6MMRPC - Week 6

This week's update should bear an uncanny resemblance to last week.  At the end of week 5, I mentioned the planned addition of a spray booth.  That hasn't been ordered, yet, but should be within the next day or two.

Week 6 also closes with more plans than actions.  Some new rolling storage & organization should arrive tomorrow, and the plan is to top that with a photo station.  Over the coming weeks, the studio - occasionally referred to my "Den" (what Grey Wolf can be happy without a den, right?) - will be rearranged and some areas re-tasked.

Why am I doing this?  Well, good home cooks and professional chefs have said they do not enjoy the process or create their best work without good 'flow' in the kitchen.  By that they mean they want uncluttered, dedicated areas with the proper tools close at hand.  They want an area for food and ingredient storage, wash/prep, cooking, and delivery.  My thought was, why would my hobby / art studio be so different?  I have already found over the years that I do not function well in a cluttered space.  Sure, I'll make a mess while I work, but eventually a project will end and I will clean up, get ready to make a fresh start on the next one.

Years ago, I set up a dedicated paint station, really just an old drawing table set level, at a height comfortable for mini painting.  That helped in terms of quickly sitting down and working on minis, rather than dragging things out of boxes and storage tubs, then putting it all away.

However, basing, sanding and other dusty tasks can lead to rough paint jobs, so I made WIP covers out of 2-liter soda bottles.  That helped, but took up more space on the painting table.  Now, clear those away, and the prep work, and snap WIP photos with a cell phone in the same space.  Not good results.  Then reset for...uh...wait, where was I?  What was I doing for this mini?  Where did my paints go, the ones I was using for that green cloak?  Too much wasted time!

So, here I am, creating separate stations around the room, each dedicated to various hobby aspects or mini painting stages.  I am positive good 'flow' around the room, through each part of the process, with the proper tools close at hand, will help me.

I can hear my painting mentors and friends, now, saying things like, "There is no substitute for butt-in-chair time" and "Stop fiddling with other stuff, just sit down and paint!".  Oh, and there there's the classic, "Quit procrastinating!  Start painting!" :-)

Your mileage may vary.  I am thankful for the luxury of a space I can call a studio, and a loving, supportive (or long-suffering, maybe?) wife who indulges my hobby/business.

[/rambling thoughts]

How do you set up your work space?  Do you have a dedicated room, or desk, or a portable station?  I am curious to know what works for you, what makes you happy and keeps you interested in the hobby.  Please feel free to post your comments below.

Until next time...