Tag Archives: woman

Stuck in Trade

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     I’ve been asked to work on about three independent comics since Christmas. It’s a big deal to me. I’m pretty flattered by it all.

     My answer was no.

     Don’t get the wrong idea. I’ll never be too good for something like that. It’s awesome to even be considered!

    But I have so many projects and commitments that I would have to disappoint someone else. And I keep my promises, sometimes to my detriment.

      So I really don’t have the time to dedicate to someone else’s lovechild. It requires a devotion that is already spoken for in my life. So I find myself somewhere I never conceived of.

     Saying no to art.
    

    I have to let go of free art too. A few cosplayers are upset about it. So am I! 

    It means I don’t have time for my own projects. I waited so long to get to this point and it never occurred to me that I wouldn’t have time to have fun.

     I shouldn’t complain, right? I’m on the right track to fame and fortune!!

     To be honest, I just want to work on things that are fun and interesting. So far I have. Only a few customers turn out to be needy douchebags…

    Maybe next year I’ll do a book with someone. Maybe. My experience with my own short story was annoying. I actually would love to do covers.

      It’s possible that it’ll happen for me. I can kind of make it out in the distance.

     I’ll know my path. 

Break[me]

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      I’ve already made EIGHT images this year! Didn’t even realize it until someone else told me. It’s gotta be a new record for me.

    All of themare improvements over what I was doing at this point last year. I guess practice makes perfect after all. 

     In the interest of full disclosure, the end of last year required me to spend a few days checked into my favorite mental health center. I’m okay now. I’ll always fight to be okay. It’s my only real job: living.

      Last time you guys got to see the early version of my pricelist. A few of the upper range things changed; their price points were slightly off. But overall, I’ve gotten pretty positive feedback. The commission list is almost full for this month, with more work planned for next month. Dare I dream?…

      My life isn’t quite where I want it to be, but at this point its just a matter of tweaks. My business plan and life plan are on track and as long as I keep my PTSD and isolation in check, you guys can expect a better level of art.

    So if you have any questions, comments or requests, pass them along! You guys have been here for the ride and hopefully the finish line for this level is in sight 😊.

    I wish you peace and prosperity in the New Year.

New Year, Old Me

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    I know, I know… I haven’t been around much. The death of a loved one affects us all in predictable ways. Moving on…

     I’ve caught up (almost) to all my commission based work! I’ve done well this year and look forward to next year being even better! But for now a few people have decided to let me put their images on my page. How nice!

     Of course, some of my favorite projects are going to be in a slightly larger size this year. Now that I have a fancy tilting drafting table, it’s game on! Purchased with the proceeds of my work of course 😊.

      I’m still doing black and white studies for people. It amazes me how much a simple drawing can reach others. And good news! Now that I know what my supplies and time are worth, I have a price index…

         so looking forward to drawing a LOT.

       

Stand 

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    Well, it’s Thanksgiving week. Or as some are calling it, last holiday until Christmas. Even though my workload is four times what it was last year, I’m still taking a break.

    I don’t celebrate Christmas. So this is the one time a year I make it home to see my mom. Usually I don’t promise her anything; I just pop in for a day or so, then leave. In a way I’m her Santa Claus, except she gave birth to me, lol.

   That didn’t sound quite right, did it?

     So before I get on the road, here’s a picture of a friend of mine, who goes by the moniker “Callie Cosplay”. As thename would suggest, she’s a model for fictional characters. 

     The first I’d heard of her was about three years ago, through a friend. She was about to do a really cool rendition of Wonder Woman and I asked if I could draw her. At the time I was doing digital art exclusively(which reminds me I need to start again) so her cosplay was a learning experience for me.

     She was ecstatic with it. You can find it here if you go through my archives. Since then I’ve drawn her several times. Her friendliness and openness gave me the courage to approach other people about their cosplays, which lead me to where I am today.

     This picture of her really doesn’t do her full justice. But it’s my small token of thanks for someone who helped me get started. 😊

Ugly 

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    I can’t help but notice that the more content I make the less supportive certain people in my life become. Not you guys; you’ve been aces!

    I’m hearing a lot of negativity about bad economy, bad timing, bad decision, etc. So I started the week by announcing that I was going to have to drop individuals based on their level of negativity. 

    I’m down two people.

      Two whole people that told me I wasn’t good enough to charge people yet, that I didn’t have a degree and that I was being stupid. One actually uses one of my pictures as his banner. Really?

     Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that they can’t disagree with me. I have a diverse support system and honestly if all you’re hearing is your own opinions parroted back at you?

   You have issues.

    But anytime you try to improve your position, your real friends should cheer you on, not actively try to stop you.

    So… business plan in hand. Various price points set. Ideal customers found and targeted. Branding beginning and set….

     Here I go.

Autumn Warmth

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    This weekend I did absolutely nothing. I drank a lot. Slept. Watched the Crossfit Games on tv. I’ve been really active for a while now and it was a welcome break.

      It was something my dad told me once, “work smarter, not harder”. Sometimes we fall into the trap of believing that if we redouble our efforts we can improve our circumstances. “Always be on your grind” is the new catchphrase. It’s bullshit, of course. How much of that effort is simply wasted energy?

     So instead I sat, rested and thought. I organized my ideas, set goals and made a plan. I’m giving myself six months to achieve my goals. 

     I have a lot of artwork, both digital and traditional. There’s no reason I shouldn’t be presenting it in the best light. Hell, last month alone I made 38 pieces! 

     So I took a weekend to be lay about and consider my near future. Today I’m doing my business plan. I’m going through my social media and determining which pieces got the most responses. That’ll help me find my audience.  I’m also going to set up an artist page on Facebook. But first I need to make sure my chosen product is in its best light. 

    Thanks for being here while I built up a portfolio. But don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere! You guys are valuable to me. You help clear my head and allow me to talk about my life. I need that sometimes. So you get to continue being along for the ride.

Buckle up.😉

Play Through the Pain

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      I recently discovered that doing military presses with 200lbs can injure you, the hard way. I guess I’m getting old. It required a few X-ray images, but luckily it’s just a ligament strain. But it’s my drawing arm, so…

        Doing this picture made me very happy for a few reasons. The first is that I was worried about how the fur would turn out, but it came out aces. Second, she was so excited about it that she told ALL of her cosplay friends! So I have a ton of projects lined up, if my arm doesn’t fall off first…

Keep it Apart

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       So with #inktober fast approaching, my apprehension about my upcoming project is high. While I believe in my abilities, it’s a pretty daunting task!

   Luckily for me, I’m used to producing results in a timely manner. This past year has left me with huge improvements in my skillset; the script writing was a new skill as well as inking. 

    Lots of artist will be participating this year, so I’m honestly excited about the prospect. Hopefully I impress a lot of people, but the experience will tell me a lot. 

    In the meantime, I’m wrapping up all the pending images I had to complete, like this one. Some people aren’t expecting theirs yet. Oh well… I’m not going to rush, but come Friday, I expect to have completed five.

    I’ll be posting here of course. You guys will get to see plenty of work.