I Tried Picasso's (incredible) Daily Routine: What I Learned – ep. 3

Nathaniel Drew
11 Feb 202113:27

TLDRThe video explores the daily routine of Pablo Picasso, a highly influential artist, and the impact of his unique schedule on his prolific output. The creator attempts to live by Picasso's routine, discovering increased creativity at night and the importance of singular focus. However, they also note the challenges of adjusting to such a schedule and the complexity of reconciling Picasso's genius with his personal flaws. The experiment concludes with insights on the value of focus over multitasking and the personal cost of Picasso's dedication to his art.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 Picasso was an incredibly influential and prolific artist, creating over 50,000 works in his lifetime.
  • 🕒 The experimenter decided to follow Picasso's daily routine to understand his level of productivity and creativity.
  • 🛌 Picasso's day started at 11am, which was considered late, and his schedule was unconventional compared to typical self-improvement advice.
  • 🥣 He would have breakfast, meet friends, work in his studio from 2pm to dusk, have dinner, and then work for another four hours until 3am.
  • 🌃 The experimenter found that Picasso's routine allowed for a lot of creative space and was intrigued by the idea of being more productive at night.
  • 🎭 The experimenter noted that adapting to a new schedule took time and that Picasso's focus on his work was a key aspect of his success.
  • 🚫 Picasso despised distractions and believed that solitude was essential for serious work.
  • 🌟 Despite Picasso's personal flaws and controversial character, the experimenter respected his dedication and the brilliance of his work.
  • 🔄 The experimenter realized that multitasking is often detrimental and that singular focus is more productive.
  • 🌞 However, the experimenter felt out of sync with the late start and found it challenging to maintain a healthy rhythm with Picasso's schedule.

Q & A

  • What was Pablo Picasso's daily routine like during his time in Paris?

    -Picasso would start his day at 11 am, have breakfast and meet friends until around 2 or 3 pm. He would then work in his studio from 2 pm until dusk, have dinner from 10 to 11 pm, and work for another four hours until 3 am. He would then go to bed, and the cycle would begin again.

  • How did the author feel about Picasso as a person and his impact on humanity?

    -The author has mixed feelings about Picasso. While recognizing him as a creative genius and a significant source of inspiration, the author also acknowledges Picasso's negative traits, such as being self-absorbed and having a competitive nature, especially in his relationships with women.

  • What was the author's main goal in trying out Picasso's daily routine?

    -The author's main goal was to better understand the man behind the complicated artist and to see what personal insights could be gained from living the way Picasso did.

  • How did the author adapt Picasso's routine to fit their own life?

    -The author decided to commit four-hour blocks of time to three main activities: video writing, painting, and other work projects. They also aimed to be more mindful and intentional about their work, inspired by Picasso's focus.

  • What challenges did the author face while following Picasso's routine?

    -The author struggled with adjusting to the new schedule, feeling sluggish in the mornings, and finding it difficult to maintain a regular sleep schedule. They also had to balance Picasso's routine with their existing work and personal commitments.

  • What did the author learn about multitasking and focus from this experiment?

    -The author learned that multitasking can be detrimental and that singular focus on a task at a time is more effective. They realized the importance of having control over the intentional flow of attention and energy.

  • How did the author feel about Picasso's approach to life and productivity?

    -The author felt that Picasso's approach reinforced the idea that there is no correct way to live one's life and that finding a personal rhythm is most important. They also felt that the concept of productivity is often overhyped and unnecessary.

  • What impact did Picasso's routine have on the author's creative work?

    -The author found the permission to engage in creative work at unconventional hours to be liberating and enjoyable. They experienced an increase in productivity and a deeper connection with their painting.

  • How did the author's perception of Picasso change over time?

    -As the author learned more about Picasso, their views changed. While they admired his artistic brilliance and ability to reinvent himself, they also recognized his flaws and the darker aspects of his character.

  • What quote from the book 'Life with Picasso' by Francoise Gilot resonated with the author?

    -The quote that resonated with the author was: 'Everybody has the same energy potential. The average person wastes his in a dozen little ways. I bring my mind to bear on only one thing, my paintings, and everything is sacrificed to it.' This illustrates Picasso's intense focus and the sacrifices he made for his art.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Picasso's Prolific Creativity and Daily Routine

This paragraph delves into the life and work of Pablo Picasso, one of the most influential artists in history. It explores the question of how he achieved such a high level of productivity, creating over 50,000 works in his lifetime. The speaker expresses a desire to understand the daily habits of this creative genius by examining his schedule in Paris, as detailed in Mason Curry's book 'Daily Rituals: How Artists Work'. Picasso's routine included starting his day at 11 am, having breakfast, meeting friends, working in his studio from 2 pm to dusk, having dinner, and then working for another four hours until 3 am. The speaker is excited to follow this unconventional schedule to gain insight into Picasso's life and work, despite having mixed feelings about the man himself.

05:01

🌙 Embracing Creativity at Night and Balancing Life

The speaker continues to discuss Picasso's impact on their life and the challenges of adapting to his schedule. They highlight Picasso's singular focus on his art and the importance of devoting time to creative work. The speaker also shares their personal experiences with painting as a therapeutic hobby and the liberating feeling of painting at unconventional hours. They note the difficulties of balancing this new routine with other responsibilities and the struggle to get into the flow. The speaker decides to commit four-hour blocks of time to focus on video writing, painting, and other tasks, emphasizing the importance of singular focus and control over one's attention and energy.

10:01

🤔 Reflecting on Picasso's Complex Legacy and Personal Growth

In this paragraph, the speaker reflects on the complexity of Picasso's character and legacy. They acknowledge his brilliance and empathy in his art, which is displayed in prestigious museums worldwide, while also recognizing his negative traits, such as being self-absorbed and having a tumultuous relationship with women. The speaker discusses the quote by Francoise Gilot, one of Picasso's lovers, which highlights his intense focus on his art at the expense of other aspects of life. The speaker concludes the experiment by recognizing the negative impacts of multitasking and the importance of finding a personal rhythm in life. They also ponder the cost of Picasso's genius and output, acknowledging that even heroes have their flaws.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer who spent most of his adult life in France. He is one of the most recognized figures in 20th-century art and is known for co-founding the Cubist movement, as well as for the wide variety of styles that he helped develop and explore. In the video, the creator is trying to understand Picasso's level of productivity and creativity by living his daily routine, highlighting his influence on the art world and his ability to produce over 50,000 works in his lifetime.

💡Creative巨人

The term 'Creative巨人' (Creative Giant) refers to an individual who has made significant and influential contributions to the world of art, culture, or any creative field. In the context of the video, this term is used to describe Pablo Picasso, emphasizing his impact on the art world and his status as one of the most influential artists in history.

💡Daily Routine

A daily routine refers to a set of habitual activities that a person performs on a regular basis, typically in the same order and at the same time each day. In the video, the creator is exploring Pablo Picasso's daily routine in an attempt to understand how his lifestyle contributed to his prolific output and artistic genius. The routine includes specific times for work, socializing, meals, and rest, which the creator follows to gain insight into the artist's methods and mindset.

💡Prolific

The term 'prolific' describes a person who produces a large quantity of work, especially in the context of creative fields like art, writing, or music. In the video, Picasso is described as a prolific artist due to his vast number of creations, which include paintings, sculptures, and other artworks, totaling over 50,000 pieces throughout his lifetime.

💡Masterpieces

A masterpiece is a work of outstanding artistry or skill, often considered a classic or a definitive example of the creator's abilities. In the context of the video, masterpieces refer to the significant and highly valued works of art that Picasso produced. These works continue to be celebrated and studied for their artistic merit and historical importance.

💡Inspiration

Inspiration is the process of being mentally stimulated to feel or do something, especially something creative. In the video, the creator is seeking inspiration by immersing themselves in the daily routine of Picasso, aiming to understand the factors that contributed to his creative success and apply those insights to their own life.

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the efficiency and effectiveness with which one approaches work or tasks, often with the goal of maximizing output while minimizing wasted effort or time. The video explores this concept through the lens of Picasso's unconventional daily routine, challenging common notions of productivity and self-improvement by highlighting the artist's unique approach to his work and life.

💡Multitasking

Multitasking is the ability to manage or perform multiple tasks simultaneously. In the video, the creator discusses their personal struggle with multitasking and the impact it has on their focus and productivity. They learn from Picasso's intense focus on singular tasks, which contrasts with the creator's tendency to juggle multiple activities at once.

💡Artistic Process

The artistic process refers to the steps, methods, and inspirations involved in creating art. In the video, the creator delves into Picasso's artistic process by following his daily routine, which includes dedicated time for painting and creativity, as well as the solitude and focus required for serious work.

💡Self-Improvement

Self-improvement involves personal development and the pursuit of enhancing one's knowledge, skills, and overall well-being. The video script mentions self-help and self-improvement in the context of challenging conventional wisdom about morning routines and productivity. The creator experiments with Picasso's routine as a form of self-improvement to better understand their own creativity and work habits.

💡Contradiction

A contradiction is a statement or idea that is opposed to another, or a situation in which two factors are in conflict with each other. In the video, the creator discusses the contradictions within Picasso's life and character, highlighting the disparity between his groundbreaking artistic achievements and his complex personal life, which included his relationships and behavior towards women.

Highlights

Pablo Picasso was an incredibly influential artist, known for his prolific output of over 50,000 works.

The video creator attempts to understand Picasso's level of creativity and productivity by living his daily routine.

Picasso's daily routine in Paris began with breakfast at 11 am and socializing until 2 or 3 pm.

He would work in his studio from 2 pm until dusk, take a break for dinner, and then work for another four hours until 3 am.

The video creator finds Picasso's late start and focus on creativity in the evening hours intriguing and contrary to conventional productivity advice.

Despite mixed feelings about Picasso as a person, the video creator admires his impact on art and his dedication to his craft.

The experiment of living Picasso's routine reveals the importance of singular focus and the potential downsides of multitasking.

Picasso's belief that 'art is a form of magic' is highlighted as a key aspect of his legacy and approach to creativity.

The video creator experiences the therapeutic benefits of painting and the joy of creating without the pressure of financial success.

Picasso's quote 'without great solitude no serious work is possible' is emphasized, showing his disdain for distractions.

The video creator extends the experiment for a second week, noting the challenges of adjusting to the schedule and missing mornings.

The experiment concludes with the realization that there is no one 'correct' way to live; finding a personal rhythm is crucial.

The video creator reflects on Picasso's character, acknowledging his genius but also recognizing his emotional poverty and destructive tendencies.

A quote from Francoise Gilot illustrates Picasso's sacrifice of everything for his art, showing the cost of his dedication.

The video ends with a reminder that even heroes are human, and that Picasso's legacy is a nuanced one of both brilliance and darkness.

The video is sponsored by Audible, an app the creator enjoys for listening to audiobooks during creative activities.