Many new artists and creative hobbyists have told me that their biggest challenge to creating art has been finding a consistent rhythm and process. I completely understand as that used to be me. Although I started drawing and painting as a child, returning to these habits felt like stretching muscles for yoga exercises - or trying to ride a bike after years (both things I've begun to do since the pandemic started!).

I would waste my mornings getting coffee or reading articles and only begin working after lunchtime. Which, I’ve come to accept, is fine. But that means working late at night, so if you are a night owl like me, that works out great.

Art is time-intensive, so it requires a lot of passion and focus. It took me almost an entire year to define a process, which I expect to refine continuously as I evolve in my tools and techniques. I also anticipate my schedule adapting when I return to part-time or full-time work. Taking the year off to master my craft was incredibly valuable and pushed my technical skills ahead but not financially viable in the long-run (at least for me) in the Bay Area.

That said, these are the 3 “S’s” that have helped me establish a practice: space, schedule, and start. Whether you are a full-time artist or juggling two careers, I believe these still apply.

My studio at Root Division in San Francisco

Space

Having enough space was crucial for me as an abstract artist growing in both practice and scale. Studio spaces are expensive, especially in the Bay Area, so I tried to utilize any open space available (for example, I worked on my patio for several months, storing my paints along with my pots). I was lucky to apply to Root Division and get a subsidized space in return for volunteer hours and a manageable fee.

I’ve found it a worthy investment for my practice, as space enabled me to be creative and test out new materials, such as working with found materials with mediums or pouring larger pans of paint.

Encountering other artists, seeing what they're working on and exchanging conversations about new mediums or the best framers in San Francisco - have also been enriching, both for my knowledge and soul. Art is a solo practice and chatting with someone after 8-hours of painting definitely kept me sane.

Note: Being stuck in a room while also trying to dry out pieces of your work can be precarious, depending on the materials you work with (e.g., acrylics release toxic chemicals as they dry, and oils must be used in well-ventilated spaces). Well-run artist studios will accommodate the need for ventilation, but some materials, like aerosol spray, will always need to be done outdoors.

A large workspace has also been helpful for enabling me to work on larger pieces or a series and see the entire body of work laid out together.

I usually have about 5 different journals on my desk for sketching, writing up daily tasks and keeping a running list of materials

Schedule

Creating a work schedule that worked for me took some time. The first few months, I had to resist answering emails, surfing the web for open calls, and answering messages in the morning. I felt compelled to rush through my work late at night because I had set a deadline for myself. But you know what? I'm a night owl. This actually works well for me on some days, when I'm not in the studio. So, figure out when you are the most productive and find a rhythm that suits you.

I once had a graduate school advisor who blithely talked about how easy it was to set a schedule for being a PhD student; she said it was as simple as sitting down at the computer and typing away. At the time, I worked insane hours - teaching, trying to grade 20+ papers, write 3-4 papers of my own, attend end-of-the-quarter conferences or events, work to pay bills, etc. I wanted to say “F YOU,” but honestly it was the institution that churned and burned graduate students, not her.

Suffice to say, I’ve worked and survived some grueling and toxic workplaces with insane schedules. Now, I have a consistent (and slower) process that I follow every week to ensure I stay on track without getting burnt out. I call it the 3/3: 3 days a week are spent doing any errands or busy work that I need done, while the other 2-3 days are spent in all day in the studio.

When I'm in the studio, I begin with warm-up sketches, followed by painting. I allow for breaks in between for any necessary research or leisure reading. In the afternoon I watch lectures or conferences as I make new materials, prep canvases, etc; in the evening I paint once more.

I take Saturdays, half of Sunday and a day off mid-week (Tuesday or Wednesday). When I have to create abstract art daily, I tend to quickly feel overworked and exhausted. A big part of this has also included setting a social media limit and deleting all apps on my phone.

I’ve found that my motivation and productivity - in the sense of number of paintings and quality of them - have increased ever since I established this schedule and my work routine.

I try not to break this schedule unless I have an intensive task to complete, such as mixing paints or making new materials. I work best when I have structure in place that holds me accountable for what I work on and when I work on it.

Start

The last “S” is to start (small). I first began using this technique as a former designer, where you start incrementally - before moving on the large projects. This could be setting guidelines, a design system, then icons and components before tackling illustrations and graphics.

When I work on a larger piece, I first create a study of it—I make a smaller sketch to plan out my ideas and have as a reference for later. I also use other small images, shapes, or colors as a reference point to help me with my work. Creating art requires muscle memory, so starting with something small helps me warm up until I'm ready to begin.

I then move on to some smaller canvases, like 16 x 20, creating a series of them, before I finally approach a large piece in a series.

The 3 “S”’ are what drive and improve my art practice. Focusing on space, schedule, and start(ing) will allow you to establish a process that increases your efficiency and promotes your creativity. If you have been struggling to progress in your art, try out my methods to improving art practice. Let me know how it worked for you or if you have different process that you’d like to share.