Every single day I am constantly surrounded by something art. Art students, art books, my own art, professional artists I see on the web. It amazing the talent I see. It’s really unbelievable how many artists are flying under the radar in obscurity.
When I first started my journey of becoming a professional illustrator it was certainly no party. I started off extremely slow, there were some lean years right out of college. After struggling along for about two years I was discovered by Bill and Maurine Klimt. Bill and Maurine were artist reps at the time, this was the early 90′s. They took me under their wing helping me with my confidence and portfolio. Eventually they landed me a few paying clients and I was off to the races. It still was not easy because I was struggling with some basic painting and drawing issues. Not to mention this new phenomenon called meeting deadlines.
After a while things had leveled off and I was barely eking out a living as a freelance illustrator. I had two to four different clients that gave me work. I really didn’t know if this was the lifestyle I wanted. I knew there was better. Little did I know I was on the verge of having a major break through with my painting skills that would put me in a place of demand amongst book publishers.
There was a point where I had a serious gut check. I was working my but off but not seeing great results. I decided to leave Bill and Maurine and take some time to reexamine my career. Did I want to struggle, did I want to not get paid well? I did have some serious self doubts just three years out of college. I didn’t even know if I was good enough to get into the big publishing companies.
Everything was there and I didn’t even know it. My foundation was built and I just had to keep pushing a little more to see results. I also needed just a little luck. Well luck finally did come in the form of a new agent call Hankins & Tegenborg. My career with them lasted roughly several years. I became successful earning a living working as a freelance illustrator which was my dream. However I just about quit when I was on the verge of success. What was he reason why I kept pushing, I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. I knew my calling was to be an illustrator.
I see this same thing everyday with artists who are way more talented than I could ever dream to be. They give up when they are just about there. This goes for artists who are into drawing or painting as a hobby as well as with artists who want to earn a living with their art.
Give yourself a gut check, I did. It was a six month gut check. Remember the plateau theory, you could be in that very tough part of your career which is a long level field where nothing changes and everything looks the same. Eventually if you keep pushing some hills will arrive and you will start to move upward. Then eventually some mountains will arrive and you will really start to move upward at an even faster pace. That’s when the good stuff happens. That is when those lean years give you the bragging rights to wisdom and experience. Not to mention an actual checking account which is nice too.
P.S.
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May 11th, 2011 at 6:39 am
The search engine redirected me to this webpage and thank god the third website was exactly what I was looking for
July 21st, 2009 at 5:24 pm
There is a very interesting film on the now retired drawing master at the Ontario College of Art. The website describes it as:
” a character study of Paul Young, a highly respected teacher of drawing and perspective at the Ontario College of Art. We follow him through his final classes as a teacher into his first year of retirement, where after 33 years of dedication to his students, he strives to become the artist he has always dreamed of being. “
July 13th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Thank you for the above information. I remember the first time that I actually showed my work to a professional. It was a free portfolio showing day for the college for creative arts. After that one fifteen minute session with an admissions adviser, I swore off art completely. Of course I did not, and was not expected to have a professional portfolio but the the insight from the admission staff was not based on improvement suggestion but more that work such as mine had no aesthetic value and I would need more depth of what the world wants to see etc.
I create because I love creating. I’m trained as a graphic or digital designer (art institute of Pittsburgh online division) but I feel that your website is definite up there (and even surpasses) in university quality teachings of techniques. You offer insight and different methods that are understandable. Also, you give a personal approach to answering questions and critiquing member suggestions.
I’ve joined many websites to find artists and learn their ideas and methods for creating the wonderful work that they do. From your wonderful podcast, I felt that I could learn a lot from you. This is the first time that I’ve joined an art related site that has a membership fee. It is totally worth it!
June 20th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Your welcome and thanks for sharing!
June 19th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Salut, Matt,
Your article touches me in two ways:
-First, as an ex-art student who once was struggling to “put his colours in the right order”.
-Second, as a nearly full-time artist who, now, could not see and want him self doing anything else for the rest of his days, like you said.
But sometimes the universe shows that it doesn’t heave heart feelings, and, it will give you what you’re asking for the most. So, years ago I abandoned.
After joining the French foreign legion I understood, in funny circumstances, what art and specially plastic arts (drawing, painting…) means to me.
Now, after a gut check that lasted a while, I prepare my self to face my vocation and all that goes with.
Good luck and courage to all of yow out there who are fighting with your entourage, your public and your self! The love for the artistic spirit and the liberty that art provides will be a good allied.
Very nice work, Matt!
June 19th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Matt,
I’m fairly new to you and your site; however, the solid content is evident from the beginning compared to so many sites that ‘feel’ like someone trying to fluff out a term paper or create the maximum number of clicks. “Artists On The Verge Of Success”, although not unique, is the kind of article that ‘verging’ artists need to read on a CONTINUAL basis. Personally, I KNOW that I have art in my DNA. It’s been evident from childhood, manifesting in everything I do, but only late in life have I embraced the profession of artist. The feedback around me, all independent of parents and friends, is ALL positive. I appreciate this article so much because it helps someone like me who can wear the artist hat well but struggles with the marketing hat, the businessman hat, the self-promoter hat. I do a lot of the things I think I should to wear those other hats well, but I sell very little. I rationalize this lack of a basic requirement as due to the economy, and perhaps there is a grain of truth to it. I am of an age, however, wherein my passion to do that which I know I was meant to do sustains me in scary times of financial difficulties. I say light-heartedly in polite conversation that I would rather live in a refrigerator box under the interstate to be able to paint than to spend valuable life minutes working soul-sucking jobs to pay rent, eat, and have transportation. It may come to that, but articles like yours proves that art professions are being made and will continue to be made. If I had doubts about my abilities I might give up. But I have been given two gifts: my artistic sight and talent, and the confidence that comes from knowing what your purpose in life is. After that, the chips must fall where they may.
Thanks for all the effort you put into your website,
Robert Sesco