A lot of Internet folk have started exploring their inner creative side due to the pandemic. As they stay at home, we see their creative output on YouTube, Instagram, and other social media sites. On these social media platforms, we can observe trends where creatives show off their workspace, which is their precious art studio. Due to online trends and pop culture, home art studios now follow certain “aesthetics” that ride on what is deemed beautiful.
However an artist designs and maps out their studio, proper maintenance is always the key to a great workspace. How can an artist keep their home art studio organized and tidy?
Art Studio Maintenance
Maintaining an art studio may or may not be a challenge for an artist, depending on the materials and artwork they have in their storage. What are the steps to keeping your studio neat?
Given the pandemic situation, sanitation should be a priority in any part of the house. In a home studio where a wide range of creative activities happens, an artist might overlook this important aspect of studio maintenance. It is important for artists to keep cleaning materials handy at all times, not just to clean up paint mess but also to keep their space virus-free.
Finding a good supplier of bulk rags is ideal when maintaining a home art studio so that you can always have a lot of cleaning cloth at hand. An artist should also keep a bottle of alcohol in the studio to disinfect any new item to be brought into the work area.
Artists need a day or two to organize tools and art materials in the studio. This can also be a time for administrative work and inventory updates for freelance artists. By strictly implementing this organization schedule, an artist will focus on their artwork during the rest of the week because their studio will be clutter-free.
Artists should label their storage boxes properly. Doing so will save an enormous amount of time looking for needed tools and materials for a certain project. Artists know that time is gold when in the zone, so labeling boxes will greatly benefit their creative process.
Each artist is different. Every individual has their own preference in terms of organizing their workspace. Even then, what do artist studios have in common?
Famous Artists and Their Studios
The art studios of world-famous artists such as Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock, and Georgia O’Keeffe might not all look the same initially, but they all have something in common.
Artists – and creative people, in general – all have their own creative processes. Some prefer a minimalist work area, while some prefer it chaotic. Other artists prefer to work in a quiet space, while others listen to rock music. That is where creativity lies. Creativity is birthed from the differences of each individual. Creativity enhances the uniqueness of each person through their creative works.
Similarly, the three famous artists mentioned all have studio spaces that vary in design and organization. Despite this, all of them have produced excellent works that have contributed greatly to art history. This only shows that an artist’s studio should be organized or unorganized according to their creative needs. In other words, an artist’s studio should be personalized depending on their habits and tendencies.
If you are an artist who has just started out creating during the pandemic, you might be feeling lost with what you should do with your creative space. YouTube art vloggers and other art influencers have been dictating what an “aesthetic” art studio should look like, but that is not something you have to strictly follow if it doesn’t feel right for you.
Healthy Art Studio Habits
When working in your home art studio, take note of these tips on maintaining a healthy relationship with your creative space.
Keep yourself hydrated.
This will come in handy in the long run as you develop your creative practice. Although it is common sense to keep yourself hydrated, adopting this habit will help you through productive art days when you might be too engrossed in your work to bother taking a sip. Just don’t confuse your paint water with your drinking cup.
Always stretch your muscles.
You may be incredibly passionate about a certain art project, but you have to take care of your posture. Stand up from your desk or easel and stretch your muscles throughout your studio time.
These are simply some studio habits to adopt, but there are many more ways to stay healthy while being creative in your art studio.
Setting up a home art studio during the pandemic is a good way to ease stress and distract yourself from the new normal’s worries. Just make sure that this new creative space won’t add to your stressors when your new art materials and artwork begin to pile up.
