Muses are Finicky and Have Bad Timing

So, anyone who reads this blog must already know that I'm both a writer and artist. And if you don't know, why the hell not? Haven't you been paying attention? Didn't anyone tell you there was going to be a quiz? I'll save that for another time though, so don't run away screaming just yet.

Now, as a writer, I've had days where I thought, 'I want to write' and stories that just haunt me and will not go away until I put them on paper for prosterity--not all of these stories have been good but, you know, that's just how it goes. There have been days that I have just HAD TO write. To not do so would be roughly the same as forgetting to breathe.

I'm pointing this out because until last night I have NEVER had that sort of day as an artist. I've never felt 'I have to draw. Today. Now.' I've never had an artistic idea that struck me so firmly that I HAD TO get it on paper immediately. Basically, art has always been something I had to think about. But here I am last night, driving home at 6:30 pm after work and a 30 minute stop at dad's to do some work on his computer, listening to one of the most random cd compilations in all creation, and this idea just hits me and BAM! All of a sudden I'm sketching the thing out in my brain--picturing the trajectory line, the arch of the shoulders, the way the knee should bend, the angle of the ankle and foot. And I'm thinking 'wtf?'

I couldn't get home fast enough to sketch it out. Got in, changed into my boxers and t-shirt, got out my graphic pencils and computer paper and just pump it out. Had the basic lines done by bed time. Now, that may seem like 'big deal' but one night, 5 hours, is kind of a record for me. I'm what you might call a 'slow and sloppy' artist. In other words, I have to do a preliminary inking over my sketch just to get something recognizable enough to clean up. Then I take another pass at it in pencil with a second sheet of paper, THEN lineart.

This morning I woke up and instead of dozing on the recliner I continued said lineart. With any luck, I'll be able to finish it over lunch break and scan it tonight.

I guess there's something to be said for sudden inspiration, but I sure wish it would inspire me to work on projects that I'm trying to COMPLETE instead of new ones! haha.