Tag: art

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To Tell The Truth

I work fortunately, and unfortunately, a block from an art supply store.  Next to hardware stores and bookstores, this ranks as one of my financial undoings.

However, I am still somewhat frugal.  I amassed my supply of inks and pencils by buying a couple a week until I have the whole set.  It took a long time.

I applied the same thinking to buying my supply of winter socks.  Buy a pair every week until I had a adequate supply.  Ditto for food items I stock up.  I’m like a bear about to hibernate, or a squirrel I suppose.

Time goes by fast and next thing I know I have enough.  I don’t have to have everything all at once.  It is also kind of fun, collecting with an end goal in mind.

Some people can save up for things.  If I put money in the bank I find it way too hard to withdraw it.  It was so hard to earn in the first place.  So I budget how much I can spend per week on something, and then do it.  Unless a sale captures me!

The thing that put me in debt this year was my health.  That was a lot more dollars than a few colour pencils and ink.  If there is such a thing as good and bad debt, I suppose this is good.  But I’d rather have been in health and bought an SUV to tell the truth.

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What You Do Best

A couple of years ago I attended a Comiccon to visit the artists gallery, mistakenly believing that would be one of the main attractions at such an event.  Instead there were two rows of tables and booths shoved at the very back of the huge venue, sort of an after thought.

As I walked up and down the rows several times, I was greatly disappointed.  Not that the art wasn’t good, some artists are awesome, but there was nothing truly unique.

One young woman however, at a tiny booth wedged between some heavy weights, had some truly beautiful cat drawings.  Okay, I am partial to all things cat, but she captured the essence of a cat, its unique personality, not just the poses.  This is a special talent, to be able to pull out character from a drawing, so it speaks to you.  She displayed them rather apologetically, crowding them out with Zombies, several comic books she was developing.  I bought one of her cat prints, and she insisted I take several Zombie prints free, to promote her comic book.  I told her Zombies have zero appeal to me, but her cat illustrations are awesome.  She was disappointed.

She was ignoring her real talent in hopes of making it big in the comics world.  Agreed, there is huge money making potential in comics and graphic art novels.  The competition is fierce but many are making it.  However, her artistic ability was way elsewhere.

Now some artists want to make it big, in any way they can.  This is okay.  But some artists want to be other than they are.  I read that Noble, who did the backgrounds for Wile E. Coyote and Marvin the Martian always wanted to be a fine artist, even though we are wowed by his futuristic landscapes.

I believe in being true to yourself, that the world ultimately recognizes authenticity.  Does not mean it’ll like it, or reward  you for it.  Ones style however is unique.

I am guilty of wanting to be other than I am, and have, in my youth, and in age, naively gone off on wild tangents other than concentrating on my strengths.  It is good to learn new things, but if it makes you frustrated with your style then something is wrong.

Is it better to be a starving authentic artist or a wealthy fake?  Ha, ha.

It is way better to concentrate on developing your strengths than it is to try and fix weaknesses.  This applies to all things in life, not just creative pursuits.  We spend way too much time worrying about our faults, when we all have quite interesting abilities.  And our own style.

In such a critical, fault finding world, I applaud those who wish to shine at what they do best.  For true happiness is found there.

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Do Your Best Work

I once knew a lady artist who often did cards and the like for fellow employees in our office.  Her work was pretty, but not outstanding, and she used cheap cardboard.  Still, we enjoyed any gift of art we received from her, for any occasion, birthdays, anniversaries, retirement.

One day I went to her home to help her with a computer issue I was familiar with.  She lived in a large condominium that was jammed packed with her art materials.  The dining room table was overflowing with completed art work, mostly cards, in her traditional style, except for one glaring difference.

These cards were beautiful!  They were professionally done, on high quality paper with expensive materials.  They were really good.  They were awesome!

My head could not get around the discrepancy between what I saw at work and what I witnessed here.  In answer to my unspoken bewilderment she said “These are for my paying customers”.

My young naive self was shocked.  As an artist it never occurred to me to do less than my best for any reason.

Does it make sense on any level to do substandard work when it is for free?  I felt kind of insulted that the cards I got were crap.  They didn’t seem so special any more.

It is a lesson that has stuck with me many years.  I am not going to give out crap because it is free.  I am not saving my best for only those who will pay for it.  I create for JOY.  And if someone else gets joy from it, glory!  Yes, I do sell my work, it costs money to create my books, photography and art.  But freebies to my friends and family are of the same quality and effort.

I feel the same way about work.  Whether you volunteer or are paid, give your best effort (although it is sometimes true that volunteers give more than paid workers).

I guess I am just naive.

Do your best work at all times.  Not just for money.