Accelerate and Optimize Your Creative Energy!

Need to create a lot of artwork with a cohesive style in a short period of time? In today’s episode we discuss the many benefits of the batch art making process and how it can be used as a tool to evolve your creative work flow!

The Batch Making Process

Batching Artwork: Creating several pieces at one time, like a batch of cookies!

When do you want to batch make artwork?

This process is great for when you want to learn a medium in a relatively short amount of time or when you want to explore a theme or subject you can’t seem to get out of your mind
It is great for creating volume for the upcoming holiday season and creating affordable artwork for art fairs and other events

Benefits of the batch making process

Efficient use of materials
Every artwork is an evolution of the last resulting in a cohesive style between each work
Builds art inventory in a short period of time and helps accelerate the creative exploration process

Where do you start?

Start with writing to clarify what you’re hoping to achieve, and by what date.
Pick 3-4 common elements of design you would like to see in every piece in your series.
- Line, shape, space, form, value, color and texture.
Make decisions regarding style, theme, and technique
Decide what substrate(s), and mediums you are going to use
Choose how many pieces you want to create
Consider the space you’re in and the way you create - will you be making one piece at a time? Or several going on at one time?
Will you need to order any materials before you get started?
In the art-making process itself, will they all follow a similar action sequence? Ex. Tone the background, then make outlines, then darks, then mid values, then lights, etc.
Decide how you will title the pieces - Will they be named the same but with a different number at the end? Or separate titles?

Try batching and see how you like it! After doing it, evaluate the pros and cons, iterate your parameters and then try a new batch! Ultimately the goal is to find a creative workflow that feels right to you.

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Podcast Music By Corey Claxton: