A New Year, A New set of limitations: Defining some goals for 2018
We have made it another year in this life. 2017 came, shook the table, and made sure some of us (most of us) left it looking out of pocket. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but 2017 really forced me to look at myself. I started therapy; I finally dealt with some health issue; I pushed myself more into my art and start expanding what I wanted to do, while also focusing my interest. Even in more mundane things I really took a step toward change. I evaluated how I operated on social media, and begun the steps to really refocus my efforts online. I didn't just want to be someone wafting in the wind. That doesn't garner an audience. 2017 was a chaotic year, but it gave me a space to grow in all the trash.
It is only January, and I imagine I am going to slip and tumble backwards, but I know I have to keep pushing to make it happen. It is always nice to have goals to look at. So with that, here are some...very...VERY... shallow goals for 2018.
Make more art
Simple enough of course. It's my career, it's how I advertise myself, and evaluate my improvements.
Play with colors!
This is something that I started late 2017. Like in the last couple of months. I have found myself attracted to certain colors as of late, all in the reds, purples and blue family. My latest piece is a piece of fanart dedicated to the Horror--tragedy Carrie, which is a mostly monochromatic piece in red (it will be up in my portfolio in the coming weeks). The one thing I wanted from that piece was to create anger and horror, which is easily created with the color red. I want to create my feelings and thoughts using more than just a literal depiction through imagery. The idea of something needs to permeate. Playing with composition and color is a great way to do that. But not just in traditional methods. I want to use blue to express happiness and anger. Green to express beauty and sorrow. There is so much you can do with art and color, and I want 2018 to be the year I really explore that.
More Content (including this blog)
In my freshman year of college (way back in 2010 y'all) I found tumblr. It was a way to express my thoughts and even share some of my art back in the day. In the following year, I was making gifs, edits, writing long form articles for my little blog, doing reviews of tv shows, movies, and music. I was creating content on what I will openly say was the best places to create content (of course they have gone downhill and a lot of the leading content makers have long since moved on). Since 2014, probably 2015, I gave up on the website. I felt like there was nothing I could offer on there anymore, and had grown accustomed to the short and easy quickness of twitter. With me being an artist, I have been aligning myself back 9into such a creative zone. A place that doesn't just include art. I want to get back to that person who wrote blog posts, and fanfiction, and edits. This blog is a step in the right direction, and I have to get back into making it more appealing than a bunch of words.
Big Extravagant pieces
One thing I have come to accept about myself is that I hate drawing backgrounds. I used to do it sparingly as a kid, but when I really started taking myself seriously, I moved as much as I could away from downing anything in the background. I barely like doing patterns. While I don't think my worth as an artist is based on how much I can put in a picture, and my art is valuable as is, I really think I am ready to push into deeper waters. I did some back ground work last year in some of my pieces, but this year I am going to strive for at a cap of five individual completed pieces with backgrounds (Scenery and locations!). Wish me luck on that.
Let myself fail
Failure will always be an option. I know that it is. I have talked about it several times. Yet I still make the mistake of talking myself out of possible opportunities. Anything can happen, chances of miracles and misfortune exist at all times, but you have a greater chance of getting an opportunity by being proactive than you do by sitting and waiting. If this means that I have to take an L on the chin...then so be it. Many no's can lead to a yes.
Post traditional art
Traditional art was my beginning medium, but I took to digital art like a damn duck in water. It just made more sense to me, and I could hide my mistakes easier. Last year I started painting more (acrylic and watercolor) as well as investing in markers. I even participated in Inktober and made it all the way to the end! Inktober was so beneficial to me as an artist and how I handled watercolor. Now I have been painting more and I want to post it! Like with the first one I worry that I am not there yet, so I tend to hide or not even try at all. Now...I have been posting traditional art more as well as patting myself on the back.
With that I am ready to end this post. Of course there is more, but some things I don't want to put out into the universe just yet. Let me hit you with the surprise after some good development. Anyway, I hope 2018 brings good things for everyone...well almost everyone. The thing with realizations, is that they mean nothing if you cannot make use of them afterward. I'm hoping I can make use of what 2017 gave me (good and bad), and bring prosperity in 2018. With that, I say good bye, and go start scheming and plotting on some projects.
Chris Faison is a freelance artist and illustrator based in North Carolina. If you like his work, and wish to support him you can pledge to him on patreon, donate directly to his paypal and squarecash, or by him a ko-fi.