Currently Browsing: perfectionism 11 articles
Warm-up Sketches and Studies
I don’t think people spend enough time doing warm-ups and studies. I think part of the hold up is that people listen to their internal critics and buy into the “it’s got to be perfect” baloney. But part of the hesitation in doing more studies and warm-up sketches grows also out of a worry over […]
Don’t Let Perfectionism Keep You from Enjoying Your Art Practice
When you’ve spent decades teaching in-person classes in book binding, you’ve made a bunch of demo books! You work through a stage in the structure while students pay attention and ask questions. Then they complete the steps you just demonstrated, while you mingle and help those who are confused or struggling. Teaching, over time, presents […]
Helping Minnesotans
Yesterday I wrote about what is happening in Minnesota. There are a lot of ways individuals can help in this current situation, whether you live in Minnesota or not. In response to my post yesterday a friend who used to live in Minnesota wrote she was going to donate to the Immigrant Defense Network. (This […]
Go with the Line—And Finish
When you draw directly with ink every mark you make is permanent (or is it? More on that in a moment). If you don’t nail the line positioning, length, and weight (thickness and thinness determined by pressure) it’s decision time—what do you do? I’ve seen a lot of students figuratively and literally throw up their […]
Journaling on a Circle Grid
For eleven days in September this year I worked on a “grid” made of circles, just for grins. I thought you might enjoy seeing the process and how the project grew. The first image in this post is the completed grid. I’m going to lose the quotation marks around the word grid—I see it […]
Thinking about Pigeons and Setting Puzzles for Yourself in Your Journal
I’m always thinking about pigeons. Imagine my delight when a recent New Yorker Magazine humor piece had the quotation you see on my journaling page! When we have an idea or subject in our mind we seem to see it everywhere. Of course If you are interested in pigeons and haven’t read Rosemary Mosco’s […]
Do It Again
Anyone reading my blog knows how important I think practice is. Too often people make a drawing or painting, get halfway (or more) through, and give up. I hear from students who’ve done this. Typically they don’t draw after such a session for several days or more. The better action is to have another […]
Another Potential Journaling Hiccup: The Perfect Time and Place
Blog readers and students often write to me about their hopes and deferred dreams for their journaling and their art life. They live with the hope that if they can “just get through to retirement,” or “Just get through this current crisis [fill in the blank as to what that is]” that the clouds will […]
Phyllis Fights Perfectionism and Doesn’t Even Break a Sweat
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Project Friday: Working With Project Boundaries To Stretch Creatively
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