Recuperating

Sketch with Krita

I took a horrendous fall yesterday. Half of the muscles in my left side are twanging. It’s hard to focus on anything. I’m lucky that I can sleep at all.

I didn’t make an inch of progress on my book today. I did have time to sit outside and watch the clouds go by. I thought about my book and I realized that I obsess about it, without realizing that all of my plans are predicated on taking my health for granted. One stupid error and anyone can go from living the privileged life of an artist to living in mind-numbing pain.

I’ve been reading David Brin’s “Star Tide Rising”, which led me to sketch this dolphin. I love dolphins and “Star Tide Rising” is full of them.

Doodling

Not a lot to say today. I started the day with a burst of enthusiasm and optimism and got bogged down in the actual work of getting my characters to look as good as I imagine them. It’s harder than I expected, as usual. By the end of the day I was able to restore my art soldier spirit and continue slogging through the swamp, gaining a small inch movement forward to my March 31 publication deadline.

All that slogging and soul searching led to doodling, which is guaranteed to lift anyone’s spirits.