When everything is going fine, you can just be yourself. If you are an outrageous person, perhaps be a lite version of yourself, unless you really know the client well.

But what about when you are odds with some one? For me, that’s when I have to go into professional mode.

I was working on a map for the boating magazine. These are general maps, not nautical maps for areas of interest for boaters. I work a little with the author of these port of call stories, to get all the locations from the story. I’m given a list of all the places they would like to see on the map.

This time around, there were about 5 places that no matter how much I searched I couldn’t get a good location for them.

So I laid a grid down over the rough of the map, which had the locations I could find, and sent a jpeg to the author, asking for the following: to check the current placed locations, a grid coordinate for the 5 locations I couldn’t find, and the correct way to spell a couple of them, because I was finding two different spellings.

It took nine emails, instead of two, for me to get what I needed. The author, who is not a professional writer, couldn’t just give me the information. She had to question what I was doing with the map, and give me her thoughts on how I should do the map, and want to know who makes the choices about the maps.

So I had to take time to answer her questions before she would give me the information. She wasn’t holding out till I answered, you could just tell she was the type that when asked a question, has questions, often unrelated, that she wants answered first.

These types drive me crazy. I’ve dealt with them a lot in corporation. It’s more annoying when your question is direct and simple. You can ask a yes/no question like “Are you going to turn over the manuscript today?” and your answer is, “Did we change the color blue for the cover of the book?”  Nothing short of playing 20 questions will work.

So for several emails, I played her 20 questions, having to ask the correct way to spell some locations twice. And then finding mistakes she missed. I cut an paste her text from her emails into the map, so that way I don’t introduce spelling mistakes from typing.

The editor has asked in the past how was working with her. I say it’s fine. I know you might be thinking, but that’s not true, she’s holding you up, she’s questioning your work. Yes, but I got my information, I’m not missing my deadline. So in the end, I was annoyed, I had to play 20 questions, when I could have sent off the map on Tuesday, it’s now going Thursday.

Telling the editor that she can be a game of 20 questions, isn’t going to do anything. If the editor said to the author, “Hey, can you just answer his questions without asking your own” it will probably offend her. As it stands, the editor thinks I’m awesome. If the author ever says anything (unlikely), the editor, who seems already to have issues with the author will think it’s just her.

Sure, I could try asking the author why she needs to knows. With this type of person, that’s just going to open more questions, which frankly I don’t want to answer. I’ve been down that road, and I’ve learned to spot those people who given a too much information, become more annoying.

So I did the professional act, I answered her questions, trying to not give her any openings. When she didn’t give me all the information I needed, thanked her for what she did provide, and politely asked for the information she missed. I didn’t point out the mistakes she missed, included in her original email I worked from. And I won’t tell the editor any of this.

- Chuck Close

Someone quoted that this weekend, I had never heard it before, but it’s something I believe in, and have for years. It’s not good enough to just sit around waiting for a good idea. In fact, I tend to have more inspirations when I am doing something, over doing nothing. Being active makes the brain active, which causes ideas. Just like anything in this world, use it or loose it.

Inspiration can come in many forms. Secret confession, I watch Project Runway. Not for the fashion so much, but because I like Tim Gunn. I see him as a very positive, problem solving, encouraging person, who is genuine. He goes with his gut feelings, but channels that into thoughtful questions and is very open to a wide range of ideas.

So, I enjoy watching someone like that, because I work towards being like that in who I am.

I find inspiration in Sarah Palin, in how not to be as a person. She is a horrible person, because she is a hypocrite. She talks about how society needs a strong roll model and leadership. And yet every time someone says some thing insulting or degrading about her, what comes back is on the same level, insulting and degrading.

In short, she has never shown me that she can rise above, and be better. Which, to me takes her lower then the person who originally insulted her. Because she knows she’s doing it, and goes ahead and acts that way on purpose. Maybe not, which is sad, because that means she has no self awareness.

I’m only mentioning these public figures as examples of how inspiration can come from anywhere. Currently I’m working on 10 full page color illustrations for Son of Kool Aid, need to be done by March 9th. I’m doing good on getting them done.

There are lots of things motivating me, but one thing in particular, are people that always complain about not being able to ever get work done. But they never just sit down and do it. There is always something in the way. Tired from work, which I would accept, if they were lumberjacks. They have boring jobs, that dull their minds. I’ve been there.

I write these blog entries for myself, really. Why? To remain positive. To motivate myself to looking at things in a forward way. There is no room in these entries for complaining and bitching. I may talk about a bad experience, but it would be about how I learned from it. There isn’t any reason to come here and vent.

As I work on these illustrations, I find inspiration comes naturally. But it’s also because my mind is very active. It’s like working out. Keep doing it, and you will see results.

So don’t wait till you have the inspiration to do something. Do something and the inspiration will come. Not only that, your skills to execute the inspiration will be sharp, making it easier.

Here are some sections of the illustrations I’m working on. Enjoy.

Here is color test of his son I did, as I was working out the look I wanted for the illustrations.

I’m very pleased at how this came out, for only spending a couple of hours on it. If you haven’t read Kool Aid Gets Fired, I’m not spoiling much. There’s plenty in the book to look forward.

The books should be in my hands by April 2nd, and will go for $5 each, which you will be able to order through here (Plus shipping), or if you come to one of the several conventions I’m going to, get it there. Of course, I will be posting more info as it comes along and gets closer.

I’ve gotten a lot of work this month, which has made me happy because it’s work coming to me, and I think, I can do this! I can make a living as a creative. People are looking at my work and wanting me to create for them.

I look at my work and see the improvement in just over a year. How I work, how I approach the project. And I think me realizing I have to put my signature on my art, was me thinking, I’m at a point where I’m going towards where I want to be.

I had been getting a lot of compliments about my colors in my own work. Another cartoonist and personal friend, Tim Fish asked if I would color a 5 page short story for his next book, Trust/Truth, and I was happy to do it for him. It came out great, and I did get some exposure for it. Tim told me he was pitching stories to Marvel and wanted me to color one of them. That fell through, but Marvel asked if he wanted to write a story for their next Nation X anthology, a Northstar story.

When Tim mentioned this, I asked him if I could color it, and he said he would ask the editor, who it turns out was someone that I had meet once before. The editor saw the work I did for Tim’s book, loved it and wanted me to do the coloring for his Northstar story.

That was some good PIE.

I had some bad PIE as well. I heard through the internet of a published comics author looking for a colorist for his next book. We talked, I was familiar with his past books, understood the terms of the work process, which was casual, 2 of the 3 stories hadn’t even been drawn yet. I would get paid, but his deal with the publisher was advancement on delivery of final pages, and I would get 20% of what he got from sales over 7 years, paid once a year. Now that sounds like a great deal, and it is if the book does very well. But it was a book of gay erotic comics. Small audience.

I got the first story and started coloring. One thing he had made clear that I should put paying work before his, but this attitude changed, and the professional relationship came under strain and combined with other factors, I decided it wasn’t worth it anymore, and put him in contact with a few other colorists, who would actually like to work in erotic comics.

See, I really don’t have any interest in doing gay erotic, and I was going to use a fake name for this. I wasn’t excited about it like I was coloring Tim’s story or the comic for Marvel. I was enjoying it, and committed to doing the best job possible. At the time I started, I wasn’t doing anything in particular, and thought, I’ll make contacts after the work comes out, there could be some money too. But I couldn’t show my work, because of the nature of it. So I would have this awesome work, that I could only use to get more work doing the same. Work that I didn’t want to do.

So PIE needs to also something that you want to do. In fact, PIE should only be done if it’s something that you want to do, because otherwise you end up with work you can’t do anything with. The Exposure part goes out the window. Now if I did for the experience learned from coloring a long story, that would be a different matter.

But I can get that experience elsewhere, even on my own.

So if you get a chance to work for PIE, keep in mind, it has to be Exposure or Experience in a direction you want to move in, other wise you are just giving your work away for nothing. Don’t do that.

Here are pages from each of the 4 stories in the book.

Enjoy!

Since then, I’ve learned a lot about being a freelancer, and getting work, so I thought I would write about that.

Network

By networking, I mean with others who are trying or are doing what you want to do. I learned this from personal experience and from reading the book, My So Called Freelance Life, by Michelle Goodman. I started going to figure drawing groups which lead to getting to know other artists and making connections. This kind of network gives you support and information. Got a problem with a client, ask your fellow artists if they have ever had that problem and what happened, how did they work it out? You may also get work. If someone is to busy to take on a new client or a client wants something they don’t do, they may recommend you. Your style might be just what they are looking for.

Not to mention, it’s awesome to be able to talk shop with friends who do what you do. It’s a real learning process, hanging out with others. The figure drawing groups gives me a social and creative outlet. I’ve seen my skills improve with just the once a week meetings, and now I’m looking for other outlets for this same type of activity.

Use the Internet to your advantage. Facebook and twitter are great for networking. Twitter more so, I think. Find artists that you like who twitter. Follow them. I’ve gotten several jobs via twitter. Artists fall through and sometimes people will twitter looking for an artist. I responded, we chatted and I got some work. For me, I follow people in the comics industry, and comic authors mostly. Someone that draws comics isn’t going to need a cartoonist often, maybe a colorist.

Facebook is a great way to show off your art. More on that below.

Actually do what you love, regardless of pay

You have to work at what you want to do. The people that seem to create effortlessly, probably do so because they spend much time creating. Want to draw, then you need to draw. Want to paint, then you need to paint. Much like how you learned to write, repetition is the key. You learned to write your ABCs by writing rows and rows of letters, the same goes here.

It’s not often that we get work that can also translate into a portfolio piece for whatever reason. So when not working, work on something for your portfolio, that you feels shows off your abilities. I know, it’s hard to just come up with ideas. Pick up a magazine that uses a lot of illustrators, pick an article you like, and come up with your own take on how to illustrate it.

Working all the time, for me teaches me how to do things better, work faster, and keep my focus for longer periods of time. That’s something I can have trouble with, keeping my focus. I’ve come up with tricks to try and help keep that. My favorite, set a timer, and you aren’t allowed to do anything but the task at hand till the timer goes off. I generally find that I will be at a point that I don’t want to stop when the timer goes off, and end up working a few more minutes. Then take a little break, check your emails, and all that, then set the timer again.

Show your work

I hear to often from people that they don’t like what they did, and don’t show their work. You will never get feedback, nor will anyone stumble on your work if you never show it. Unless you tell people, they will never know that what you ended up with, wasn’t what you had in mind. One rule I have, work a piece until it’s done, regardless of how it’s coming out. If it’s for myself, I don’t stop and start over, I work through. And I try to learn from it. Finishing a piece is important lesson to learn. That’s another thing I hear from people, they don’t finish what they are working on.

If you get an online portfolio, don’t let people know about it till it’s ready. That means no sections with “Content to come”. Just don’t put that section up. You can always add it later. Having multiple sections on your site isn’t going to make you look any better to clients, but empty sections make you look unprofessional. If all you have is 10 samples of your work and a resume, put that up and make it easy for someone to look at it. Don’t put an entry page, go right to the main attraction. Don’t put a blog if you really don’t intend to blog save once a month at best.

It doesn’t take much work to post something once a week and it can’t be “So, not much to say this week”. If you are drawing/sketching/painting/whatever several times a week, post that and talk about it. Did you like what you did, any realizations about it? Do you feel you improved? And try and keep it professional. Personal is fine, so long as it’s not bitching. Really complaining about the world at large and all it’s injustices are best suited for a private personal blog.

Can’t afford a site of your own, or a professional one? Use facebook, and make a fan page, or deviantART to at least get your work out there. The thing with these is that some art directors don’t go to these places to find work, but might be willing to go look if they ask you for samples. It’s best to just have your own site I think.

Those are three things I learned well the past year, trying to feed myself as a freelancer. Hope it helps.

My art education, in terms of creating, is sadly lacking. I majored in art, but my teachers, all who were extremely talented people weren’t the best teachers. And in time, I realized they are artists who teach because it’s steady income, while giving them time to do what they love, and puts them in contact with a wide range of young artists, and keeps them fresh by that exposure.

But it also means that I didn’t any practical training in art. Regardless of what some people might think, there are practical elements in art. Material’s knowledge, composition building, even color theory. It’s very well to experiment and make discoveries, but you need some base to work from.

So these days, I’m always looking for information about these very subjects. While I might be a better artists if I had that training then I am now, I probably would still feel like I was still reaching towards something. I’m always looking at other artists sites. Which is good and dangerous.

It’s to easy to find someones work who makes it all seem so easy. It can lead to you trying to make your work more like theirs, which probably isn’t a good idea. Mostly I look for inspiration, problem solutions, new ways of looking at a problem. But at times, I feel that “Oh man, I want to do stuff like that!” I bet many artists do that.

But you know, you have to stay focused. There is always going to be an artist out there that does something that makes you drop your jaw. Sooner or later, someone will look at your stuff, and you’ll be on the other end. I’ve had that happen a few times, and you know, it’s a great way to get some perspective on things.

When someone is going on about my stuff, compared to their stuff, all I’m seeing in my stuff is the things I wanted to do, could have done better, mistakes I didn’t see then, but see now. So I’ve learned. What I see, what someone else sees, are often two different things. If a piece doesn’t come out the way I wanted, but still works, no one is going to know it’s not 100% what I had in my head, unless I tell them.

What I’ve also learned because of that, don’t hide what you are doing, because you feel it wasn’t what you wanted. One, you will never get feed back if you only show what you like. In fact, it’s sometimes good to show what you don’t like, maybe someone will provide some insight, some constructive criticism, that will help you next time to get closer to what you wanted.

I’ve known a few people like that, who hold everything back, and then get frustrated with the lack of growth in their art. One thing it does, when you feel you failed, is stops you from trying again. Success encourages you to do more, failure can make you want to stop. So the first thing I had to teach myself, redefine failure. Or eliminate the concept from your work.

If you are drawing for yourself, work a drawing to the end, even if it ends up not going where you wanted to. First it teaches you to work to an ending. A lot of people can’t do that, because they get frustrated. Also, learn to switch tracks. While coloring this comic, there would be times I would get stuck for what colors to use. Rather then sit there and stare at the screen, I would go color something I knew the color of. Eventually I would come back with a solution to the area that stumped me.

I think it’s important, as an artists, to not get frustrated on work that isn’t going like you want, and learn to complete, and try and fix along the way, or learn why it didn’t work.

I love the texture I got on the wainscoating. It looks like painted wood, where the wood wasn’t treated, and the paint is peeling off, following the grain of the wood, and that the paint has become discolored in spots. There’s something splattered on the baseboard.

Um, I can’t remember how I did it. I hate when I do that. It was one of those moments where, trying new things, clicking here and there, using new brushes and just going to town, and when it was done, I was asking myself “How exactly did I do that?”

I need to get into the habit of taking a few notes while I work and figure/find a way of doing something. I have the original art, still broken down in layers, so I can go back and look at  stuff, and maybe figure a few things out.

I guess it’s the nature of the beast, when you are in the zone, and things are flying fast and furious.

NOTE: There won’t be any figure drawing this week, as it’s a Holiday week.