…at inappropriate times.
WIP of Lady with Birds.
Woke up in a daze this morning around 6 o’clock and had such a vivid image in my head that I had to draw before going back to sleep. Needless to say, the going back to sleep never occurred, but at least I have another illustration to show for it.
Here is the finished product;
Have you ever had inspiration strike you at inappropriate times? Let me know what you think.
Thanks again!
A couple of fighters from a Muay Thai fight show
Earlier on this week, I had an impromptu meeting with my boss who asked for a quick 5 minute chat.
As a freelancer in a 3D company this can only mean one or two things: a contract or being let go. Unfortunately it was the latter.
I couldn’t say I was surprised, I had noticed how quiet the studio had gotten, the panicked look in my superiors eyes as the weeks ticked by with no more jobs should have tipped me off.
The only thing that was going through my mind was: why me?
When we lose our jobs, its almost like losing a person. A part of your identity. I had gotten used to the daily grind in our studio, letting it seep over into other aspects of my life and help mould who I am.
Because of this I think its fair to say I experienced the 10 stages of grief; shock, denial, sadness, anger, sickness, panic, guilt, loneliness and finally settled on healing and acceptance.
I don’t think it was a good week for emotional outbursts or for my poor boyfriend who tried his hardest to help me see the bright side; less work, less stress, more freedom to pursue art etc. I know its not too bad because I have a secondary job and had some money saved up “just in case”, but that doesn’t stop you from questioning yourself and wondering where you went wrong.
No matter how many kind words people say, or how they relate to your situation, no-one can help unless you accept you need to start helping yourself.
The one thing I found did help was going to the gym, a lot.
Since the start of January, (New Years resolution, cliche I know…) both my partner and I have been going to Muay Thai.
Boxfit Glasgow: Muay Thai Gym.
I used to go a few years ago, until life got in the way. I always remembered thinking how motivated and uplifted I felt whenever I went, whether I was making progress or helping out some of the other trainers.
This is what I’ve latched on to since losing my job. Being a part of this team has greatly helped, and punching and kicking a bag to the point of exhaustion is fantastic for getting your frustration out!
So thats what I’m going to keep doing. More training, getting fitter and focus more on myself and things I love rather than how a job can make me feel.
Maybe I’ll work in 3D again in the future, who knows. But right now, life is not as bad as I thought.
ONE o’clock . Thats the time I left the office yesterday. And if you’re thinking to yourself where do you sign up, let me clarify this. By one o’clock I mean one am. Leaving me looking this morning very much like a burst couch. With a cat on my face…
And I chose to do it.
To start, as like many of you out there, I’d like to classify myself as a creative person. And although that might conjure an image of drinking cinnamon lattes in dusky bookstores. Arguing who is really comparable to The Smiths and waiting for my flippant muse to grace me with her presence. The reality of it often is unemployment.
Or at least unemployment in your field.
I have been lucky enough to have been plucked a few months after graduating for a freelance Architectural Visualisation job. This is where I work on a monthly rolling contract for a 3D firm within the city centre of Glasgow.
I use the word lucky as thats pretty much all there is to it. If you know any one with talent, anyone at all, you’ll also know the struggle it is to get work.It doesn’t matter how s**t hot you are, how intuitive or unique. You have to assume that every one you are competing against is also as s**t hot, intuitive and unique. The difference between them and you being hired is how much you put yourself out there. And the luck you’ve got going for you at that time. Its all to do with contacts.
At university, I pretty much set myself up as a Yes (Wo)Man. And to anyone who’s read the novel by Danny Wallace or the motion picture starring Jim Carrey, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. (And if not theres definitely a strong recommendation that you do.) Essentially, you say yes to everything asked of you. Could you help me set up my class? Yes. Do you want to apply for this internship? Yes. Do you want to come for drinks with me and so and so? Yes.
People often forget that the last one is pretty much the most important. Talking to people and taking a break for yourself is one of the best things you can do to refresh your brain. People can’t live with work alone. You can also never be sure when you could meet someone that could change your life. Professionally or otherwise. Now when it comes to the rest, even if you don’t know how to do something or aren’t confident is doing so. The saying yes forces you to do it. You’ll learn. You’ll wing it. The worse that can happen is that you chime it down to a bad experience. But its an experience none the less.
Now staying till 1 in the morning because someone asked you to help out isn’t exactly ideal. But it is so rewarding. Not only do you get browny points with the higher ups (and working in freelance, where you can get let go at any minute, this is probably extremely important…), but you also get the learning experience and the chance to push your creative self to its limit.
If I never stayed late last night, I wouldn’t have woken up with the standard of work I produced this morning. And although you can be tied up with delivering deadlines and appeasing clients. Last night I took a risk, out with office hours, to try someone a little different with my image. A little bit more me. Because lets face it, thats what they hired me for.
And other people were willing to help me do it. All because I had stayed late to help them.
The risk paid off this morning with the client being extremely happy with what I had created for them. Although what I produced is extremely confidential so unfortunately I can’t share with you at this time. Taking this risk probably ensured more work from them in the future. And left me with what all creative people live for; pride in my work.
And thats pretty much all there is to it.
If anyone has experienced love for their work or a bad experience in this industry I’d love to hear it! Just leave a comment for me below.
ninetyeightynine 