It’s been a few years since I’ve had my own studio space. Last week I began a new chapter in my professional creative life, I became a freelance graphic artist. With permission given by my better half, I bought my drafting table from my former employer and began retooling the second bedroom into my creative space.
Where the magic happens.
I’ve had the chance to set things in an order that works for me. A cave of creativity. I’m lucky to have two great windows and a lilac bush right outside one of them.
Back in college I took a course on creativity. One of the classes had us dream about our perfect space for creativity. While my original vision was for a shack/shed, this room comes very close to fitting the bill.
My reading "research" chair and guitar.
Last week Steve Bissette gave a pre-graduation speech last Friday at the Center for Cartoon Studies. He quoted John Cleese’s call to creativity needing “space and time.” well, I’ve carved out some space and my freelancing work drives me to make the time. I only hope that I can have the time to work on my own comics as well.
Where the scanning happens.
But Steve did also mention the need to unplug from the world. Preferably some type of cabin the woods. Well, while the dimensions of my room come close to Thoreau’s cabin on Walden pond, I still have to be plugged in to my cell phone and the internet. Since most of my work takes place via the internet, I do need to be reachable to talk with clients and potential clients. However, I have begun to employ some strategies other freelancers in the 21st century have adopted: Disconnect from the internet for set periods of time, check e-mail two or three times a day, and leave my phone on vibrate. So, if you are trying to e-mail me or send me an instant message and don’t hear back from me quickly, it just means I’m hard at work and I’ll be back with you as soon as I can.
My graphic novel collection and CDs
And of course, no study/studio would be complete without a bookshelf. It’s where the inspiration comes from and where I go to remember that I’m not alone at the drawing table.
What would your home studio/creative space look like?
I’m totally about to turn one of the rooms here in the Hartford House into a studio space (the small one at the end) and I can’t WAIT to get my drawing table out of my bedroom!