Probably the next, most asked question I get after “What kind of pencils do you use?” is “How much do you draw?”.
Well, no, actually it’s “What kind of pencils do you use?”, “What kind of paper do you use?”, “Where do your ideas come from?” and then it’s “How much do you draw?”.
So in order, the answers are;
- Mostly Tombow mono 100 6B and Mitsubishi Hi-uni 10B
- Strathmore medium surface drawing paper, Stonehenge Cream Journal paper, Stillman & Birns Zeta Series, Arches and Cottonwood Arts
- I dunno
- As much as I need too… which financially, psychologically and Spiritually, is a lot. I guess its a lot compared to some and not as much as others
Its that 4th one that is the most important of those questions though.
What kind of pencils and paper? Is a valid question but it mostly serves to reassure the asking individual that I’m not using some special magical tool that they don’t have access to. So, even though I answer the question with specifics I always include in the answer: The best tools are the ones you have. If I need to I can draw on a brown paper bag with a pencil I found in the parking lot of Denny’s.
Tools become important when they can be important. If you don’t have access to better tools use what you have until you do. It’s about you, not the pencil or paper.
It’s the riddle of steel. (I’ll just leave that right there for those who know) ?
Where do my ideas come from? Again I think this is about reassuring the asking individual that I didn’t have to go to Hogwarts and take a Magical Ideas and Where to Find Them class.
Where do your ideas come from? The long answer is from my life, what I read, what I see, what I listen to, what I love, what I hate, what I ate… and so on. And it’s all built on its own history… all of my work today is either an iteration, deviation or reaction to my work that has gone before it.
…the other also true answer to this question is that when you start with chaos, the ideas find you. I’ve tailored my inherent pattern recognition abilities (you know, when we see faces in wood grain) towards my own ends. That, coupled with my willingness to experiment and make many accidents both happy and otherwise has led me to some places that I find interesting to explore.
Now the fourth question is the important one of those four questions because it seems to be the line of termination for some people;
How much do you draw?
This is the one people want and don’t want to know the answer to.
It’s like:
Well… the pencils aren’t much different than mine, the paper isn’t much different than mine. Ideas come from life, experience and interests… I have those. It must be time… that’s it. He spends way more time than I can/do.
This is a tricky question. The answer is I spend the time I need to. Sometimes I spend more time than might be necessary for someone else, sometimes less… but that can be said of anyone, when you’re comparing yourself to a world of artists.
The thing is, I spend the time I *need* to, whether its because its an ambitious piece that will literally take more time, a piece that has a pre-programmed timeline (contract work) or a piece that I need to fall into, get lost in for my own psychological/spiritual well being.
…so anywhere from 10 to 60 hrs a week depending on my needs.
The most important thing to take away from this is that whether you’re a professional or not you should spend whatever time you *need* to in order to get what you want out of it.
No one should feel guilty if they don’t do as much as I do (or anyone else for that matter).
I do it because I want to not because someone told me I should. (Unless its contract/concept work cause that’s a different beast ?)
Beautiful post! Thanks so much Allen!
I’d think another good question could be “Do you keep a Sketchbook? ” I mean, one not for drawings that are meant to become an original pieces or preliminaries, I mean just a visual journal or a mental visual vomit journal.
I find having a sketchbook for me just to vomit ideas every now and then is super useful.
Hi Sebastian,
Vicki here (Allen’s wife). 🙂
He does have a small sketchbook he does “vomit” ideas into. lol (I like that analogy) It is nothing like other artists beautiful sketchbooks to browse through and sometimes paintings or drawings do come of the ideas, but it is definitely done in his shorthand drawings, almost scribbles to just get the ideas out.
He sometimes flips through it on our Live Instagram feeds.
Vicki
Hi Vicki!
Thanks for the answer hahahaha, it’s kinda funny to say vomit hahaha, I say because it’s just like throwing out the idea as fast as I can to lay it on paper without any kind of refinement hahaha. I like that you like the analogy.
My sketchbook is also messy! so inspiring to find that a master like Allen also happens to be like that, haven’t been able to have such beautiful sketchbooks as many other artists.
Going to keep an eye out for the Instagram. 🙂
best wishes,
Zeb!
Thanks for the comment! Indeed my sketchbooks are rather more for function than to show others. I get very messy at times
This was so good to read, a balm for the soul. The amount of time my own illustrations take because of my process sometimes feels absurd. And that can lead to so much anxiety, trying to find ways to finish independent work faster, faster, always faster. I really like what you’re saying here, thank you so much for sharing.
~ Cassidy (and John)
You are very kind and thank you for the comment!