The 1st CBIG post of 2013: Procrastination

Several months ago I offered to write the January, 2013 article for the CBIG blog. No problem - plenty of time. What a shock to realize tomorrow was January 1st and I hadn't even a topic in mind. That is what I call procrastination, so therefore - my subject.

I wonder how many artists procrastinate when it comes to working on art projects.  Creating art is suppose to be something artists love to do, right? Then why do I keep avoiding it? I’ve come to the conclusion I’m afraid I can’t meet my own standards. Why do I feel this way? It's obviously a lack of practice!  In my "disciplined" Atelier student days, I was quite happy with the artwork I produced. It’s sort of a catch 22 thing, I think. Nowadays I don’t paint as much, so therefore my work suffers, so then I’m afraid to tackle something new. How is it going to improve my confidence if I don’t make a stronger effort?

"I've come to the conclusion I'm afraid I can't meet my own standards."

Perhaps someone out there has advice to share. In the meantime, I’m going to make a New Year’s resolution to work harder while trying to enjoy what I’m doing, and hope, hope, hope I can stick to it.

Marilyn Brown is the illustrator of a number of picture books, including "The Station" and "Girls Can!" For more information, contact her by email rbmjbrown@aol.com 

For 2013, the Children's Book Illustrators Guild of Minnesota (CBIG) will provide monthly blog posts from children's illustration professionals. These posts will share valuable insight about the artist's process and the industry. We hope that our members and our friends will find the CBIG blog to be a great way to find useful information and to connect with the community.

Happy New Year from CBIG!