5 Steps for Creating a More Functional Work Space using Mis En Place
Mis en Place” has been used by culinary professionals since the mid 19th century. Today I am going to share how this process changed the way I set up my art space, keeping me more organized and improving my focus. Mise En Place is french for putting things in place. It was developed by a former military guy turned chef and became a standard in the culinary world because it is so effective. You may already do some of these things. I hope to share something new that can be added to what is already working for you!
A chef starts by studying the recipe and gathering ingredients. If a chef begins a recipe before reading it all the way through, it increases the margin for error and could end up wasting valuable ingredients and costing precious time. I have had to abandon projects in both my kitchen and my art space in the past due to failure to prepare. Have you ever felt like something took longer than it should? When that happens do you find yourself likely to avoid the experience in the future? When time is tight, knowing you have everything you need can give you the confidence you need to start. Making mis en place a regular practice helped me forget all of the frustrating experiences and wasted time that made me put off starting again, like having to stop mid project to go hunt for something I need, or worse, find out I didn’t have everything I needed to begin with. For the mixed media artist step one could involve studying the process we wish to use and gathering the supplies we will need. If you already know your process, you likely have most of the tools and other items that you have found useful over time. If you are trying something new, watching a few demo videos ahead of starting to get an idea of what you are getting yourself into is always a good idea.
Next the chef takes the time to to measure out ingredients to be sure there is enough to complete the recipe. The chef also preps as many of the ingredients as possible to be sure the process goes smoothly once the cooking begins. In mixed media our step two may involve cutting or tracing templates ahead of time, refilling your spray bottle or removing the safety seal on a new 2oz paint. The more you prep, the more efficient your work time will be.
Step 3 is ensuring a clean workspace and checking that tools are in good working order to make the process seamless and more enjoyable. The chef performs step three by sharpening knives and making sure the right sized pans are clean and within reach. For art processes, adding clean water to your rinse cup, sharpening pencils and making sure paints and brushes are in reach come to mind. If our space is tidy and everything we need is at our fingertips and in working order, it will make our experience so much more pleasurable and relaxing, which is the point, right? I realized this is what I always did for my students when I taught a classes in my retail studio. I was continually learning about traffic flow and working to improve the ease of use for class participants. I was setting them up for a win each class so it finally dawned on me that I could also do this for myself.
The fourth step in the Mis en Place process is to arrange your work area for efficiency. Are you left or right-handed? Do you have space to pivot your canvas for ease of use? How is the lighting? I try to place my supplies according to the stages of the process, so my mind can focus on the process itself once the creating commences . This step is perfected by doing. Each time we complete a process we learn how to make things easier in the future. So go easy on yourself while figuring this step out and trust that it will become more and more automatic.
The fifth step may be the most important step as it is the one that will make it easy to start again next time. I call this the reset. In a well run kitchen the crew works together to clean as they go and no one leaves until the kitchen is completely cleaned from ceiling to floor and everything is put away before turning the lights out and closing the door. I don’t know many people who wouldn’t avoid any activity where they had to clean before they could start having fun. Resetting my studio space doesn’t happen every single time I take a break, but I make sure it happens between projects at a minimum. I would be lying if I said, my studio never gets over run during busy production times, much like a busy night at a restaurant. The restaurant has a system for putting everything back to right again so they can open for service the next day. We can do this in our art space, as well. You may not have a dedicated space for your art studio or a staff to help you clean it, but if you can carve out a space for creating in your home, you can develop a system for making it function well. It may mean keeping the dining table clear and ready to use, with a box or cart of your favorite supplies that is easy to grab whenever you can take the time to sit and do. It could even be a large picnic basket or backpack that enables you to take your creating outside to a scenic spot or your favorite coffee shop.
Post your best practices for organizing your art process in the comments below.