25 things that an artist should do every day

Some of the things in this list are aspirational. Some of them are things that you are doing already. If you can get them all done you will be one step closer to your goals as an artist. If you do not have any goals as an artist make 'writing down my goals' number twenty six.  

1. Check your supplies. This is best done first thing in the morning, you might notice something that is running low which you may need later that day or week. It could be paper, ink or something that you need for the office, for example you might be brimming over with art paper but could have run out of print paper for printing invoices.

2. Update your diary. If you keep it up to date you are going to be more efficient. The more efficient you are the more likely you are to capture opportunities and make the most out of any lucky breaks.

3. Look up five new words in the dictionary. If you have a healthy vocabulary you are going to find it easy to attach pertinent key words to your website images and in any descriptions that you put with your work. This is going to make it easier to attract important traffic to your site and to you.

4. Read for at least ten minutes in the morning. Get your creative juices going. I tend to focus on some aspect of art history, to reinforce my knowledge in that area.

5. Have a piece of fruit with every meal. Healthy body equals healthy mind and all that…

6. Go for a walk, preferably in the morning. If you take yourself away from your drawing board you will gain a fresh perspective on what you are working on. You may find a problem that needs fixing before it is too late (I generally find that I have made the eyes of a figure too small and only notice after a good walk).

7. Do something that you have been putting off. I tend to use this task for book keeping related issues.

8. Write down descriptive passage that explains a creative process that you use. You may need to be able to give a short demonstration at a event or you could be asked to talk about your work at a school/in an email/on a youtube video.

9. Talk to someone about what you do. This will take six minutes and should be someone related to your artistic discipline. I tend to phone one of the large publishing houses to say 'Hi, my name is Iain and I am an illustrator. please may I talk to one of your art directors/editors…' You get the idea. Always be nice.

10. Find a motivational video on youtube that has noting to do with art and design. I like Tony Robbins but pick something which makes you think.

11. Watch the news, though only for the weather. Is there going to be a weather event that you could use to your advantage? If there is a sunny day could you use it as a day to draw outside? Is there going to be a rainy day? A rainy day is always a good time to visit a museum and do some drawing.

12. Draw three sets of hands, three sets of feet. It does not matter what your artistic leanings are, whether you are an abstract painter or a photographer, the act of really studying something so recognisable will make you a stronger artist.

13. Do your laundry, or at least some of it. This will get you out of your chair when you put it into your washing machine, back out of the chair to take it out when it has finished. You need to take regular breaks for a host of important reason. Use your break time to keep up to date with your chores.

14. Write down something that you will never do, for example 'hold a one man show in the Tate/Royal Academy.' If you reach for something that is far out the chances are that you will fall short but still higher up than you are at the moment. Reach for the moon and miss and you will still be amongst the stars.

15. Find an artist that you have not heard of before. Doesn't matter who, famous or not.

16. Research promotion for five minutes. What are you doing to promote yourself? Is it working? Even if it is could you possibly learn something new, develop your strategy?

17. Back up any images that you have on your computer. Do it every day. You never, ever know when a virus is going to come along an make all of those photos that you have disappear.

18. Run a virus scan on your computer. Even if you have done nothing but look up different types of tracing paper there will be a spotty teenager somewhere hooked up to a pc trying to ruin your day.

19. Work for an hour without stopping. Make sure that you have a glass of drinking water to hand before you start and possibly a tea/coffee. Get comfortable and start a timer or use a nearby clock.

20. Tune into a radio station that features people talking about interesting things, not just music. I recommend radio 4 from the BBC.

21. Write down something that you are going to do less of. Find something that is distracting you or is wasting some of your day. Write it down, give yourself a written reminder that you are going to at least try not to do it anymore. My own personal problem is computer games.

22. Draw without looking. Take your pencil for a walk and see what happens. I like to think of this as meditation for an artist.

23. Think about what you are going to do tomorrow. Even if you have managed none of the other things on this list, devote some of your energy into preparing for tomorrow.

24. Prepare for bed. Put your tools down at least an hour before you intend to turn in. Let your mind quieten, other wise you will be thinking about your day and wont get the refreshing sleep that you need to work for a full day tomorrow.

25. Read something that you enjoy in bed. If you are trying to work your way through Gombrich you are going to find it difficult at night when you are drifting off to sleep. Find something that you like reading, use it to inspire you or to transport your mind somewhere else. Save the heavy stuff for your ten minutes of reading in the day.