Life as a full-time Artist Working from Home (part 2)



Catch up by reading Part 1 of this post here!



Change of scenery

Working from home can get you feeling cooped up! Get out of your house once in a while whether it’s to work, get inspiration, or clear your mind. Bring some work to a place where you can concentrate – perhaps a coffee shop that plays good music and provides food to keep you nourished through the day. Visit the zoo, museum, aquarium, aviary, or even an animal shelter for inspiration. Bring the sketchbook and take advantage of live subjects to test your figure drawing skills.

Some museums and theaters offer a membership deal or annual pass that would pay for itself after 5 annual visits or less! Do a Google search to check what museums and zoos are in your area and learn about their membership programs. Perk programs for movie theaters that also come in handy when you just need to get out of the house and relax. In the winter of 2017-2018 when I had my severe bout of tendonitis, I took advantage of Movie Pass which helped me to stay distracted, rest my wrists, and avoid cabin fever.

Spend time with other artists

If you can spend time with artists that have similar interests to you in your area, that’s the best option you can possibly encounter. There are groups on Facebook where you can meet local artisans such as yourself. You may even meet artisans that specialize in different styles or mediums which could inspire you with your work. I am a part of the Rochester artisans which holds events where I can art jam with other artists. Sometimes, just by getting out of the house, you may meet interesting artists to socialize with at your coffee shop, copy center, or local art art festivals. I know from experience since I have made artist friends all three of these ways. If meeting up locally doesn’t work you can always art jam with artists online through Picarto.Tv, Instagram, and other streaming outlets.

Don’t feel guilty working on personal art

To express your creativity in ways that aren’t available with your commission queue, we all need time to work on art for ourselves. Personal art allows for worry-free experimentation with new techniques, mediums, and styles. You never know if you’ll create a fantastic new product, YCH (your character here) commission option, or print. Fursuit makers can create fursuit partials that sell for as much as a fursuit commission! For those of us that rely on merchandise for a significant chunk of our income, it is important to set time aside to design new merchandise. It feels good to scratch that creative itch and have genuine artistic freedom!

Treat yo’ self once in a while

Whether it’s to a fancy coffee, an indulgent snack, or new materials that you want to experiment with, you can splurge once in a while! Just try not to rely too much on rewarding yourself with shopping. Creativity doesn’t shouldn’t have to be derived from purchases themselves. Making a stop into an art supply store without making a purchase is a challenge for most artists but if you can do it (maybe leave your wallet in your car or budget yourself with cash), that is a sneaky way to get your inspiration without breaking your bank!



Revisit the Advice Archives or read the continuation of this post in Part 3!



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If you have experience or suggestions to share, I would appreciate your comments below!

Much LORF!
Crazdude




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