A Livestream Retrospective

I’ve been wondering how to describe the experience of the live stream this weekend. I don’t think I really can put into words the emotions I went through. 

For those coming to this unsure what I’m referring to, I spent Saturday drawing for fourteen hours, drawing Doctor who characters live on Twitch to raise money for FareShare UK. Once it was over, I’ve complied a print that will be auctioned off to add to the final cost and so far, with a sale of smaller digital copies we’ve hit 1,697.78 dollars. (Don’t ask why it’s in dollars, it’s my balls up but it’s money, it still counts!)

There were problems in the stream of course. I’m aware that my music disappeared have way through, that my computer fan was whirring away to compete with my open software and my donation and poll plans didn’t work and I had to find other solutions. I know that I was much too slow at the beginning of my stream and my microphone was too close as I squealed my delight I was drawing Barbara Wright for W.

But I’m also aware despite any failure on my part the live stream was a massive success. We raised more money than I dared hope for. I had only planned for a small total because I wanted to not look silly if my stream was not even watched. 
Bigger fool me, I know when we hit ¢130 odd dollars in the first half an hour. 
I started to really ache about eight hours in. I’ve never drawn constantly like that before, a few breaks for the loo and a cuppa and to find out what I was having for dinner - but in the whole, I was fighting through the whole time. 
The irony is that my favourite drawings come much later in the alphabet.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that forcing myself to sit down and draw for that period of time with an audience was both terrifying but also did make me consider how I feel about myself and my career. Yes, I love to write. Writing was something I’ve loved as long as drawing if longer. With writing, I’m able to convey what I can’t in person. I’m almost able to slow my thoughts enough to get them down on a page, digital or otherwise. The drawing side of me was always more of a burst of excitement, an eagerness to get a feeling down with colour and line. 

I love both practices, and I suppose, in the long run, I should really consider them both in my future plans. A combination instead of worrying about doing one or the other.
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To others that might have always seemed obvious, but sometimes what’s obvious to someone else isn’t obvious to you.

So what I’m saying is...watch this space. It might surprise you in the future. 

if you'd still like to donate and be involved donations will remain open until the auction has taken place https://justgiving.com/fundraising/doctorwhoalphabetcharitystream… and there are currently still digital prints available on Gumroad too! https://gumroad.com/l/JhLXVK

​An online auction will be going ahead for the only A3 phyiscal print available of all the drawings when it arrives.