5.2.14

I can't believe it's already May! It's been a really hectic week with a lot of ups and downs.  Sunday through the beginning of Tuesday I was sick in bed with a very bad fever and couldn't get out of bed or eat for about 48 hours, which was horrible.  I couldn't even bring myself to sketch because I was so lightheaded.  But being sick and getting better again always really makes me appreciate being healthy, because there's nothing more defeating than feeling like you can't move your own body.

I got better by Wednesday which was good because I had a few portfolio reviews that I was really excited about!  I talked to four different people including publishers, designers, and other artists who looked over my work.  All of them had very good and encouraging comments for me, as well as a few constructive criticisms that push me to work harder.  The feedback I got was interesting.  One woman told me to go more gruesome with my work, which I've been wanting to do for a while, it's just a matter of finding someone who's looking to hire an illustrator with horror illustrations.  She was really captivated by a lot of my 'darker' works, which I don't even really consider to be 'dark,' so it's going to be fun to really let loose this summer and paint up a storm of scary pictures.  Another woman asked if I would ever consider doing graphic novels.  Graphic novels have always been a childhood dream of mine, so it was interesting to hear someone bring up something that I used to want to strive for when I was younger.  Another woman told me to just write and draw everyday.  I think that was the most important comment.  Ever.  Write write write and just draw.  It's so important to get words and thoughts down and then be able to draw from them.  Talking with her was really inspiring for me.

...and so I've been writing!  I'm making a coptic bound book based off of the healing properties of gems and minerals.  It's a project I've been wanting to do for a while, so hopefully this will be a good jumping off point to really get into some narrative work and character development.  I'm going to be working on the characters that I made for each of these stone properties today, which is exciting.  It's in the very early stages of development, but everything has to start somewhere!

Off to the studio...!