Put Down That Book!

I talked a little about "reading deprivation" in the comments, but think it deserves a post here as well.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to read. A Lot. So, I'm definitely not saying people shouldn't read, not at all. But for you writers/artists/creatives out there, specifically the ones who feel blocked, I suggest not reading - books, magazines, blogs, etc. - for a week. This "reading deprivation" can do wonders for your creativity.

In the past, I justified my copious amounts of reading by saying that reading inspired me: not just through the ideas and images evoked through the written word, but also because reading allowed me to "see" how an author achieved a mood or a feeling. I told myself I was "studying" the way an author wrote.

But reading is also a wonderful way to procrastinate and put off writing, too. When I get stuck on something I'm writing or if I feel like putting off writing for a little while, I tend to pick up a book or a magazine or read a blog. So, when I was following the excercises in "The Artist's Way," by Julia Cameron, I wasn't too suprised to see that she recommended a week of "reading deprivation." But it was hard, by God it was hard.

I first read the chapter on "reading deprivation" a couple years ago, while I was half-way through a flight back home. I knew Cameron was right without having to think about it. I used reading as a "crutch." Despite the three novels in my backpack (I always carry a few spare novels on trips, just in case I get through them super quick), I didn't crack a single one of them open. When you're on a plane and your sister is asleep in the seat next to you, it's extremely hard not to pick up a book. But I didn't. And for the six days after, I didn't either. At breakfast, when I normally thumbed through a few pages, I talked to my mom more, or I sat, chewing my cereal and scribbling notes for the story I was working on. I started using my lunch breaks at work for writing (and sometimes errands). And, instead of reading before going to bed, I wrote.

My excuse, in the weeks prior, for not writing generally revolved around not having enough time. Suddenly, by not reading, I had more time than I expected. And I didn't use that time for just writing, I filled it up with more activites, more time with family, more time with friends.

Granted, I'm still an avid reader. But the week of "no reading" taught me how to find that careful balance, to make time both for reading, writing, and all the other fun stuff.

So, put that book down, and give it a try. I guarantee you'll be surprised by the outcome; and definitely let me know - in a week - how it works out.

Portraits: Children

I'm branching my portrait business out into customized portraits of children. I think that adults/parents are more inclined to buy a portrait of their kids, rather than of themselves, if only to document their child as they get older.

My first portrait of a child is in progress, and it is of the son of a fellow grad student from The University of Chicago. I'm quickly realizing how different it is to draw a child's face than an adult's. For one, the pencil lines need to be soft (created using hard pencils that are of a lighter color, more gray than black), otherwise they quickly look like wrinkles, which ages a child well beyond their few years. Prior to starting this portrait, I've studied how other artists have handled this, and the unsuccessful ones tend utilize thick dark lines around the eyes and mouth. The successful ones use more shading rather than distinct lines.

The dimensions of the child's face are also drastically different. Children's faces, typically, are rounder, and the placement of the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth are also different, encouraging me to be extra careful in sketching out the entire face first before starting in on the detail. The size of a children's eyes also tend to be bigger.

Then again, children portraits are easier to do in that kid's faces tend to be more symmetrical than adult's faces, making it easier to line up where the nose falls in comparison to the eyes and the corners of the lips.

Portraits are not done all the same way. Switching from doing an adult portrait to one of a child keeps me on my toes because it encourages me to think about the way I begin and approach a new portrait.

How does this connect to writing? I don't start portraits the same way every time, and I shouldn't start stories in the same way every time either. A story can spring from an image or from a character sketch, or from a story I hear on NPR. Every time we set out on a new artistic pursuit, think about different ways of approaching your new subject. Don't rely on what you know or think you know. Experiment.

Maybe I'm stretching the connection between the beginnings of a portrait and the beginnings of a story, but I think there's something there. Let me know if you agree.

Click here to see some of my customized portraits.