Art Inspo for Spoonies Zine Development

A proposed cover for the zine that fits the interior pages I'm aiming for. Below are the previous two dummy drafts that helped me pick out my words

This current zine iteration has Bird and Cat talking to the viewer, but I want something completely different and more decorative than narrative!

Here is the interior copy:

Make Art Easy! It's OK! Your blank page is a safe place to coach yourself through those intrusive thoughts. Practice courageous curiosity.

Try to use grace with yourself. "Beginner's Mind" -- treat yourself as you would treat a child who is just learning to draw or write. Be gentle and patient.

Consider the value of the making process itself rather than only counting a finished project as "Art."

Consider blending writing and drawing for new modes of expression.  Lined or dotted paper can help reduce fears of preciousness or perfectionism. Blank paper covered in doodles might be the juice you need to brainstorm past writer's block one day.

Try not to be afraid to have "bad" drawings or messy pages. A sketchbook is inherently a series over time. Try to work in multiples by repeating drawing ideas in different versions. Consider the value of a whole filled up journal or collection of loose sketches (versus a single finished work).

It's totally valid to use your art-making as a way to stim (self-stimulate) like using a fidget spinner. Quick, no-judgment notes, drawings and poems are ADHD friendly and can be done even with low spoons and limited time.

Try for bite-sized mini goals. Doodles are valid and poems don't have to rhyme!

"Automatic" drawing and writing is a form of kinetic meditation. Try to get in a flow state by not worrying about an end goal as you move your pen across your paper.

The more often you make art, the easier it becomes (generally speaking). But if you miss days due to low energy or chronic pain, that's OK -- it's OK!

 

No ideas when you sit down to draw or write? Use one whole art session to make a list of prompts. Mix easy ideas with more complex compositions, like some vignettes or character studies and also some story-telling.

As you go through your day-to-day life, try to "Notice what you Notice." Make notes about your sensory experiences when something strikes your fancy. Jot down funny or interesting scenarios that you witness.

Maxims to Remember:

"Write what you know"

"State the Obvious"

"Everything is interesting when you draw it"

This concludes the text portion. :)