iTAP 23/11/10

Overcoming Mindsets


Let's face it, we all get stuck in rut with our work at some point. We lose inspiration, lose momentum, lose sight of our goal and become overwhelmed. The irony for me in this situation, is that I'm most commonly stuck in a rut when writing these iTAP entries. So how can I overcome this? My habitual process for writing these entries is usually pretty formal, and constrained -  a habit from essay writing in Secondary School. So in order to break this, I should focus on being more relaxed and informal

This is something that I can (obviously) relate to my own work. I should always restate the problem set before me, not always follow my first plan of action (my habitual thinking) and go a more unconventional route, which will often leads to a more interesting and creative result than otherwise.


Managing a Creative Environment


Having a positive working environment has a large impact on the work one produces. Thus it is essential to be comfortable in your surroundings and help streamline your work.

My humble abode:

I try to keep organised even when working, as I find I can't work in clutter. All the essentials are here, a sketchbook, drawing materials, laptop, scanner - oh, and most importantly, coffee. The lamp and window allow me plenty of light, which is essential for an artist (although in my case daylight isn't really essential as I do most of my work at night).

I don't have a lot of space around me, so my main source of inspiration is the internet and my collection of graphic novels and drawing books. Not exactly the biggest collection in the world, in fact, it's pretty modest compared to a lot of Illustration enthusiasts. The joys of having a lack of money and being incredibly selective.



Just as important is my 'mental' space - if that's the right word for it. Having a relaxed atmosphere is essential for me to be productive.

This past year I've fallen in love with the web page Rainy Mood , which is simply a 30 minute loop of rainfall, which I play softly in the background whilst listening to music. If I'm not in the mood for music I feed my mind with TED talks or artist interviews on Chiu Stream. It feels as if I'm killing two birds with one stone, by immersing myself visually in my work, and learning through audio. I also have a tendency to become to wrapped up in my work, stressing about deadlines and whether or not the work is coming out the way I want it to - learning about important 3rd world projects, technology and stories of perseverance helps my situation in perspective and not worry so much.

What I would give to have this studio...

For one, it's incredibly spacious (a far cry from my cramped student room) - with multiple workstations for each different process (e.g. graphics tablet and computer area for digital work, drawing board with a good source of light for traditional drawing). This goes a long way to reducing the amount of clutter that is bound to accumulate in a less organised space.

There are constant sources of inspiration through out the room, helping motivate and stimulating creative thought.