I have to confess that artists' "work in progress" videos may be one of my favorite things! It’s amazing how much we can learn by watching someone break down their creative process step by step. It is a work of art in itself to make a beautiful and educational Work-In-Progress video. Yet, I have found, that every time I have tried to create content like this, I have stopped myself mid-way through. My process doesn’t always feel as beautiful. Those other artists make it look so easy. It's like I’m watching Bob Ross (the OG tutorial artist.) His soft voice is encouraging me that I can paint the same as him with a few strokes of a brush. I am that petrified viewer trying to open up tubes of craft paint and work with a palette knife for the first time. I yell, “No, Bob! I cannot do that!” So I stop. I have faced a lot of insecurity as an artist - heaps of it. When I took the leap to begin selling my artwork or showing it on a public platform, it took a ton of bravery. Now, I find myself again at the crossroads of needing to step out or slowly drift backward. Here we are, Bob, what do you have to say to me? Thanks, Bob, thanks for the reminder. So, recently I watched one of the videos that is recorded every time I make something in the Procreate App. The piece was an idea I had sketched and wanted to flesh out into reality. The funny thing about this video is I had no intention of sharing it. So It is this mess of a video where you can see all my erasing and trying something and then changing it back and forth. Halfway through this process I noticed the main figure’s head was too large. So, I shrunk it and started over in a few places. It is a mess! This would be the moment when I abandon the video and hope that the next one is more smooth or that I make less "mistakes." But, there's this section of the video when I started adding color to the image. I added and then erased and then added again. It is this beautiful kaleidoscope of colors and textures moving back and forth and back again. It was pretty mesmerizing to watch. I realize now that if I had gone into that painting knowing exactly what it was going to turn out as I wouldn't have even started. The joyful part of the process is getting to make those "mistakes" and experiment with different ideas. Every step is growth, every choice leads to the next, every risk brings a reward. So, here we are, posting this messy (sometimes chaotic) video of trying and erasing and trying again. Because this feels like my life right now. It is starting and stopping. It is going back to the reference sketch, wondering if I got off-track somewhere. It is re-focusing and seeing it from a distance. Life is very much like a "Work In Progress" video waiting to be watched and learned from. It is one step at a time with a tube of craft paint and a palette knife.
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About the Author: Nina Schultz is a 34 year old redhead from South Louisiana now living in Dallas, Texas. Her passion for people, creativity, and her faith has sparked many of the adventures she has found herself on. Whether it is through photography, art, music, or writing- she is always ready to capture the profoundly beautiful moments of life- common or extraordinary. Archives
June 2023
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