Artist Problems - Getting Organized

This video is for those of you who fall into one of two categories:
Either you are so unorganized that you cannot find a single pencil in your studio filled with art supplies
OR
You are so organized that it scares you to make a mess, get loose, having something out of place, or maybe just get creative block!
We are going to talk about having the IDEAL level of organization to aid in your creative endeavors. Believe it or not, being over organized can be just as bad as under organized. This goes for supplies as well as your art. Maybe you don’t fall into either one of these categories. In that case, you don’t have to watch. I’ll be sad, but I’m used to it. Perhaps you can share your organizational strategy with the rest of us?

[@JerrysArtarama]

Enjoy Mike Not Jerry's humor? Be sure to check out his KZbin Channel! kzbin.info

[@teaddict-]

I'm so organized that I forget what paints I already have and end up buying duplicates when I've barely started on the first tube. "Oooh, you know what would be useful? A tube of cad red deep." A few weeks pass. "Oooh, you know what would be really great to complement that alizarin crimson I love so much? A tube of cad red deep." And then I get home, and what do I find in my art cart? A tube of cad red deep. And what am I holding in my hand as I'm looking at my art cart? A tube of that same damned cad red deep.

[@inkynerdart8203]

Inexpensive wall mounted racks and hanging baskets allow me to go vertical in my tiny space- and still see my supplies and readily access them. I open everything when I get it and smear/splatter/scribble- so it's used, not pristine, and I don't need to keep it looking pretty. Then it goes into a hanging basket, or if it's too large, it goes into a clear bin on a cheap shelf I keep in a closet. Everything is labeled and cheap leds light the closet up so I can actually -see- stuff in there.

[@eleanortaylor4389]

I organize stuff in boxes and then either can't remember where I put it or can't get to it because of other boxes, lol!

[@betsyweatherhead8069]

I like to do plein air, so my organization is focused on having different sets ready to grab and go. I've got a watercolor bag, an urban sketching set and an oil set each ready to go. It does mean I have some redundancy (multiple pencils, erasers, etc.) but I don't mind. My other organizational trick is to write into my phone what supplies I need more of: raw umber oil paint, yellow ochre watercolor. Thanks for another great video!

[@smitty_jay3781]

I don't have an issue with organization but I watched anyway cause you're a great personality :D

[@Disirablepossessions]

I find that, I am usually tired after concentrating on my painting I fail to clean up and always regret it when I come to paint again. I resolve to be better organised but always, after a while, loose my resolve. I believe it is to do with confidence. love your videos, they are both informative and entertaining, thank you.

[@Theocita]

I am so jealous right now. I so wish i owned an art supply store. Look at all thoses supplies! I WANT IT!

[@TheSWalks]

After 40 years, I have a real room instead of my kitchen table, and it has been both a challenge and a pleasure to organize my studio. Best Tip - Organizing is an on-going task of joy/pain. What works this year may not work next year because I've improved, or am slowly moving away from a medium. I try to organize by areas - all my oil painting supplies in one area, all my water colors in another area, etc.. I try to keep supplies OFF the work surfaces so I can switch gears in just minutes. Pegboards and shelves have helped with this goal. Time is very valuable and I HATE spending 30 minutes cleaning off a space to switch to a different medium.

[@capbin146]

Not me I am good at organising and buying. It stops me producing. I need to stop organising and practice. Thanks anyway love the videos.

[@pats7276]

The more organized I try to get, the less I can find! 😕

[@haneyz4284]

Pat Snyder lmao same 😂😭

[@isisveiled6420]

I just put everything back in place every night. When I get up in the morning everything is clean and ready to use and I let myself free to make a creative chaos the rest of the day. I use one medium for days, until I get bored and change to another. So it's easy to organise everything by medium. This way I always have fun without getting lost searching for my supplies.

[@christined9131]

I am very OCD with organising everything in my house, but when I am actually painting, I have the biggest mess and love it. Being messy is more creative and fun. Clean up is another story lol.

[@beccalynn4441]

Ive recently taken 2 glass sheets from picture frames, and contact cemented them to the insides of a binder. I also attached plastic stoppers or supports really to keep the palettes perfectly parallel when the binder is closed. This lets me have 2 totally separate palettes going at once and it sits on the shelf above my work. I have a desk easel on a chest part of a bookshelf, then my palette and gloves and extra brushes, then drying paintings. At my feet in the cabinets is blank canvases I can just pull out and a shoe box of oil paint. Acrylics are in a cookie tin 😋

[@lorisewsstuff1607]

I know this is kind of late, but I am starting watercolor painting. I don't have a lot of brushes (yet.) I am forgetful, easily distracted, and a little bit clumsy. My answer is potato chip clips. I have them hanging over the sink. When I wash my brushes, I stick them in a clip with the tips down. If I lose a brush I know to look at the clips. I don't have to worry about a cup full of brushes falling over and the bristles getting scrunched. It also frees up space on my table. It's sort of like a cook that has their pots and pans hanging up in their kitchen. They can see whatever pot they need. Likewise I can look over and see the brush I need without having to dig around for it.

[@ronhochhalter3491]

Just bought a new house, which means....new art studio! Lots of reorganizing. Finally have the room to set up a proper drawing table. With more space to hoard art supplies, I predict next year at this time an intervention might be needed.

[@JulianaRumple]

you´re so funny!!!!thanks for making me life talking abut something so silly at first.

[@KraftyKards]

I just organized myself over this weekend! How'd you know!?!? Anyway, my problem in my studio is that everything was so put away I didn't know what I had. I am the type that needs to see my supplies to use them, so I bought a shelf system with clear bins so that I can see what I have instead of before where everything was put in drawers and put away. Seems to be working so far... Thanks so much for your videos, I find that it not only works for artists...but for a paper crafter (?) like me!

[@laurabethramsay5453]

Ahahaha oh dear. I've got a cookie tin, some desk drawers, a few small boxes, and a couple of ziploc baggies, all of which are stuffed with whatever was nearby and would fit in last time I was cleaning. I find things by dumping everything out on the nearest surface and rummaging through. For me, organization is like waking up in the morning cheerful and refreshed... there's evidence that it's possible, but I've never experienced it.

[@beckyland6709]

I could listen to you all day. Great editing, too.

[@grandmasmith]

Great timing for me to watch this; we just reorganized my craft space, bought cool shelves and everything and now, even though all the cubbies are labeled, I can't find stuff I know I have so, I spend hours going through everything and still can't find what I'm looking for...it is very frustrating.

[@kphillips2929]

I bought an IKEA Raskog utility cart and it was the best organizing tool I could have ever bought. I keep all the current paint and mediums I'm using, plus cutting tools, hand-painted papers, pens, and pencils all in the top bin. The bottom 2 bins have stuff I don't use as often. It's not pretty, but it allows me to stay in the creative flow without having to search for stuff.

[@1Lightdancer]

I got a Rakog cart as well, and it's great for my Acrylics! That's the most organized part of my studio, lol! I have a couple of plastic bins on the top shelf with small paints and another for brushes and the water, then as you say, other supplies down lower. Working on organizing some of my other supplies and journals!

[@lisahatch2649]

For Christmas my husband bought me a two tier mechanics toolbox for my art supplies, it is the size of a fridge, it is now packed with art supplies...hoard much...not me.

[@KatharineMiele]

soooo no I don't think you need go be Twitter... but what I do think is that y'all should make a little subscription box. I feel like jerry's has a lot of unique products/brands that I don't get to come in contact with because my local stores are blick and binders. so I'd love a curated subscription box like artsnacks, but better! just an idea. :)

[@PhoebesWorldProductions]

Thank you!!! This is my biggest issue!!! I have a HUGE organizing problem! ... You gave Good tips. =) I am a hoarder. And I am mixed media artist and crafter... so I have a ton of different types of supplies... and I can rarely find what I need, and whenever I think I have finally found a good solution to a particular issue, I quickly discover it's STILL not working for me. ... (For example, my coloured pencils.... I'm ALWAYS trying to figure out how to store them... they're my go to supply, the things I use most... so I want them to be easily accessible... but... my current solution (boxes in a container - so I have my colours separated... greys, blacks, whites in one box, browns and darker reds in another, yellows... blues, etc.... the colour separation is working great.... but the box thing, isn't working at all. I have a lazy susan with some of my most used supplies on them... but... it doesn't work that great, either... but works well enough that I keep using it... Anyway.... thank you for this video. =)

[@Cryptichroma]

I use a plastic house cleaning caddy with four sections in it where I put my sky paints, earth and grass paints, and few mixing primaries with white and some mediums I use. I keep a half dozen brushes in a jam jar that I can use for water. I carry this around the house (chasing the daylight) and it makes mobility and clean-up fast. I store the rest of my supplies on a workbench in the garage in tubs similar to what you have in your store room.

[@trevorjamesbradley3010]

you are so correct about picking the prettiest tube! Love the videos, crack me up!

[@hotelnapkin]

54 seconds in i got up and organized my drafting table 😂😂😂

[@judylehman9729]

I'm what I call an organized mess. I organise everything, but when I work it's total chaos everything I need ends up on or under or near my work area and my work place is small .This room is used for crafting/sewing/painting/office with a CCTV monitor and computer, printer, computer is separate from office but in same room. I hardly have space on work area to work. I have no other space to use. I'm thinking about giving up on crafting and sewing to free up space, since I need the office.

[@nekologie9520]

My tiny room is either a total mess -most likely it is- or neatly cleaned up and minimalist which drives me crazy cuz as you say it feels like it takes ages to get the paint tubes out and so on 😶 I need to learn how to: controlled chaos 😂

[@lazycatz37]

Lol. I love mixed media. I am somewhat organized lol I have my paints stored in ziplock bags and shoved in a drawer and bookshelf is organized. But, however I have amongst a mess too! Say a paper problem, magazine cut outs, tissue paper oh whatever it's a mess but I love it! By the way, love the Xmas ad funny!

[@soniaparsons44]

hilarious and informative! thank you!

[@poorclarenun]

I use pegboard for organizing paints, rulers and small tools, works well. But, my drawing pencils, pens, erasers have never found a proper place...they're like nomads...

[@walcottfineart5088]

I have a problem with organization...my studio is disgustingly organized! I know exactly where everything is at all times. :) And I TOTALLY do the moving the dented tube at the front of the rack to get to the nice one when I'm at the art supply store. LMAO!

[@janbanicki]

I work in watercolors, pastels, acrylics. I am also a photographer and a quilter. My answer....I am moving to a smaller house that has a huge studio in the garage.... Maybe this will help LOL

[@CeceliaIvyPriceArtisticChaos]

I have a combo problem of being disorganized but if I clean I can't find anything. I am more likely to know something is sitting in a corner underneath something but as soon as I clean I forgot where it's at.

[@kathleentownsend1404]

My art space is too small as it also doubles as my home office and work space, AND my sewing (quilting) room. I've got shelves all the way to the ceiling on two walls and in both sides of my closet, and frankly, it doesn't matter how I organize...if you don't have enough room, things are going to be a mess making it difficult to find (and get to) the items you need for a project. Hubby's advice? Throw stuff out. And I have done that, more than once, but I'm not going to throw out stuff that I still want/need just to create more space. Unfortunately, my floor is full now and I have just a narrow walkway to my craft desk and my computer desk. It's a minefield in this room. I don't know what to do!!

[@lilymanson4896]

Use your stuff! Go through one area and pull out anything you haven't used in a while or anything that's small scraps or taking up more space than it's worth. Don't throw it out...USE IT. This will help your creativity! If you can't find a use for it, give it away. This advice helped me turn my 'catch-all' room into a spacious art studio I love!

[@elsagrace3893]

Kathleen Townsend when I have been at that point (with sewing supplies) I took a look at it like this. If I used one thing per day (which isn't ever going to be a reality) it would take me how many years to use it all up? That helped me see that I had collected more than I could ever make time to use and it became crystal clear that it wasn't going to happen and I needed to get realistic and prioritize what I loved the most and dump the rest. I have to keep myself in check thinking this way to this very day but now with art.

[@moneyjar4606]

Pintrest helps.

[@berealrelentless6237]

I just randomly picked a "organize studio" vid. And I ended up reading your comment, and it was Exactly what I am going through. I am around the bend and see the light, but I am making it happen. I had collected sooo much "stuff". It was border line hoarding. HA. Of course, I could use all the things, but I got to the point that I wasn't finishing projects. I had looked around and started a bunch, and realized I didn't have one finished piece. That was a few months ago, and almost there, but Im also moving personally and studio, and that too was an eye opener. Anyone Your statement, hit home, and as you said we have to keep myseld in check!! BE well, Be real, and Be you!!!

[@ChristinaFurnerWebber]

First off, Ms. Skeleton's gloves are on the wrong hands! Secondly, I've TRIED to organize, but then I'll lose something or FORGET that I do indeed own a particular supply. I started off with NOTHING, nothing, nada, now I have so much stuff that I can't create and then I get very anxious, have feelings of guilt …uuuugghhh! I NEED a personal art coach! I NEED help! Thank you for all of the great suggestions and sharing! And, again, you are just hilarious 😂!! Thanks for the smile!!

[@TsukabuNosoratori2]

I call myself semi organized. I put stuff in certain areas but it still looks cluttered. Yet if it were completely tidied up, I wouldn't be able to work on anything.

[@kiddo.vicious]

Organized chaos. That's me.

[@LindaUrsin]

I'm functionally disorganized :) I know where my stuff is but it's not always neat

[@doodlingpotato5655]

I am definitely messy 😭. my mom scolds me for it at least once a week, and it's not that I purposely want it to be that way, or that I work better that way, it just happens. I do everything in my room so I keep my art supplies in there too, it's not big because I also share with my sister so I can imagine how annoyed she is by my art supply hoarding.

[@sweetlady1027]

Hahaha very good video. Thank you so much for sharing this. God bless you

[@lalaithan]

This is weird. I use those same exact white bins. :O I feel over-organized though I can't keep my paints out because of the lack of space.

[@abbystevens5693]

I got piles in my art room. But hè I can find my stuff this way.someone other then me probably only sees a mess I ve got my own system develepod.

[@yourmajestyswill]

Im organized except for my pencils, pens, colored pencils, copics, gel pens, etc. Is there a way to keep those organized without having 10-20 pencil cups?

[@susanshirley823]

JustAnotherLevel I organized these by placing in small plastic bins

[@abbystevens5693]

what is That pallet? I like it.

[@VioletGlitterworks]

So I have a really nicely organized art table. . . and then a monstrosity of an art room that is pretty much a storage room which I can barely walk in. 😂 I can't find anything in it because everything ends up piled in there to get it out of the way.😭💔 So yeah, I guess some organization could help. 😩

[@jamesgsr8587]

Organization... check! Local Jerry's Artarama... nope. 😳 Probably better for my budget, but very sad for everything else.

[@m.kheradmand_art6419]

OH YOU ARE REALLLYYYYYYYYY A RICH MAN

[@FearlessFighterAkida]

I am not at all organized. It seems organization just isn't in my nature. Everything is cluttered with no consensus on when something is supposed to be. Yet I still manage to set simply because I keep my pencil at my side most of the time xD

[@spitharoo]

Who's the artist behind you?

[@miijojo1994]

I'm unorganized with project planning, I tend to start a project, with no goals in mind and just go with it. After about 2 weeks get bored and switch to another idea/ project. Doing this has resulted in never completing what I start. that is how I'm unorganized, is anyone like me out there?

[@CactusBug60]

yep, I'm the same especially after I went caffeine free. Turns out I'm ADHD haha

[@Disirablepossessions]

why do you have so many tubes of paint?

[@secary7186]

Hilarious 😂 I don't organizational problems it's everyone else that has a problem with my (ever changing or lack of) organization! Oh and I wouldn't call it hoarding art supplies I call it collecting for me personally but I also want to use them and I also "collect" organizers! (I want to use those also but intentions and actions aren't always equal)

[@BlueTeaArt]

I don’t have enough art supplies to organize it :-;

[@cheriesmith5140]

Hahaha this is fantastic

[@sissymac1331]

Chaos over here.🙁

[@steppinondabeach7120]

I have my art supplies in ziplock

[@p5rsona]

That's why I hate traditional, digital is the way to go for me. My ipad pro and apple pencil. Thats all the material I need.

[@p5rsona]

whatever works for you

[@moneyjar4606]

Idk why, but his space is a bit TOO organized for my taste. That's just me though.

[@rabbitgregory9289]

Organization? That’s a thing?

[@jamiexavier1546]

This isnt Organizing its OCD

[@Disirablepossessions]

I find that, I am usually tired after concentrating on my painting I fail to clean up and always regret it when I come to paint again. I resolve to be better organised but always, after a while, loose my resolve. I believe it is to do with confidence. love your videos, they are both informative and entertaining, thank you.

[@judylehman9729]

I'm what I call an organized mess. I organise everything, but when I work it's total chaos everything I need ends up on or under or near my work area and my work place is small .This room is used for crafting/sewing/painting/office with a CCTV monitor and computer, printer, computer is separate from office but in same room. I hardly have space on work area to work. I have no other space to use. I'm thinking about giving up on crafting and sewing to free up space, since I need the office