Totally resonate with the "last 5%", and I wonder if it's particularly true of visual art or wether it extends to song writing/producing or writing fiction too!
I made a piece for a competition recently that I thought was such pants till the very very end...those last few tweaks were just an experiment but they suddenly brought it all together in a way I couldn't have forseen. It was no masterpiece but a few good details made it 'make sense' as an image. I think every time we push on the last 5% that transform something, the more confident we become at knowing it's coming....?
Very interesting post, I've often felt this. Making books is so bloody hard. I've been listening to a very good and honest podcast about the reality- the slog and absolute time consuming effort needed for PB illustration and surviving in this industry. Thanks for writing this..it kept me engaged till the end!
Ah I completely resonate with this! One of my first picture book commissions had an insanely short deadline (under two months from sketch to final) and I had to hand it in when it was at the ‘messy- middle’ stage.
I learnt so much from that experience (namely that there is often some wiggle room with deadlines!) but I always think of it when something isn’t going to plan, remembering what some more work and editing can do. Great post :)
The messy middle
So beautifully articulated Ella. And so inspiring.
Totally resonate with the "last 5%", and I wonder if it's particularly true of visual art or wether it extends to song writing/producing or writing fiction too!
I made a piece for a competition recently that I thought was such pants till the very very end...those last few tweaks were just an experiment but they suddenly brought it all together in a way I couldn't have forseen. It was no masterpiece but a few good details made it 'make sense' as an image. I think every time we push on the last 5% that transform something, the more confident we become at knowing it's coming....?
Love this Ella, and much of what you say applies to writing too! 😍
Very interesting post, I've often felt this. Making books is so bloody hard. I've been listening to a very good and honest podcast about the reality- the slog and absolute time consuming effort needed for PB illustration and surviving in this industry. Thanks for writing this..it kept me engaged till the end!
Ah I completely resonate with this! One of my first picture book commissions had an insanely short deadline (under two months from sketch to final) and I had to hand it in when it was at the ‘messy- middle’ stage.
I learnt so much from that experience (namely that there is often some wiggle room with deadlines!) but I always think of it when something isn’t going to plan, remembering what some more work and editing can do. Great post :)