Learning while creating
5 lessons learnt through a creative project
Hello and welcome to,
✨A newsletter on Creative thinking & living. A safe space to embrace the power of Creativity✨
Hi readers,
Last week I wrote about a mini-challenge where I sketched Lord Shiva for non-stop 30 days. The challenge got over yesterday, wherein I managed to create 30 digital figures of Lord Shiva showing Him in different avatars, which were supported by a motivational quote.
This project was not just a fun activity, but also a learning exercise.
I often found myself asking questions about growth that were never fully answered. They lingered without being addressed in their entirety, leaving me unsatisfied with the creative process. For a long time, these questions about growth kept hovering around me. They looked something like this —
What does growth look like? Is it tangible? Can it be measured? Does it make me happy? Does it impact others? Can it teach me lessons for future projects?
These questions were never answered in the right way because I viewed growth differently. To me, growth meant evolution while becoming a better version of myself each day. It was never just a jargon, but a deeper concept that touched my subconscious mind.
But with this mini-project which was undertaken as a challenge + meditation + Sadhana (devotion to the Lord), concluded while answering all of them in a creative manner. And at the end here I am, with 30 brilliant sketches supported by one motivational quote for each day. So how did I do this?
1. Do it with an intention (TANGIABLE) : When the project picked up pace, I had few intentions linked with it. I wanted to learn the software, create art supported by motivational quotes which others can use for a mindful growth and convert my base idea into a tangible form -- a physical artwork. Testimony to this is that while I sketched digitally, I got few of them printed and framed to become wall art which was gifted to friends & family, and guess what, they loved it to the core!
2. Consistency is the key (MEASURE OF QUANTITY): I ensured that I make one sketch each day. No matter what time of the day, I made it a point to produce one finished piece one day.
3. Perfection spoils the fun (HAPPINESS QUOTIENT): Creative processes are different from other projects. If an artist does not have fun while creating, the final output can never be good. Therefore, I ensured I did not chase perfection, rather I wanted few imperfections as it was a handwork and thus imperfections were more than welcome.
4. Share your work (IMPACT): Since it was a work-in-progress, I shared it daily on my social media feed, friends and family group where I got comments saying that I was doing brilliant work. It helped me boost my morale and spread some word for it.
5. Learn on the way (LESSONS FOR FUTURE): Since the base idea was to learn the software - Procreate, used widely by illustrators, I explored deeper about its use and functionality to become conversant. The learning curve is very much visible when Day 1 is compared with Day 30.
Below I present the 30 digital illustrations of LORD SHIVA which I created in 30 days.
If you like my work and resonate with the Creative path that I have chosen, share this post with people whom you think will like to read it. Word of mouth goes a long way for an artist.
Till the next post —
Creatively yours,
Parul Kapoor ❤️