A Painting a Day - Every Day?

A Painting a Day - Every Day?  Why?

I counter with "Why not?"  Daily painting can be a habit and can make a painter more creative and successful and painting more enjoyable whether one enjoys painting as a hobby or a profession.  I received the book above for a birthday present and it offers a few tips on daily painting. 

I am often asked these questions:

• "How often you paint? 
• Do you paint every day?
• How do you know what to paint?
• Is painting work for you or is it fun?
• Why paint?

Some of these questions will attempt to be answered in today's blog.  The frequency of my painting has changed over the course of time based on the various seasons of my life.  If painting is not one's full time profession, then painting must fit into one's schedule of life, family, work and recreation.  As with all things,  priorities must be set and how often one paints depends on those priorities.    Painting for me has been a hobby and a profession during various times. 

When painting is a profession, painting is a top priority and one paints more often - at least, if one would like to be successful.    When painting is a hobby, it often gets set aside to allow for other items in one's life.  When painting as a hobby, then one must address painting as one would any other hobby - make time for it!

This post will address painting as a hobby rather than as a profession.  Work is work;  and like any job,  painting should be treated as any other profession.  However, if painting is a hobby that  is a different subject.

So,  let's start off with reasons one starts a hobby.  According to info I have read from numerous sources and from my own experiences, here are a few reasons:

1. Hobbies are healthy for the mind and body.  If you take time for a hobby that you enjoy, you can lose yourself in it and forget about your worries for a while.  Great stress reliever!
2. Hobbies make one more confident - period!  When one finds a hobby they enjoy (and one does not have to be good at it),  one practices a skill and improves by practice thus creating the motivation to continue.  According to the Huffington Post, pursuing a passion is a great way to build self-esteem, giving one an enhanced sense of purpose and improving overall quality of life. 
3. Hobbies help one structure time by "making" time for the hobby - no matter how small the amount of time.    Now, this does not need to be daily, but can be weekly, etc.  Whatever will fit into your schedule.  The point is to avoid stress, not create more by trying to fit too much into one day.  (I have been guilty of this.) 
4. Hobbies can help you grow as a person by building new social connections, adding to your identity and richness to your self concept.  You will not only feel more inspired when you have a rich and active life, but you will inspire others as well.

What does one paint?  Anything and everything!  Look around the house, outside,  on the internet, in books - paint whatever catches your interest.  

Schedule time to paint or draw - just do it!  Invest 5 minutes, 15 minutes,  half an hour or more.  Whatever amount of time fits your schedule.   I have found that the more I paint, the more I want to paint!   Practice, as with all things, make one better. 

In the past, I have taken a few minutes each day to sketch in a small sketchbook.  One that can be carried to work for a quick lunch time sketch, taken to your child's afterschool activities while waiting in the car, grabbed while you are waiting for the water to boil for the spaghetti noodles, picked up during a commercial of your favorite show (instead of the potato chips), etc.  You get the idea - be prepared and art will happen.  Like any habit, it will become 2nd nature to have that sketchbook with you. 

So, pick up that sketch book, pencil, paint brush and get started!  You'll be glad you did!

Happy Painting!
Karen