Time Management

Setting a timer and sitting down to see what you can get accomplished in a set amount of time isn't just a fun exercise or art prompt. It can also be a valuable tool. Like myself, most artists juggle multiple lives. I am a busy homeschooling mom to two teenage boys and it takes up an extraordinary amount of my time and creative energy. So knowing how to manage my time is crucial. I need to know what I can get accomplished in the 20 minutes before I make dinner. I need to know how long it takes to get from point A to point B on a painting.

Point B: almost finished.

"Unwind" #3

Point A: just starting.

I paint in layers of acrylic glaze. I know for instance that it takes about 20 minutes to apply each layer of glaze to a figure, and that it needs to cure for about 4 hours in between layers.

I also know that I can watch 4 episodes of Mad Men on Netflix while I paint the curtains in the background; so about 4 hours. A larger painting like this can take upwards of 30 hours to complete with a lot of drying time in between. Knowing this helps me manage my time and helps me price my paintings.

But hey, setting the timer and challenging yourself to create something in a set amount of time can also just be for fun. What can you do in 20 minutes?