Oh wow, that is fab. 25 canvases on the go - I love it! Thank you for the peek into your practice.

Thank you for watching and it is so interesting finding out how we all work, so thank you for sharing!

Oh, we have all gone through this. The comparison thing is the worse. Ok, do me a favor - take some time off watching KZfaq and other social media, even if it is just 10 min, grab a pen or pencil and a piece of scrappy paper and make some marks! It doesn't matter what! Doesn't matter how it looks. If you want to swatch out some colors do that, or do some felt tip doodling, it doesn't matter. Try and make it a habit that suits you and try to make it your own little personal time where you aren't looking at social media, you are just playing around. I mean I can tell you can do it 'coz you have all those cards done which is great by the way!

I'm sorry to hear you struggle with good days and bad days with your hands. But I'm glad you have found a way to manage it and keep arting. Good luck with the move!

Thank you! I am pleased my videos help and I'm looking forward to arting with you in the New Year!

A lot has changed over this past year hasn't it. It has made some big differences to how we work and what is important to us for sure. I am interested on your comments on pursuing different art practices. I too have a few different things going on like the painting, drawing, abstract and non-abstract and I have wondered the same thing, if not concentrating on one at a time is actually hindering my progress. But as you say it has also kept me interested as well. But it is hard to know the best way forward sometimes. Thank you for watching and arting with me! 💖

Thanks for sharing Julie!

Thank you Phoebe. I love your 'Art Quirks' practice, that sounds so much fun! So interesting! I love hearing about the projects you have on the go at the moment.

There's a video, somewhere on my channel about Art Quirks.... I think I might even have a playlist... I have a Facebook group for it, but it's basically abandoned, and will probably close the group, soon. =) kzfaq.info/sun/PLvnqs2fa22wDefZ6byb3UBlMRCF_Htu_l

Thank you Tricia, I am glad you enjoyed it!

This is so interesting Victoria. I was wondering if the boredom issue is actually fear masquerading as boredom for me, like fear of failing, messing up a piece so I flit to another piece. Do you have something similar?

@@KimDellow Yes, I think that's part of it too. I'll like the way a piece is going but then not want to "ruin it" and go further to finish it.

Wonderful, thanks Kimberly. I have not ventured into oil paint yet and it is something I want to do and you would really have to work on a few pieces because of the drying times. I will be so interested in how your work flow changes and develops over the year. Good luck with it!

Wonderful! Thanks for sharing you art routine, Jody. What kind of subjects do you cover?

I draw a comic strip backwoods I have doing for ten years , I’m self published. It’s helps my fine the funny in everything lol .

Thanks!!

Thank you! They are old event flyers so the the paper is matt and a little thicker than glossy magazines. But otherwise yes, pretty much!

Thanks Diane, that is so interesting. What kind of subject matter do you paint?

@@KimDellow Usually nature subjects in gouache and colored pencil. I've gone through phases with ink (cartooning) and abstracts in mixed media.

Wonderful! Thanks for sharing Diane. Have a lovely arty weekend.

Great minds! 🤣 Hope you find a good path for your new art practice!

Not always, it depends on if I am changing to a colour that won't mix well with the first colour. Or I will wash my brush if I need a pure colour with no mixing. Or if the brush has gotten unworkable and needs a wash.

@@KimDellow thanks!

I am so sorry you are going through this at the moment Swann Willow. It can be really tough when you get stuck in a place like this. It is really hard to give advice because the last thing I want to do is come over as glib, or to interpret what you are sharing with me incorrectly. We are all living through an extraordinary time and it can affect us in so many ways. But I will try to share some things that have helped for me and I hope that they help you too! We all go through tough periods and sometimes the 'just do it' camp doesn't work. When you are in that place, the first thing you need to try to work on is forgiving yourself for it. I know that when I have had these kind of lulls, and I have tried to force myself to do things and it just doesn't happen, I just feel angry and upset with myself. And it gets progressively harder as this cycle of not doing and getting upset with myself gets tighter. So break that cycle by spotting when the voices in your head are getting frustrated and try to turn them into positive things instead, e.g. 'Everything I do is rubbish', turn it into 'I really love the doodles (or whatever you love) I draw'. If you can get into a regular ‘catch the thought and turn it around’ routine, it does get easier and it does affect your feelings in a good way. The times when the noises are too loud, go get some sleep or something to eat, and re-evaluate in the morning! As you are doing this working on breaking the thought pattern cycle, also keep working on the little things you are finding you can do. Doodle whilst you watch telly, listen to podcasts, etc. even if you don’t finish the doodle. It doesn’t matter. The days doodling is too hard? Swatch out your colours, list the pigments if you know them. Don’t feel you have to have finished projects, don’t feel that anything has to be perfect and if you get the urge to do something bigger, go with it. But keep it loose and relaxed and not dependent on the outcome, just enjoy the process of doing something. Some days you will and some days you won’t do something and that is fine. Other things I have found that have worked is doing a different art practice; maybe if you are more used to doing abstracts, try painting or drawing something in a more realistic way etc. So stop working on what you are used to doing and try doing something new or newish to you. But try not to buy new products to do it. You get excited about the new products and that can give you a non-sustainable positive rush which won’t help you get through your lull in the long term. Do something new with the products you already have. Working on your art in a new way works like a distraction from the lull, as you are starting something new so you know you won’t be good at it straight off so you can just enjoy the process of learning it and that helps you to get back into creating regularly again. Hope something there helps.

@@KimDellow Thanks for replying Kim. What you say makes sense and I like the idea of just swatching all my paint colours. I have a lot of both water colours and acrylics and that should keep my mind busy for awhile. I can also familiarise myself with each paint's qualities again. I don't think I should reach for the starts immediately but start by completing this task and maybe rearranging my craft room while I am at it. Just saying it makes me excited... I will print your reply and try some of your other suggestions as soon as I feel up to it. It's good to know that I am not the only one struggling with this from time to time. Thanks a lot. 💖