Creative buddy system! Find time to be creative.

So I have this coworker who likes to sketch but she can’t find to do so! Ugg I so had to get involved in this. So we started this buddy system .. every week she needs to bring me a sketch and I need to show her something that I have created be it body painting or the Steampunk Adventure comic. The whole idea is to keep each other thinking about when we can squeeze time in to create something. So during our conversation we talked about ways to make it so we could find time to draw.

Better to stumble then to not walk! Steampunk Cross promotion offer!

Steampunk Cross Promotion offer

I am Not an expert!
The whole reason why I started this comic was for the challenge. (another post about what started the whole challenge will be in a later post) I have always felt it is better to start something and discover you are really bad at it then to wait till something is perfect and don’t do anything at all.
I am comic artist. Well maybe after posting 30 pages I am. But I have no special training in drawing other then a book i read 1/3 the “how to draw the marvel way” by Stan Lee . I got that book when I was 14. Most of my art experience is actually in painting and clay sculpture. Sure I do a little better then drawing stick Figures but not much.

I’m not a writer. If the grammar police are still reading I am suprised I can’t spell and I am sure I’m wanted in at least 3 states for crimes against punctuation and the English language . I continue to write because its better then waiting for someone to proof read my work while they plan everything else that is more important to them like reorganizing the sock drawer. I can’t pay someone to edit my crap and my brain just does not work in a way that I can’t do it myself. But why wait.

What I have is a story to tell. I’m not expecting to have “steampunk adventure comic the movie” or have Todd McFarlane come out with a limited addition Victoria “Red” Redfern collectible action figures or even have a booth at comicon or Dragoncon !!! What you will see is that my artwork will get better over time. I have challanged myself to keep working on this project till I have finished the first book. I have challanged myself to get better at drawing.

My point is why are you not creating something!?!? Why are you waiting for the conditions to be right to start that project you are always talking about? What is holding you back? Funding? Time? most likely is ambition. WHAT am I calling you lazy? ..YES I AM! If funding is what you need then what steps have you done to find it? If time is what you need when was the last time you said “No I’m not going to go on Facebook today I am going to work on my project” most likely you cannot come up with an example for either one. Stop being an “Imgunna” “I’m gunna do this ” but never get around to it or even take the first step

So here is what I’m proposing! If you have a project that you are working on. IF you have a comic , story or painting that even comes close to steampunk I want to showcase your hard work on this blog. I want to celebrate someone who is actually creating something! Actually taking an idea overcoming their own challenges and making it happen. Sure I understand this is something that will come in short bursts. (We are all artists and “Muse” does not hang around all day … and there is the whole thing of day job)

Submit your project to Artofpaint@gmail.com
What I need from you!
-Email
-Links to your site
-A challenge you had to overcome to make this happen.

• -Steampunk Clothing
• -Steampunk Stories or Novels
• -Steampunk Artwork
• -Steampunk comics
• Steampunk societies, clubs or workshops
• Steampunk models of photography

Just to be clear I have the right to no post anything but if it does not fit in this blog I will let you know! All works must be YOUR creation. Sorry no fan fiction unless the original fiction is public domain.

How to get past “Artist Block”

Artist block .. its that moment where your staring at a blank page .. art tool in hand and nothing comes to mind. You want to draw but you can’t …. Writers bitch about this all the time, but who says writers get to suffer alone. I have a few tips that might help get past that blank sheet of paper

• Keep notes and save it for later …  sometimes ideas flow like a river.  You have more ideas then time. or like me these ideas come to you when you cannot pick up a pencil and start drawing.  Like a meeting , Driving , having a long boring conversations.  I use a program called Evernote.  It allows me to make a note of these ideas when they strike (I just have to remember his is a resource)

• Draw something else.!! Instead of working on your current project .. draw your cat or try out a new drawing technique. Start a painting if you draw .. or draw something if you normally paint … perhaps a potters wheel has been sitting around waiting for attention. This noodling and keep your skills sharp while your ideas are dull.
• See what someone else has done. I love Deviant art for this. The website is filled with creative people. It is very hard to not get inspired. for you comic book artists out there perhaps this is the excuse to go get that latest graphic novel by your favorite artist.
• Watch/Read movies/books on similar topics. I’m currently reading the “Lost World”
• Sex …. This is one place where the married folk have an advantage (And if you don’t find being married an advantage perhaps its time to talk about how you can improve your relationship… I am one of the lucky ones) . I always seem to be more creative afterward.
• Talk to someone about the topic. If your ideas are running dry perhaps someone else can provide that creative spark.
• Blog about what your doing …. see
• Walk away !  you might be trying too hard .. I find that this is very powerful for me. Most of the time I go for a walk to the local mall.. People watching will often trigger an idea.
• Side projects .. you know that idea you had .. that one you did not start because you were in the middle of this project! Well devote some time to start it, but remember to come back to finish this project!

I would love to get some feedback on these ideas or if you have a good way to get past your artist block!

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