March 20, 2020 | By Gianna Pergamo
What To Do When You’re Bored
Artist Gianna Pergamo helps you out when you’re feeling bored
Are you bored? Coronavirus got you down? I literally cannot remember the last time I was bored. I work from home or my studio, often by myself. I have learned to not be bored. I know people are freaking out about being stuck at home. I guess they are not used to it. There are so many things to be done! I am trying to not sound like an asshole saying this, saying you shouldn’t be bored. I’m just saying, you’ve got this, and I have some tips!
First, this is what I did today! It’s a… sea-horse! Or something. It’s for my series of mermaid collages. This is what one of my collages looks like before it is painted. I start all my collages in black and white, because I use black and white photocopies. I make photocopies, I cut them up, I glue or tape them back together. The color comes after.
For example, if you are bored, you too can make a sea-horse! Or any other kind of collage. I’m sure there’s youtube tutorials, but I dare you to try it without that. Find some magazines, the newspaper, whatever you have. You can make photocopies like me. Now cut them up, and glue them back together. If you want to use tape, put the tape on the back.
Some other suggestions if you’re bored (or, things I do when procrastinating!):
- Call your friends! Even if you don’t usually call people, or you haven’t called that friend in a year, they will often be pleasantly surprised. You can also call your dad, your aunt, your cousin. Call your grandparents! Call your boyfriend’s grandparents!
- Organize your pantry and dust everything off
- Put away the pile of laundry which is now four feet wide and three feet high. Haha, that’s not gonna happen
- Sketch in your sketchbook! Or whatever notebook you have. Or clip some printer paper together… now you have a sketchbook! You can bind it later. Here are some ideas of things to draw
-Your sleeping pets
-Your awake pets! Draw them quick!
-Your wife/husband/bf/gf/roommate. If they’re into it, you can take turns posing for eachother
-If you can go outside, draw a tree. Pick a weed and draw it close-up
-Stuck inside? Make a still life from all your empty wine and beer bottles you’ve created over the week
-Feeling creative? Draw something from your imagination! Draw a dragon! Draw your dream dog! Draw the sexiest person you can think of! - Do you like to cook? Look up recipes for ingredients you have to make something really special
- Paint your nails! I have kits to do my own acrylics (still haven’t mastered it yet…), gel, etc cuz I love nail art. If you have regular nail polish and some small brushes, plus maybe some acrylic paints… the sky is the limit! Oh here’s my nails right now, glad I got them filled before the apocalypse started.
- Go for a walk (if it’s safe where you are). Take pictures of weird little things you find or pretty flowers.
- Spa day! Do a leave in conditioner and a face mask. I have a ton I forget to use.
- Play cards. I love rummy.
- Just saying… the new Animal Crossing is out!
- Read a new book or re-read your favorite book. I just got House of Leaves from the Library.
- Watch one of your favorite tv series from the beginning. I just rewatched House. I highly recommend Six Feet Under, and currently watching the Sopranos. For funny stuff… watch Nathan for You!
- Foster an animal! Rescues are currently overwhelmed and they aren’t allowed to have adoption events. This means more dogs and cats are being euthanized. It sucks to think about but it’s the said truth. I foster through FLUFF and I highly recommend them, but reach out to whatever rescue is nearby to where you live. I can’t wait til we are finished moving so I can get a new foster.
- Order stupid things off wish.com so you have fun surprises in one to two months. This just arrived in the mail for me:
- Go shopping for art from local artists online or on etsy. Lots of artists need extra help right now.
- If you have a yard, do some yard work! Rake leaves! Plant stuff! Looks under rocks for bugs!
This is actually just a list from things off the top of my head, so there’s a ton more things! What do you do to stave off boredom??
PS I just listed a bunch of new stickers online! Feel free to check out my online shop to keep artists like me afloat!
