When I was in school, one of my painting classes started with a 20min painting segment. Students had to finish an 8 x 10 inch painting of a life model. It was one of my favorite classes. I always like to challenge myself. When there are limitations, I’m more creative. The decision-making needs to be fast. Therefore I have to concentrate harder. I forgot about this exciting thrill when I had somewhat limitless time to work. It made my creation’s quantity down. Although I’m not a slow creator, a relaxed mindset still allows me to procrastinate.
After I got sick, I realized that I didn’t have limitless time. It’s not about the possibility of dying young. The day passes by just too quickly while I’m struggling to do anything. But, I’m slowly managing my body with this new condition better, and I’m almost functioning normally now. And I want to pick my productivity up again. So I decided to limit my iPad drawing time to 30min.
Flowers are not easy to draw. Their petals and the tangled stems in and out of the water in a glass vase can be overwhelming. But more complicated the subject means more fun. I usually don’t let the kitchen table out of flowers. My current joy of flowers is orange daisies, so I decided to draw them.
When you have limited time, you have to negotiate with yourself, what are the essential parts that I must include, and I have to let others go. It helps me loosen up and focus on the aspects of the subject that attract me the most.
The planning of the drawing process is also part of the limited time. That means I need to think fast about what goes to the bottom layer and the last touch. I decided to go from the bottom to the top. I left the flowers for the later stage. It’s like I save my favorite food on the plate to eat last. I keep the parts of the drawing or painting that’ll make the art come alive to last. I like to wait to see the magic happen. When I finished the main subject, I chose the background color. It depends on my mood for the day. Of course, I pick one to match well with other colors, but I often desire a specific color. When I drew my Orange Daisy, I was in a purple mood.
When the time was up, I stopped. I like the easy feeling of the drawing. This type of exercise teaches me to relax and appreciate the beauty of imperfection. I know it’ll take some time to develop a solid routine again. But I’m excited about using this 30 minute iPad drawing exercise to create and write more.