I can get pretty pessimistic sometimes about my art and where it had taken my career wise to this point in my life. \u00a0To those closest to me, I know it comes as no shock. \u00a0But I also know that they all feel the same way… and often. \u00a0We want to be more successful, or “popular” (which in the art world, success usually correlates to this). \u00a0We want to see things change and we wonder if they ever will! \u00a0If we ever will make enough money to support our family with our work, or even just ourselves! \u00a0I sometimes look out across the expanse of job opportunities in this art world and wonder if I should quit comics altogether and pursue animation… \u00a0Surely that’s where the money and living is to be made, right? Right?<\/p>\n
Truth is I don’t know. \u00a0I don’t know where the living is to be made in art, nor do I think it’s that simple. \u00a0I always have these very odd interactions with co-workers where they will come up to me and ask how my books are going. \u00a0I tell them about how I’m seeking out a publisher and that I don’t know if that will work out (it didn’t). \u00a0But they’d always say to me, “so when you get that book deal you’re out of here, right?” \u00a0To which I have to explain the industry to them and let them know that’s not very likely. \u00a0I always leave the conversation with just a statement that, I will treat it like any other work decision: \u00a0I will do what makes the most sense for my family.<\/p>\n
But why keep going then? \u00a0And to be frank I don’t really want to write a post about never giving up, and believing in your dreams. \u00a0We all know those things. \u00a0We hear them like a mantra and they are very true things to be sure. \u00a0But that doesn’t always lift your spirit when you’re wishing things were going in a different direction. \u00a0Instead I want to talk about seeing past your situation and what you can take with you to feel more optimistic about things.<\/p>\n
First I think we need to stop thinking so much about the future. \u00a0I’m not saying don’t think about your goals. \u00a0I’m saying, have a goal and go after that goal with all of your intensity. \u00a0Really pursue it. \u00a0Not halfheartedly. \u00a0My goal is to make graphic novels that are read and enjoyed by a mass of people. \u00a0Well the first step I have is to focus on making books worthy of that! \u00a0So I have to make books and be intense about them! \u00a0I can’t predict what opportunities will come my way. \u00a0In fact when I think about it and the likelihood of it panning out the way I have hoped since I was a kid, I get pessimistic. \u00a0But that does me no good. \u00a0None whatsoever. \u00a0All that helps is to pick myself up and go after this book with everything I had. \u00a0As a general rule, you earn the opportunities you are given. \u00a0So go earn them! \u00a0When you focus on what you CAN do, the future, which is always more scary, \u00a0can just take care of itself.<\/p>\n
Second, realize you’re already doing the thing your aspiring towards. \u00a0I give credit to my friend Josh Ulrich on this one. \u00a0We were having a discussion about art and careers. \u00a0I said something to the effect of, “man I’m most interested in just making these comics!” \u00a0He then reminded me that I’m already doing that! \u00a0No one is taking it away from me. \u00a0I didn’t need to have it be a full time job to make it a reality. \u00a0It is a reality because I went and made it. \u00a0How empowering is that?! \u00a0There’s not a lot of room for moaning about things, when I’m already doing the very thing I’m aspiring towards. \u00a0It just needs to be owned, and really embraced by me to have the pessimism go away. \u00a0I’m doing the thing I would always do even if no one was paying me to do it… \u00a0And consequently no one isl, lol. \u00a0BUT maybe that changes! \u00a0Who knows? \u00a0 What I do know is, there’s reason to be excited, because there’s work to be done that I can do. \u00a0And if I can do it with all my might and get better… the future is anyone’s guess. \u00a0But that can take care of itself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I can get pretty pessimistic sometimes about my art and where it had taken my career wise to this point in my life. \u00a0To those closest to me, I know it comes as no shock. \u00a0But I also know that they all feel the same way… and often. \u00a0We want to be more successful, or 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