The time leading up to the mission trip takes so much out of everyone; loss of free-time, always working on skits or fund-raisers or going to various churches, etc. I'm not saying any of that is bad by any means. there's just no time to draw or work on any artwork. but hey, no big deal, right?
The mission trip itself goes 90-to-nothing with everything just rush-rush-rush! we do get some good down-time during the trip, but due to the physical stresses of the climate and going so many places, that rest time is usually spent sleeping or eating. again, not a bad thing but still doesn't allow any time for artwork.
So we get back from the mission trip and things are still kinda hectic while trying to get back into the flow; work needs you to catch up on things you missed while you were away, projects were put off until your return, more churches to go speak at, etc.
And once again I'm not complaining about doing any of those things... I'm just saying that it takes a sacrifice. And for me, that sacrifice ends up being my artwork. The time leading up to the trip is about 4-6 months, the mission trip itself lasts 2-3 weeks, and the follow up tends to be 1-2 weeks. So that's anywhere from 5-7 months of not being able to draw regularly! as you can imagine, that puts one a bit out of practice and actually takes nearly that same amount of time to get back into practice again.
Now i really do believe God honors my sacrifice in this. He's always done amazing things on these trips, and i know I'm not the only one to give up something like this for the sake of going to another country and winning the lost.
Last year it took me 6 months to get back into drawing again, but this year I'm trying a different approach. Photo Manipulation. Instead of trying to make myself draw things from scratch I'm taking pre-existing photos and using pieces and elements from them, combined together, to make one picture that tells a whole new story from what the original pictures tell. and this method seems to be working for me! I've already got one picture completed and finished called "Pour Into My Storehouse" and I'm rather pleased with how it turned out.
It's one of those pictures that started from the Sunday sermon. (Yes, i bring my laptop to church and use it during the service. :P ) Our pastor was talking about how God wants to bless us and pour into our storehouses but how we have to HAVE storehouses for Him to pour into. The idea for this picture just jumped into my head, so i launched PaintTool and started in on the picture while the pastor spoke.
The church has wifi, so i was able to do some google image-searching while working on it and pull in the pieces that i needed.
Just so I'm not ending on a bad note, I'd like to clarify; God bless those mission trips! I'll continue to go on them, God does such AMAZING things on those trips, I Love 'em and I'm always amazed that i get to be part of what God does in the lives of the people we minister to! All I'm saying in this blog entry is that my sacrifice is my artwork. And hopefully it won't take 6 months for my art skills return this time. :P
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