👋🏾 Hi, welcome to The Offhours Weekly, a share of illustrations, drawings, thoughts and links. Thanks for being here, you’re amazing, tell a friend.
Welcome to 2024! Hope your year is off to an amazing start.
Momentum
New year. New lists. Between 2012 and 2015, I had a drawing project where I posted an illustration up to five times a week on my social media channels. The only self imposed rules I had in place were 1. I had to post it before Midnight, and 2. It could be an illustration of anything.
I had been dancing around the idea for months (maybe years) trying to get myself to commit. I was so worried about subject matter, style and likability. What if I couldn’t maintain it? What if all if it was bad? I was stuck in my head building themes and lists of quotes to illustrate, hoping if I over prepare—I could get myself to at least try.
The fact is I needed this outlet more than I thought. I was frustrated and stagnant at work, with projects that weren’t clicking for me. If I could show up for myself, my creativity, I could change the perceived roadblocks I was feeling. Grand expectations had to be dealt with through self reflection. Feeling judged for creative expression, my perfectionism (which I still struggle with), all had to be pushed to the side in order to focus on building the routine.
The routine is what mattered, not necessarily the work. My abilities and limitations are known to me, and if I needed to I could always adjust the work later If the concept was worthy. The process and the journey are the things that helped me slowly build momentum to do it consistently for a little over a year between 2013 and 2014 and tapering off in 2015.
Music Vibes 🎧
“Only” by Sampha - His album is a vibe.
Linky Links 🔗
📺 ”Marcus Leslie Singleton in Studio” - Recently came across his work and love how he renders his figures.
🖥️ Pentagram’s Reddit Brand Refresh - Reddit is a wild place, but I find it interesting when companies push to update their public image by looking more friendly and appealing to an audiences specific interests.
FYI - Taking some time for paternity leave 😊. Wrote a few posts featuring work from my Daily Drawing project. Future posts will be scheduled when time allows.
Stay Wonderful.