Archive for September, 2009

Something More Cohesive

Monday, September 14th, 2009

This year, my 21st birthday landed on a spectacular date: 09.09.09. Not usually the one to make too much of a fuss about my day, I thought that the special arrangement of numbers warranted some kind of celebration. When I got home, I found a very special e-mail in my inbox. Apparently on my 17th birthday, I decided to send a time-capsule e-mail to myself on my 21st birthday. Here’s what I wrote:

Happy 21st birthday from your 17-year-old self. I suppose you’re very different from me, all grown up and running headfirst into life. How is Aaron? Are you married yet, or still thinking about it? How is your art coming along? Are you still schooling for it or have you finished yet? Are you still working at Kaman’s and have you found any other ways to pay for college? If you haven’t started thinking about your career, this is a reminder to do so.

Take care of yourself.
Marietta

Some questions were easy answers, but other questions made me stop and think.

How’s your art coming along? If you haven’t started thinking about your career, this is a reminder to do so.

So tonight, amidst studying for my first series of exams, I decided to stop for a moment and think on those lines. At 21, where should I be in my career? Should I be into it? Am I into it? Is my work at the level it should be? More or less, where am I going and how am I going to get there?

I can’t say that I regret all too much. I’m a caricaturist and independent artist. I have a good list of clients and spend the majority of my free time working on commissions. At Park, I’m in the honors program and working hard on my research to illustrate a children’s book. My website isn’t that shabby and my portfolio is at least average. I can’t complain. At the same time, though, I can’t be completely satisfied with my history or I won’t press on for better things.

One of the things I would like to change before I turn 22 is developing a more cohesive body of work. When I look at professional artists and their art, I know exactly what I would get from them if I were to commission them. They have a distinct style, a palette that they typically incorporate and a similar subject.

Comparing that with my portfolio leaves me a little unnerved. While it’s good to be well rounded, I don’t seem to have a focus. Figure drawing, portraits, character design, pets, still lifes, caricatures. The list goes on and on. A jack of all trades, master of none, I would like to have a more cohesive line of work.

So I sat down and made a list of projects I feel I need to work on. I need to finish Behind the Mask and get those portraits out and I’d like to complete the still lifes for my apartment. Getting my webcomic up, continuing to develop A World Once Was and illustrating that children’s book will give me better knowledge of character design and story boarding. And going to Chicago will give me a broader range on caricaturing along with being able to live with some amazing artists.

But even then, where is my focus? What do I want to be? Do I want to be a character designer or a still life artist or a portrait artist? Do I need to focus to achieve professional level? And even if I choose a focus or continue with my broad range, what do I want to do with my skills? Will I forever be freelancing, working with Kaman’s or will I find another company that will want to hire me. And if I do want to find another company, what do I need to do to get there? What kind of portfolio do I need to have? Does it need to be cohesive?

So I suppose I’ll be spending this year trying to figure out what style I want to focus on. It doesn’t mean that I won’t work in other styles, but I need to find my niche, my trademark. What is it that I do?

Any feedback would be appreciated. I leave you with my most recent piece. Enjoy.

Posted in Artwork, Commissions, General | 1 Comment »

I need to update more often.

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

If only I had more time! This past month has been absolutely hectic. And it’s about to get totally crazy. First of all, let me update you on the previous month. I’ll drop in some caricatures here and there just for fun.

My dad was released from the hospital the Saturday afterward. He now has a breathing machine at home that he has to use during the night and several breathing treatments. Apparently the steroids left him bloated and so they’re doing some tests this week to see what’s going on there. He’s been complaining about abdominal cramps which is something they sincerely hope is just the steroids. My dad is a survivor of colon cancer, so we can only hope it’s not returning.

However, he’s doing pretty well and has been up and about every time I’ve been over to my parents’ house. We’ll just have to see how it goes.

In the meantime, I’ve started my classes at Park University. It’s kind of scary going back to school after being out for a year. Most of the students from my high school graduating year are graduating in May, which makes me feel behind. However, that’s not leaving me too sore. I’m enjoying my classes, at least, as much as I can. I’m trying to get all of my gen eds out of the way before I start in on my art classes, which has left me with three 300-level lecture classes in the morning. But hey, I may have to sludge through on semester - the next semester will be easier, and more fun!


Friend of mine from Park University. I did some caricatures in the student center one afternoon.

I’m continuing in the honors program and making some headway. I have a strong direction for the research associated with my project, which will be to illustrate and design a children’s book, working with a local author. It’s been hard to restrain myself; I want to just dive into the illustrations, but as an honors project, it requires a lot of reflection and research first.


Strangest eyes I’ve ever seen anyone have, let alone on a baby.

My 21st birthday lands on 09.09.09 this year. It’s going to be very hectic. I have plans to see Tim Burton’s 9 at the earliest showing followed by lunch at Applebee’s with at least 15 of my friends. Not too much drinking will occur, though, because I have tests the following day. Plus I’m really not that keen on alcohol.


Dumbledore!

Then my husband and I are planning for a trip to Chicago Sept. 21st, the day after our first anniversary. We wanted to fly, but our money is just way too tight for that. It would cost us around $260 to fly up to Chicago, or Aaron and I could make it up there and back on three tanks of gas. I really didn’t want to spend a whole day driving there and a whole day driving back of the seven days we have to do it in, but that’s the sacrifice I’m just going to have to make.


Self-caricature. One of the few times I’ll probably ever post a photo of myself! Squinted the eyes a bit in the drawing because I know I squint when I smile.

I’m trying to get back into my storyline A World Once Was a bit more. A few days back, I sat down and finally settled on some final designs for my characters, which you can see below. I’m trying to balance it with a webcomic I want to do. I have so many things I want to work on, but not enough time!

Well I have some reading I need to finish. Take care!

Posted in A World Once Was, Artwork, Caricature Sketches, Commissions, Life | 1 Comment »