thanks guys! Looking them over now!

@MsIllo Word! I'm an engineer too! XD

@CatOnPaper Sorry, I did not mean to make it sound scary. As an illustrator, once your illustrations are approved and handed over, both your job and responsibilities are complete to my knowledge (I am new to illustration). As a graphic designer though, you are responsible for making sure not only that the page layout is done correctly, but also that everything is at the proper resolution and in the right colour format. When you are working one on one with a client, you are often responsible for prepress prep as well. If something is missed by you or the printer, and there are mistakes in the final books, you could be responsible for that. As a graphic designer you would always have your client approve the final design and sign off on it, but if you make a technical mistake that’s on you. It’s just more involved that’s all.

Just to add that I registered self-employed before I had any money coming in, as I got a grant to setup my business and got a laptop with the funding and a business bank account to put my earnings into. Worth looking into getting funding off arts organisations or sponsorship.

You all can find me on https://www.instagram.com/chipvalecek/

I feel your pain too, working a full time job and then trying to exercise, eat healthy, socialise, sleep etc - definitely puts a strain on your art 😞 But even if it is taking you longer than usual, the important thing is your doing it and once you get into a new art routine you'll be working a lot quicker I'm sure 🙂

@nessillustration I think you've summed up the conflict in my head perfectly Ness.

Thanks to everyone's advice, I've shifted some things around a bit by starting studying sessions one hour later, with bedtime being one hour earlier … so I get more sleep to focus on Lucid Dreaming, and also, like you said before … instead of trying to do everything at once, I'm focusing on one lil ting at a time. Baby Steps.

Thank you for helping me.

It's just like you said, a lot of this documenting stuff is actually a good way of learning and more just an excuse to push myself out of my comfort zone with various social anxiety issues, so maybe that's where the conflict really lies.

Fear.

It's always fear when you drill down far enough. I almost wonder if I piled everything on at once to make myself fail so I would give up and not have to put myself in the uncomfortable space.

I just finished illustrations...well....they've been finished for quite a while but had to take photos because they were too big to scan and my son cleaned them up for me and just sent me the file today. I learned A LOT in doing this project but it is definitely NOT perfect. I'm a little embarrssed by it but that means I've been growing (I hope) as an illustrator. I feel less horrible about my weaknesses in art than I used to. I think completed projects are the best way to learn. You have so many puzzles to solve, have to learn to take critiques well and make changes that seem overwhelmingly hard to do sometimes. I have completed three picture book projects so far. None are great but they aren't all bad either I guess. I'm working on number 4 now and am almost done with comps. I'm still a traditional artist. Haven't mastered much digitally at all. Good for you for finishing your project! Now on to the next one! Right?

@sarah-luann @demotlj Thanks very much for that. I am starting this process late in life for exactly that reason. I quit or made more ‘practical’ choices every time I had the experience of not being good enough or worrying that it was a useless endeavour because I couldn’t see progress. Thankfully I don’t have the quit in me anymore, just the stress and anxiety. I will definitely give the video a listen.

@NizhoniWolf , I ordered Color and Light by James Gurney. Reading the forward in sneek-peak, it talked about bridging the gap between understanding color theory and actually picking colors to paint with. Sounded like my problem! There's nothing about perspective in the book, though (I assume.) There's a great video on SVS about perspective (Mastering Perspective, I think it's called) and if you force yourself to practice what's taught, it can really help you.

Yes, I'm still doing the prompt, just for my own practice and because I've got a goal to finish stuff I start. But I won't submit, for sure!

@Jake-Parker great podcast. Probably add them to my list for the spaces in between 3 point perspective.

One thing- please be softer in your self critiques of skyheart. This podcast and the last 3 point you mentioned that it could’ve been stronger had you done the kick starter differently. You can clearly hear that you are disappointed in certain aspects of it. Since you poured a million hours in it, it makes me a little sad to hear your frustration. As a consumer, I don’t want to buy something you are disappointed in. So change your phrasing and tone just a little. I certainly feel like honesty is important as you reflect on the process. We do all like to hear that. I think if you talked about it skyheart like someone else did it you would be gentler. And let’s face it, you are probably comparing yourself to some idealistic standard you expected from yourself, not what most near mortals could’ve done with the graphic novel! Don’t kill our excitement for the book with your self reflection. I promise, we won’t even notice those things you worry about. You’re a rockstar.

As for inktober- still in shock at the response I got from my notecard set. I made a product, people actually bought it, and my head is still a little inflated from it. Got a new printer for Christmas and now I’m really in the stationary business.

Thanks for always sharing your journey. We all learn from it!!!

@marsha-kay-ottum-owen I'm really enjoying this and looking forward to seeing the paintings. (And if you changed it from glasses to keys, you'd be describing my life.)

Also worth noting, often when I’ve spent hours of frustration trying to make my colors work, I realize that color is not actually my problem. It’s value. So if you haven’t, you might also try going back and making sure that you have your values worked out (maybe in the form of a grisaille) before you start trying to lay colors in.

Hi, Stephanie! Welcome to the forums! Sadly, SVS does not offer any accridited certificates. In my opinion though, you don’t really need one when going into the illustration industry. All you need is a stellar portfolio and great illustration skills. I hope this helps.

Thought some of you might enjoy this. It is an interview we did with Heather Dixon Wallwork (formerly known as Heather Dixon). Hope you like it. http://amocala.libsyn.com/heather-dixon-wallwork-interview

https://youtu.be/RKXZ7t_RiOE
I found this video online - this guy is talking about how to charge for logos, but I think it very much applies to us in general 🙂

To all of you who responded positively to this idea, either through likes or comments:

@Laurel-Aylesworth , @Braden-Hallett , @BenR , @Blake-DeHart , @Kristin-Wauson , @ajillustrates , @Julia

The thread is here if you're insterested in joining in:

https://forum.svslearn.com/topic/6956/making-time-for-creativity-growing-gills-work-through

My 2019 illustration goals are to LEARN! LEARN! LEARN!

In 2019 I do not want to leave any stone unturned. I want to improve my technical skills as an illustrator by exploring shape, colour, lighting, and linework in-depth, I want to experiment with various styles, techniques, and processes, and I want hone in on what drives me as an artist by pushing the composition, mood , and storytelling in my work.

Truthfully, I am really hoping that all of this learning and experimentation will turn out some strong portfolio pieces, but I am really trying not to make that the focus. In my past experience, when I focus too hard on turning out good work, things fall flat. When I let go and stop trying so hard to control every aspect of my work, that is when the magic happens.

For me, this year will likely be as much about psychology as it is about art.

Hey guys!
I just wanted to ask, is there anyone, coming to the Bologna Children's Book Fair this year?
http://www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it/en/home/878.html

I've been there for the past 2 years and just booked my flights a few days ago. This year I won't have such a wide timeframe as before but if anyone wants to grab a coffee, or meet up on one of the evenings, I'd be happy to meet you guys! 🙂

And if you have never been, but might want to come this year and want some survival tips or just want to have a conversation about what and how to prepare, we can have an online hangout and chat about it.