keep going on
and trying new ideas...
yancey towne’s art making is a weekly newsletter about the daily practice of making art. I hope to encourage people to take the time to explore, learn, and play…
The beauty of having a daily art practice is that I can use it as a place to experiment and make the ideas that pop into my mind, no matter the result. I’ve been challenging myself to let all the lines flow without judgement and not erase anything—especially as I am getting started.
Even though I was in the habit of doing some kind of art everyday, I had avoided doing any kind of scheduled daily practice because it felt daunting to take on such a commitment. But, I also noticed how I had started keeping a daily practice in order to learn Spanish, and I enjoyed seeing the days of continual practice grow. It motivated me to so see the days add up rather than making me feel trapped by another to-do.
So I gave it a shot and set myself up on the iPad with a blank page numbered and dated so I could track my progress. I duplicated the first blank document a handful of times so I was set to go with about a week’s worth of practice pages—no excuse not to fill them up. All I needed to do was to let my pen flow…
For the most part, I keep everything and roll with what shows up. I want to build a habit of allowing my hand and thoughts to flow freely, without being quick to judge how they look at first glance. Cultivating this new habit has become a key aspect of my practice and it’s been building my confidence to know that I can keep going with a piece until I find the solution—I don’t have to start over.
Sometimes as I am working I start a new layer just to write what bubbles up, so the pages can act like journal entries. It’s nice to be able to look back and read the thoughts that were inspiring my work that day.
I know I like to get things right, I like to be quick and efficient. But the creative process doesn’t always value these ideals, quick doesn’t invite open exploration. Focusing only on a quick outcome doesn’t allow much space for wandering and being curious. Realizing I didn’t have to try so hard to get things right the first time gave me permission to be messy and play.
I discovered that working without erasing eases the pressure I put on myself. It’s much easier to show up daily when I realize that messes are welcome and my scribbles lead to gaining muscle memory of my own personal style. With that knowledge there’s space to expand into any possibility I am drawn to, so I can keep on going and following the line wherever it leads… 💛
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