Somehow I missed my post last week! Oops! Well this post is about staying focused and hopefully not missing a week like I did! Generally I tend to get detracted quite easily. However, over the years I have found a way to stay focused on the project that I am doing. Here are three of the things that keep me working on a painting, design project or other task!
Listening to a Story
I work maybe a little different than most artists. Many have music blasting to inspire their work and keep them moving. I always seem to need a storyline to follow. This is why I tend to either listen to audio books or watch TV shows. Looking back to when I used a shared studio space in college, most people did not work this way and opted to use music only.
Generally I don’t follow the visual aspect, but I do follow the story. So streaming services are great! With a combination of Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu I can “watch” many shows. Audible and Libby (library audio books) are fantastic for listening to books.
I tend to get absorbed in the story and it actually allows for a looser more natural painting. I have worked this way for years, both when working in design and in painting.
Not Have Other Tasks
I find that I will get distracted if I have other chores or tasks to do. Generally I try to get the dogs walked or emails written before I sit down to work on a painting. Getting these daily tasks completed allows me the freedom to work on my paintings longer.
A sleepy dog!
Have a Planned and Organized Workspace
Having all the supplies needed for a project ahead of time, such as clean water, all the paint needed, and clean brushes, all help in keeping me working. This obviously makes it so I do not have to get up to get these things once I have started already. This does not translate to a clean workspace for me however! I do try to clean and organize and it does help, but for some reason it does not seem essential!