As I sit writing this it is Sunday evening. If you have been following along this week you will remember that tomorrow I will be launching a new issue of Toys for the Sandbox. A few moments ago one of my artists turned in the last piece of art for this issue. He had done three other character sketches earlier in the week and they are already safely laid out and ready to go. The last one has taken some time and not because he was slacking, but because I pushed him outside his comfort zone and asked him to draw me a monster I had created.
I personally feel it is the best of the character portraits for the issue. This is usually the case when we try something hard. When we put effort into the creation and grow our skills we make something amazing. This is another trap of habits. They can make things too easy.
This may be one of the best arguments for personal growth out there. When we do the same thing the same way over and over again to the point where our mind checks out, we no longer have to put out effort. Sure we have to put in the time and expend a bit of energy, but it is not taxing. The process no longer takes our full concentration and because of that it loses something.
This not just true of our creative endeavors, it is true of how we do our job, even how we brush our teeth. Everything we do without thinking about could be done better when we have to do it differently. The concentration and effort it takes to do something hard will be evident in the finished product.
