3 Secrets for Creative Success

[tsnipes]

3 tips that you can read today and use tomorrow to build your art and design success...

Downtime- is your time mostly on the couch or in the studio?

Experiment- trying new stuff, not worrying about it failing.

Creative People- is your inner circle lesser, the same or better than you as an artist?

I'll elaborate here (quick vid):
http://www.viddler.com/explore/tsnipes/videos/13/

http://www.digg.com/design/3_Secrets_for_Creative_Success/p.jpg

[tsnipes]

Anyone have similar thoughts or disagree with these?

[tn100]

Thanks a lot for the advice! Definitely... if I could rewind time... I would totally take back a lot of that time I wasted. I'd draw every chance I get. I barely started drawing daily about 2 months ago. *Cry*

[Jason Ross]

points 1 and 3 i agree with 100% since they can utilized on a daily basis with concrete results. point 2 is also viable but is not as "concrete" as 1 and 3.

The problem with Downtime is how energetic you are during this downtime. How excited you are directly relates to the quality and productivity of your downtime. If you lack energy afterwork, your Creative downtime will lack the quality of "Energized" downtime. That's the problem with most artist's downtime. Redbull and 8 hours of sleep is my remedy. IMO point 3 is "Crucial" to energizing your downtime. My downtime usually starts around 8 pm or so. 5pm finish work. 6 pm get home. 6-7 house hold chores. 7-8 eat. 8-12 downtime... Even having a girlfriend or in my case, fiance, can affect downtime. Point 3 is also "Extremely" important. Better people improve your skills. The trick is that it's more evident when you are right next to the "better" people. When you see them in front of you, talk to them, watch them. It's a vitalizing experience to watch someone else do what you love doing on a higher level that your are currently.

I would add a point 4 and perhaps most important to improving your skills...
Take to heart constructive NEGATIVE criticism more than flattering comments. Flattery makes your feel better but negative criticism makes you skillfully better. The comment," Man that's totally awesome, you're really talented!" isn't as helpful (and imo it's hurtful to most people) as ,"It's pretty good but the anatomy of the leg is all wrong and the composition is muddy."

[snubbed]

Your three points are dead on. And not just for concept art, but for any type of work you do, I would guess.

The problem I'm running into currently is number 3. Thank God for ConceptArt.org. But as good as these forums are, they aren't a substitute for actual conversation and watching someone else work. Video tuts help you watch somebody work, but you don't get to interract with them and ask "why" they did something at the moment they do it or ask them to expand on something. And if you don't live in a major metropolitan area or (God forbid) in the middle of Midwest cow country like I do, then your options for finding people are even more limited.

I wonder if anyone has suggestions for that last bit?

Jason Ross was right about the "energy" of your down time. I find my best work is on the weekend when I get to work during the day without distraction. AFter working all day in a creative industry (graphic design) and then coming home to work in an entirely different skill set (illustration and drawing) - it's hard to muster the energy to attack complex problems and "experiment."

The 4th step I would add is related to the above - NO WHINING. In the end, all the self pity or negative thoughts in the world will never motivate you to work harder. All of that "cry more" crap I just spilled didn't make me a better artist or make me think to try harder at being a better artist. Only the work can do that.