Hello again.

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last blog post, your input and insights are truly appreciated.

After my last post I was both extremely self frustrated but at the same time enthusiastic. I felt I'd been able to accurately express my current state of mind and in doing so focus myself on my true creative goals. I'd sparked off the motivation to move myself forward and tackle the hard yards between where I am currently in my artistic endeavours and where I want to be. To be honest, while it would be a dream come true to be viewed in the same catagory as many of those accomplished artists already profiled in ImagineFX - what I really want most of all is simply to be happy with my work. To be able to get a piece to a finished stage and be happy with result. To feel like it could sit amongst other peoples work and not look like the amatuer pile of crap I currently view it as. This is where in the importance of patience comes in.

Perhaps it's a result or absorbing too much Hollywood hype or blindly believing the titles of the numerous self help books available. I subconsciously expected that once I'd resolved to move forward and tackle this challenge a movie-esque montage would play out with a motivational track playing in the background I'd sit here at the computer, wacom and stylist in hand, frantically creating kick-ass illustration after kick-ass illustration so that by the time my lovely returned from her hard day at work I'd be a truly accomplished artist taking phone calls from Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Lucas Arts, Pixar, etc. Sadly this wasn't the case and I've quickly realised that this quest is going to take considerable time, determination and total commitment. It's going to require more practice, more learning, increased effort and it'll be filled with a lot of low points but these will hopefully be balanced out by eventual gains and small successes.

I guess what I'm trying to express here, to both myself and anyone else reading this, is that the journey is often time very different to what we imagine and while there are those who possess natural talent for the rest of us it takes time and requires a huge amount of paitence.

If your like me here's what I'd say to you. (It's what I'm repeating to myself daily);

"Don't give up, don't give in, practice, be patient and stay positive. While it won't happen instantly your effort will be rewarded."

Thanks for reading - all comments are most welcome.

Cheers

Jimbo