Yes!! This is something I’m very much in support of. For years I had sketchbooks that were for planning and also sketchbooks that were for painting and even more books for notes and ones for journaling. All of them half full and it felt like pulling teeth to get anything done in them. In the last year I’ve moved over to one sketchbook/notebook/journal everything goes in there and I have no level of entry. The ugly stuff is everywhere and I love it, because in between the ugly stuff Is stuff I’m proud of ideas and inspiration. I honestly think it’s been a key change in the improvement of my work. I’m a better artist thanks to the freedom of ugly art.
Adam, I love this post! The train of thought took me through all sorts of interesting places. You are right — ugly work, which I also think of discomfort. You can't level up without getting ok with discomfort — the uncomfortable feeling of doing the ugly work until you get to the good work.
I always appreciate your notes on the creative process.
Hi Brianne, Thank you! Writing the first five drafts were so hard, and then in my head I actually visualised crumpling them and throwing them into a basket, and this flowed stream of concious.
I think that’s a good way to do it :)
Discomfort is such a big part of it isn’t it! I appreciate you for being a reader for years!
The visualization of going through the drafts, crumpling them up, is so vivid. It really underscores the effort. I imagine it reinforces one's interior view as persistent and able to do hard things. (I may borrow this! :)
And thank *you* for writing about your journey in illustration and leveling up. It's so inspiring to see your books come out and to read about how you wrestle with the lows and highs and progress along the way. It makes us all feel less alone and a greater sense of our own possibility. I'm really grateful.
“Leveling up is also about all those drafts next to the wastepaper basket. Those failed attempts are not impediments to the process, they are the process.”
With the rise of Instagram I think we’re so afraid to make ugly things because it’s not postable (or at least I had that feeling while I was still on social). But now I simply have the goal to fill sketchbooks and play and I’m already seeing so much improvement in my art. When we don’t have to be perfect, the world opens up to us!
Yes!! This is something I’m very much in support of. For years I had sketchbooks that were for planning and also sketchbooks that were for painting and even more books for notes and ones for journaling. All of them half full and it felt like pulling teeth to get anything done in them. In the last year I’ve moved over to one sketchbook/notebook/journal everything goes in there and I have no level of entry. The ugly stuff is everywhere and I love it, because in between the ugly stuff Is stuff I’m proud of ideas and inspiration. I honestly think it’s been a key change in the improvement of my work. I’m a better artist thanks to the freedom of ugly art.
I do like when everything is in one place!
Adam, I love this post! The train of thought took me through all sorts of interesting places. You are right — ugly work, which I also think of discomfort. You can't level up without getting ok with discomfort — the uncomfortable feeling of doing the ugly work until you get to the good work.
I always appreciate your notes on the creative process.
Hi Brianne, Thank you! Writing the first five drafts were so hard, and then in my head I actually visualised crumpling them and throwing them into a basket, and this flowed stream of concious.
I think that’s a good way to do it :)
Discomfort is such a big part of it isn’t it! I appreciate you for being a reader for years!
The visualization of going through the drafts, crumpling them up, is so vivid. It really underscores the effort. I imagine it reinforces one's interior view as persistent and able to do hard things. (I may borrow this! :)
And thank *you* for writing about your journey in illustration and leveling up. It's so inspiring to see your books come out and to read about how you wrestle with the lows and highs and progress along the way. It makes us all feel less alone and a greater sense of our own possibility. I'm really grateful.
Love it! ❤️
“Leveling up is also about all those drafts next to the wastepaper basket. Those failed attempts are not impediments to the process, they are the process.”
Great post Adam! Love the stream of consciousness flow of it too—much like how a sketchbook of ugly work flows ☺️✍️✨
Thanks Anny, it wrote itself, but it took all those ugly drafts to get here 😅
With the rise of Instagram I think we’re so afraid to make ugly things because it’s not postable (or at least I had that feeling while I was still on social). But now I simply have the goal to fill sketchbooks and play and I’m already seeing so much improvement in my art. When we don’t have to be perfect, the world opens up to us!