Wow.
This is it guys.
It’s the last day.
Is it silly that I’m feeling a bit choked up right now.
I just really didn’t imagine finishing this, completing it in full.
Today’s house is a special one, it’s the one and only repeat in the book.
It’s a house you’ve seen before, and a continuation of it’s story.
My favourite haunting, the alien abduction, has come to quite a chilling conclusion.
This house has been carelessly abandoned by the aliens and destined to a future floating
alone in space., This house is haunted by infinity.
I love how this one turned out, it was so much fun playing with the ink to give the
effect of stars and just the beauty and depth of the universe.
Annoyingly, this was the one and only time all month that I started having camera trouble,
so there’s a tiny bit of footage missing but you see all the important stuff don’t
worry.
Today I thought it would be apt to talk about what I’ve learned from this challenge and
what I have planned now that this month is nearly over.
It’s been a huge learning experience and I want to really use this challenge as a kind
of springboard into new practices and a new, better art lifestyle.
I’ve learned that sticking to one theme is a great way to constantly draw daily.
It leaves little room for uncertainty and humming and arring about what you’ll draw
every day, but it also makes you think creatively about different ways to interpret the theme
every day.
So my first decision is that I will be continuing to fill one of these 31-page sketchbooks every
month.
I’m probably gonna give myself a vague theme each month to focus on a certain area I want
to improve on.
At some point, I’m gonna have to tackle hands once and for all.
Obviously the daily videos are gonna stop.
I don’t know if I’ll ever do a month of daily videos again, not for a while at least,
but I have learned a bit about streamlining my filming and editing process.
Writing notes about what I’m going to talk about so I don’t have too many thinking
pauses and rambly bits to edit out of my voice-overs.
Saving comments that would make great talking topics for the future.
I’ve learned that accountability and community are one of the biggest motivating factors
when it comes to posting on social media consistently.
People really pay attention and it’s good to be reminded that people are genuinely interested
and following along and you’re not just screaming into the void.
And this goes for people with 20, 30, any number of followers.
That’s 20 people who have turned their heads to pay attention to you and what you’re
doing and what you have to say.
Give them something that you can be proud of.
I got one comment right at the beginning about how it felt like we were running a marathon
together and I think that’s so accurate.
Running with 20 other people around you, all of you cheering each other on, can be such
an effective way to achieve and show up and get things done.
Another thing I’ve learned from this month is the importance of taking breaks.
There were a few times that I really didn’t think I’d be able to carry on with this
because I worked myself to near-burnout.
Whenever I took some time to myself, I found that I was looking forward to drawing again.
I’m hoping to have at least one day a week moving forward where I completely shut off
emails and social media, if I draw I want it to be for me, for fun.
At least one day a week of proper rest, because working from home it can be very easy to not
stop.
I’m still on a journey to find the balance with art and life.
When I figure it out I’ll let you know.
This month I spent days and days at a time, at home, at my desk, drawing, drawing, drawing,
editing, editing, editing, and then would completely shut down for a few days, spent
time with my boyfriend, went to Manchester, had one night where I hung out with friends.
I’m really hoping to find an in-between.
And I think now that I don’t have to film and edit videos every day, that might be a
bit more achievable.
One thing I’ve realised I’m really lacking is exercise and just general physical activity.
Drawing and editing has taken toll on my body that it really shouldn’t have and thats
because of my complete and utter lack of upper-body strength, general unfitness and bad posture,
so getting back into some for of exercise routine, which I haven’t had for about a
year, should hopefully strengthen my body again and make my work day a lot less impactful
on my joints and whatnot.
I sound like such an old lady but my wrists and fingers and back should not be creaking
the way they do and if I want to draw for the rest of my life, it’s important to take
care of my tools now.
I’ve really come to appreciate this month, how luck I am to have you guys.
It’s pretty inconceivable that so many people would be so supportive, so encouraging.
We have a really wonderful thing here and I’m so grateful for that.
So you’ve all been asking about the zine.
I’m getting it sorted as we speak and am hoping to release it on Sunday the Fifth of
November at 9;30pm, UK time, so have a google to see what time that is for you.
I tried to pick a time that wouldn’t be too late or too early in the places in the
world where I get most of my views, obviously I couldn’t do a time that would suit everyone,
also I know for my UK peeps it’s Guy Fawkes night so if you’re out and about you might
have to order online on your phone, this was just the most kind of fair time I could figure
out worldwide.
So like the ’30 Ways To Fill a Sketchbook’ one, they will be limited, there will be a
few more this time, they’ll all be signed and numbered and once they’re gone, they’re
gone, so that’s why I’m letting you know in advance when they’ll be on sale, just
in case you really want to get your hands on one and don’t wanna take your chances.
I’ll be posting a video of the sketchbook tour on the same day with a reminder as well
so if you don’t get your hands on one, you can always have a look through there.
And if the demand is really high, I don’t know if it will be, I don’t even know if
all the zines will sell, but I might make a digital copy as well for you to flick through.
Really depends on if it’s popular at all.
Alright.
It’s gonna be so weird to not do this all again tomorrow.
Happy Halloween guys, thanks for joining me on this journey.
I’ll see you soon for the next one bye.