How Does One Build Initiative?

[Quinster]

I've been working on a comic since last May but have yet to fully complete it. All the pages are sketched but as I go along I'm taking out parts and adding in parts. Now its been about a month or two since I last did anything. I'm just wondering how an artist is supposed to finish something as big as a drawn story? I don't want to be a concept artist forever!

[Interceptor]

Are you asking how not to be lazy?

[jfwalls]

Are you asking how not to be lazy?

That's a good one! Stop watching TV, playing games, and screwin' off on the computer and get to work!

[Quinster]

No, its not being lazy. I just need something to get me going I guess. Apparently its just too general of a question?

[DavePalumbo]

motivation, real motivation that lasts, really has to come from within. If you can't work yourself up, how is anyone else going to do it?

but I recomend watching any or all of the first 3 Rocky movies. That's a good quick fix.

[Duq]

I think that surrounding yourself with people who are also busy with drawing and creating helps alot.

[N D Hill]

I love how every so often, these threads pop up in the lounge and are like "How can I want to draw?" or "I don't like drawing. HELP!" They're right up there with the "I'm doing a project for school on concept art... so what is it exactly?" threads.

...just saying.

[MrBobMarley]

Do I want to get paid?


That one usually works.

[NoSeRider]

I think you have to be stoked about what you're creating.

If people crap on you all the time.....yeah, you ain't gonna do it.

If you don't feel like doing it, then you don't feel like doing it. But if it's for a contract or an employer, you better feel like doing it.

[sciboy]

I find removing most other things so i have nothing more entertaining to do works nicely.

[AdamDillabo]

sciboy does that work. maby i should become a minilamist.

[dogfood]

sciboy does that work. maby i should become a minilamist.
It seems like you already are.

[Mirana]

For a quick boost after burn-out, I look through an artbook, comic or go to a gallery. Seeing others create great work usually gets me inspired again.

For the long-term, you just have to sit down and do the damn work.

[Ilaekae]

Just before you go to sleep, repeat over and over...

"The rent and gas and light and phone bills are all due tomorrow...and it's my chick's birthday so don't forget to buy something a LOT better than that pair of socks I got her last year..." Do it a few hundred times each night. If you still haven't pulled a plastic bag over your head by the fourth day, you're either already dead, incredibly stupid, or really like livin' in the alley in a fridge box without pussy for the rest of your life.

Initiative tends to solve the above problem a bit...

[Quinster]

For a quick boost after burn-out, I look through an artbook, comic or go to a gallery. Seeing others create great work usually gets me inspired again.

I whoeheartedly agree with that! Every time I go somewhere where there is art or an atmosphere full of art I usually feeling like doing...art. Unfortunatally I am not often exposed to such wonderful things. I'm not doing this for work or school, just for me. I inch along every so often but always stop. Don't get me wrong, I draw alot but the comic isn't done after a year! Arg. I'm going to go downstairs and work on it abit. Its 102 degrees outside and I'm on the second story. Fuck that!

[sciboy]

Ideally you just have to train your self-discipline, i am yet to improve though. :P

[Craig D]

Go to Shawn Barber's site and click on FAQs, a good read concerning this topic.
http://www.sdbarber.com/pages/first_pg.html

and of course there's some great art on his site to help inspire a bit as well.

[vigostar]

Rule #1 Dont jerk off or get laid.. it makes a person lazy...
Rule #2 Strip yourself of playstastion, xbox, gamecube, sega, nintendo, dvd player and vhs player.. the only things you hould have is a tv and ONLY FOUR channels available to you...
1-channel 13 or PBS
2-Discovery channel
3-History channel
4-The Learning Channel or TLC like people like to say
and whatever channel Playboy os on..... For ref. of course.. but, always remember rule #1!

[lysander]

WOW, I've never read that Shawn Barber FAQ before, it's definetly inspiring and motivating. Makes me want to go draw right now.

[Quinster]

Good news everyone! I dwew a twain! YAY! Yeah, I got to my comic, but now I'm on here. Don't worry, I'll be working on it summore.

[sweetoblivion314]

Rule #1 Dont jerk off or get laid.. it makes a person lazy...
Rule #2 Strip yourself of playstastion, xbox, gamecube, sega, nintendo, dvd player and vhs player.. the only things you hould have is a tv and ONLY FOUR channels available to you...
1-channel 13 or PBS
2-Discovery channel
3-History channel
4-The Learning Channel or TLC like people like to say
and whatever channel Playboy os on..... For ref. of course.. but, always remember rule #1!

Greatest set of rules ever. Take them to your grave!

[John]

My approach my vary a bit from whats posted here. Sit down and play a game, or watch tv if you want to. Go out and have fun. If you don't allow yourself to have fun, and can't start to work, you'll start procrastinating. That's the worst that can happen.
You burn out fast when you work just for the sake of being a tough guy. Maybe make it a habbit to draw for an hour before you watch a tv show. At this point, if you are creating your own comic, do it because it's fun. Don't force yourselve, or you might end up hating it.

[BlackGuy]

jerking off/getting laid makes you lazy?!?!? Do you guys know how much sense this makes?!

Surrounding yourself with people that draw all the time and who inspire you is definitely a good way to motivate yourself. One of the few advantages of an art school.

[vigostar]

jerking off/getting laid makes you lazy?!?!? Do you guys know how much sense this makes?!

Its not supposed to make sense.... :bs: Obviously....

[Scubasteve]

Go to the Finally Finished section and look around, that usually works for me.

If I have a "big project" going on, I feel like I don't want to draw at all. But then I find if I just do some doodles or speedpaints, I just didn't want to work on that specific project, and it usually makes it easier to go back to it later. Of course, this isn't good for dealines.

[Scubasteve]

One other thing, I find Im more productive if I draw alittle each day, even if its just a 15min doodle. That keeps things fresh in your mind and it keeps your from feeling like "I havent drawn in weeks so whats the use!"

[ah.heng]

when i started studying japanese a year ago, i would do 5-10min studies every hour. eventually you build up a habit of doing it, and because the previous study was only an hour ago, you don't forget much.

[Smeagol71]

That's a good one! Stop watching TV, playing games, and screwin' off on the computer and get to work!

This is just what I need to hear...thanks JF!

[BlackGuy]

Its not supposed to make sense.... :bs: Obviously....


no it makes PERFECT sense. i think you misunderstood how i meant for that to sound