The Secret To Finding An Effective Workflow for Your Art
Maybe you have been struggling to find a workflow for a long time, every painting has a different approach, and your art doesn't have a cohesive look to it. Your personal style refuses to show up.
I have been there too; I was frustrated and confused. But I discovered a few simple methods to stay focused and create an effective workflow. These methods take all the stress away from drawing and allow you to focus on the design itself.
And they work so well that you can apply them over and over again if you want to try something new so that your creative voice is always free to evolve and grow.
Imagine being able to create, knowing exactly what to do each step of the way without constantly searching for the right brushes, tool, or drowning into hundreds of convoluted layers and paint overs: no mess, just you and that beautiful feeling of creative flow.
The double-edged blessing of Digital
One of the greatest assets of digital art is its versatility; there are an endless amount of brushes, effects and options we can play with, but this infinite bounty of choice can be as much of a burden as it is a blessing.
And when you are just starting out you are more exposed to this problem, you are curious and want to try different things, but the things to try will never end, new tools, tutorials, and styles to attempt are all around you, and it is easy to get sucked up in the maelstrom of infinite possibilities.
Addressing The Unicorns
Among digital artists, some lucky few will pick up the stylus, play around for a bit and naturally set on a few methods and tools they resonate with and stick to them. They are usually the ones who quickly develop their personal style and get to live in that place of flow. Not only do they want to draw, but they enjoy it too!
And although these unicorn-grade artists exist, they are far between, and for most of us, finding a workflow is not quite as straightforward.
Finding your focus - Lighthouse in the Storm
For me, it took a conscious effort to find my focus in this sea of choices, and I had to try many different things before finding a system that worked for me.
And to save you time and frustration in finding your own workflow. I want to share the precious insight I wish I knew when I was trying to develop an effective drawing process.
Find the Right Fit
What works for someone else might not work for you, and that's normal.
There are many systems out there to try, and a lot of them are good, but they might not be suitable for you.
Finding your workflow is a bit like shopping for clothes. It has to tick a lot of boxes. It has to be comfortable, functional, and fit with your personality, so although a system works well for an artist you admire, don't be discouraged if you try it and it doesn't "fit" you.
Make a Commitment
Find a brush, process and general colour palette and stick with them for a while.
The easier way to stick to it that I have found is working in series, and committing to at least 10 drawings is what worked best for me. Just make sure it is something you enjoy drawing; this process is hard enough on its own without the added stress of stepping too far out of your comfort zone.
Bonus Tip: Some series theme examples: flowers, animals, zodiac signs, calendar months, characters from fairy tales, food, landmarks etc.
By the end of the process, your last sketch will feel much more natural, and this will also help you consolidate a consistent style for your work.
Be Intentional and Save Save Save
Keep a record of what you use, save brushes and colours into their own sets and name them after what they are for if you need to.
Have you ever made a drawing you are proud of and completely forgot what brushes you used or how you got to that result? Spending a couple of minutes taking note and organising is worth it if it shields you from that strife.
Take Your Time
Don't skip ahead! Make sure you do each step of the workflow. Don't move to the final lineart until all the problem solving is done in the rough pass.
Skipping a step might "feel faster", but it can be a huge trap. It is much harder to draw good lines if you also have to juggle perspective and anatomy in your head as well. By the final stage, your only thought should be for line weight and quality.
Bonus Tip: If you feel the pressure of the social media algorithm biting at your heels and want to get done in a hurry to post something, take a minute to do a work in progress shot and post that instead.
In Conclusion
Finding an effective workflow and sticking to it can feel challenging, but it is not as bad as it seems.
Sticking to a set of tools and creating a series is hard work, but by the end of it, you will have created an asset, a cohesive body of work that you can showcase and put in your portfolio.
Staying consistent and giving the workflow a chance to stick with you will remove the stress from creating. You will be able to focus on growing instead of being on a wild chase or battling procrastination all the time. And as you keep drawing, the focus will switch from experimenting to comfort and from comfort to flow, you will be able to focus on your art itself, and the tools and the rest will disappear in the background.
And yes, you might decide to try something else that could suit you best afterwards.
But by that point, your experience with what you tested will inform your next choice, you will know so much more about what you like and what you don't, and you will be able to keep what works for you and set aside what doesn't.
You cannot find the perfect workflow in one try, but you can start building it one step at a time.
So go ahead and give it a try, make a commitment to a project and a set of tools and see it all the way through! I know you can do it.
If you are interested in my sketching workflow and would like to try it out, you can download the free tutorial below.
Let me know how it worked out for you. I am always happy to hear from you!
This FREE Guide will show you the step by step process I use to create clean lineart without stress, plus a template to create your own effective workflow.
