This picture is for an upcoming book. I didn't really like it as I worked on it and worried the whole time I was doing it. Now I love it. It reminds me of the quote by Degas ( I think...) something about each painting being a battle. It's certainly true for me, I can't figure out how to make things easier. It's my birthday today and I'm scheming. I'm trying to plan out the next year. Here's my plan : Two contract books, one short comic book story, and a Grimm fairy tale illustrated by me. Looking back on the last year I feel I could have accomplished more, but I'm not sure. It's hard to gauge how much you should be doing.Monday, November 12, 2007
Raccoons In The Hedge
This picture is for an upcoming book. I didn't really like it as I worked on it and worried the whole time I was doing it. Now I love it. It reminds me of the quote by Degas ( I think...) something about each painting being a battle. It's certainly true for me, I can't figure out how to make things easier. It's my birthday today and I'm scheming. I'm trying to plan out the next year. Here's my plan : Two contract books, one short comic book story, and a Grimm fairy tale illustrated by me. Looking back on the last year I feel I could have accomplished more, but I'm not sure. It's hard to gauge how much you should be doing.
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26 comments:
Happy Birthday Eric,
Love your tree branches, they have so much character. I imagine that the wise old racoon is trying to teach that young mischievous one a thing or two about the dangers out there.
Why would you want the battles to be easier? I think one learns more from the hard ones.
My gauge on how much I should be doing is a flexible one ( especially with a four year old running around wanting to play) I always feel like I could have accomplished more. Set your goals real high but don't let it wreck your world if you don't reach them all.
Thanks Frank. I don't really want things to be easier, I think I'd be very worried if things felt too easy. It makes me feel better that you too have that sense that you could have done more, when I think about most artists probably have a similar sense. Last year I devoted a lot of time to self promotion and travel to help get things moving and to pick up some contracts. It worked, but I only finished one book last year and wish I had more to show. I think setting higher goals will help.
Oh, that self promotion. That one is not that easy for me. It is a necessary evil though. Getting the contracts like you have to get would be the killer for me.
I work hard to get contracts, but I'm still suprised when I do.
Happy Birthday Eric!
Your work is really beautiful. Happy Birthday!
Thanks Rusty!
Thanks Phyllis! Your work is lovely. Is it gouache?
Happy Birthday! I love this picture - I see the older, much wiser raccoon trying to impart wisdom, and hopefully some caution, to the younger one.
Thanks Mary Beth!
Happy Birthday Eric.
Right now I'm working on a sequel. I wrote a little bit about it on my blog, a piece of it from in the middle of the book. And then I thought of you. I would love to see how you would draw the characters I described in those pages.
I'm sure they would be remarkable.
Jillian
Oh Happy Birthday Eric!!! Although it was yesterday... hope you had a wonderful day :o)
I love this...is so beautiful. Love those lovely shades of blue from the nightime and the wonderful light were the racoons are. Your trees in the background are amazing. Look a those branches!
I know what you mean... that happens to me too sometimes. Don't know why really. Think we get to be really critical of our own work and sometimes if you just keep going at it you get to go above that, and finally see it in another light.. you know? And yours is truly wonderful!
Happy belated birthday from me as well. Hope you got treated and celebrated thoroughly.
I totally relate to the struggle (I wouldn't mind it being a *bit* easier... Or at least being more pleased with what I end up with at the end of it).
Pretty amazing goals for the year! Best wishes. As much as I've enjoyed having a lot of work the last few years, I'm rather missing the downtime. At least occasionally... It's always something, eh?
Happy happy birthday to you, Eric! :)
Thanks Jillian! That's a big compliment.
Thanks Alicia, it's a funny thing. When I paint a picture it's like an epic struggle sometimes but it's never boring.
Thanks Tara, I think it's balancing things that I find really hard. I want to paint all the time and I want to read all the time and I want to hang out with my wife all the time.
Thanks May Ann!
Oh... Happy Birthweek!!
I think enjoying the battle of art may be a great gift for an artist. Good luck - may your plans be fruitful, and may any change of plan be a pleasant and exciting surprise!
Thanks Viviane! That's one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever said to me.
Happy belated Birthday Eric!!
Love the raccoons. :)
I haven't yet taken the plunge into full-time freelance work, so my dayjob still steals most of my time. Success like yours inspires me to keep working towards my goals.
Thanks Angela! I have to admit that I have to work part time to make ends meet. I teach art at a private school. But I am working toward just doing art.
oh wow...what a fantastic mood Eric.
Oops! and Happy Belated birthday to you!!!!
HUGS!
Marjorie
Thanks a million marjorie!
happy birthday! this is a beautiful illo! I feel the same way about each piece I work on too :)
Thanks Claudine! I'm really happy to see you here!
A big HAPPY birthday (belated) from me too!! Celebrate well- I think it's important to celebrate all month...I mean, you need time to recover in between celebrations, and you need more that one celebration to properly include things like favorite foods, favorite people, contemplate, and to make sure you've done it right (you know an extra celebration to make sure you covered your bases)...
GREAT painting by the way-
Thanks Stephanie! Thirty one is kind of a non event but I'm always up fpr celebrating.
Lovely picture. We don't have racoons over here, badgers is our closest creature I think. Do you have badgers Stateside? Well, racoons are very lovely,like your painting.
We do have badgers, I think. It never occurrd to me that raccoons are a north american animal. They're a bit maligned here as they rifle through our garbage. I love them. They wear masks, how can not love them. Thanks Andrea (is Andrea Joseph your full name? Should I address you as Andrea Joseph?)
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