to clarify...

The 10 Hard Lessons post is not meant to be a veiled stab to anyone I've ever worked with. It was meant to be a laundry list of things I should be doing to become a successful artist. If I ever have an issue with anyone I would direct my grievance at the person (or persons) involved face to face. Posting an blog entry, forum entry, or email laced with venomous remarks would be a super shitty thing to do. At some point in time I would have been guilty of being a little fucker who did just that. But, I finally came to the realization that theres no benefit to spewing off aside from the hollow and temporary gratification that I would have been able to rip someone apart without any immediate repercussions. That just doesn't "do it" for me anymore. It takes far more energy to be a self righteous asshole rather than just dealing with the shit that makes you unhappy. There comes a time in your life when you stop doing all the shitty stuff that continually caused you misery (and others) and take stock of the things that were self inflicted. I can't say I grew up, I just became more aware of how much an asshole I was.

...I hope that helps to clarify.

Besmirchers

the finished product...



..more soon

5:55

If you ever consider being a for-hire artist, heres a list for you:

10 Hard lessons I've learned

1. Never work for friends when there's money involved: The two seldom (if ever) mix and it tends to ruin a friendship. Every time I've done this I've lost the friend in question. I'll accept that most of the blame probably rests with me but it still should learn me to never do it again.

2. ALWAYS draw up a contract: Verbal agreements will never hold water to a contract with rock solid terms. This will save your ass from any dispute.

3. Never work beyond your scope: Know your limitations. If you can't caricature to save your ass it's probably not a wise idea to accept a job doing it. duh.

4. Never accept that there isn't a deadline: It doesn't come up often, but never accept the words "get it to me when you have time" or "there's no deadline on this"...there's ALWAYS a deadline. This should be part of your contract.

5. Never accept vague jobs: If you don't have all the details to complete the job you have no job. I don't care if you get an art gig from Juxtapoz. If they don't give you all the details that job isn't worth shit. Another thing to add in your contract.

6. Communication: vital. Never assume a client will call you...in most cases it'll never happen. Bug the hell out of them so you get what you need.

8. Don't get mesmerized by the glitz: You may have wanted to work for your favorite band/movie star/comedian/etc making flyers but don't forget that they're people. Since some people can be uber-dicks make sure they follow the same rules like your other clientèle. I fell under this spell many times. Most notably my disaster with a certain sporting league who chewed my ass up quick (and they're still making money off my hard work even though I see zilch). yep ... c-o-n-t-r-a-c-t

9. Balance: Never sacrifice your personal life for your professional one. Misery and burnout will be the result.

10. You are worth more than you think: Granted this falls under the prices rule, but never shortchange your abilities. If you are being approached by people asking for art you are in demand to some degree. Your time is worth money so adjust your prices accordingly.

...now don't make the mistakes I did and enjoy being an artist.

Sage words from a very smart man...

Just read this tonight. It's as revelant and beautiful now as it probably was back then and I'm kicking myself for not having read it earlier..


"My political ideal is democracy. Let every man be respected as an individual and no man idolized. It is an irony of fate that I myself have been the recipient of excessive admiration and reverence from my fellow-beings, through no fault, and no merit, of my own. The cause of this may well be the desire, unattainable for many, to understand the few ideas to which I have with my feeble powers attained through ceaseless struggle. I am quite aware that for any organization to reach its goals, one man must do the thinking and directing and generally bear the responsibility. But the led must not be coerced, they must be able to choose their leader. In my opinion, an autocratic system of coercion soon degenerates; force attracts men of low morality... The really valuable thing in the pageant of human life seems to me not the political state, but the creative, sentient individual, the personality; it alone creates the noble and the sublime, while the herd as such remains dull in thought and dull in feeling.

"This topic brings me to that worst outcrop of herd life, the military system, which I abhor... This plague-spot of civilization ought to be abolished with all possible speed. Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -- how passionately I hate them!

"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed. It was the experience of mystery -- even if mixed with fear -- that engendered religion. A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, our perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their most primitive forms are accessible to our minds: it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiosity. In this sense, and only this sense, I am a deeply religious man... I am satisfied with the mystery of life's eternity and with a knowledge, a sense, of the marvelous structure of existence -- as well as the humble attempt to understand even a tiny portion of the Reason that manifests itself in nature."
-A. Einstein

two words - life changing. Good night.

...this does not please us

Didn't like the clipart zombie so I drew one of my own....



...still have to tweak it but there ya go.

Duck and cover!

City of Boston finds another "bomb"

...Does this mean the city of Boston has to pay the city of Boston for damages? Jesus...