Not my usual subject matter and not something I would choose to do, I drew this from a photo at the request of my daughter's ag teacher for a fundraiser for the FFA. I do love the watersoluble graphite and it worked so well for this subject. This deer was photographed behind the school.
Is it obvious that I have no enthusiasm for this piece? Yet I thought I would share because I do think it turned out well and I'm celebrating finally having this project behind me. Grace's teacher asked me to do it back in the fall of last year. The fundraiser is this week, May 10 or 11. Procrastination is obviously something I struggle with. It would have been so much better to have taken care of this right away and not dreaded it for almost a year. It only took me about an hour once I started. A year's worth of dreading for an hour's worth of work. Do you find that you work better under pressure with a deadline looming? I do not accept commissions anymore because I found that I dread it up until the very last minute until I almost make myself sick with dread. I don't believe I could ever create art as a profession because I hate knowing I must create something, especially something I feel must be labored over and not something I enjoy creating.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you struggle with procrastination in any area of your life or art? Do you like doing work on commission? Do you make art for enjoyment or do you sell your artwork?
4 comments:
Yep that's about how I've been feeling recently. Have got my first commission to do and I've been dreading it and putting it off for weeks. Started the painting stage today and I'm loving the process... Think the problem is in our heads and not in the skill. Love your dear too by the way and thanks for popping in to see my blog.
I did a commissioned painting once, a long time ago. Never again. For the time being I have backed off selling my art works, and have just been focusing on pure enjoyment. With an eye toward future possibilities, of course. But I was finding myself making works because I thought they might sell rather than making works that interested me. It's hard to find that balance. When I am interested then there isn't enough time available to do everything I want to do. If it's for someone else, then yeah, it is very easy to wait until the last minute. However, your drawing turned out wonderfully! Waiting must have given you time to resolve it in your head first allowing for a beautiful result!
I also feel terrible about commissions! They make me feel dry and frustrated... and so guilty to let the person who believed in my talents waiting. Shouldn't it be a honour and a pleasure? Too bad it isn't...
Okay...my art is different. I paint with words. :) BUT I must say I do struggle when my writing is a "must". I write for a devotion site, and I don't know WHY I always wait up until almost the last minute they are due to write them. I write on my blog all of the time. And yet, I struggle often with getting that once a month devo written. I think writing for my blog, I don't sense a lot of expectation...like it HAS to be good. But writing for a website, I think I put more pressure on myself. Thank goodness I don't get paid for my devos! I am sure I would really feel the pressure then! :)
This piece is beautiful! All of your work is.
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