13 June 2018
Hi everyone! I’m back after a loooong break from writing on this blog.
I must admit I lost momentum in producing blog posts since each member of my family got the common flu one after another in February. By the time we’d fully recovered, I was already busy with other such activities as painting/illustrating and learning some techniques, which are new to me, from artists on YouTube, being active on Instagram (yes, I’m now on Instagram.. more on that later), writing the second draft of the story for my picture book project, actively taking classes online (i.e. Skillshare), to name a few.
Since joining Instagram on April 25, I’ve challenged myself to make at least one artwork a day for 100 days and post it there. I want to form a new habit of making art, and doing it every day is the way to go. It doesn’t matter what size or format or the medium(s) used. What’s important is to make art every day to develop creativity and skills. If I’m lucky enough to get suggestions, tips, or constructive criticism (as a comment on my posts) from fellow artists, that’s even better so I can also learn from them. I haven’t received any yet.
It’s a common advice you’ll hear from any seasoned artist that practicing/making art often is the best known way to improve your craft. That is also the one true and tested method to developing your own style, to finding your own artistic voice. I’ve been busy with it for a month and a half now. On some days I’m satisfied with what I’ve made, on some days I’m not, depending on the subject. One of the best things from this exercise, however, is that I learn from those mistakes or mishaps. The next time I want to paint or sketch a particular subject, I do it differently or in other ways that work for me or that would lead to an output that I like better. As for sticking to the challenge and consistently making art every day, honestly, there were a few days I missed making art. I sometimes don’t feel good about it, but I quickly brush the feeling off and just go back to making art again the following day so I won’t waste much time in finding my own artistic style.
In my next week’s post, I’ll continue taking you to my journey in this search for my own artistic voice and I’ll also share how I design characters, as I promised in my previous post. In the meantime, here’s how my Instagram feed looks like with my most recent posts. How do you find it? If you want to see the rest, connect with me on Instagram (@artlenestudio). Please leave a comment especially if you could share some tips on flat lay photography and your experience with using the said social media platform. I’d love to hear from you.
Enjoy the rest of the week!
