I don’t set time aside to ideate per se. But I do go through a lot of sketches when working on an idea/ project. And when I don’t I play a lot on my file before sending it to print.
I am not particularly looking for ideas at the moment. But I look forward to give some for those looking.
I often only do a couple of sketches before diving into one version. Any advice or process for staying longer in the sketching phase? How does making a lot of sketches help you?
When I was learning to draw birds, I did a daily practice of ten birds a day (super quick sketches) for ten days in a row. It helped me so much. I wonder if I could apply the same practice to this kind of thing. Ten quick sketches or thumbnails on a particular image or illo concept? Maybe I’d be less likely to fall in love with the first one and just stopping there? 😆
I'm Betje and I've been making dairy comics for a very long time - every single day. I really want to get back into it and weirdly, find it quite hard. It's weird because I know I can do it and still I often feel like I have zero ideas.
I think the most important thing about this is mindset: are you drawing because you know it will improve your skills? Because you want to keep a record? For sharing online and building an audience? Or because you're curious about what will appear on the page if you do? For me, that last one has been the most helpful in the past. Anything else is bound to send me into an overthinking spiral. I try to just sit down and ask myself, as if I'm talking to a friend: how was yesterday? What stood out? Then just start drawing without thinking too hard. It's so much easier to make a boring drawing and find ways to improve it, then to come up with good or funny ideas while staring at a blank page.
I recently realized that I’ve been using my daily drawing practice as an excuse for not doing the real work of executing full illustrations. I love your idea of doing a little internal conversation and yesterday’s practice. I’m going to try that!
I make cartoons and I spend an hour every day just ideating. I usually go to a "writer's hour" session of the London Writer's Salon (free) to help with concentration. I use a random word generator and use the words as a prompt to come up with ideas. I put my mind into "silly mode" and sketch and write quickly. It's mostly junk but even if I don't end up with a useful idea, I feel like it's good practice.
The other comments here are inspiring and motivating.
I live about 15 minutes from Disney World, and I often go there to people watch and ideate. I bring my backpack with my notebooks and eat a pretzel and its a great time :)
Hehe it's pretty great. I find that writing by hand is best anyway, so I actually wrote the last couple chapters of my September release while waiting in line for Ratatouille at Epcot. Then you get into fun conversations with people about what the heck you're doing.
I’m Tara Kate. Currently transitioning into children’s illustration from natural history/scientific illustration. I get ideas from a lot of places, most recently poetry and spiritual literature. I’m working to make the leap into imaginative work, doing thumbnails and envisioning how to tell stories with my art.
I get heaps of ideas when I'm out walking, or doing the laundry, or sorting the recycling.
(This isn't illustration specific).
To capture all of them I recoding myself voice memos. I now use AI to transcribe them for me and format them into bullet points. I find once I start talking I get ideas, but sit down with a blank screen/page. 🫥
I’m Jezz, and I can get my ideas at random. Example watching something like a documentry, anime, movie etc. Or just being outside. And once I get them, I always write them down for later. Sometimes I do something with it, other not.
Hi, I'm Adam.
I'm starting to schedule ideating sessions for my various projects. It's great to start by choosing an idea rather than trying to look for one.
I don’t set time aside to ideate per se. But I do go through a lot of sketches when working on an idea/ project. And when I don’t I play a lot on my file before sending it to print.
I am not particularly looking for ideas at the moment. But I look forward to give some for those looking.
Play is so important!
I often only do a couple of sketches before diving into one version. Any advice or process for staying longer in the sketching phase? How does making a lot of sketches help you?
@mrtomfroese 's 'Drawing towards illustration' is an amazing class on skillshare.
the short version is:
• Draw to discover your subject (with reference)
• Draw to discover your version of the subject (without referennce)
• Use this knowledge to try some ideas
• Pick the best one
Great suggestion! I watched a long time ago but have forgotten most of it. Thanks!
Oh, that’s an interesting question!!! I would love to know too. I tend to end up with the same sketches eventually.
When I was learning to draw birds, I did a daily practice of ten birds a day (super quick sketches) for ten days in a row. It helped me so much. I wonder if I could apply the same practice to this kind of thing. Ten quick sketches or thumbnails on a particular image or illo concept? Maybe I’d be less likely to fall in love with the first one and just stopping there? 😆
I'm Betje and I've been making dairy comics for a very long time - every single day. I really want to get back into it and weirdly, find it quite hard. It's weird because I know I can do it and still I often feel like I have zero ideas.
I think the most important thing about this is mindset: are you drawing because you know it will improve your skills? Because you want to keep a record? For sharing online and building an audience? Or because you're curious about what will appear on the page if you do? For me, that last one has been the most helpful in the past. Anything else is bound to send me into an overthinking spiral. I try to just sit down and ask myself, as if I'm talking to a friend: how was yesterday? What stood out? Then just start drawing without thinking too hard. It's so much easier to make a boring drawing and find ways to improve it, then to come up with good or funny ideas while staring at a blank page.
Hi Bette - 💯 just get something down!
I recently realized that I’ve been using my daily drawing practice as an excuse for not doing the real work of executing full illustrations. I love your idea of doing a little internal conversation and yesterday’s practice. I’m going to try that!
Maybe you can benefit from a timer as well. What can you make in 40 minutes? That way, you’ll be all warmed up for the illustration work.
Great idea! 💡I tend to get lost in the practice and forget what else I need to do.
I make cartoons and I spend an hour every day just ideating. I usually go to a "writer's hour" session of the London Writer's Salon (free) to help with concentration. I use a random word generator and use the words as a prompt to come up with ideas. I put my mind into "silly mode" and sketch and write quickly. It's mostly junk but even if I don't end up with a useful idea, I feel like it's good practice.
The other comments here are inspiring and motivating.
silly mode sounds great, how do I get there!
I love the idea of quantifying the number of ideas and good ideas we aim to get from each ideation session
I live about 15 minutes from Disney World, and I often go there to people watch and ideate. I bring my backpack with my notebooks and eat a pretzel and its a great time :)
Tell me MORE!
Hehe it's pretty great. I find that writing by hand is best anyway, so I actually wrote the last couple chapters of my September release while waiting in line for Ratatouille at Epcot. Then you get into fun conversations with people about what the heck you're doing.
That sounds expensive! If you are not sitting outside the gates, ofc. 😊
The annual pass is a chunk, certainly. But it's actually quite a reasonable deal compared to the regular day passes.
Brilliant!! What a fun thing to do. 🙌
I’m Tara Kate. Currently transitioning into children’s illustration from natural history/scientific illustration. I get ideas from a lot of places, most recently poetry and spiritual literature. I’m working to make the leap into imaginative work, doing thumbnails and envisioning how to tell stories with my art.
Hey, I'm Sophie.
I get heaps of ideas when I'm out walking, or doing the laundry, or sorting the recycling.
(This isn't illustration specific).
To capture all of them I recoding myself voice memos. I now use AI to transcribe them for me and format them into bullet points. I find once I start talking I get ideas, but sit down with a blank screen/page. 🫥
I’m Jezz, and I can get my ideas at random. Example watching something like a documentry, anime, movie etc. Or just being outside. And once I get them, I always write them down for later. Sometimes I do something with it, other not.
I use my sketchbook, I take online classes that give me assignments that generate ideas. I like the idea of thinking about 💡 ideas.