!

Truly, it has been incredibly busy with fragmented time when my 10-mo old was born and with acquiring full-time work as well as contract work on the side.

My time is in the morning rather than at night. In fact, I am pretty dead at night. My eyes in particular (maybe it’s my 41-yr old eyes…) I tend to wake up early (2:45-to-5am; typically 3:45), so that gives me a nice chunk of time “before the world awakes,” as well as having to begin my full-time responsibilities (which are also illustration & design). I believe @Jake-Parker mentioned this being part of his schedule once before.

I resonate with the incremental “keep going, even a little bit at a time,” thoughts others have expressed. While I suppose it’s a marathon & an adventure, it can be frustrating knowing that concentrated time could help move everything faster. (Not to mention the other things that are hard to fit in. For me, it has been exercise & reading that have also been hard to fit in these months — harder to fit in my pants too - hehe).

Jotting down notes & sketches seems to be pretty important, per what others expressed too, as it keeps a log & map to follow

Similarly, “keeping the eyes on the prize” (as the saying goes). It can be easy to get distracted and lose passion over ideas once held dear or over particular paths of improvement, which where the notes and such come in handy.

Perhaps I’m just rambling at this point, but these are some of my thoughts; though, I’d still love to hear from others on how to manage better. Regardless, thank you again for the post; sorry it’s taken me so long to respond

[Julia]

Hi everyone!

This is a difficult topic especially in this modern age where we need to be perfect, perform in all areas of life and fit it all in our agenda : eat well, do some sport, be cultivated, have hobbies, be a caring and dedicated parent/lover, be an over-achiever at work, etc.

Unfortunately we can't possibly have it all. Days are only 24h long (remove 8h sleeping, 8 hours working, 2 hours commute and 2 hours eating and see what's left for your family and yourself).

For me, making time goes with : no TV, limited time on social medias, a new morning routine - no make up or elaborated hairstyle - , less healthy home cooking, saying no to invitations from friends I am not too excited about (the events, not the friends), less reading (I miss this part!), not being too strict on house cleaning and other related chores, etc. The only thing I don't skip is sleeping and doing some sport : those give me the necessary energy to keep up with a busy professional life and to be able to draw at the start / at the end of the day.

Of course it is never enough. But it is better than a few years back when I didn't draw at all

Good luck all!