Utilizing Other Peoples’ Energy

Despite my attempts to minimize social media use due to its adverse effects on… well… basically everyone, I’m still on it. Specifically Instagram. What Instagram can be useful for (if I can resist the infinite scroll) is finding new art tips and tricks, along with boatloads of inspiration.

One of my previous posts mentioned how the Cardboard Queen taught me (via Instagram) a great edging technique when using corrugated cardboard that I now use regularly. However, what I have recently discovered-that is an even better motivator-is comments.

Yes, I know, I know: Comments in a social manner can oftentimes be degrading or repetitive, simply hating to hate, or praising to praise. The comments I’m talking about are related to an individual format: open-ended questions targeted towards your audience. One such response to my first “what characters would you want cubified?” question is as follows:

Now it may have been different if I didn’t know Lily personally, but the energy in this comment was nonetheless immense. How could I not suddenly want to see this character come to life just as badly?

So the next day, I created Buffy.

Yes, Buffy turned out amazing, and I feel was worth the time, but the real reward is the friends we made along the- nah just kidding. The real reward is knowing: If I’m in an artistic rut, not to continue trying to lean on my own interests, but to lean on another person’s. This way I can channel their energy through finishing the piece, knowing they will be thrilled with the result.