Let’s inspire each other! 2019 Goals

hiraethspirit

These are my goals-

Continue taking SVS classes
Finally try watercolor (it looks so lovely!)
Try an illustration project more along the lines of sequential art and see if I like it
Start putting my projects and things on social media

Kristin Wauson

It’s great to see everyone’s goals! It took me a really long time to come up with my own, but I finally got my act together. I’m not including education/svs classes because I am already obsessed with online learning so it’s not something I have to challenge myself to do. I’m always watching something on SVS and I’m signed up for a class on Historical and Nonfiction Illustration with Erin McGuire that starts 1/14.

I’ve been reading up on the idea of the twelve week year where you ignore the calendar year and plan your goals out over a 12 week period. I’m going to give that a shot, so here are my goals for the first 12 weeks of this year.

1.) Create an entirely new portfolio for SCBWI Austin Conference by April (that’s at least 12 new illustrations with no repeats from last year if I can help it).
2.) Participate in SVS monthly contests and post for feedback in the forums.
3.) Finish my book dummy for SCBWI Austin Conference.
4.) Submit to agents (I’m thinking one per week) and send postcards on a schedule (4x this year).
5.) Work on my writing even if it’s only 10 minutes a day.
6.) Maintain my daily yoga practice.

I’m definitely biting off more than I can chew and my illustration class will probably derail some of these, but I like to aim high.

NessIllustration

It took me a long time to figure it out as well! Career wise things are going well for me, but I'm working too much and don't have enough balance in my life. This year my goals will be:

Try to become more efficient, waste less time
Take frequent breaks
Exercise regularly (no "I'm too busy" excuses!!)
Eat well
Spend more time with my fiancé
Try not to get too stressed out when my to-do list is piling up fast

ThisKateCreates

-I signed myself up for a "SmartSchool" illustration class that I've had my eye on for years. Excited for it.
-I'm looking at whether I'm ready to settle back in the states. If so I have a lot of career work/job search to do. I'm not expecting to be a full time illustrator. I still love my engineering work too.
-I also have some big health goals. I'm recovering from a knee surgery now and want to get more range of motion and defeat the nagging limp I have.

None are really new years resolutions. Just my current foci.

Kristin Wauson

@thiskatecreates oh Ive heard great things about Smartschool. Please report back and share your progress! Good luck.

nasvikdraws

So great that all of you are so committed.

My list for 2019:
-More SVS classes. (Especially color)
-Write and illustrate our first children's book with my wife and self publish it
-Continue Dad-Dad strips (get to min. 120 strips by the end of the year) and publish it

Good luck to all!

Heather Boyd

My Goal for Illustration mainly is to have the beginnings of a portfolio (works) website up before Inktober 2019 starts and have a minimum of 3-4 works that I am pleased with. Then I can go from there.

SVS classes are still in my plans ( I may take a month or two off and work on my current knowldge and practises that I have accumulated over the 1st year subscription) and then continue a new year subscription.

I'd like to find a style or two, I am so overwhelmed with liking so many styles. I like what I like but I like so much. I keep on finding Illustrators I like and adding them to my list, but I am happy I am also removing others that don't work with me anymore. I find I like watercolour illustrators but not because I enjoy working with watercolour, I like their choice colours, their blends and just recently one Illustrators use of angles and perspective.

Traditional mediums I like to work with more are Faber -pencil crayons (rich and bendable), gouache, and inks. Oh and oil in the summer because I have no ventilation in my basement for my art area and the chemicals will no doubt bring on a headache/migraine possibly. Any tips would be great. I love colour and the ability to blend -currently struggling with it in Photoshop.

I have 3 other Goals for my daily life in short 1) Valued Minimalism, 2) Morning Person, 3) Self Care (including such as finishing books, stretching etc. )

Thanks
Let's keep this year a "I will start and I will finish year"!

NizhoniWolf

Great Thread!

My goals for 2019 are;

~ Work on my portfolio
~sign up to SVS (a year sub) and try some prompts

~spend more time with old friends, and make new ones
~ work on self love/care.

MOO

I want to get as close as I can to finishing three book projects I have started! They are all at different stages. One-almost done, one at thumbnail/comp stage and one is a music book that needs illustrations. I have a couple more on the deck.

Heather Boyd

@kat I recently heard someone that said when you say yes to something you say no to something else. My point being you will always be missing out on something because you can't focus and do everything. But work on the things you are most interested in pursuing at the stage your in. I don't regret trying. This past Saturday I tried a few small creative tasks and felt at the end of the day I hadn't actually made anything complete and felt those moments partially wasted. But they weren't. Indecision and not working on anything would have been a waste.

Make goals that matter to you and keep them the best you can.