Brush Work Podcast ep 2: Why Consistency Is More Important Than Inspiration

If you wait for inspiration, you won't get much artwork done.

The key to a good art practice, professional or hobbyist, is to be consistent.

If you train your mind and your body that at x time each day/week you do artwork, you'll never be out of ideas.

Inspiration comes after work has started. You warm up your mind and hands, and the ideas start coming. You start mixing paint and a motif will bloom in your mind.

I paint 4 days a week, for 3-4 hours at a time. It involves one hour of prep and clean up and 2-3 hours of actual creation. I paint in the early afternoons and don't let other demands on my time interrupt it. This creative time is holy.

By having a consistent space for creative work, I'm always ready to do some painting. I'm never without ideas and things to paint. I'm always excited about the artwork and have a kind of confidence when approaching the artwork that wasn't there when I didn't have a consistent schedule.

I use this same principle with my morning work, which involves all admin work. Meaning, marketing/networking/emails/and other computer and social heavy work. This kind of work is very difficult for me and I rarely want to do it. But I must if I am to have a successful art business.

I block my schedule and do this kind of work 5 days a week, always in the mornings. If I have a big project like revamping my website (which i am doing right now) I'll work more on this into the evening. I dislike working on the business aspect of the work after I paint, as i have less attention and it infects my sleep.

Rituals play into consistency too. Before I paint, I make a pot of tea and get a snack for the studio. After I'm done painting, I make sure to wash my brushes and tidy the studio so it's ready for the next painting session. This consistency in how I honor the studio space and practice sets me up for success the next day.

This is rare, but if I truly don't know what to make, I have a list of exercises written out so that I am practicing something of my creative trade. I will do the same rituals, make a pot of tea, sweep the floors, tidy my paints. Then I will pick an exercise to do and get to work. This almost always gets me inspired for a new project.

Here's some suggestions for painters:

Make a color wheel

Practice making a 10 step tonal chart from one color to the next.

Practice pattern making

Practice freehand circle, square, diamond, and other shapes. Then try to match them 5 more times each.

Do lightning sketches of portraits, trees, landscapes, whatever

Make a transcription of a master painting

There’s no end of things you can study and practicing these things will get you in the creative mood.

Don't wait for inspiration. Make art when you are bored, tired, restless, and do it consistently. You'll be amazed at how fast you progress in your skills.