I’m Still Alive :-)

Just wanted to touch base with all of my followers and let you know that I am still alive and kicking! I’m in the process of moving out of my father’s house and into a cute little attic apartment with slanted ceilings, bright colors,  and lots of windows to provide me with tons of natural light to create in. I’m super excited and I can’t wait to share pictures of it! So I’ll be back soon with a big update on my life, creatively and otherwise. Thanks for checking on me!

And Now for Something Completely Unrelated…My Journey Back to Natural

So, I’ve wanted to expand the subject matter of this blog to cover various aspects of my life because…well, life is what inspires my art. My life, the lives of others. I’m on so many incredible journeys right now, and I want to share them because you’ll see the influences in my artwork. So with that said, I have a confession to make.

I’m not natural.

And NO, it’s not what you’re thinking, haha.

I’m currently transitioning from relaxed hair to natural hair. I started the journey for the second time around my birthday last year in October, and so far, I’ve enjoying the process. Well, sorta.

Let me give a brief explanation of what going “natural” means. Simply put, I’m no longer using relaxers to make my naturally thick and curly hair bone straight. The motivation for it was out of the desire of convenience. I was working out at the gym three times a week, getting all sweaty, and in turn my hair would start to get all wavy and kinky. I’d then have to wash it again, take yet another hour to blow it out straight, and then style it. And let me tell you, this was TORTURE to someone who hated holding a blow dryer to her scalp once a week, let alone three or more. I figured if I went natural, I could just do the wash and go thing.  But eventually, embracing my natural started to become less about maintenance, and more about embracing myself and what God gave me. My hair was always long and thick, from the time I was a child:

NOTE: please excuse the quality of the pic, it’s a picture of a picture. Also please excuse my dorky pigtails . Anyway, when I was around ten, I begged my mother to let me get a relaxer. It was around the age most of my African American girl friends were getting them, if not had already had them for years. I loved how bouncy and shiny and long and straight their hair was, and I wanted the same. My mom refused for a long time before she finally gave in, and I got my first relaxer. And let me tell you, the experience was AWFUL. I still wince at the memory of the searing pain on my scalp as the stylist spread the cream onto my head. But after about two hours of the smell of chemicals, shampoos, hooded dryers and hot combs, I walked out of the salon with long bouncy shiny hair. And that’s how I wore it for most of my life.

 My hair’s been through so many different stages. It’s been dyed and fried, cut above my shoulders and hanging down my back. I’ve had bangs and braids and flat twists, trying to find a style that suited me, but I could never find exactly what I wanted. Nothing ever seened to say “me.” Plus over the years, my hair started to get more and more unhealthy. There was a point where chunks of it was coming out, and I lost massive amounts of it by simply combing it. And let’s not even talk about the sheer torture of just getting the relaxer every three months. I hated that smell, that burn, the whole process, and asked myself WHY I was doing this. Oh  yeah, that pesky New Grow! Can’t let what’s naturally growing out of my scalp show, right? So. Over. It.

So, I’m currently in the “transitioning” stage, which basically means I’ve stopped relaxing my hair, and the relaxed part of my hair is growing out. Contrary to popular belief, you CANNOT wash out a relaxer. The chemicals permanently break the hair shaft that makes it curly or kinky, and it stays that way. The only way to go truly natural is to cut it all off. Now, though I admire the women that can confidently sport a TWA(Teeny Weeny Afro), I am just not one of them. The idea of only having 3 inches of hair on my head freaks me out. So I’ve found ways to work the two textures into one, so it looks like they are similar. One of my favorites is using soft rollers in my hair, wrapping my damp and deep conditioned hair in them, covering them with satin cap, and unraveling them in the morning:

But recently, I’ve discovered that my hair absolutely loves extra virgin olive oil, and just a few spritzes of my homemade setting concoction of water, my usual conditioner, and some EVOO in a spray bottle will make my hair curl and wave onto itself and be all pretty and shiny and curly:

It’s a mystery to me as to why this happens, seeing how I have yet to cut the relaxed ends off of my hair, and won’t be for awhile. My plan is to just clip off inches as it grows, until it’s at a length I’m comfy with, or all the relaxed ends are gone, whichever comes first. There are a few straight parts here in there in my hair, but for the most part my hair curls just fine on its own with just a few scrunches while its damp. I consider myself lucky for that, because then I don’t have to mess with too many DIY transitioning styles like straw sets and roller sets and all that. I suck at that type of stuff. Simple and easy is the way I like to do things.  Maybe it’s my hair’s way of telling me that I should’ve taken this path to begin with.

There have been a lot of ups and downs with this natural journey. I get a lot of compliments on my curly hair. I mean A LOT.  Even from random strangers. I remember when I used to work at a paint-your-own-pottery studio, I was leaning over filling up paint for a little girl, when she shyly said to me, “I like your hair, it’s really pretty.” Heart melting. People tell me it suits my face and makes me look younger and brighter, and one of my coworkers would call me “pretty island girl.” And people seem to be the most amazed when they actually touch my hair, raving about how unbelievably soft it is. It makes me proud and confident that I made the right decision by doing this. Going natural has also encouraged me to be more conscious about what goes into my body and how I take care of it. I’ve started eating more organic foods, using natural products, becoming more athletic, drinking more water, and generally taking better care of myself. And going natural has inspired me artistically. The first painting of the “Black Beauty” series that I’m working on, “Hair” was inspired by the beautiful versatility of African American hair:

  But it’s also been a challenging journey. This is actually the second time I’ve attempted going natural; the first time I ended up relaxing it because I just didn’t know how to deal with it. When you’re so used to styling and dealing with a certain way, it’s hard to completely switch it up. I think that’s what scares most Black women about going natural. But I’m determined to stick to this, and be completely natural by the time I’m 30. And seeing how I’m going to be 29 on my next birthday, it was high time to get started.

So that’s the what-what on my personal natural hair journey. This is by no means going to turn into that type of blog. There are plenty of others out there that focus more on product reviews, styling tips, the stigma of kinky-curly hair in both White and Black society. and the like. I’m not interested in going down that road, at least not all of the time. I just wanted to share yet another path that I’m on that inspires me and enlightens me creatively and otherwise. So as always, thanks for coming along for the ride.

Back on the Grind, with a Few Pics from Cali, The Big Move, and Upcoming Projects

I’m baaaaack! So much has happened since my last blog, and one of the biggest things was my trip to Southern California. My and my best friend Christina decided to go for spring break, and we had an incredible time and went to a lot of fun places. One of which was Huntington Beach, which is where we are in this picture. We reconnected with some friends, saw some new places, and pretty much just relaxed. It was a great experience and I would love to go back sometime in the near future and spend more time there.  Of course I got a little sketching in while Christina wasn’t looking…or conscious:

Ha ha, this one may be turned into a real illustration.

Okay, so onto the big move. After living in Richmond, Virginia for the past four years, I made the final transition back to my homebase of Westchester County, New York last week. And can I tell you, it feels SO good to be home. I feel very fortunate to have grown up where I did…if I travel 30 minutes south, I get to frolick about in one of the greatest cities in the world, New York City. A city bursting with excitement, creativity, and pure, raw hustle. I absolutely love it there. Then at the same token, I can travel 30 minutes north and indulge in a more country life. There are tons of wineries, farms, rolling hills and purple mountains majesty to make my outdoorsy side sigh with happiness. But most of all, I enjoy being able to come back to the suburbs and call it home, because I’m totally a suburban girl. The white picket fences, children playing kickball in the park, joggers on the sidewalk, the little local shops where everyone knows you personally…that’s home to me. So yeah, I’m very happy to be home, not only for my personal comfort level, but because being here grants me so many more artistic opportunities. That moves me to my upcoming projects.

I spent my last few weeks in VA packing up stuff and preparing for the move, and the first place I packed up was my studio. Mainly because it was the smallest room and the easiest to organize in boxes. But the downside to that was that whenever I felt the need to create, I was limited to just sketching, because all of my pencils/markers/paints/whatever was packed already. But the good thing was I got to brainstorm some ideas that I want to accomplish this summer. And now that I’m home, I can put a few of them into motion:

• A solo show.  I’ve been involved in juried shows and whatnot, but never one completely by myself. So I’m working on several themed pieces to showcase and sell. I don’t want to disclose the theme just yet, but it’s going to be a lot of intense, yet rewarding work. I’m projecting it to be a year-long process, and in the meantime, I’m shopping around at different venues to have it at. So I’m looking forward to it.
• A webcomic. My work is clearly influenced by comic art, and one day I decided to take my influences to the next level. About 15 years ago I created,copyrighted(hear that biters? COPYRIGHTED!!!! I got papers, dammit!), and wrote scripts for a comic book/graphic novel series called “The Cosmic Fighters.”

These characters have developed so much over the years, and honestly they still are. I don’t think they will ever be “perfected.” But that’s fine, because that gives them longevity and room to progress. So what started out as a hand made, hand colored, and hand written comic book is now being turned into a webcomic. My uncle, who is also a screenwriter and my manager, is rewriting my original scripts into the proper format, and I’m currently sketching out panel ideas. Comic art is my first love, and I’m looking forward to exposing my babies to the world. This project is one of my top priorities, so stay tuned for their debut.

• An art book. This is one of those long term projects that will develop with more exposure and marketing, but I would love to publish a book of my illustrations. Would you buy it?
• Collabos/Joint Projects. Now that I’m back in NY and in a much larger art community, I’m looking to get involved with other artists in the area. There’s always tons of events and speaking engagements going on in the city and all of the little artsy towns upstate, so I’m looking forward to checking them out and meeting more people on the same path that I’m on.
• Fully developing Purple Mist Studios. I’ve been tossing  around the idea for some time about placing all of my creative businesses and endeavors under one umbrella corporation. I’ve got my fingers in so many pots and have so many ideas, and there are a couple that don’t really fall under any particular category. So developing my own studio is just a way to get myself even more organized.

So that’s it for now. It feels so good to be back home. It’s going to be a bit hectic for the next few weeks…I started a new day job(just call me the “Dual Career Queen”),  I’m pounding the pavement looking for an apartment big enough to make at least a corner of it a comfortable home studio(one thing I’ve always been grateful for is that I’ve never needed a TON of room to create…though it is nice), and taking advantage of the next two rent free months(I’m living with my Dad at the moment) or less *crosses fingers* to save my money and invest into my business. So once again, thanks for hanging in there with me on my journey, your love and support is forever and always appreciated!

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of…Genres?

An important part of illustration marketing is knowing which genre or genres you are going to market yourself to. It can be a genre you specialize in, one you admire, or one that your style is tailored to. This is something I’ve always struggled with in the past because I wasn’t sure what direction I wanted to go it. My Creative Diva wanted to freely throw herself at whatever felt good at the time. The Business Diva wants to run toward whatever genre was going to make the most money. Over the past year I’ve settled myself into where I wanted to show off my work, so of course I have to share my train of thought here *smile*

My initial thought was pursuing the children’s market. I admire the bright colorful feel of children’s book illustrations, and it’s something that has always influenced my own work. And goodness knows I have tried to condition myself to draw and paint in a kid-friendly way. But everytime I’ve tried, my illustrations and paintings always…well, they always end up like this…

“Adornia” started out as a demure little mermaid-like creature, but then she ended up like this. I think it’s pretty obvious why this would never be appropriate for a children’s book or magazine.  Sometimes I can pull off a decent children’s piece, but most of the time my work leans more closely to the adult genre. I blame my love for comic books and graphic novels and manga. Those always have a slight sexual undertone to them.  I also enjoy creating full fledged adult themed/erotica art, where the presence of sex is artistic yet obvious. For these reasons, I realized that the children’s market would not work for me.  At first I felt kind of silly for giving up on the pursuit of that market. It’s incredibly lucrative and extremely popular, and the amount of money that could be potentially made in that market alone made my Business Diva tingle with glee. But my Creative Diva gently reminded Miss Business that there’s only so much she can adhere and bend to certain standards. And there are a lot when it comes to making art for children. So while it’s something I will happily dabble in, it’s not something I can pursue because there are just some rule Miss Creative will not follow. It isn’t an intentional thing, it’s just the way she is!

So leaving that genre alone leaves me with several others to play with, and that Miss Creative Diva quite enjoys indulging in. I adore all things fairy, dragon, mythical creatures and fantasy worlds, so Fantasy/Sci-Fi Art seemed to be an obvious path to take. There’s also of course Adult/Erotica art. I’m not sure how the illustration of sexual situations and fantasy speaks of me as a person, and I wish I could say it’s something that concerns me. But it doesn’t. The human body is a beautiful thing, and physical intimacy is a beautiful act. As crazy (or dare I say perverse )it sounds, it is something that inspires me. Then I can tone it way down with Young Adult Art, the kind of art made to appeal to teenagers and young adults. In that market you still have to play it safe, but it isn’t as restricted as Children’s Art. I’ve been a voracious reader all of my life, and the few Young Adult novels I’ve read that had an illustration here and there made me squee with delight. Finally, there’s Afrocentric Art.  I generally don’t like to “pigeonhole” myself as an African American artist(I’ll write a more detailed entry about that at another time). I don’t knock the ones that do, but I feel that my work is and can be so diversified that it’s wrong of me to put myself solely in that category. However, it would be a great injustice to my “my people” if I didn’t express my illustrative opinions of Black beauty, Black social and economic issues, Black love, and Black life in general.

And what does the Business Diva think of this? Well, at first she was none too pleased, but then she realized that not pursuing the biggest and most popular(and most competitive really) market didn’t mean career suicide. When I really sat down and thought about it, my opportunities didn’t shrink that much. There’s tons of magazines, books, comics, graphic novels, ad agencies, etc  that I have intensely researched and discovered that my style would work for. At the end of the day, it boils down to the basics of hardcore marketing, networking, and making sure your art is seen by as many people as possible. That holds true for whatever genre your work falls into. With that persistence comes work, and with that work comes a paycheck, and with that paycheck comes a happy Business Diva, because she is sewing her seeds for a successful career.

So that’s what I’ve been rolling with as of late. I’ll probably be a bit sparce until the month of April, seeing how I have several things going on at the moment, such as a trip to California, a visit to the Met to see the new exhibits, catching the Tim Burton show at the MOMA before it closes,  and of course, making my final transition from Virginia to New York by mid April. It will be great to be back home and be back in an “empire state of mind,” like the song.  Until then, good night all!

On the Subject of Spec Work, or “Artists Gotta Eat, Too!”

So as you know,  I’ve been on a hardcore marketing and self-promotion grind as of late. I’ve been putting myself everywhere, trying to formulate a presence in the illustration world, and of course, land some clients. The results of my determination have brought me a bit of notoriety, which is fantastic. But unfortunately, a few negatives come with that notoriety. And the BIGGEST negative is the increase in requests for spec work.

Let me start with a short story. A few years ago, I agreed to collaborate with an aspiring writer who claimed he was shopping a children’s book around to different publishers. He had come across my site via Myspace, said he loved my work and was interested in working with me. Me, being the super-eager person that I am, agreed immediately, seeing big things with the projects. My illustrations in a children’s book? Fantastic! He emailed me some snippets of the story, and asked me to come up with some sample illustrations. “So I could see what type of concepts you could come up with and what your style is like,” he said. And I agreed to do just that. I settled down at my desk and got to work immediately. Within a week’s time I had created six colorful, hand-drawn and hand colored illustrations. I was so proud of my work and was convinced that the writer and I would land some great publishers. I emailed my work to him, and he was really impressed. He said he would finalize the story and get back to me with more parts to the story and to discuss compensation. I agreed, sat back and waited. A week goes by with no word. I emailed the writer and received no answer back. I shrugged and figured he was busy writing more. Another week goes by, and still no word. I send another email, and no response. Finally I picked up the phone and called him at the same number I had been corresponding with him for the past two months…and it was disconnected. I never heard from him again.

That experience was painful, but it was definitely a good lesson. Fast forward to now, I get approached by a company about a print project for a magazine article. I make a bid on it, and point the company to my website to see my work. I get a response back saying that they really like my work and are interested in taking my bid. But first, however, they wanted me to do a detailed mockup of their project, just to get a feel for my style and how I would approach it. I’ll admit it, for a fleeting second, I considered it. I’m so new to this game, and so hungry for success, that I actually considered giving away my skill, my time, and my time to someone who wasn’t sure if they even wanted to hire me. I instantly caught memory of that incident just a few years ago, took a step back, and reiterated that I didn’t do spec work and my style was evident in my portfolio. I would be more than happy to provide a few rough(and copyrighted) sketches, but that’s as far as I would go. And if that was the case, I would be increasing my bid to accommodate the extra work. Needless to say, I haven’t heard from this company since.

The prospect of speculative work, or “spec work” as it’s called, is a sensitive subject in the freelance world. Simply defined, it is any job for which the client expects to see examples or a finished product before agreeing to pay a fee. It is something is that is frowned upon in the industry. As a matter of fact, the American Institute of Graphic Artists and the Graphic Artists Guild consider it unethical and should be avoided at all costs. This is completely understandable among well-established artists who are at the point to where they can pick and choose their work without consequence. But what about the so-called “starving artists” out there? The ones who are getting their feet wet in the industry, and trying to stake their claim in the world of freelance illustration?

Here’s my take on it: I see being asked to do spec work as a way of downplaying both my work ethic and my abilities. My talent should be evident in my portfolio. That’s the whole point of a portfolio after all…to showcase what you are capable of.  I also see it as an incredible waste of my time and my money. You wouldn’t ask a plumber to unclog your drain just to see if he could do it, or an electrician to rewire something to see if he was able to. They are providing a service, and they should be compensated for it, and that’s what I expect for the service that I provide.  That’s what all artists should expect.  On top of that, I feel that as a new working artist, you are building the wrong type of reputation.  The art community is a small one. If you start building a rep as “that illustrator that does free work,” clients catch wind of that, and start hitting you up all the time for it. So whenever the subject comes up, I either politely remind them that I do not do spec work, or that if a mock-up is an absolute necessity, it will be coming at a much higher, copyrighted, and non-refundable cost.  Usually that’s enough for them to retract their “offer.” There are cases where artists do pro-bono work or donate work to charities and non profits. I think that is an admirable thing, but something that should be at the artist’s discretion, not at the client’s insistence. To be asked to provide a service for nothing in return…well, it’s insulting, plain and simple.

Why does this happen so often? I think there are several reasons.  The biggest one is that there is the unshakable stigma that freelancing is not “real work.” Just because freelancers often work from home, make their own schedules, and are doing something that they enjoy doing(you have to, because you definitely don’t freelance for the money), doing it is something that comes easy. Sadly, I see so many freelancers…all artists on all levels really…deal with this more often than not.  But like any other job, we work incredibly hard. In fact, I think we work twice as hard because we are handling all of what a different department would handle at a “regular 9 to 5″ type of job. You know all of those things that your boss handles? The Payroll Department? Human Resources? Administrative Services? Customer Service? Freelancers do all of that on their own. So the fact a lot of people don’t think that we’re really working…well, it’s almost laughable. Another reason is that a lot of potential clients just don’t know any better. It kind of goes back to the whole “it should come easy to you” deal.  But again, this is our business, and a service we are providing. For every hour that is spent on an unpaid spec, it is an hour taken away from a project that we are actually being paid for.  There are also those out there with more devious motives. Those that would snatch your concept and your style and run as fast as they could in the opposite direction with it, money in hand. And without a contract or  a prepaid fee, there would be nothing you could do about it.

So, from one aspiring artist to all the others that are out there reading this: patience truly is a virtue in this business. Sometimes it feels like all of the effort to make your presence known isn’t going anywhere, but it is and it will.  We are ready and willing to jump at any possible opportunity, but sometimes we have to take a step back and really think about whether it is a good opportunity. Someone taking advantage of your “newness” to the industry is a horrible feeling, and one of many things that can break your confidence. More than anything, follow your gut. If someone is asking you to do something for nothing, then it’s not for you. There will be many more chances where that came from, and it will be one that will give you what you deserve.  Patience, persistence, and determination mean everything in this business.

With that, I end this entry, with a dedication to two of my friends, by whom I was inspired to write this blog. I dedicate it to my friend the music producer and DJ(www.tekwun.com). Even with nearly twenty years of experience, countless albums, and tons of performances under his belt, he is STILL asked to DJ parties and clubs for free, or (which is even more insulting, in my opinion)for a plate of food.  Seriously, have you ever carried a crate of records or one of those huge amps? I dedicate it to my friend and sorority sister(www.lindaherrera.com) a graphic designer who puts in double overtime as a freelancer. She’s been asked to just “whip up” a project really quick at no cost. I can tell you right now, graphic work equals long hours…and I mean LONG HOURS hunched in front of a computer, dealing with CCS coding, HTML, color and goodness knows what else, staring at a screen until your eyes are ready to fall out. Rewarding work? Yes. Easy? Absolutely not. This one is for you guys, and for all artists out there dealing with the stigma. Keep fighting it!

Business Talk: Streamlining My Schedule

I think I can speak for most working artists when I say that the “business” side of freelancing is…well, we don’t like it. I love being creative in all aspects…painting, drawing, crafting, etc….but at the end of the day, freelancing is a business. Your business. You are a business owner, and when you are a business owner, you take on many, if not all hats. That’s something I never even considered when I first decided to pursue freelancing. I just thought people would just ask me to draw stuff for them, I would do it, and they would pay me for it(well, I wasn’t that naive, but you get the idea!). I’ve very quickly learned, however, that there is so much more to it than just that. So in an effort to become more organized and getting better at simultaneously stirring several pots at once, I’ve made out a specific schedule for myself. Again, this is something that works for me personally and may not work for everyone. But the purpose of this blog is to share my creative journey, which can help others. So here we go!

Daily:

• Sketch, sketch, sketch.  Not only is this a way to get all of my ideas out, but it’s “exercise,” so to speak. You know how when you go to the gym on a regular basis and work out, then stop going for awhile, and then when you go back, running on that treadmill takes more effort than you remember? Sketching is the gym for your creativity. It’s something that should be constantly worked out and kept limber and strong. (Note to self: get back into the gym on the regular ).  Sketching also doesn’t have to be picture perfect, which is something I’m conditioning myself into remembering. Sketching is a chance to be free with your ideas, not scrutinize every little line. That’s why lately I’ve been sketching in pen. That way, I can’t go back and correct every little “mistake” I make.
• Check/update all social networking websites. Like I said in my previous post, the world is ruled by the internet, and it would be stupid for an artist not to utilize all of the tools it offers. One of the biggest marketing tools out there are social networking sites, like Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, etc. It’s a great way to put yourself out there and connect with other artists. And at this point, I think I’m on all of them. So I’ve gotten into the habit of checking, updating, and basically being a constant presence on all of them.
• Searching For Work. This mostly entails bid work.  I belong on several portfolio websites where companies post jobs and projects. So I spend a significant amount of time bidding on stuff that suit my skills. I’ve learned that this part of the job definitely tests your ability to handle rejection. For every ten projects you bid on, you hear back from maybe four, and possibly land one or two jobs, if you’re lucky. So what’s the key? Bid on as many as you possibly can. The more you bid on, the higher the chances of landing a job. I also check for jobs on places like craigslist. Persistence and patience is key.
• Check Email/Inboxes/Messages. This is simple and pretty self explanatory, but important. If you put yourself out there with all of your info, people are going to hit you back, and you need to get back to them promptly. Checking email isn’t a problem because I have a Blackberry(a TREMENDOUS business tool, if you can afford it, get one), but I’ve been prone to forgetting about the inboxes on all of the other sites I’m on. So I’m making it a point to check ALL of the boxes.
• Check my store. As you know, I have an Etsy store. It’s really new and I’m still learning the ins and outs of it, but I’m working on bringing in a substantial income from it. My store policy is to ship next business day from the day of purchase, so I have to keep on top of the purchases, as well as making sure new inventory is constantly rotating through it. Great customer service is key to loyal customers.

Weekly:

• Marketing/Advertising Work: The basic dance of getting freelance work? Create something, show it to the world, repeat. It’s that simple. No one is going to know who you are if you don’t put yourself out there. So I make sure I market myself and my work on a weekly basis. Being a constant presence on all of the social networking sites is a form of marketing, but there are other things too: updating all of my porfolio sites, advertising on craigslist,  etc.  Again, this is one of the parts of the jobs where you have to have thick skin. Not every effort is going to mean a job, and not getting an immediate response to all of your marketing doesn’t mean you suck. It takes constant effort, and that constant effort does pay off.
• Update mailing list with new contacts. A traditional mailing list seems out of date, but it’s something that is still utilized. So every day I research publishing companies, advertising agencies, magazine companies, etc. to add to my mailing list to send out at the end of each month.
• Plan out specific projects for the week. Growing up, I created when the feeling hit me(which was most of the time, haha!).  And whatever was in my head, I put it on a blank surface. Sometimes many ideas would hit me at once and I’d have several projects going on, and one or more would always go dormant because I’d either forget my original intent, or forget about it all together. In the freelance business, you have to stay fresh and keep pumping out new work. So I thought it was ideal to plan out exactly what I need to work on each week. I’ve found that I get more done that way, and ideas don’t slip through the cracks.
• Finish three projects per week.  Planning out what I’m going to work on makes this a lot easier. It helps me build up my portfolio and make sure all of my deadlines are met.
• Plan out weekly blogs and blog at least once a week. Blogging is a powerful marketing tool, but when you start one, you really don’t realize how time consuming it can be. So you walk away and forget about it. I want to be able to share my journey and keep all of my readers interested, and what’s interesting about a blog that has been dormant for months? So planning out what I want to write about once a week was important to add to my schedule. I also want to get into the habit of including an image in each of my entries. I am a visual person after all *smile*

Monthly:

• Update my website. Keeping my work in constant rotation helps keep people coming to my site. Eventually I want to make it the hub of all of my operations, and making sure the work on there stays fresh and up to date.
• Send out my brochure to everyone on my mailing list. An old fashioned but still effective way of marketing. I’m working on a brochure that basically out lines my skills, shows off my work, and introducing myself as an artist. Each month I’ll be mailing out a bunch to the different companies on my list. Same old mantra: Persistence and patience!
• Follow up and continue contact with previous clients. I make sure that the people I have worked with don’t forget about me, and I don’t forget about them. Whether it’s a “Thinking of You”  email or a thank you card or something, a little “Hi! I’m still here if you need me!” note goes a long way.
• Administrative overhaul. General office work is something I’m doing on a consistent basis anyway, but once a month I like to make sure everything is up to date and on point. This can include making sure all client files are up to date, keeping track of paid and nonpaid invoices, prioritizing pending projects, etc. It’s a mundane but incredibly necessary task to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.

So that’s a pretty generalized version of my self-imposed schedule, and frankly I’m exhausted looking at it. Keep in mind that I also work a day  job 35 hours a week, and I also have to factor in time to make sure my home life and social life are running smoothly.  It’s quite a juggling act, and it will only get more difficult as more work and more responsibility comes in. But what keeps me going is my love for what I do, and the determination to be doing it on a full time basis. That’s worth all of the sacrifice and all of the stress, and I can’t wait until I reach my goal.

Starting 2010 Off Right…New Site, New Networks, New Store, New Drive

Hello, faithful followers! I’m sorry for being away on a little hiatus, but I have good reasons and lots to share in this entry!

2010 so far has been pretty good to me in the short amount of time it’s been here.  I don’t know what happened to me when that clock struck twelve, but suddenly I’ve been hit by so much more determination and inspiration. I’ve let go of my preconcieved notions of what I *should* be and *where* I should be at this point. There’s no timeline to success, nor is there a clear path as to how to get there. More than anything, success is defined in so many different ways; by wealth, by recognition, by growth etc. And honestly, I am very happy in the direction I am going. No one can define my success but me, and I realized that the only thing that is stigmatizing me is me. I’m taking what I learned  last year and applying it to now. And it feels wonderful.

Now, with that said, here is what’s been going on. First of all, I’ve revamped and rebuilt my site, and I’m so very proud of it. It’s simple, clean, efficient, to the point, and works perfect as an online portfolio. I’ve just moved it to another server, so it’s going to take a few hours to post, but here’s the link for it, anyway.  As always, there’s other things I want to add over time, but right now, it’s a perfect start.

Next, I’ve been a social networking beast as of late.  I have been slowly building a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace.  I’m especially enjoying Twitter because it’s giving me a chance to get to know other artists and bloggers. I’ve also gotten back into becoming a regular poster on Deviant Art again. I have accounts with both Creative Shake  and Freelancer.com to pursue freelance work. Basically, I’ve been using the internet to my advantage, which is what any artist these days should be doing, in my opinion. I’m looking forward to the friends and relationships I can build through my efforts.

Last but not least, and the news I’m most excited about, I’ve finally opened up an Etsy store! I love Etsy and I thought it would be a great foray for selling not only my original pieces, but the handmade items I’ve been working on. One of my goals was to expand my creativity into other endeavors, such as jewelry making, sewing, crocheting, etc. So you can view my Etsy store here. I’ve only posted one item on it so far, a Valentine’s Day painting, “Thief of Hearts:”

 

I’m going to be adding more over the course of the week, but this is a good start.  I’ve had several views of it already, so I’m going to be building my presence on there too.

So that’s it for now. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished in the short amount of time, and I’m excited already for what the new year is going to bring. If this is any indication of what’s to come, than I’m definitely looking forward to it. Expect to see me blogging a lot more often, one of my other goals and ambitions. Happy 2010, everyone!

Year End Goals…

Guess who FINALLY found her camera cord ?

Yep, that’s me! I figured it was about time I posted a picture of myself on this thing.  This picture is pretty run of the mill, but photography is one of the things I would love to get into and get better at. And now that I have a functioning camera, I’m going to be trying to snap pictures every chance I get.  This good news also means that I was able to post some new pics of my artwork on my Myspace and my Facebook, which was long overdue.

In the meantime, we’re coming to the end of 2009, and it’s that time of year where I start assessing what I’ve accomplished this year and what I would like to accomplish next year.  I’m rather proud of the progress I’ve made in 2009, in both my professional and personal life, and I want to keep going.  Listing things usually work best for me, so here we go…

SHORT TERM GOALS (Now until the end of the year…):

• Continue my creative momentum.  I am VERY proud of how dilligent I’ve been with sketching, painting and drawing and the work I’ve been pumping out this year, and I want to keep going with it. I want to do even better. Sketching something new every day, completing a new piece every week, and updating my site with the new work every month.  Setting a solid schedule is probably going to be the best solution to push myself more.
• Revamping and perfecting my website.  I voluntarily took my site down this month, because I’ve been dealing with a lot of problems with the server I’ve been currently using.  So I’ve been using my MySpace as my main site, but frankly I hate doing that. It just doesn’t feel professional to me, and I want my site to be sort of a Command Central for all of my projects…a place to view my portfolio, check on updates about shows and events I’m a part of, a place to purchase, etc. Myspace doesn’t really give me that option, at least not in the way I want. I found a server that looks like it would be a good match for what I want to do with my site, so I’m going to try it out, and relaunch my site in January.
• Increase my internet presence. Between Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, forums, discussion boards, and the like, it’s just dumb for any artist to not take advantage of all of the free networking and marketing tools that the internet has to offer. I’m proud to say that I’ve created ripples in as many as possible, and I want to continue that.  Web presence seems to be the best presence to have these days.

LONG TERM GOALS(2010 and beyond…):

• Sharpen my business sense.  The creative part of illustration comes easy to me.  The business part? Not as easily as I would like it to. And having a good business sense is super-important in this type of work. You are your business, and it is up to you and you only to make sure it runs smoothly and efficiently. One has to wear many hats as a freelancer, and I need to focus on wearing them all well in order to solidify my success.
• Work on my graphic design skills.  Okay, I’ll admit it…technology is not my friend. It took me nearly three months to figure out how to change the ringtone on my cell phone. But it’s a necessary ally to have in almost every aspect of this world. And in the art world, it’s important to have a firm grasp on technology’s constant evolution.  I shyed away from learning a lot of graphic design foundations in college, swearing I would be the one that “brought back” traditional illustration. But I’ve learned over the past four years that even traditional illustrators have their hand in graphic design. It’s unavoidable, and I’ve accepted it. I plan on going back to art school lin order to pursue a separate art degree, and I will be fully indulging in graphic and web design.  I’m aiming for the fall, but several things need to happen before I can enroll, so until then, I will be working on my skills on my own.
• Pursue more shows and contests. Call it pure vanity, but it feels good to win something once and a while. Not only that, the accolades of participating alone look good on an artist’s resume.
• Network more with other artists. Artists are usually loners by nature, but what a lot of us don’t realize is that we can learn a lot from each other. Sharing stories, experiences, tools of the trade, and simply being around each other’s creative energy can help tremendously in our common goal of  success, however we define that.

There’s other smaller goals  scattered here and there,  both professional and personal, but this is the jist of it. I feel pretty confident that I can accomplish these. I mean, I accomplished a good amount of my ’09 goals, so I want to keep the momentum going. I’m looking forward to how far I can go. .

Sketching and Self-Protection

Hello all! I’m proud to say that I’ve been working incredibly hard on several new projects, both in illustration and in fine art. The massive influx of ideas stemmed from a clean up in my studio about two weekends ago. I try to do an overhaul once a month, take an inventory of what I’m running low on and what I need to be a bit more organized, and often I find stuff I had forgotten I had put away. This time, I found a ton of old sketchbooks, some of which I hadn’t seen in years.  I have an awful habit of getting about halfway through a sketchbook before putting it down for awhile, then seeing a shiny new one in an art store and buying it. So this time I’ve promised myself to finish one book before I started a new one, so I’ve picked up my oldest book and began sketching regularly. It feels good. I’ve also began sketching in pen, which is new to me.  One thing I’ve struggled with is just letting loose in my sketchbook…not worrying about making it perfect and just letting my ideas flow. Drawing with pen forces me to keep going despite any mistakes I may make. I can’t go back and make a correction. Yet another way to cleanse and release, and it feels good. It feels freeing.

Now, time to switch gears for a second. To the business gear. Seeing how I’m building a business, it’s important to talk about these things.  A situation that happened to a friend of mine got me to thinking about copyright infringement and the internet. In this web-driven world, everybody and their mother is quick to post their thoughts, trials, tribulations, and visual documentation of it all online. And there’s nothing wrong with that…it’s the generation we live in. But we as artists leave ourselves open to blantant theft.  All it takes is a right-click and someone runs off with a free print and possibly an idea to call their own. And while I am flattered if I am able to influence another artist, I sure do not want to be ripped off. This is exactly what happened to my friend. He is a music producer, and a few months ago he posted several tracks of his on his Myspace page to showcase himself. Innocent enough, right? Well recently, he came across a song by a EXTREMELY well-known R&B artist(I’m not mentioning names for fear of slander), and lo and behold, he heard his track pumping behind the lyrics. There was a riff or two different, but side by side, they were exactly the same. Trust me, I heard them. Needless to say, he was shocked and angered. For various(completely valid) reasons, he’s unable to fight the release of this singer’s song, and I feel bad for him. But this particular trial of his served as a lesson for me and how to protect myself in little ways that won’t cost an insane amount of money. And since a big part of this blog is sharing my growth as a self-employed visual artist, it’s my duty to share the ideas with any other artists that may be reading this *smile* So here we go…

The “Starving Artist’s” Copyright Tips:

1. Document, document, document. Keep records of all of your work. We artists can’t STAND dealing with paperwork(at least this one doesn’t, ha ha), but it’s a necessity to run a business. Here’s my version of keeping records and inventory: I’ve always taken pictures of my art as it is progressing, from the moment it is a blank canvas to the finished product. So my new process is to take these pictures, tuck them in an envelope, and do the “poor man’s copyright” of mailing the sealed envelope to myself, and filing it away without opening it. That way, it is date-stamped and ready to be pulled out in case an issue arises. So even if the original piece has been sold and no longer in my possession, the work and the progress of creating it is always with me.
2. Watermark the pictures you post online.  For those that don’t know, a watermark is a small semi-transparent signature posted discreetly on your pictures. It’s a simple way to show ownership of your work.  I’ve used Photoshop in the past, but there’s tons of watermark freeware on the internet.  I’m in the process of designing a new logo for my company, so please believe you will my personal stamp on anything I post online.
3. Create a Certificate of Authenticity for Work Sold.  This applies more to original art sold rather than prints, if you sell prints. Simply create a certificate on any word processing program(Microsoft Word actually has a good template for certificates), sign it with an originial signature, and include it with every piece that you sell. If you’re willing to take it a step further, invest in a custom embossing stamp with your logo and a seal of authenticity to press on every document.
4. Stay away from spec work.  Spec work is when a “potential” client asks you to create a mockup of the project you are bidding on for free. Many often claim they want to see your style and how you would interpret their idea. Many illustrators and artists that are new to the field, like myself, jump at the chance to landing a potential job, and end up getting screwed, for lack of a better term. I learned the hard way that spec work  is a complete waste of time, energy, and money as well.  You spend the time to make the “mockup” with no contract or down payment, and this so-called client has the opportunity to snatch your idea and run. So the best thing to do is to stay away from it. If a PC has seen your website or portfolio, they’ve already seen your style, and that should be enough for them to make a decision.
5. Post a disclaimer on your website.  If you go to my Myspace, you’ll see my little message at the bottom of the page. A disclaimer is simply a bit of legal mumbo-jumbo that claims ownership of all images and content on the site. A small paragraph, but oh-so important.
6. Make specific guidelines in your contracts.  When you’re freelancing, contracts are a necessity anyway(Paperwork!!!).  But make sure you outline your wishes in the contracts you draw out for clients. Some freelancers give up the rights to their creations with the sale of the work, but if that’s not what you want, make sure you say that in the contract. It avoids any confusion later on.

So that’s all I have for now. I’m sure I’ll think of other ways to protect myself in that sense, but these will do for now. I hope they’ll help anyone else trying to keep from getting ripped off, like so many before us!

 

 

Artist Date: Antiquing…and Crafty Dreams

Part of “The Artist’s Way” course that I’m taking requires two elements: The Morning Pages and The Artist Date.  The Morning Pages are basically free flowing entries into a private journal  when you first wake up in the morning. The idea is basically to get all of the “junk” out of your head and remove any blockage that may be clogging your creative path. The Artist Date is basically a date you take your “artist,” or creative side on once a week. You basically give yourself a chance to spend some time with your creative side and…I guess cater to it for a little bit, the way you would on a date with your lover.  I overslept this morning thanks to being up uber-late working on a new painting (which I’ll talk about in another entry), so the morning pages were a no go today. But this afternoon after the day job, I decided to go on an Artist Date. It was cold and rainy, so it had to be someplace indoors. I decided to visit a local antiques mall near my apartment.

I’ve actually never been to an antique store, and as I was walking around,  I asked myself why I hadn’t been in one before. I LOVE vintage stuff. From vintage prints to photographs to furniture to decor…they just don’t make things with characters like they used.  So I got so see a lot of old things that I remember seeing scattered throughout my Gramma’s house. I walked through slowly, running my fingers over the delicate embroidery and tiny teacups. But there were two particular items that stood out to me.

These pink and purple chairs are retro 60s decor. Now, of course I loved the chairs for obvious reasons…for those that don’t know, I have a slight obsession with purple *smile*. But they also made me think of the future, really…whenever I get to the point where I have a office outside of the home, with a waiting room or something, I would love chairs like this. I am so bored with stuffy leather furniture and boring chairs and table. I want my office to have character and sparkle with creative energy, just like my studio.

The other thing was this hurricane lamp…

I actually had something like this as a kid. When I got my own room for the first time(I shared a room with my brother for most of my life until I turned 14). I picked out an electric one at a lamp store, and the base lit up like a nightlight. It broke ages ago, and surprisingly enough, it’s SO hard to find another one like outside of an vintage store.  This one is obviously a kerosene lamp, which I adore but am slightly scared of. But it was nice to indulge in a childhood memory for a minute.

So overall, it was nice to spend some time just quietly enjoying remnants of the past, and I can really say that it helped my “artist.” Looking at all of the carefully crafted antiques helped projects that have been simmering in my mind bubble up to the surface. I’ve been itching to do something crafty, something outside of illustration and painting. Those are my first loves, of course. But I don’t want to limit myself to just one avenue anymore.  One of my goals for the rest of this year/next year is to incorporate elements of my creativity in all aspects of my life…not just the business side of things, you know? I want to learn how to properly sew, to cook and bake, paint furniture, mosaic, crochet, scrapbooking…the list goes on and on.  I’m excited about the possibilities, and it’s just another reminder of what makes me the happiest…stepping away from conformity and being completely and totally me .

In the meantime, I’m wrapping up some marketing work, aka signing up on as many freelance websites as possible, and writing out my To-Do list for the week. I have a lot to accomplish, for this is a short week for me. I’m leaving for New York Friday morning to visit my family and to go on a tour of The School of Visual Arts(www.sva.edu) in Manhattan. Yet another goal of mine…to apply, get accepted, and work towards getting a BFA  in Illustration. The BS that I have is okay, but I need a more concrete, less umbrella degree, and many “art peeps and socials” look at you a little bit differently when you have a BFA. But that’s another entry for another time. I’ll have lots of pictures to share the next time I blog, including some of a new series of paintings I’m working on,  so stay tuned!