I love the ideas for minimum and maximum. I think my minimum is warmup scribbles where all I do is draw random lines in my sketchbook! This usually takes way less than 5 minutes.
That's actually happened in my sketchbook yesterday!🌼
I was just scribbling to warm up my hands and then suddenly I came up with a drawing that I'm really proud of!! I was really surprised that a scribble could turn into something like that!
Loveeee this concept!!! For me a mininum is 15 minutes, some day dreaming and handwritten scribbles for writing. Or, some visual research across social media or my own photo gallery. Maximum is 3.5-4 hours on one project, my jewellery collection; and 2.5 hours painting that same day - but then I'm close to the shell, I would need a very solid break in between.
What I LOVE about understanding this min and max, is that it helps to put my creative work in perspective with my freelance non-creative work. And how it can exist next to eachother on any given day.
I wish I could commit to a daily minimum (or maximum)! I've recently accepted that I need to just ride the wave when it comes, some days nothing washes up at all, and on rare occasions there will be a tsunami.
This is a rubbish strategy for any kind of balance or the sustained, incremental effort required for larger projects, but working any other way does feel like a bit like swimming against the tide.
Loving the oceanic metaphors! Some seasons can be like that. When you have a bit more space to introduce some predictability, I hope this technique can work for you!
This is such a helpful frame! My minimum would be 5 minutes writing down what I'm grateful for or ideas for things to write/research. My maximum is one hour lol I have a toddler and we miss each other if more time goes by. Before toddler time my maximum might have been 2hours.
It doesn't seem like it, but I think my minimum is almost an hour day. I also kind of check out after 4 hours. There is a lot of other stuff that is part of my art business that is not actually creating something (bookkeeping, gallery deliveries, planning) that I need to do every day.
At some point, it's been more than several years, I start almost every day taking my coffee up to my upstairs work area and working on comics or book illustration projects I'm working on. There is something cozy about going upstairs in your jammies and drawing pandas.
Haa! I will report back ... I can work for long stretches of time with editing, but the max with that is maybe 6 hours a day (though I don't get long stretches like that often).
I tend to make drawings in patches -- if I have a big drawing I'm working on, I try to sit down and finish at least one patch (maybe 30 minutes or so of scribbling.)
I LOVE this - as a neurospicy brain wih chronic illnesses who's been slowly crawling out of the Pit of Despair (autistic burnout), my energy levels are unpredictable yet I YEARN to devote myself to my craft in a way that feels meaningful.
Often that means just checking in with myself in the morning and just showing up and giving what I can to my art based on what I feel that day - BUT because I also have ADHD, I struggle to accurately identify how long I've been working at something or am constantly underestimating how long something will take... so I really really Love this more measured approach and look forward to testing it. 💜
I love the ideas for minimum and maximum. I think my minimum is warmup scribbles where all I do is draw random lines in my sketchbook! This usually takes way less than 5 minutes.
That's a great one! Do you ever make drawings from your warmup scribbles or shapes too? It's a delightful exercise.
That's actually happened in my sketchbook yesterday!🌼
I was just scribbling to warm up my hands and then suddenly I came up with a drawing that I'm really proud of!! I was really surprised that a scribble could turn into something like that!
I feel like my minimum is writing 500 words. Sometimes that takes 15 minutes, sometimes it takes 3 hours. But it makes me feel alive.
I love 500 words! It is definitely doable daily—1000 is too much and 750 is a gamble!
Loveeee this concept!!! For me a mininum is 15 minutes, some day dreaming and handwritten scribbles for writing. Or, some visual research across social media or my own photo gallery. Maximum is 3.5-4 hours on one project, my jewellery collection; and 2.5 hours painting that same day - but then I'm close to the shell, I would need a very solid break in between.
What I LOVE about understanding this min and max, is that it helps to put my creative work in perspective with my freelance non-creative work. And how it can exist next to eachother on any given day.
I wish I could commit to a daily minimum (or maximum)! I've recently accepted that I need to just ride the wave when it comes, some days nothing washes up at all, and on rare occasions there will be a tsunami.
This is a rubbish strategy for any kind of balance or the sustained, incremental effort required for larger projects, but working any other way does feel like a bit like swimming against the tide.
Loving the oceanic metaphors! Some seasons can be like that. When you have a bit more space to introduce some predictability, I hope this technique can work for you!
This is such a helpful frame! My minimum would be 5 minutes writing down what I'm grateful for or ideas for things to write/research. My maximum is one hour lol I have a toddler and we miss each other if more time goes by. Before toddler time my maximum might have been 2hours.
I love that you've included a gratitude list as part of the exercise! It's fundamental.
Love this, Carolyn! I do this too! It's been so helpful.
Yay, glad to hear it Eliza 💝
It doesn't seem like it, but I think my minimum is almost an hour day. I also kind of check out after 4 hours. There is a lot of other stuff that is part of my art business that is not actually creating something (bookkeeping, gallery deliveries, planning) that I need to do every day.
At some point, it's been more than several years, I start almost every day taking my coffee up to my upstairs work area and working on comics or book illustration projects I'm working on. There is something cozy about going upstairs in your jammies and drawing pandas.
What a morning ritual—coffee and pandas :)
Pajamas and pandas! (and coffee!) It's the best way to start the day.
I'm going to give this a go!
I know my 5 mins could be writing down an idea for a story or deciding on an idea for a new illustration.
But I need to do some experimenting to see what my maximum might be.
It's hard to find the max! I often don't want to go there, hah. Do report back when you find out!
Haa! I will report back ... I can work for long stretches of time with editing, but the max with that is maybe 6 hours a day (though I don't get long stretches like that often).
This took so much pressure off! Thank you!
I'll have to give this a try! Thank you : )
What a brilliant approach - thank you so much, Carolyn. 😊
This is such a wonderful way to look at it!!!
this is so smart and helpful!
I tend to make drawings in patches -- if I have a big drawing I'm working on, I try to sit down and finish at least one patch (maybe 30 minutes or so of scribbling.)
I do that with paintings! Haven't tried it for drawings because I usually draw pretty small. I will have to give the approach a try!
I LOVE this - as a neurospicy brain wih chronic illnesses who's been slowly crawling out of the Pit of Despair (autistic burnout), my energy levels are unpredictable yet I YEARN to devote myself to my craft in a way that feels meaningful.
Often that means just checking in with myself in the morning and just showing up and giving what I can to my art based on what I feel that day - BUT because I also have ADHD, I struggle to accurately identify how long I've been working at something or am constantly underestimating how long something will take... so I really really Love this more measured approach and look forward to testing it. 💜
Thank you so much for sharing ✨️
Absolutely love this! I need to set some standards for minimum and maximum creative time is for me.