The Salt Lake Comic-Con was intense this year! Sooo many people. I'm still figuring out how to be a good exhibitor, so I'm not going to speak to that, I have a lot to learn. But I feel like I made the most of being an attendee in the years before I became a professional. What I mean by that is being a student, not just a fan and not necessarily in school, but as someone eager to learn and who really wants to be part of the pop-entertainment industry as a creator and contributor instead of just a consumer. I clearly remember being on the other side of the table, feeling like an outsider of a club I so desperately wanted to be part of.
As a student of my heroes (I still am, but the opportunities to learn take a different form) I saw the Con as my only access to them face to face. I went to my first Con out of state. I was a student in college and scrapped together the money it cost, prepped and stressed over every image in my portfolio, and set out grateful and hoping somebody would give me 5 minutes of their time. My experiences were priceless and worth every penny. Those moments definitely helped pave the way and open doors. I can't thank enough all those people who gave me those 5 minutes.
1. I got a portfolio together that represented my immediate ability level. Only my best work, which is always the newest. ~12 images of the work I want to be doing, on quality paper. Your portfolio is who you are. Everyone has hope and potential but it's what you've done that matters. There is no excuse for poor prints or old work that you could top now but haven't. If you want to know what your objective strengths and weaknesses are, you need a current portfolio to put them all on display.
2. I knew exactly what I wanted to be. Whenever anyone asked, the ticket taker, fellow attendees, especially the pros I talked to, I had a clear answer that set the context for a unique and useful portfolio critique. When asked 'What do you want to be?' and your answer is 'I don't know,' no one will know what kind of advice to give you. Generic questions get generic answers.
3. I answered their questions and I listened to their answers. Excuses are shortcomings, so I didn't put them on display in my portfolio. They aren't asking you why an image isn't better, and an excuse won't save it or change their mind. They're telling you how it could be better. Your hero wants to share with you the tools that will help. Acknowledge your short-comings them for what they are, then go home and get rid of them. That you can't see your weaknesses only illustrates why you aren't better. So listen.
4. I always asked for a critique, not a job. Let's get real, everyone wants a job and they know you want one. But the reality is that they're not giving out jobs, they're giving out critiques. If you impress them, then maybe they can put in good word for you later. So do that. People are impressed by those who are prepared to better themselves, no matter how good you actually are.
I always walked into a Con extremely optimistic that all my fresh best work would finally buy me the acclaim of those I admired, I was confident my work couldn't be any better. And I always walked away feeling knocked down and eager to leave the trash behind that my freshly opened eyes saw in my weekend old portfolio. But most importantly, I left knowing I could do better.
Next Con rinse and repeat.
9.08.2014
4.12.2014
Sweat for Your Art!
Muddy Colors just had a really great post by Marc Scheff about the importance of exercise for artists. It's a little long, but definitely worth it. It's really well written and concise (given that the subject is one that a lot more could be said about it). Read it. He outlines some great pillars for a basic routine, and even includes Art-God testimonials!
Like Scheff, admittedly I've been blessed with genetics that do a lot of the heavy-lifting for me, and I've always enjoyed exercise. I like to be active, but that doesn't mean I don't know what it's like to not feel like doing anything, to just want to veg and stuff my face with salty sweets. I'm going into the 35+ stretch amid all the sedentary trappings of work and family life, and I can see how easily it all adds up, the pounds and the suck.
But the bottom line is we want to be better artists and our health is the best tool we've got. There is tons of data out there proving you will be more creative and more agile in your craft by doing so. Ad my testimonial to the list, but go ahead and do your own homework. Start with the basics and find something that works for you. "More Dew and Cheetos is my thing," is a stupid thing, get over it. If "I've got this head sized goiter..." is your thing, I can't help you there. Talk to a professional, preferably the doctor kind.
Before I start let me guess who I'm talking to. You're the struggling to aspire type, the 8-10-12-14hrs a day type. It just keeps piling up, it's almost so depressing that you want to break all your pencils and quit. Everyday 100 better artists than you pop out of nowhere, and they're 10yrs younger than you. Everyone is sooo much better than you, if you could only work harder... then just maybe one day...
Sound familiar? Come along and join the club, it's made for you and me. I want to talk to the most common excuse we use not to exercise and it's context:
I don't have time.
I've got 2 responses to this: 1) Crap, and 2) No crap.
1) Crap. As in: that excuse is so obviously complete crap!
This is a time management issue. I know how much time you waste image-surfing, social-media skimming, and generally over-complicating what you think you need to be accomplishing, all in the name of reference hunting or inspiration trolling. That's just self-deceptive. Really take a look at how much time is actually pencil-to-paper (or canvas, or tablet, etc.). Anything that is not that, is not getting you closer to your objectives.
There are all sorts of things that could be said about practicing smarter, not longer. Check out Brandon Dayton's great posts on the subject under 'How to Draw.' Stick to a schedule of punctuated effort and goals. Just grinding on and on "until it's done" is the most surefire way to kill your motivation and your sense of how much time you're putting into it. You'll end up spending more time to lesser result as a consequence.
But in short, everything you do in the name of 'work' should be enabling 'pencil-to-paper time.' If not, quit it, or it least time box it into a very small amount of time. Stop screwing around and start drawing! That's what you want to be doing anyway right? So do it.
The latest episode of Walking Dead or Game of Thrones? Won't help you draw better. Unlocking achievements in Skyrim, Last of Us, Titanfall? Won't help you draw better. I'm not saying you can't do that very awesome stuff, but do it after hours, not while you're on the clock. You'll be able to free up 20-30-60 minutes a day almost magically, and probably more.
2) No crap. As in: Obviously. Does anybody? No one, that's who.
Let's generously assume we are lean-mean working-machines, as if all 8-10-12 hr of everyday is pencil to paper time. We'd like to think we're that dedicated, that's why we use the excuse: I don't have time. But of course you don't have time, and of course you won't make time because there isn't more time to be made. Does someone out there have a time-press that fabricates more time? Of course not. You need to take the time, and by 'take' I mean 'steal.'
This is essentially the same principle as above. Steal time from all the other things you enjoy so that you can enjoy more of what you enjoy most. You need to steal time back from the things that have already taken all the time you have to offer.
But there is a right and wrong way to implement this. A lot of folks try stealing time from sleep and proper eating, not to mention exercise, to improve their art. But this is completely unsustainable, the net result is less art. Working for a studio can be harsh with long hours; working for yourself can be equally as demanding. In both cases your boss is probably just as desperately going for broke, and is often all too willing to sacrifice long-term advantages for short-term gains.
The long and short-term disadvantages are a loss of productivity, inspiration, motivation, or realistically most devastating: health complications. From eye strain, fatigue, and carpel tunnel to chronic back problems. Yes, many, even most, artists in this industry suffer from these things. And you thought being too awesome was the largest pitfall of the job!
Stealing time from The Man to get out and sweat is an investment in your best and longest running art, and that's ultimately what He wants out of you anyway. I take a long lunch twice a week to go out and play a pickup game of soccer for an hour, then make up that time later in the day (and more productively so!). But be a smart and professional thief, don't bail on an important meeting or blow off a deadline. Don't be a hack job.
Manage your time well, account for and include break-out sessions where you can get out and walk, run, lift or whatever. Good time-management skills are about knowing what is required to enable your most best work, not just naively and destructively promising endless break-neck sprint and marathon schedules.
Like Scheff, admittedly I've been blessed with genetics that do a lot of the heavy-lifting for me, and I've always enjoyed exercise. I like to be active, but that doesn't mean I don't know what it's like to not feel like doing anything, to just want to veg and stuff my face with salty sweets. I'm going into the 35+ stretch amid all the sedentary trappings of work and family life, and I can see how easily it all adds up, the pounds and the suck.
But the bottom line is we want to be better artists and our health is the best tool we've got. There is tons of data out there proving you will be more creative and more agile in your craft by doing so. Ad my testimonial to the list, but go ahead and do your own homework. Start with the basics and find something that works for you. "More Dew and Cheetos is my thing," is a stupid thing, get over it. If "I've got this head sized goiter..." is your thing, I can't help you there. Talk to a professional, preferably the doctor kind.
Before I start let me guess who I'm talking to. You're the struggling to aspire type, the 8-10-12-14hrs a day type. It just keeps piling up, it's almost so depressing that you want to break all your pencils and quit. Everyday 100 better artists than you pop out of nowhere, and they're 10yrs younger than you. Everyone is sooo much better than you, if you could only work harder... then just maybe one day...
Sound familiar? Come along and join the club, it's made for you and me. I want to talk to the most common excuse we use not to exercise and it's context:
I don't have time.
I've got 2 responses to this: 1) Crap, and 2) No crap.
1) Crap. As in: that excuse is so obviously complete crap!
This is a time management issue. I know how much time you waste image-surfing, social-media skimming, and generally over-complicating what you think you need to be accomplishing, all in the name of reference hunting or inspiration trolling. That's just self-deceptive. Really take a look at how much time is actually pencil-to-paper (or canvas, or tablet, etc.). Anything that is not that, is not getting you closer to your objectives.
There are all sorts of things that could be said about practicing smarter, not longer. Check out Brandon Dayton's great posts on the subject under 'How to Draw.' Stick to a schedule of punctuated effort and goals. Just grinding on and on "until it's done" is the most surefire way to kill your motivation and your sense of how much time you're putting into it. You'll end up spending more time to lesser result as a consequence.
But in short, everything you do in the name of 'work' should be enabling 'pencil-to-paper time.' If not, quit it, or it least time box it into a very small amount of time. Stop screwing around and start drawing! That's what you want to be doing anyway right? So do it.
The latest episode of Walking Dead or Game of Thrones? Won't help you draw better. Unlocking achievements in Skyrim, Last of Us, Titanfall? Won't help you draw better. I'm not saying you can't do that very awesome stuff, but do it after hours, not while you're on the clock. You'll be able to free up 20-30-60 minutes a day almost magically, and probably more.
2) No crap. As in: Obviously. Does anybody? No one, that's who.
Let's generously assume we are lean-mean working-machines, as if all 8-10-12 hr of everyday is pencil to paper time. We'd like to think we're that dedicated, that's why we use the excuse: I don't have time. But of course you don't have time, and of course you won't make time because there isn't more time to be made. Does someone out there have a time-press that fabricates more time? Of course not. You need to take the time, and by 'take' I mean 'steal.'
This is essentially the same principle as above. Steal time from all the other things you enjoy so that you can enjoy more of what you enjoy most. You need to steal time back from the things that have already taken all the time you have to offer.
But there is a right and wrong way to implement this. A lot of folks try stealing time from sleep and proper eating, not to mention exercise, to improve their art. But this is completely unsustainable, the net result is less art. Working for a studio can be harsh with long hours; working for yourself can be equally as demanding. In both cases your boss is probably just as desperately going for broke, and is often all too willing to sacrifice long-term advantages for short-term gains.
The long and short-term disadvantages are a loss of productivity, inspiration, motivation, or realistically most devastating: health complications. From eye strain, fatigue, and carpel tunnel to chronic back problems. Yes, many, even most, artists in this industry suffer from these things. And you thought being too awesome was the largest pitfall of the job!
Stealing time from The Man to get out and sweat is an investment in your best and longest running art, and that's ultimately what He wants out of you anyway. I take a long lunch twice a week to go out and play a pickup game of soccer for an hour, then make up that time later in the day (and more productively so!). But be a smart and professional thief, don't bail on an important meeting or blow off a deadline. Don't be a hack job.
Manage your time well, account for and include break-out sessions where you can get out and walk, run, lift or whatever. Good time-management skills are about knowing what is required to enable your most best work, not just naively and destructively promising endless break-neck sprint and marathon schedules.
6.13.2012
Art-Student Woes
There is a great article over on theartorder.com about making the most of student work. A must read if you're still in school, or even looking for some sense of ownership working for 'the Man.'
I graduated in 2008 and was the typical naive student of the current education bubble. I optimistically hoped my university degree would magically grant me the skills to be competitive in my dream industry. While I maintain that non of my professors had the chops to exemplify what they were teaching, and am eagerly awaiting the inevitable crash and burn of the current impostor of art-education, I recognize that only much too late did I take ownership of my education to maximize what could have been had from it. It was about a year away from finishing my 8yr stint that I realized I was coming up short, way short.
A lot of students use their education to find out what they want to do, and do a lot of feeling around before coming to a focus on a particular path, usually after they've graduated and asked themselves 'Now what?'. That's fine, and that needs to happen organically. But that wasn't my case, I knew exactly what I wanted. However despite that advantage, I still relied on hoop-jumping to somehow get me there. I took my time and enjoyed myself, but eventually got to the point where I was really pessimistic and felt short-changed by 'the system,' as if it were someone else's fault that I wasn't getting what I wanted out of my education.
The program I was part of put high emphasis on style and expression without laying the groundwork of traditional representational skills. I honed my bullsh!t skills and got A's because that was what the professors wanted, rather than an image that stood by itself without the need of an 'artist statement.' I was disillusioned with the process and frustrated knowing that art-speak wouldn't get me what my portfolio couldn't.
One day I was pondering a quote from Bush II, among other -isms: "C's get degrees." I realized I wasn't running for President, and I would still get my 20K piece of paper even if I forced my own agenda onto the loose parameters of each assignment. I had to engage myself the way I knew I needed to be and force-fed myself industry level expectations far above those of my professors, at the sacrifice of a lousy "A." I didn't have any scholarships to worry about, and "Dean's List Achievement" still hasn't opened doors that my portfolio can't, so what did I have to loose?
Freed from the expectation to please my professors, and invested in the necessity to please myself. I poured into assignments, transforming them into something I enjoyed and was proud of. Not that I just did my own thing regardless of the assignment, I made sure to cover my bases and learned all that was being offered, before foraying deep into what-I-want-to-do-instead land. I abandoned the typical artist-statement of excuses based in medium, technique, style, or esoteric concept, and boiled it down to something like "I wanted to paint a Sasquatch punching a unicorn in the face. Would you believe that I painted this from life?"
To my surprise I didn't get C's. I got A's and a lot praise. And a lot of highly valuable criticism.
I think my professors appreciated the fresh infusion of ownership, I'm sure they get tired of teaching and seeing the same old thing over and over again. I'm not saying that I was good or stand-out, but I learned A LOT. Way more than I had in the previous 7 yrs of hoop-jumping. People started to nit-pick what was on the canvas as I tried to put my ideals there instead of into fluffy rhetoric. I began to learn what I wanted to learn by asking people nail me on what I sucked at. It became a rewarding trial by fire that cleared my head of the clouds put there too many artsy fart-club sessions.
In retrospect I may come across as the disgruntled art student and critical of the real world value of getting an academic education, which I am. But, I wouldn't change my experience. It took me years to come to the conclusions that I did, and while ownership was really the only skill I took away from my program, it was entirely worth it.
I graduated in 2008 and was the typical naive student of the current education bubble. I optimistically hoped my university degree would magically grant me the skills to be competitive in my dream industry. While I maintain that non of my professors had the chops to exemplify what they were teaching, and am eagerly awaiting the inevitable crash and burn of the current impostor of art-education, I recognize that only much too late did I take ownership of my education to maximize what could have been had from it. It was about a year away from finishing my 8yr stint that I realized I was coming up short, way short.
A lot of students use their education to find out what they want to do, and do a lot of feeling around before coming to a focus on a particular path, usually after they've graduated and asked themselves 'Now what?'. That's fine, and that needs to happen organically. But that wasn't my case, I knew exactly what I wanted. However despite that advantage, I still relied on hoop-jumping to somehow get me there. I took my time and enjoyed myself, but eventually got to the point where I was really pessimistic and felt short-changed by 'the system,' as if it were someone else's fault that I wasn't getting what I wanted out of my education.
The program I was part of put high emphasis on style and expression without laying the groundwork of traditional representational skills. I honed my bullsh!t skills and got A's because that was what the professors wanted, rather than an image that stood by itself without the need of an 'artist statement.' I was disillusioned with the process and frustrated knowing that art-speak wouldn't get me what my portfolio couldn't.
One day I was pondering a quote from Bush II, among other -isms: "C's get degrees." I realized I wasn't running for President, and I would still get my 20K piece of paper even if I forced my own agenda onto the loose parameters of each assignment. I had to engage myself the way I knew I needed to be and force-fed myself industry level expectations far above those of my professors, at the sacrifice of a lousy "A." I didn't have any scholarships to worry about, and "Dean's List Achievement" still hasn't opened doors that my portfolio can't, so what did I have to loose?
Freed from the expectation to please my professors, and invested in the necessity to please myself. I poured into assignments, transforming them into something I enjoyed and was proud of. Not that I just did my own thing regardless of the assignment, I made sure to cover my bases and learned all that was being offered, before foraying deep into what-I-want-to-do-instead land. I abandoned the typical artist-statement of excuses based in medium, technique, style, or esoteric concept, and boiled it down to something like "I wanted to paint a Sasquatch punching a unicorn in the face. Would you believe that I painted this from life?"
To my surprise I didn't get C's. I got A's and a lot praise. And a lot of highly valuable criticism.
I think my professors appreciated the fresh infusion of ownership, I'm sure they get tired of teaching and seeing the same old thing over and over again. I'm not saying that I was good or stand-out, but I learned A LOT. Way more than I had in the previous 7 yrs of hoop-jumping. People started to nit-pick what was on the canvas as I tried to put my ideals there instead of into fluffy rhetoric. I began to learn what I wanted to learn by asking people nail me on what I sucked at. It became a rewarding trial by fire that cleared my head of the clouds put there too many artsy fart-club sessions.
In retrospect I may come across as the disgruntled art student and critical of the real world value of getting an academic education, which I am. But, I wouldn't change my experience. It took me years to come to the conclusions that I did, and while ownership was really the only skill I took away from my program, it was entirely worth it.
2.27.2012
10,000+ !
I just crossed the 10K views mark! Sure, a sizable chunk of that are spiders and bots, but that is so freakin' awesome. I never thought anybody out there would see this stuff except in passing.
A big thanks to those of you that stop by often, I try not to fail you. Thankyou to my 38 followers! I hope you'll continue to enjoy my evolution.
A big thanks to those of you that stop by often, I try not to fail you. Thankyou to my 38 followers! I hope you'll continue to enjoy my evolution.
3.04.2011
2.11.2011
7.14.2010
posted!
A project I worked on a while back has finally been released!
It was a medical animation for Idaho Technology Inc. and a new product they're releasing.
Wait for it, the CG starts at around 1:30. Enzyme on DNA action!
Also check this out: "Video games are frequently demonized. We now know that these fears are unfounded."
It was a medical animation for Idaho Technology Inc. and a new product they're releasing.
Wait for it, the CG starts at around 1:30. Enzyme on DNA action!
Also check this out: "Video games are frequently demonized. We now know that these fears are unfounded."
6.10.2010
water water everywhere...
sorry for the drought of images this last week. i've been sandbagging, bailing, and pumping water out from around the neighborhood trying to keep my house from going underwater. late snows, then straight into summer heat, bad combination when you live next to a creek (er a, 'crick'). but hey, it's Utah!
in the meantime though check this out: Jake Parker aka Agent44 has a great little strip posted that brightened my day.
in the meantime though check this out: Jake Parker aka Agent44 has a great little strip posted that brightened my day.
4.27.2010
livin the life
Trent Call just posted a cool video of his recent project on the CaptainCaptain site, check it out.
It's a pretty interesting snippet of studio life, and the audio lapse effect is really neat-o.
*and while you're at it check out Sri's video, nifty!
It's a pretty interesting snippet of studio life, and the audio lapse effect is really neat-o.
*and while you're at it check out Sri's video, nifty!
10.05.2009
8.27.2009
ghost highway
the latest.
this one actually took about 3 sessions (1.5 hr ea). some days you just don't feel it y'know.
threw in a little John Erickson on the lights. actually my favorite moments in this one are the mountains and the horizon behind them.
this one actually took about 3 sessions (1.5 hr ea). some days you just don't feel it y'know.
threw in a little John Erickson on the lights. actually my favorite moments in this one are the mountains and the horizon behind them.
8.22.2009
fig
a few random drawings over the last few weeks.
you know how just when you're feeling like you're making a few gains, everything suddenly seems to worse and more disparaging than before, yeah...
you know how just when you're feeling like you're making a few gains, everything suddenly seems to worse and more disparaging than before, yeah...
8.21.2009
graf
went and saw some cool paint down in Benjamin. the train was like a mile long, but we only saw about half of it. great variety of styles.
some details:
burn em down:
great juxtaposition:
some details:
burn em down:
great juxtaposition:
8.12.2009
draw night
pizza!
just a little doodle from draw-night recently.
it's a new species of T-Rex with stilts for legs.
just a little doodle from draw-night recently.
it's a new species of T-Rex with stilts for legs.
8.03.2009
industrial complex
came a cross some killer artwork by Brooks Shane Salzwedel. check it out.
and another plein air.
this one was pretty cool. Berk and i hung out under an overpass right next to the railroad tracks.
this is a little glimpse of my process. i don't quite have the hang of the paint and palette knife just yet, so i correct my mistakes digitally. it also gives me the versatility to try out a lot of stuff and have some fun with it. it's also a challenge to use the right brush so that the digital stuff won't draw a lot of attention to itself.
and another plein air.
this one was pretty cool. Berk and i hung out under an overpass right next to the railroad tracks.
this is a little glimpse of my process. i don't quite have the hang of the paint and palette knife just yet, so i correct my mistakes digitally. it also gives me the versatility to try out a lot of stuff and have some fun with it. it's also a challenge to use the right brush so that the digital stuff won't draw a lot of attention to itself.
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