Today when I was babysitting my sis’ kids I did a couple really good pen and ink sketches. I colored one of them tonight just to get my mind off the dreb. This is like a whole new level for me. I’m really excited. This is almost something I might see in a book or magazine ad, or something. And it took less than an hour! He kind of reminds me of Bernie from “Weekend at Bernies.”
My hope is that I’m creeping up to that level skill-wise (and discipline-wise) to start getting the higher paying illustration work some of my freelancer friends tell me about. I knew nothing about graphic design when I started. I’ve just stumbled into it, and every day I learn something new about this career. So far, most of the time it seems like I could make more working at 7-11. But then there’s this bright shiney part of the time when I make more than a lot of people do in a month. That paradox is what has kept me from a real job the last 5 years. It hasnt been pretty. But I’ve definitely learned a lot. I’m thankful to be fortunate enough to have done all this. Someday I’ll get there. I now some artists that do the same thing at nearly the same level as me, that make more with one illo than I do with ten. Its good to know that’s out there. Till I get there, I’m grateful for the commissions and comic coloring I have. I feel really lucky that I have these opportunities. That and I’m sure it could be a whole lot worse.
–Will
added this to digg