Roadblocks to Success
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Art by Tanner Garlick
Have you ever felt stagnant in your life or your career? We all encounter roadblocks and in this episode we go over some very common roadblocks that are encountered by everyone from the most beginning student to the most seasoned pro. We talk about how to get those roadblocks out of your way and how to be great and reach your full potential.Just wanted to post and let you guys know that the newest episode of our podcast is up and ready for listening. Click here to listen and/or to read the shownotes.
In what ways have you overcome roadbocks? What roadblocks have you encountered/ are encountering?
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Just listened to this. Need to listen to it again. I need to get the roadblocks out of my way. I have 10 unfinished dummy books....I've never finished one. I get bored half way through and never finish. I'm a great starter but can't get across the finish line.
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Wow this episode really got me! I think I can say I am guilty of everything you guys pointed out.. for example the illustration WIP i posted recently.. i wanna be somebody in the realm of comic books/children books, but yet I am doing this kind of concept art environment piece, just because i had this cool moment in my head. Also I purchased one course on painting process and a color and light book, because i had feeling i need more knowledge in order to achieve what i had in my head
and spent 2 hours of 4 available just on that.So thanks a lot guys for reminding it!
And anybody who didnt listen to the episode yet please do, because it is really good one!!
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I just wanted to give you feedback that my cat enjoyed this episode too. He sits next to me as I draw and listen and every time the cat was meowing in the background of the audio my cat would perk up and start purring.
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Fantastic episode. I'm at the process of rediscovering illustration, having stopped drawing for about 10 years (feels like I'm starting over tbh). So much in this episode resonates with me. I want to do so many things, and have met many people who do things similar to what I want to do. I end up losing focus, and fall into the "Too much downloading, not enough uploading" roadblock. What a wakeup call.
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I have this moment of anticipation and dread when ever Lee mentions me in the podcast. He was so nice!! Fantastic podcast, as always. I'm going to set an alarm for 6 months to remind myself to listen to it again. The beginning reminded me of a quote I heard at SCBWI , "a goal without a plan is just a dream, and we aren't making dreams come true, we're making books." Loved the ca-meow from the kitties!
For reference, here's some of the work from the Harry Potter cover.SVS Instructor
https://www.annadaviscourt.com/ -
@AnnaDaviscourt Those covers look awesome!!
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@Kevin-Longueil
Thank you! It took a lot of work like Lee said.
It was a perfect example of how important it is to have a mentor, without him I would have been happy to make a super boring cover.
Thinking about how my process has changed - it involves a lot more ideation and a lot less drawing than it used to. It also yields better work! -
It never fails. Every podcast so far, I have been able to learn a lesson specific to what I was working on at the time. It's quite seridipitous and a little twilight zoney. Lol. I'm actually starting over on my book cover this month because I wasn't sticking to my goal. If I had continued, I might have had a nice piece of art but I wouldn't have been able to use it for my portfolio. Or I would have, but it would have been a mistake to do so. Thank you SVS Holy Trinity!
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As usual, excellent episode! Thank you!
I can listen to them over and over again. Hopefully some of it will rub off on me.. -
Oh wow they referenced my submission and question for the BIG contest. I feel honored. This was a great episode, I hit roadblocks on a regular basis.
Being someone that never formally went to a college or university for art, figuring things out has been tough. Especially while working a job where Iām on my feet all day and with a family that kinda sees my goals as a waste of time and not only provides zero support but is very discouraging.
Svs has been a huge help.
instagram and twitter: @artofaleksey
alekseyillustration.com -
@Aleksey Thats a shame about the no support from family. Hopefully the peeps on the forum are helping to remedy that. I think that your art is good. The little drunk gnomes were one of my favorites for the big contest.
Lisa Burvant
www.lisaburvant.com
Instagram & Twitter & SVS: @burvantill -
I use to have a great big Dam in front of me not a little road block haha.. its interesting to listen to you guys because I can relate to the bad students and the good ones. I have no goal in my art other than to be the best oil painter this world has seen but that might be my 100 year goal. My short term goal is to earn money making art on the way. might be too simple...
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@burvantill why thank you
yeah the forum has been totally supportive. And what really helps me is being around others that are also trying to achieve similar goals. (Btw i printed and sent those gnomes as postcards to art directors) -
This podcast was just the kick in the pants I needed. I listened to it twice while working yesterday and I do think helped me to up my ability to self-evaluate. Thank you!
@AnnaDaviscourt I love your covers!!! Thanks for linking them, because I was so curious to see them after listening to the podcast. And I really appreciate your point about more ideation and less drawing.
Yeah, where does one get a mentor?!
@Aleksey. I am lucky enough to have some financial support, but it feels tenuous, I work in isolation, and I get no emotional/aesthetic support unless I take classes. Basically everyone thinks I'm living in a dangerous fantasy world because I'm in my 50s and not producing portfolio pieces yet. What keeps me going is: knowing that I love drawing, looking at the difference between what I did two years ago and what I do now, looking at how beautiful illustration can be, and having a group like SVS for feedback. Illustration is an uphill battle, but hopefully it will have been worth it!
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@LauraA yeah i hear ya. I am very grateful for svslearn. I use the monthly contests as an opportunity to create portfolio pieces
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@AnnaDaviscourt I agree-that HP cover is awesome. The style is quirky and scary and the font is spot-on. We're cheering you on!
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@LauraA I was lucky enough to stumble into Lee's class in college. I think more pro artists are considering mentoring as a means of supplemental income, so it's a win win for all artists. I would suggest asking around and maybe proposing a time/$ balance to one of your favorite artists, and suggesting a specific aspect of your learning that you want to work on could help them understand what they'd be getting into.
SVS Instructor
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@Susan-Marks Thank you so much!! I'm working on some interior spot illos to kind of match the style of the cover! They're less painful, but there are more of them!
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Aw man, this was a great episode. Straight away, you hit the nail on the head with me. I am trying to do everything. Get good at everything. Totally true. I don't have a set goal/direction.
I'm moving this month, but I'm happy to tackle this next month.
I do have one question though, I still feel like I'm in the learning stage when it comes to foundations. Should I continue learning the foundations (currently focussed on colour, perspective and anatomy), or should I start picking a goal? (Or both?) Love to know what people think.
I think the next step after that would be to create a project as a vehicle that takes me closer to my goal.
Check out my latest drawings: https://www.instagram.com/nathan_creates/
