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 lifestyle on his prolific output. The creator attempts to live by Picasso's schedule, discovering the benefits of focusing on creativity at night and the challenges of maintaining such a rhythm. The experiment reveals insights on productivity, the importance of singular focus, and the complex nature of balancing one's personal life with their passion for their craft.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 Picasso's influence - Recognized as one of the most influential artists globally, Picasso's creative output of over 50,000 works has left a lasting impact on the art world.
  • 🕒 Unique daily routine - Picasso's daily schedule, starting at 11 am and involving late-night work sessions, contrasts conventional productivity advice and highlights the importance of finding a personal rhythm.
  • 🌃 Nighttime creativity - The script reveals a personal connection to creating art at night, suggesting that individual peaks in productivity may differ from traditional morning routines.
  • 🎭 Inspiration and focus - Picasso's intense focus on his art, often to the exclusion of other activities, underscores the value of singular commitment to one's craft.
  • 🤔 Mixed feelings about Picasso - The video creator has complex views on Picasso as both a source of inspiration and a flawed individual, reflecting the duality of human nature and the separation of art from the artist.
  • 🔄 Adapting to change - The process of adjusting to a new routine takes time, emphasizing the need for patience and flexibility when trying to implement lifestyle changes.
  • 🎨 Artistic therapy - The creator finds painting to be a therapeutic hobby, highlighting the non-monetary value of art as a means of emotional expression and stress relief.
  • 🚫 Dislike of distractions - Picasso's aversion to distractions and his need for solitude to produce serious work are highlighted, showing the importance of a focused environment for creativity.
  • 🌟 Unapologetic dedication - Despite his unconventional lifestyle, Picasso's unwavering commitment to his art until his death at 91 is a testament to his passion and dedication.
  • 🤔 Contemplation of productivity - The experiment with Picasso's routine leads to a reflection on the overemphasis on productivity and the realization that a few core principles might be more beneficial than strict adherence to productivity tactics.

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.

  • How did the author find Picasso's routine in contrast to conventional productivity advice?

    -The author found Picasso's routine exciting and counter to the common self-help and productivity advice that emphasizes the importance of a morning routine.

  • What was the author's personal experience with adjusting to Picasso's schedule?

    -The author found it difficult to maintain regular sleep hours and waking up early but felt that adapting to Picasso's schedule would be easier due to his natural late bedtime.

  • How did the author's perception of Picasso change as he learned more about the artist's personal life?

    -The author's views on Picasso changed as he learned more about the artist's personal life, including his relationships with women and his character traits, which made him less of a hero in the author's eyes.

  • What was one significant adjustment the author made to Picasso's routine to better suit his own needs?

    -The author decided to commit four-hour blocks of time to focus on three main tasks: video writing, painting, and other work, within the framework of Picasso's original schedule.

  • How did the author's experiment with Picasso's routine affect his understanding of multitasking?

    -The experiment made the author more aware of how much he multitasks and how detrimental it can be, reinforcing the importance of singular focus on a task.

  • What was the author's overall conclusion about Picasso's approach to life and work?

    -The author concluded that there is no correct way to live one's life, and finding a rhythm that fits oneself is most important. He also noted that productivity is often overhyped and unnecessary.

  • How did Picasso's dedication to his work manifest in his life?

    -Picasso worked up until the day he died at age 91, painting until 3 a.m. on the day before his death, showing his intense dedication to his craft.

  • What was the author's realization about the cost of Picasso's genius and output?

    -The author realized that one cannot have the level of genius and output of someone like Picasso without a darker, tortured side, which in Picasso's case, led to a certain degree of emotional poverty.

  • How did the author's experience with Picasso's routine influence his own approach to creativity and work?

    -The author found the experience to be liberating and a reminder of the importance of being intentional with his work. He also appreciated the control over the flow of his attention and energy.

  • What was the author's final verdict on Picasso as an artist and a person?

    -Despite criticisms of Picasso's character, the author maintained respect for his work and devotion. He acknowledged Picasso's legacy and the inspiration he continues to provide to artists.

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 shares their mixed feelings about Picasso as a person and his impact on humanity. A significant portion is dedicated to Picasso's daily routine in Paris, as detailed in Mason Curry's book 'Daily Rituals: How Artists Work'. It highlights his unconventional schedule, starting his day at 11 am, socializing, working in his studio from 2 pm to dusk, having dinner, and then working for another four hours into the night. The speaker expresses excitement about adopting this routine and its potential impact on their own creativity, especially during evening hours.

05:01

🌙 Navigating the Challenges of Picasso's Schedule

The speaker discusses the challenges and adjustments of following Picasso's unique daily routine. They share personal experiences of trying to adapt to the schedule, noting the difficulties in balancing creative work with other responsibilities. The speaker reflects on the importance of focus and singular commitment to tasks, inspired by Picasso's intense dedication to his art. They also touch upon the emotional aspects of painting and how it serves as a therapeutic outlet. The speaker acknowledges Picasso's ability to work until his last days, highlighting his unwavering dedication to his craft. However, they also express the feeling of being out of sync with their natural rhythm and the struggle to maintain this lifestyle in the long term.

10:01

💭 The Complexities of Picasso's Legacy and Personality

In this paragraph, the speaker reflects on the complexities of Picasso's legacy and character. They discuss the contradictions between his monumental contributions to art, such as pioneering Cubism, and his personal life, which was marked by self-absorption and difficult relationships. The speaker grapples with reconciling these aspects of Picasso's persona. They also mention the quote from Francoise Gilot, Picasso's lover and an accomplished painter, which illustrates the sacrifices Picasso made for his art. The speaker concludes by acknowledging the human flaws in even the most admired figures, but also emphasizes their respect for Picasso's work and his belief in art as a form of magic. They end with a reflection on the importance of staying true to one's creative spirit, inspired by Picasso's approach to life and art.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Picasso

Pablo Picasso was a renowned Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, and ceramicist who is recognized as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. In the video, the creator attempts to follow Picasso's daily routine to understand the habits and lifestyle of this creative genius. Picasso's work, such as pioneering the Cubism movement and producing over 50,000 works, is contrasted with his complex personal life and character, highlighting the duality of his artistic brilliance and personal flaws.

💡Creative巨人

Creative giant refers to an individual who has made significant and innovative contributions to their field, often inspiring others and shaping the cultural landscape. In the context of the video, Picasso is described as a creative giant due to his prolific output and the lasting influence of his artistic style.

💡Routines

Routines are regular sequences of activities that people engage in daily, often aimed at productivity, discipline, or habit formation. In the video, the creator explores Picasso's daily routine to understand the habits that contributed to his success and compares them to conventional self-improvement advice.

💡Prolific

Prolific refers to a person who produces a large amount of work, often of high quality, in a given field. In the context of the video, Picasso's prolific nature is evident in his creation of over 50,000 works of art throughout his lifetime.

💡Masterpieces

Masterpieces are works of art, literature, music, or other creative endeavors that are considered to be of exceptional quality, showcasing the artist's skill and creativity. In the video, the creator reflects on Picasso's legacy, which includes numerous masterpieces that have had a lasting impact on the art world.

💡Inspiration

Inspiration is the process of being mentally stimulated to feel or do something, especially something creative. In the video, the creator is inspired by Picasso's life and work, using this inspiration to experiment with his own routine and creativity.

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the efficiency and effectiveness with which one accomplishes tasks or goals. The video discusses the creator's experiment with Picasso's routine as a way to explore alternative approaches to productivity, challenging conventional wisdom on morning routines and self-improvement.

💡Multitasking

Multitasking is the practice of performing multiple tasks simultaneously. In the video, the creator reflects on the detrimental effects of multitasking on focus and productivity, drawing lessons from Picasso's singular focus on his work.

💡Artistic Expression

Artistic expression is the process of conveying emotions, ideas, or concepts through various art forms. In the video, the creator's exploration of Picasso's routine leads to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the importance of dedicated time for artistic expression.

💡Dedication

Dedication refers to the commitment and devotion to a particular task or purpose. In the context of the video, Picasso's dedication to his art is evident in his lifelong pursuit and his continuous work until his death.

💡Contradictory Nature

Contradictory nature refers to the existence of opposing or conflicting qualities or aspects within a single entity. In the video, the creator grapples with the contradictory nature of Picasso, who was both a brilliant artist and a flawed individual.

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.

The creator's personal feelings about Picasso are mixed, admiring his artistic genius while being critical of his personal life.

During the experiment, the creator finds that adapting to a new schedule takes time and struggles with the late start.

Inspired by Picasso's focus, the creator commits to four-hour blocks of time for specific tasks, finding it helps with focus and productivity.

The creator appreciates the therapeutic aspect of painting and the freedom of creating art at unconventional hours.

Picasso's quote about the need for solitude for serious work is highlighted, emphasizing his disdain for distractions.

Despite the creator's enjoyment of the routine, they acknowledge the long-term unhealthiness and difficulty of adjusting to the late hours.

The experiment raises awareness about the detrimental effects of multitasking and the importance of singular focus.

The creator concludes that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to productivity and living a fulfilling life.

Picasso's dedication to his work until his death at 91 is noted, illustrating his unparalleled commitment to art.

The video ends with a nuanced reflection on Picasso's life, acknowledging his genius but also the potential costs of such dedication.

The creator is inspired by Picasso's belief that 'art is a form of magic' and his unique approach to life and work.

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