[CecelyV]

Hello everyone!
I love all the work I see here This is my first time posting up in the forum, so howdy!

I am teaching myself how to be a concept artist/illustrator. I did attend ASU and graduate with a degree in Art-Painting...but what I learned most was how to take care of myself as there wasn't much in the way of actual art instruction during my time there--it was pretty much, here's your green sheet, go! Not very helpful, as you might imagine.

I've gotten pretty good at teaching myself stuff though I feel I'm definitely out of the realm of beginner and solidly advanced as far as my technical skill--but I want to cross over into that advanced/elite level. In true have your cake and eat it too style, I'm trying to do this with a new baby My son is only a few months old, so my studio time is limited right now.
The time I'm able to put in each day varies, from 5 minutes to 90 minutes or more a day. I've gotten a framework for managing my time, and it's starting to work--but I'd really like to hear from some fellow artists with small children/babies to see how you all manage your time so you're able to draw/paint while caring for your children/babies. I'm sure there are some great stories/ideas/suggestions out there, so I hope we can all share with one another.

Thank you!

[Sorknes]

I don't know if I can help so much with your timetable and how to manage it, as my situation was slightly different...

I have always been a hobby artist, and getting a kid was actually a life saver for me art wise, as I had a year maternity leave. I went from just fooling around to actually make some real progress.

Whenever the kid slept (of course, hoping you have a kid that sleeps), I would draw. I got a crib, and put it next to my desk, and if she woke up before she should, I rocked it, hehe.

I have never had as much time for my art as I did at that point, she didn't really "disturb" my art time before she turned a year, and after that it was all about giving her my attention during day, but getting her to bed at proper time, and that was "mum time" - meaning art.

I don't have the cleanest house, I don't bake bread and cupcakes each day, and I am in no way trying to be the "successful mum". I think the most important when getting a kid, and trying to do something besides being a parent - the most important is to just let go. Find out what's important, and what's not.

I still haven't heard anyone said "I wish I did more housework when my kids were small". Rather the opposite. I play, I read, I be the best parent I can be. At work I'm at work, and when the kid asleep I switch between being a wife and an artist. As long as my kid has clean clothes, gets the food she needs, the sleep she needs and more than a healthy dose of attention (my gods, she's spoiled... ), I don't care if her toys is all over the floor a couple of days before doing something about it.

I think the most difficult when it came to art was that it sometimes was in small time spots between her sleeping. It was just a matter of a month or so before I managed to learn myself that "art on, art off" instead of taking longer turns at what I was doing. As soon as she hit a year or a year and a half, that wasn't really a problem any more, if your kid goes to bed at around six or seven, you have a few hours to work on.

Also, the mornings has been a good time here, she wakes up, happy, and plays by herself before our schedule that day. Which is time you can do art where you're not a hundred percent gone, but maybe some quick refs and such, stuff where you don't lose what you're doing when something comes up.

As she has grown up (she's three now) I have actually done a lot of painting and drawing with her! It might sound silly, but sitting with your kid drawing, also help you. I've gotten way faster! When she earlier asked me for drawing a cat, it would be a silly ten second one, cartoon-ish, now we draw the cat on the sofa during the same time. My kid has in fact taken after me, and loves to draw. Basically, what kids see their parents do, they wanna do too. So sometimes we sit with a piece of paper each drawing.

It is manageable indeed, every situation is different, of course, just thought I'd throw it out there, though.

AND GOOD LUCK!