Friday, 30 December 2011

New Years Resolutions | Watercolour Illustrations

I have a few resolutions I hope to be maintaining throughout 2012, and thought I'd share them with you. I'm feeling quite determined about these, and as a result have put no further pressure on myself, aside from my plans for my art. This many mean those pesky post-Christmas pounds remain, and that my nails will forever be a bitten mess, but at least I'll be one step closer to my dream!

  • Think less, do more.
I want to escape the huge trap I fall into when I feel the desire to do some work, but not really knowing what to do. I end up dithering on the internet, trawling blogs for inspiration and writing pages upon pages of notes. Before I know it, it's two in the morning and I haven't achieved anything. I hope to be putting brush to paper much more next year.

  • Practice, practice, practice.
This will be my solution for the above problem. When I find myself dithering (also known as feeling uninspired) I shall practice my skills, drawing from life, producing some studies, working on my painting technique.

  • Take time out to be inspired/get some fresh air.
I am a huge sufferer of hermit syndrome. I find it very easy to get wrapped up in work and enjoy working hard - but next year I must leave the house every once in a while, for my own health and sanity if nothing else. 

  • Set goals, and reach them.
As my blog is my word, I WILL be achieving this. 

  • Plan a project throughly - stop being so impatient!
In the same way I rarely use pencil before paint, I have the annoying habit of diving head first into a painting, without knowing what it'll be, what its purpose is or why I'm doing it. Needless to say, I waste a whole lot of paper. In 2012, I shall be writing my own briefs, before any painting gets underway.

  • Make work an unshakeable habit, make it part of the routine.
As soon as I start working hard, as soon as I get in the habit of painting every evening, I feel driven. I know it's the right thing for me, to make painting an inevitable part of my day just like eating and sleeping. 

  • Take inspiration from others, but stop comparing myself to them.

What are YOUR New Years Resolutions? Do you have any big plans for work in 2012?


  1. beautiful .. you have a great attitude and you are on a collision course with success

  2. you are an inspiration, holly! i'm just finalising my resolutions, have decided to blog them too, to make myself accountable! ... wishing you all the best for this new year <3

  3. Really lovely self portrait, always enjoy reading your posts, find them very helpful and can usually relate to what you're saying. My new years resolution is to spend less time on the internet, recently taken myself off facebook until my degree is finished. :-)

  4. Great post, that first paragraph could be describing me! I fall into the same traps. My unofficial resolutions are similar - basically DO more, BE more... and stop being afraid.
    Love your work and your blog xx

  5. sometimes I almost tearfully throw the artwork away but try to resist the temptation as my feelings can change the following day and when I see it again it often doesn't look as bad as I'd remembered.
    Reassurance and helpful comments from other creatives also helps
    Your blog is beautiful a real inspiration.