018: YOU are an ALCHEMIST

Wherein we discuss your abilities to turn feelings into gold...

Welcome to week 18 of the Draw or Die Newsletter. I continue to have so many great conversations with other creators, new and old. I know I must sound like a broken record about this whole “draw every damn day” mantra, but there’s a big reason… it saved my life. And I know it’s helped so many others in this group too.

I had a comment recently over on my Youtube channel from an artist who said they really wanted to draw more, but he had heavy heart. He only gets to see his boys on the weekends, and when they are gone, he just feels sadness until he sees them again.

Soon after that conversation, I heard from an old friend in webcomics, who is now a busy Mom of a 1 year old. She just signed on for a big project and now feels a bit paralyzed or like she won’t have the time to do a good enough job on both.

In both cases I gave the same advice…

Artists are Alchemists

YOU as an Artist have the ability to transmute feelings into art. Take your sadness, your fears, frustrations, and turn them into motivation. Turn it into art.

I drew that “broken heart” back in 2014. I was in the middle of a pretty messy divorce, and my 3 boys were stuck in the middle. There was a moment where I felt so alone and sad. I worried I may never see them again, or maybe they wouldn’t want to talk to me. It’s the only time I can remember actually feeling my heart ache. It was like it was ripping in half inside of me. I was miserable.

Honestly I felt like I’d better off dead. And at that time, I was actually worth more dead than I was alive. I couldn’t really express these feelings in words or actions.

But some urge came over me. I hadn’t drawn in quite some time. I just began drawing. And suddenly I was drawing this heart being torn apart. I posted it online saying…

“This is how I feel right now.”

Here’s the funny thing. I felt better, somehow? It’s the first time I ever felt the energy of this “feeling” kind of channeling from inside of me, into my pencil, and out onto the paper.

It was a release. The terrible feeling had instantly transmuted into some other level of motivational energy.

The Next Level?

Going one step further here, you realize that your art not only has the power to heal you, but others. In ways you may never know.

And it all starts with simply picking up a pencil and a piece of paper. 5 minutes becomes 10, becomes an hour, becomes hours… do it every day. Thank me later.

🙏🏻✏️☠️♣️

I think it’s fitting that the weekly drawing prompt be “HEART” - Drawn as you wish. I hope it’s not breaking. and if it is? Well you know what to do now.

And if you need help drawing EVERY day, well, the Daily Drawing Prompts come out at 5am and will keep you on your toes! Try it for free.

In this week’s Youtube video. I talk about the missing ingredient for creative success… DISCIPLINE!!! Check it out there and let me know what you think in the comments.

What other topics should I make videos about? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time, back to the drawing board for me...DRAW or DIE!!!

👁 Connect with me elsewhere? I’m @djcoffman on Instagram / TikTok / Twitter

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