This Drawing Renews My Resolve to Develop a Good Schedule

Goth Girl Lost. Pencil sketch April 24, 2012.

I was happy with the way this quick, spontaneous sketch of a lost goth girl turned out. Can’t really think of much else to say about it, aside from the fact that I really enjoyed drawing it. Most of my sketches don’t have much of a story behind them more than a simple sat down with sketchbook & pencil drawing supplies then drew. This is one of those.

Somehow it makes me smile more when the drawing comes out looking like a comic book character, as this one did. At times I do wonder if I really am cut out for making comic books. It’s the thing where I draw something then I have the thought cross my mind, “Curses, I don’t think I could draw this character or special object, or environment correctly again even if I spent a year solid trying to.” It’s not a particularly helpful thought. They say people average about 60,000 thoughts a day. Sad as it makes me, I’d have to cop to the reality that probably half (or more) of mine are not useful on most days.

Though I have a lot on my plate all the time, I do know I need some hard core regimens for art, writing, making, and the tech parts. Guess what I need is a proper work schedule. I have yet to figure out one out that actually works well for me. Among a zillion other things, I need more time spent sketching, especially practicing things like sequential art and character drawing. An entirely self run & developed work schedule is hard to develop for one’s self. Anyone who says otherwise just got lucky.

I have tried splitting my time into small varied blocks, working on like six different types of things on a given day. I’ve tried scheduling the day into 2 or 3 large blocks of a few project types. And I have tried several other things. But the right recipe still eludes me. I suppose starting my day off with a block of things like checking emails, checking into social networks, checking into my shops and a bunch of other similar tasks is not an effective thing for me to do. Too bad it didn't sink in quicker. From now on I will spread those tasks apart despite keeping them next to each other on the to do list, instead of letting it eat up my brain for the day.

It's not as though my life has been particularly cooperative in matters of organization and such. What with all the moving I've had to do. In fact right now, most of my stuff is still in storage very far away and has been nearly a year now. And unless I've moved again by the time I can get my stuff up here, I won't have room for it at my place anyways. Among the stuff I need regular access to in order for my work schedule to work better are things like the rest of my clothes, my easel, most of my art supplies, the other half of my project files, my character designs done before this last year and much more.

Other than all my annoying hindrances, now is a good time for things to have big progress made, in things like my organization, my schedule, my projects and even slipping into posting a few blog entries a week. I try not to be too annoyed and controlled by all these hindrances. Frankly, though, attempts at a positive outlook and attitude only goes so far, and sometimes a person really needs more cooperation from the universe. Wish it weren't so easy to be distracted by distractions, but life is funny that way.

My gut says that eventually I will figure out a decent, useful schedule and organization system for myself, etc. Even though my brain not so subtly reminds me that predicting what zone my brain will be real functional in on what day is not exactly possible, let alone probable. Creativity is sort of random and unpredictable, especially when one is involved in several fields of creativity.

It would be cool if I could just pull out a piece of paper to write a schedule and magically know what works when. However, my brain is in the zone it is in, when it is in it and it does not file an itinerary with me. Heck, even same day it's hard to figure which is a great day for writing, which is good for fiddling with technical issues, which days are good for socializing and hunting for content to share, which are good for bead & wire work or sewing, which are good for drawing or painting, and which days are good days to have be the day off. Those who can make their brains obey things like their scheduling whims by simple application of things like discipline are lucky, and I hope they don't take it for granted. Not everyone gets gifts like that. Never mistake that for a lack of effort on my part. I try very hard each and every day. And thankfully somedays are less destroyed by my scattered mind.

Sure it might help if I didn't have one of those overachiever type doses of ambition and drive, if my vision was smaller, or if school had taught useful things like organization skills. Once I tried not to be an overachiever, but that made me feel so much crazier than simply allowing myself to be an overachiever. It would also help if I didn't keep misplacing my notes on what stuff needs to be done.
Despite all the road blocks, I am determined to get a real art practice schedule going right away. Among other things.

Who else gets tripped up by all the little things? The little things really do add up. Who has figured out a good schedule for themselves? Share some tips on your time management successes in the comments.