Well it's been 2009 for over two weeks now. Before the year races away here are some thoughts about last year and hopes for this year.
Forgive the wordy post it's kind of a personal stock check but hopefully you will find some of it interesting. I would be interested in your thoughts.
The best thing to come out of the last year form me was this blog. It has really helped me evaluate my growth and has been very motivating. Of course there are also all the great people I have met through it. I am not that confident in my own work but regular comments and a steadily growing number of viewers has helped keep my self critical devil in check. Thank you.
Looking back over the 138 previous posts (is that excessive?), the content is quite erratic compared to lots of art blogs but that is probably what keeps it interesting. It is more a record of my attempts to improve than a catalogue of successes. One thing that is apparent is that my sketches are still much more engaging than attempts at 'finished' pictures. This is something I really hope to workon this year but I have no idea how to start . . .
Hopefully 2009 will be an even better year for my artistic growth. There is so much to learn I am often overwhelmed. However that is generally exciting now rather than incapacitating. I am immensely grateful for blogs like Hans Bacher's, Leif Peng's and , they are a tremendous education.
I had been hoping that 2009 would see me able to start gaining commercial work for my 'illustration'. I don't belive I am capable enough yet though and the current financial climate is uninspiring. Despite my misgivings about the games industry and the general lack of creativity there, it is relatively stable . . .
So what are my goals for the coming year?
The rest of the posts this year will be mostly images I promise. No more waffling :)
Oh yeah . . . I would really appreciate your feedback on load times for my blog does anyone find it loads too slowly. I will be making some adjustments at some point.
Forgive the wordy post it's kind of a personal stock check but hopefully you will find some of it interesting. I would be interested in your thoughts.
The best thing to come out of the last year form me was this blog. It has really helped me evaluate my growth and has been very motivating. Of course there are also all the great people I have met through it. I am not that confident in my own work but regular comments and a steadily growing number of viewers has helped keep my self critical devil in check. Thank you.
Looking back over the 138 previous posts (is that excessive?), the content is quite erratic compared to lots of art blogs but that is probably what keeps it interesting. It is more a record of my attempts to improve than a catalogue of successes. One thing that is apparent is that my sketches are still much more engaging than attempts at 'finished' pictures. This is something I really hope to workon this year but I have no idea how to start . . .
Hopefully 2009 will be an even better year for my artistic growth. There is so much to learn I am often overwhelmed. However that is generally exciting now rather than incapacitating. I am immensely grateful for blogs like Hans Bacher's, Leif Peng's and , they are a tremendous education.
I had been hoping that 2009 would see me able to start gaining commercial work for my 'illustration'. I don't belive I am capable enough yet though and the current financial climate is uninspiring. Despite my misgivings about the games industry and the general lack of creativity there, it is relatively stable . . .
So what are my goals for the coming year?
- Read more fiction and see more films - I have been so focused on skills my imagination has become a bit starved. I need some cultural nourishment beyond art books/blogs
- Waste less time on web. Research is one thing but browsing quickly becomes procrastination.
- Focus - I'm often trying to do too many things at once. Decide where I want my drawing to go/take me. Illustration? concepts? comics . . .?
- Experiment more. Not to contradict the previous point too much but I need to push myself a bit harder stylistically.
- Practice working directly to photoshop - may need a cintiq to do this as I can's seem to sketch with the tablet. I like traditional media but you can't beat the speed and the options that photoshop offers.
- Enter Guardian Graphic Short Story Prize - or should that be 'win' :)
- Animate something - I'd like to achieve this even if it is something very small.
- Join Hermits Annonymous - Get out more. I have noticed I am becoming more and more self contained. I like it but it's not healthy. Need to get out dance see friends etc . . .
The rest of the posts this year will be mostly images I promise. No more waffling :)
Oh yeah . . . I would really appreciate your feedback on load times for my blog does anyone find it loads too slowly. I will be making some adjustments at some point.
4 comments:
It's always a good habit to self-evaluate, in order to ensure you're heading in a direction that you're happy with. And those are a nice selection of goals you have there.
Traditional media rules, though ;)
Good list and rant hehe.
Best of luck in 2009!
Cheers
Bjorn.
i've been promising myself to comment for 3 days now! sorry!
finished or not, your drawings definitely show your style which is not easy (so i'm told:) and it's interesting to see how it's developing.
i'm a fan of goals and loking at yours i could easily rewrite the top four points! I just hope you gave yourself deadlines, made them more specific and split them into smaller ones, so that they don't just remain BIG and maybe scary:) what were your goals for last year? how did it go? i'm too curious:)
your thoughts on making drawing your full time occupation made me think of voluntary work or something that would make your work more focused in a way? then again, it's all about self-discipline, isn't it.
I checked your blog via netvibes and it works fine, no long loading at all.
Thanks guys for your replys.
James - Agreed Traditional media has magic
Myszy - Thanks. I am a bit flakey with goals and get easily distracted. The goals I set are a bit vague. Your right I should probably have clearer 'targets' at least in some instances. Last years major goals were to significantly improve my drawing and to get out of this job. So 50/50 there and the job is better since I move projects so kind of a good change there. I probably had lots of other goals. Like "do a short comic" . . . but I forget/failed. This will be a good year!
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