Ride that wave
Written by AnnaDenise on Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 23:20
Some days, things just go... very well. I just LOVE how these pages turned out. I know you're not supposed to say these kinds of things about your own work, but since I'm not one to sit around and quietly wait for the praise I deserve offline, why pretend otherwise online, right?
And really, I usually don't really like most of the pages I produce, so whenever a spread turns out just the way I like - it really is something to celebrate. I have long struggled to figure out what's important for me when it comes to finding that flow, and riding that wave creatively. I now think that for me, this is mostly about attention. I like to pay a lot of attention to detail and really sit for a while and think about composition, color, the message. But when you keep a daily art journal, like me, often times, there's just no time. Other days there's time, but it can feel like an obligation. An obligation I gladly put on myself - the final product and amount of energy I get from the daily hour(s) drawing are totally worth it - but life can really get in the way. I have come to accept the kinds of drawings that do or do not emerge from those days (where it feels like an obligation) a long time ago. They're part of my art journal and not necessarily reflect the mood of the moment I'm trying to portray, but say more about how I was feeling when I was working on the pages - which is just as important I think.
So the fact that I thought about, planned out, and worked on these pages - not for just an hour, but for a couple of hours over a couple of days - really shows, I think. Paying attention to what I like and how I like it turns my work into something I feel I can be proud of. I hope to create more moments of quiet contemplation like these in my life. Moments where I can ride the wave in active, alert concentration and peace.
But, I'm rambling and I need to go to sleep. You'll have to excuse the blahblah today, I got a big day tomorrow and I'm kind of nervous (plus, that annoying Lady Gaga / Beyonce song keeps playing in my head... k...k...kinda busy!)
When artwork comes out exactly like you want you should be proud. Go you. It’s awesome. :)
Really? I like most of your journal pages! They are so inspirational, although they also set a really high bar for whenever I plan to do this myself during my world trip…