With starting a new job and moving to a new city, I have been increasingly busy in the past few months. Unfortunately, I let that become an excuse for not keeping up with my drawing and working on improving my skills. (For shame!!) It took an impromptu trip to Disneyland with an old friend to remind me of what I was truly passionate about in life, and rekindle the shuddering flame of drive and creativity.
Immediately upon returning home I pulled out a few of my "art of" books and began drawing from them - characters and background elements, studying the lighting and design. I downloaded my favorite art podcasts again (Escape from Illustration Island, Chris Oatley's Artcast and Stephen Silver's Artcast to name a few), and even spent quite a bit of time going back to the basics: figure drawing, anatomy and perspective. I studied through the evenings and on weekends - I was quite diligent for the first two to three weeks (even using a Pomodoro timer to help me stay focused) - but slowly found my inspiration waning once again. I tried keeping myself motivated by coming up with "projects" to work on, but I finally slipped into apathy. The holidays rolled in and I was a goner - too busy and too tired to draw and study after work. I continued to listen to the podcasts, however, but would simultaneously lament my lack of productivity while feeling inspired and yearning to create
something. This artistic melancholy lasted through the winter and into the new year, a seemingly endless cycle of inspiration, excuses and remorse. It was bleak, until...
my professional performance review.
This is a time when my employer schedules an annual company-wide performance review, where direct supervisors meet with their team members one-on-one to discuss their performance and future goals. Many employees fear this time, however, I think it is an important chance for growth and opportunity. And boy did I get an opportunity I never would have seen coming.
I am fortunate to have a boss that appreciates drive, determination, hard work, passion and creativity; he has given me an opportunity to "write my own job description." And while I am not currently employed in the entertainment industry, I work under the watchful eye of an art director. This little caveat has opened a door I never thought existed in a field anywhere other than a feature film or game studio. I have found my determination once again, and have taken this chance to pitch a completely new job description for myself, and for the company as well. I've been furiously researching reference material and creating thumbnails for the pitch, and will update here again if all goes well!
In the meantime, I have enrolled in the Oatley Academy "Magic Box Course." As a long time fan of Chris Oatley's artcast, and having seen the quality of work that comes out of his classes, I finally took the leap and signed up! I am already working on the first assignment, and will post updates here as I progress through the next eighteen months. Having an active critique group and some entertaining (and skill building) assignments has given me an opportunity to learn and grow again. I am looking forward to new challenges, and a new year!
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