Making it Routine

6" x 8" Cut paper on card stock

While enjoying my morning espresso and browsing Substack, I came across a post by the incredibly talented Eric Scott titled “A Daily Practice – A little advice for creating consistently.” It couldn’t have been more timely for me—lately, I’ve felt creatively stalled.

Eric wrote about having the luxury of time to create and draw when he was younger, and how life eventually became busier, leaving less space for creative work. To stay intentional with his art, he began a simple daily practice about three years ago: 15 to 20 minutes in his sketchbook each day. One of his keys to success? Work small. From that approach, he began creating small collage studies every day—and making it a routine.

That was exactly the spark I needed to begin my own consistent daily practice. I pulled out my stack of magazines and ephemera and got to work on small 6" × 8" mixed media collages.

I’ve found that this short, daily commitment has become a cornerstone of my routine. The small wins from these sessions often set me up for success in other areas of my life—or provide inspiration for larger works.

Try it yourself: commit to 15–20 minutes a day doing something that inspires you to create. Whether it’s collage, sketching, or painting, the key is consistency. In Eric’s article, he offered a few great strategies for success:

• Keep it simple.

• Use the cheap stuff.

• Make it routine.

• Leave it set up.

• 
  

Thank you, Eric, for the inspiration! I highly recommend checking out his work—not only is he a great artist, but also a gifted teacher and motivational writer. You can find him on Substack here: ericscottart.substack.com.

Below are few more of my daily collages.