The Obsœlite Zine #004

"A Window Theory (About Art)"

Some weeks ago, I published a Note on Substack:

and now Miguel

, a Substacker friend of mine, then suggested I make a zine out of this idea, and since the vision was pretty clear in my head, challenge accepted!

Once again, I decided to experiment with pop-ups—this time using a lenticular execution, which you’ll find in the centerfold. At its most basic, it’s a way of combining two images so that you see one from one angle and another from a different angle.

You might also notice I’ve used a bit of color this time, just to accentuate the zine’s “3D-ness.”

Finally, I thought about the front cover last and decided to stay in the window theme. If you check the GIF above, you’ll see that the title hides behind the window.

But enough of how I created the zine. Below, I’ve fleshed out the elements (AKA the “windows”), each playing a distinct role in the creative process. When all are aligned, the conditions become optimal for producing a masterpiece.

1. Talent

What it is: Your natural ability or instinct for art. It’s one’s taste, intuition, vision, sensitivity to form, rhythm, or emotion.

When it’s closed: You may find your work feeling forced or uninspired, even if technically sound.

When it’s open: You generate compelling ideas with ease, have an eye or ear for what “works,” and possess a creative spark that others recognize.

2. Experience

What it is: Accumulated knowledge and practice—it’s your skills that have developed through years of creating, failing, learning, and observing.

When it’s closed: You might have the vision, but either you’re not ready to express that vision just yet, or you're repeating beginner mistakes.

When it’s open: You know your tools well, have found your unique voice, and can build on lessons from your mentors and past projects.

3. Time

What it is: The mental and physical space to create. It’s the uninterrupted hours, the freedom from pressure, and the moments of full focus.

When it’s closed: Life—jobs, bills, family, or health—does get in the way most times, and it drains your bandwidth to sit and create.

When it’s open: You’re in a season of life where you can devote energy to your art without constant distraction or fatigue.

4. Grit

What it is: Your persistence, resilience, and drive—your ability to push through doubt, critique, boredom, and burnout.

When it’s closed: You give up early, avoid challenges, or lose steam halfway through the process.

When it’s open: You finish what you start, bounce back from failures, and improve through sheer stubborn effort.

When all four windows align, you’re not just capable of making something good, you’re positioned to create something transformative. If one is closed or misaligned, the work might still be worthwhile, but it’ll carry the mark of what was missing—a learning curve, raw potential still unshaped, or a lack of polish and final pass.

The Obsœlite #004: A Window Theory About Art

To close, I couldn’t help but draw from my own journey as a fiction writer. I’ve been writing for publications professionally since 2008, and while I could’ve started creative writing much earlier (I started in 2022), I’m glad I waited. I knew I needed more life experience and the luxury to choose to make time before I dove in, head first.

That’s not to say I’ve dropped masterpieces left and right since, but I believe that if I’d rushed in too soon, things might’ve turned out differently. I may have burned out or given up on the passion entirely. Maybe it wasn’t just the windows that aligned—maybe the stars did, too.∎

NOTE: If you liked this content, check out the previous issues:

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BEFORE YOU GO: Do you think great art happens when Talent, Experience, Time, and Grit align? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.

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