E49: Artists! Chip Away At Something Great

Author: Tim Mcburnie
Published: Tue 01 Jul 2025
Episode Link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/bc7f2d92

Check out my Free Brainstorming Workshop: https://mightyartisan.com/worldbuilding Learn to silence your inner critic. Ignite creative ideas. And watch a live demo of these techniques in action.

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This is The Forty Ninth Episode of the Visual Scholar Podcast - With Tim Mcburnie.

What if you could create your masterpiece by working just 15 minutes at a time?

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This episode challenges the belief that meaningful artistic work requires long, uninterrupted sessions of 6+ hours. The discussion explores how artists can create significant projects by chipping away in 15-minute increments, and why this approach often produces better results than waiting for perfect conditions.

The episode examines the relationship between flow states and shorter work sprints, drawing parallels to athletic performance where focus can be achieved despite distractions. It breaks down the practical advantages of building a "chipping away" muscle, including staying warmed up creatively, reducing friction to starting work, and replacing passive screen time with active creation. The core argument centers on the principle that all great works are completed through accumulated small efforts, and that learning to manage projects in small chunks prepares artists for larger opportunities when they arise.

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CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 Intro

00:01:10 Welcome

00:02:27 Why We Think We Need 6-Hour Sessions

00:06:45 Flow, Focus, and Small Chunks of Time

00:18:13 The Advantages of Building the Chipping Away Muscle

00:31:19 Making Art More Fun

00:35:24 Big Things Are Always Finished by Small Efforts

00:48:29 The Analytical Takeaway

00:52:34 The Simple Takeaway

00:53:00 The Practical Takeaway

00:57:10 The Philosophical Takeaway

01:00:36 Out

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The Visual Scholar Podcast is designed to help you demystify the world of Art, Productivity, and Creativity. So you can get better faster, and enjoy your Art Journey.

We discuss Drawing, Painting, Illustration and Entertainment Design. Along with Productivity and Career Advice.

You Can Find The Visual Scholar Podcast In These Places:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-visual-scholar/id1678505411

Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/6VbdwbiZqy8nqb90ruKQCX?si=21b9c1d02c85419f

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MightyArtisan

Show Homepage:

https://visualscholar.mightyartisan.com

Where To Find More About Tim Mcburnie:

Learn Drawing and Illustration at The Drawing Codex:

www.thedrawingcodex.com

Take Your Career and Productivity To The Next Level:

www.mightyartisan.com