The best work sometimes comes unplanned

If I told you that many a time I have not even had a clue about what I am about to draw would you believe me?

of course you wouldn’t. I wouldn’t either. We are all taught to plan our ideas, to sketch them out. Even when you go through courses they will teach you to study your subjects and to use your sketchbooks which later you will use to draw or paint your final piece. It’s all perfectly correct. None of it is a lie.

It works, but pardon my French, it is also total bullshit. It’s one way of doing things, but certainly not the only way. Even I have done it, and do it. I will at times have those sketches that lead me to something. Yet some of my work, and the ones I get the most enjoyment out of come from

I have no clue on what I am about to start working on.

I might just do a squiggle on the paper, or iPad (that’s another story for another day).

And I will just add more marks on the paper and start creating small scenes, small objects. That is the beauty of pen and ink or even pencil. A mark at a time.

You might hate what you are doing at first and think where the hell is this going.

You will even think it’s going no where. And many a time it won’t be going anywhere.

Just look at me, Four days and I couldn’t get past the first three strokes.

Then a stroke turned to a branch, a branch into a tree, a tree into a hill, then a few ruins and before I knew if I was working towards a piece that took me four days to complete.

I didn’t know what it would turn out to look like. I didn’t even know if the next blank space would be filled.

Slowly though it was the imagination that was creating the piece. Brick by brick you could say.

I find myself playing with ideas and letting my own worlds and scenes build themselves. It depends on how I feel at any moment in time and my only aim at any one time is to complete that one next area.
It is not alway like that of course, but when I work without any preconceived ideas and just let things take their course it is when I most enjoy myself.And that is really what this is all about.

Don’t pigeon-hole yourself and don’t always follow the rules and guidelines others have set for you. Most of them are their own rules and guidelines they themselves feel the most comfortable with. They are not necessarily the ones that will make you comfortable, but do listen, because learning from others makes you that much stronger and more confident in what you are doing.
When creating your own work, where there is no commission, client or theme to work towards ensure you are enjoying the moment. Ensure that the work is your own and within the comfort zones YOU enjoy.
Time becomes irrelevant and ultimately you will get greater satisfaction.
Rules are really there to be broken. Your art is your own.
And don’t forget your work is your own you never have to show it to anyone so do it first for yourself and work only for yourself. Once it’s complete, why not, show it. But if you want to.