Introducing "The Line Between"

Behind the scenes on the day-to-day of art-making

Hi! I’m Coleen Baik, an artist and designer based in NYC.

You’re seeing this in your inbox because you already signed up, or you’re thinking about it and poking around on the website.

Either way, I’d love to properly introduce The Line Between: a biweekly publication about my creative process, behind the scenes.

Think of this as Issue #0.

Why this? Why now?

I’ve been enthusiastic about recording and writing for as long as I can remember. I’ve been blogging since the early days and have had a personal newsletter going for many years. Now that I’m spending more time animating and illustrating, I’ve been itching to spin up a new, more regular publication focused on the tactical and emotional journey of being an artist.

Navigating this path has often felt lonely. You may know what I’m talking about. When we talk art, we also tend to focus on the final work, with little said or seen about the meat of its making.

Personally, I think we’re missing out.

In an era of unprecedented isolation and instability, I crave more insight into the lives and practices of, and more camaraderie with, other makers.

Maybe you do too.

Why’s it called “The Line Between?”

I’m fascinated by seeing how artists do what they do.

Given a choice to peek at someone’s sketch book or a finished gallery piece, I will make a beeline for the former. I think that seeing someone else figure out how to get from point A to point B can provide insight and support that can be instrumental in the evolution of one’s own work.

What I write here will be mostly about what goes on between these culminations, these points of arrival and departure: the line between.

What will it look like?

Every two weeks, I’ll share a behind-the-scenes on whatever I’m currently working on. This could be a storyboard for an animated short, a draft of an augmented reality NFT, or takeaways from administrative labor I’m obligated to suffer on the business side of art.

Sometimes I’ll go thematic, reflecting on the idea of “authenticity,” say, or think out loud on the ethics of minting art on the blockchain.

Format and length will fluctuate, ranging from ruminative art journal or visual essay to practical observations or walk-throughs. Some may be a 5 minute read, others 15.

Each issue will be based on a synthesis of daily work notes. There may be process sketches, videos, tips. I might go deep on tools and other resources. Maybe it’ll be a provocative chain of images. In any case, I’ll aim to be more personal versus instructional, sharing insecurities felt as well as questions raised and opinions formed.

Obviously, this is the very beginning of the publication so you don’t have prior issues to reference. You can still get a feel for my writing style, and for the kind of content you might see in on both ends of the spectrum: here’s an example on the more tactical side, and another on the more ruminative, thematic side.

What’s it NOT gonna be?

I’m primarily interested in sharing my experience—not with making tutorials. This won’t be along the lines of Skillshare or those Youtube videos that walk you through how to paint a watercolor. Yes, you will see what might feel like “how to’s” through the process of me sharing what I do and how I do it.

But the vibe will be more along the lines of a friend bringing you into her art studio, letting you in on what she’s learning, saving you from the mistakes she’s made…while waxing poetic about it all over some home-pulled espresso. Or a slightly dirty 5:1 martini.

Paid subscriptions

If you think what I’m doing is valuable, if you like what I make, and how I write—please consider supporting this publication with a paid subscription.

Paying subscribers will get unabridged issues plus bonus content like Q&As. Office hours and collaborative sessions may become a thing, given interest. I’m just spinning up, so this is all going to evolve.

I’d love for you to be a part of that evolving conversation.

Unabridged issues of The Line Between will be free to everyone for its inaugural 3 months (6 issues!) so everyone can check out what they’d be getting as a paying member. Since this is all so new, it’ll also give me time to work out the kinks. I also plan on following this up with a period of additional promotions before moving content behind a paywall.

If you’d like to begin supporting me right away, payment options are always open 🙏