How to Get More Free Time for Art
How to Find Moments to Paint and Draw
Think you don't have the time to get better at painting or drawing? This article shows you how to grow as an artist when you really don't have time.
Free time to paint. Free time to draw. Wouldn’t it be nice? If only your life wasn’t so busy...
Stop wishing and make time! The best artists aren’t the ones who have all day to create. The best artists are the ones who have learned to find inspiration in everyday life, and then crams that inspiration into bits of time stolen from their everyday lifes. Many artist even thrive on time crunches!
So, throw away your excuses!
So were do you find the time? Bits of time to create are like clockwork. They come every day. You just have to identify them and use them productively.
Take a moment to think about your average day. Do you have little chunks of time were you are unable to do anything useful? (Texting you bff, playing solitaire, or surfing the web on your cell doesn’t count.) In those little moments you can make a lot of headway in your artistic life.
For example these time are created while:
- Talking on the phone
- Riding on public transportation
- Eating lunch
- Watching your kids play at the park
- Downtime at work (like while waiting for a document to print)
- Watching TV with your spouse
- You sit in a traffic jam
How do you make these bits of time worth while? Always carry a sketch book with you!
To get better at drawing you must draw, and to get better at painting you must better your drawing skills. Sketching is the answer to both needs.
Quick Tip: To make your sketching more fun, add watercolor makers to your sketching gear.
During bits of downtime in your life, sketch what inspires you. Look at everything. Always keep your eyes open for new ideas. You may not want to sketch that lady on the subway, but what about the folds of her clothing? You may yearn to sketch a beautiful beach landscape, but you may find interest in the local sandbox. A traffic jam may seem dull, with nothing artistic to sketch, but take an extra look. How about sketching the reflections of the sky in the chrome bumper in front of you? Or the child peering out his window?
One artist used time at church to sketch. He found that if he sketched the other parishioners during the sermon he could concentrate better on what the preacher said. Now there’s an artist who used his time wisely!
Remember, there is always time to become a better artist. Use your time wisely and your art will benefit.
