The biggest reason I fail

The biggest reason that I fail is by wildly underestimating the time that a project will take to complete.

I suspect I am not alone. My solution to this is to give myself goals that seem too easy and targets that seem almost impossible.

Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 19, 2020failure, goals, targetsComment

You might not have great ideas until you start writing

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 18, 2020writing, ideas, inspiration Comments

What to do if you fail partway through a challenge

I’m almost a month into my 100 day blogging challenge, and I have wondered a few times if I would be able to post every day.

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 17, 2020failure, challenge, finishingComment

Learn like a kid

For anyone trying to learn something new and challenging, it’s going to take a lot of time. Often as an adult, the more you learn, the less expert you feel. As you are exposed to the work higher and higher level experts in a field, it will doubtless seem that you are never going to make it to that level. And you could be right.

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 16, 2020Level up, failureComment

Someone doesn't like my artwork

And that’s okay.

If you try to make artwork that everyone likes, you might not make something that anyone loves. You almost certainly won't make work that you love making.

Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 15, 2020How we think, Talking about art, nicheComment

Specialisation

Alternative title: Specialization

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 14, 2020special, nicheComment

Caption contest!

My sister Neely told me I should post this cartoon character I drew and ask for suggestions for a caption, so here goes. I will put it on my secret unofficial Instagram account as well. I will send a small prize to the person who comes up with the best caption.

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 13, 2020sketch Comments

It all adds up

I recently accepted a commission to do a floral illustration. The image alongside this post is a sketch I made while working on the commission. Although plants have been my main subject matter for my photographic work and I enjoy doing the occasional illustration project. It’s not really in my main area of expertise. But for me it’s a great opportunity to get outside of my comfort zone. And besides, it all adds up.

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 12, 2020commissions, sketch, goals, Level upComment

What is the best tool for artists to get better?

The timer gives a deadline. It lets you know that now is the time to start. It lets you know how much time you have left. It gives you a chance to stop and evaluate the completeness or incompleteness of your work. Like practicing music with a metronome, it helps provide a rhythm.

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 11, 2020tools, getting started, getting things doneComment

Sketch

Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 10, 2020Comment

Mudlarks

On Thursday night in London, I watched mudlarks with flashlights looking through the debris on foreshore of the Thames. A “mudlark” is someone who looks for treasures, or anything of value on the banks of the river. You have to have a permit these days, and it is more of an archaeological hobby than a career, but for centuries people made a modest living from scavenging the Thames.

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 9, 2020treasure, mudComment

Recovery

In rowing, the stroke can be divided into two phases: The drive, when the oar is in the water, and the recovery, when the oar is in the air.

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 8, 2020Rhythm, Recovery Comment

Keyframes

When you are creating an animation, you can either create the animation “straight ahead” or “pose to pose”. In straight ahead animation you start with a frame and draw frames sequentially until you have created the animation. With “pose to pose” you create Keyframes of important points in the animation. You draw these first and then draw the in-between frames.

Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 7, 2020practice, getting things done, preparingComment

Perceived Rules

There are no rules of what a blog post can be. Having written my first 16 blog posts in a certain style I have created some perceived rules for myself. It’s time to break them.

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 6, 2020rules, photoblogComment

Adventuring

Tomorrow I am going to London for a conference. Often when I am in London, I am meeting up with someone who is visiting from overseas. For them, it is an adventure. London is so filled with history, different neighborhoods and cultures. Even for locals, there is always something new.

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 5, 2020Adventures, Talking about artComment

Goal Chaining

Forming one new good habit is hard enough, but what if you are trying to start several new habits at once? Since I am already putting in the effort and developing this habit of blogging, I have decided to use this 100 day blogging challenge to help me achieve some other goals.

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 4, 2020habits, goalsComment

Minimum Valuable Input

Last night was the Super Bowl, and Chief’s QB Patrick Mahomes was awarded the MVP award, having been judged to be the most valuable player. This post is not about the MVP, it is about the MVI, the minimum valuable input.

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 3, 2020Comment

Buffering… (part 2 - examples)

Just over a week ago, I wrote about buffering in the context of creating content ahead of time for this blog. Here are some examples of how you can use the concept of a buffer elsewhere in real life .

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 2, 2020preparing, examples Comments

New Years Resolution Forgiveness Day

I find the first of January to be a terrible day to create resolutions that I will carry out. Usually, I am away from home, away from my routines and habits. Creating an intention that you will follow through on is an exercise in habit creation. But the holiday period from Christmas to New Year’s is always very different from my normal daily life.

First 100Lucas McLaughlinFebruary 1, 2020email, habits, goals, forgiveness Comment

How to learn to talk about artwork

Often when presented with contemporary artwork, people feel excluded. “This is not for you” seems to be the message that many people receive from work in galleries and museums. Work with million dollar price tags. Bananas duct-taped to walls. How do you begin to talk about artwork if you don’t know where to start?

First 100Lucas McLaughlinJanuary 31, 2020Talking about art, practice, eventsComment

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