Artist on a Budget - Making Space for Art

This month has marked a milestone in my journey as an artist. Now - for the first time in my life - I have a dedicated 'studio' with a door.

I would not have minded a quiet cabin in the woods (with heating) next to a meadow and a waterfall either. But due to reality and budget constraints that did not work out.

To keep my 'night job' integrated into the rest of my life, or physically separate it as much as possible? I was curious to try the second after I have had to make due with the first for years.

In the university dormitories I lived in, conditions had been so cramped that the study desk had to double as a studio (and often dinner table...).
In our previous apartment we had so little space that I did not even have a desk. I made my desk/ studio space by inserting a plank at the right height in the wardrobe, with a fold-able bar chair. Yep...

Ever since we moved into our new house, negotiations have been going on regarding me claiming a corner in the garage (dark, cold, drafty and with the occasional critters), or the guest room (cold) when not in use. The guestroom has won, which I now share with a collection of Lego people. But so far they have been good and quiet company.

I find there are clear advantages to both solutions.

When having my 'night job' integrated into my life, and my desk double as my studio, I was able to quickly switch between working on the budget, doing some sketching on the side and cooking dinner at the same time. I had everything in one place - now I need to pop into the studio to sharpen my desk-pencils, or walk to the desk when I need tape (of course I could buy another sharpener or another roll of tape, but see the paragraph regarding budget constraints above).

I was also close to the rest of my life - close to the living room, the kitchen, the front door. I could answer the doorbell, draw while something was cooking, talk while working. Now that I have doors between me and the living spaces, those distractions are pretty much eliminated.

Speaking of distractions. I get caught so easily watching Youtube videos or reading the Facebook news feed when I am supposed to be working. That changes now as well. The studio space has a separate laptop (an old one) on which I have disabled the most distracting apps and websites.

I feel both blessed and punished. It is wonderful to sit down and focus on the drawing without all those loose papers and tasks scattered around. It is nice having space to leave tools and projects laying around until the next day. But now drawing involves the conscious decision to go to the studio. It also means I need to have a chunk of time ahead of me - no point in starting up the laptop when I have to be elsewhere in 10 minutes. This means that overall I sit down less often - but when I do I stay seated for longer.

In the debate of 'separated' vs. 'integrated', I find that 'separated' makes me more productive, calm and concentrated.

Have you tried one of the two, or both? Let me know your thoughts!

Nadin