Monday, March 24, 2014

Getting Back on The Path

Burnout is a bad and good thing. It's bad as you end up feeling horrible and unable to do anything, especially with struggling to try and get back on track. However, it is good as it let's you realize what your limits are and even begin seeing your path differently. In my case, though, it took me a bit of time to get things together, I am now finally beginning to get a grip of what I want to do, what my limits are, and what I need to work on to get there. I am still figuring out a schedule that will work for me, but I am getting there. I also learned that social media networking and marketing might not be my calling just yet.

I went to a business expo which has helped me realize how much of the businesses of the main city I was looking to work at already has good services for graphic design(even meeting one business and thinking of sending my resume to). However, I also happen to live in the boondocks between a city and two towns, all three recovering from the downturn and will need more graphic design services as more businesses are beginning to pop up. However, as I looked around the expo and during my burnout, I realized my specialty of vector images and logos is not as needed in this area than the editorial designs for brochures and other things. Luckily, I have some experience with such designs, but I need to begin working on it more. But, I found a small publishing house that I might see if I can join. One thing I love to do is illustrations. I am always doodling(even back when taking art classes with taking notes) and drawing. One of my personal project goals is to make a children's book I thought of during my last semesters in college, but having a hard time getting story and images to match up since I always done both separately with writing stories for a hobby and doing art for my career choice. Hence, with reading up on Chris Oatley's blog, I have decided on a smaller project of making comics to get into how to figure out how to get story and images to work together.

I also been following School of Visual Storytelling, especially since this year they began doing free webinars to teach the basics which the refreshers for me have been a big help. I joined their March Thurd Thursday contest which my entry is the image at the beginning of this blog post. I was not eligible for the prize and I did not get into the top ten... But, I still feel accomplished. I did this illustration after my burnout with trying to figure out social media and it is my first big leap to getting back on the track I want. I showed this illustration to the illustrator that was there with the booth at the expo and lifted my spirits with hearing her comments on it since I did not see a lot of people vote for my illustration. I am a homebody. I actually HATE driving and try to avoid it unless I want to go somewhere or have to go somewhere.  However, if I am going to improve as an artist, I got to begin reaching out to others around me, not just online, and finding out what's out there for me... Though, the upside of living on several acres, half to two-thirds covered in forest, makes it easy to do landscape painting without leaving from one's home and access to the main bayou is nearby and I might do some paintings on the river once the weather has equals out.

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