Your experiences with multitasking?

[Blue]

Well my studio is a pretty big mess. I haven't been able to do almost anything outside my sketchbook since classes began again, but with midterms over I have 2 weeks of mostly free time (aka, no homework) and I'm attempting to tackle a few paintings at once. I'm using Donato's mounted sketch method with drawings I did at school between classes (or in, depending how boring the class). I'm already wondering if this was a good idea or not. One painting already has an undercoat of color, another is still wet from preliminary undercoating and the remaining two are either wet with matte medium or will be by the time i goto bed.

This is my 1st time not sticking to one project at once and seeing it through start to finish before the next. I'm curious of some experiences others have had with this. I remember Scott Fisher mentioning he works on 2-3 projects at once often. So I'm curious to know some 1st hand experiences with having to multi-task a few projects at once and how to juggle them properly.

Right now I have what feels like a production line in front of me.

[alesoun]

Assuming that they're not commissions with a deadline, Blue, go strongest with the one that interests you most. When you hit a glitch or need a break, swap to next most interesting. In between times, niggle at the other.

If there are deadlines, let fear be your master!

[arttorney]

The biggest problem I find in this is that there is always that one nagging painting I do half way and then never go back to it. I got one hanging around half done for like five years now. It's embarrasing.

[Blue]

Alesoun: No they are for my portfolio, is all. I guess my only deadline would be before the 2 weeks before my classes get heavy is up. I like the idea of just revolving between each depending on blocks or interest. I think i'll try to set up all 4 and see where that takes me :)

Arttorney: Gah! thats what I hate the most. It is also what makes me nervous about taking on a few at once.

[Nightblue]

I'm doing digital painting so it might be different, but I found it more relaxing to start several paintings at once and then work on whatever I feel like at the time :)

[Dian3]

i agree with nightblue, even if digital paining is more quicker than traditional, i found traditional more relaxing.. well i never worked in a traditional piece with a deadline :S

[bhanu]

time and time it gets proved that multi -tasking is no good for creative jobs... its only good for small /menial jobs....
Prioritize...then do one job at a time

But you can set up proper time for one thing in a day..then throughout the day do different things....
there is a clear need to focus properly on the painting/project at hand...
the main thing with multi tasking is....that....while you are working on one project...you mind is still on other things and you are neither here and that kills the productivity... after you finish working on one session on one project..just let go...drop the baggage..dont think about it till you again go back to doing it...

[Mirana]

I work much better having several projects at a time. As someone else said, if you get to a problem point in one piece, or a break, it's nice to switch gears and go for another project. It keeps my creative juices flowing at maximum.

[Jason Rainville]

The last little while I've been going with more than one 'project' at a time. usually it's one big one and some smaller ones. I find that I can't work solid for more than 1-2 hours on something before I need to do something else. having another project means I can just switch instead of bringing the whole thing to a stop.

I can't imagine doing it with more than 2 pieces though.

[Saturns Gate]

time and time it gets proved that multi -tasking is no good for creative jobs... its only good for small /menial jobs....
Prioritize...then do one job at a time

But you can set up proper time for one thing in a day..then throughout the day do different things....
there is a clear need to focus properly on the painting/project at hand...
the main thing with multi tasking is....that....while you are working on one project...you mind is still on other things and you are neither here and that kills the productivity... after you finish working on one session on one project..just let go...drop the baggage..dont think about it till you again go back to doing it...

I agree with most of what you said, though personally if I was working on 3 paintings. I found I would lose steam and slow down slightly at the rendering stage, thats when i would leave that particular painting behind and get on with the next, as all the creative parts of the previous painting are done and it just needs some polish. That way I find you dont get confused with each painting creatively speaking.

[TASmith]

Last summer I got a three week window to paint, and I knew I'd need to multitask for two reasons.

1. I was horribly out of practice, and I wanted all the work to be at the same level of quality.
2. I wanted to learn to use a palette knife, and I knew I'd need to work in stages.

So I just did a quick stage for each work, rotating through them over and over. The work with the best start was best at the end, but it was good for me. I want to do the same thing once school ends. The local library wants to show some of my work.