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Update 31 Dec 2014 - It All Started So Well...
11 years ago
Hi everybody. RipRoarRex here.
So 2014 is almost at an end. And it's been a bit of a strange year for me.
I had been hoping that this year would witness an increase in my productivity. I'd planned on getting a lot more ideas done and a lot more projects finished, and I was hoping it would be the best year for my gallery for some time.
And it was working, for a while. In the first few months of the year, I was very driven, and I managed to get plenty of pieces uploaded. Indeed, I posted this in my journal on 13 April:
I'm taking some encouragement from the fact that I'm doing much better than I was last year in terms of productivity. As I've said before, 2013 was a very frustrating year for me artistically. Between 1st January and 13 April 2013, I'd only submitted three different pictures. So far this year, I've submitted eight already.
Here's hoping - one way or another - the trend continues.
Well... it didn't.
Summer came and brought an art block with it. Then my car broke down in July, and brought with it a whole heap of problems. For a while I didn't put pencil to paper on anything at all. When I did finally start drawing again, I started turning my attention to some bigger comic projects, some of which have been long overdue. But of course, these are big projects with big workloads, and with the limited time I generally have, I still haven't been able to get any of them finished.
The consequence: In the first half of the year, I submitted nine pictures. In the second half - not counting the trio of crappy unfinished pieces I uploaded recently (which are now in my Scraps) - I've submitted... one.
Ten submissions. My previous lowest over 12 months was 11 back in 2009. Far from achieving the target I set out to hit of bumping up my productivity, 2014 has actually ended up being my least productive year yet.
Rather conscious of this, I was striving to get one more picture done before the year was out. Namely, the next episode of the Rexar & Mike: Snapshots series. But Christmas is a very difficult time to get anything done, particularly given some other big family commitments of late which have taken precedence, and I either couldn't find time for my work or just didn't want to. I was hoping I'd have it ready for New Years Eve - and revive an old tradition I used to enjoy of uploading a piece on December 31 - but I'm loathed to rush it simply for that reason and as such have not quite been able to get that done either.
So I'm annoyed. I know I shouldn't be. After all, I know folks will probably tell me it's quality over quantity, and indeed I think there has been a lot of quality in the artwork I've uploaded this year. But it continues to irritate me that with my brain positively bursting with ideas all the time - never mind those that other people send me - I'm never able to find sufficient time to get them out.
As such, I've actually been rather looking forward to the New Year. A chance to start again. Reset the clock. 12 fresh months in which to get something done. And while I know I shouldn't put so much pressure on myself to finish work, I want to do more. Fingers crossed, next year I might actually be able to make it happen.
Hopefully this Snapshot will find its way into my gallery nice and early in 2015 to get the ball rolling, and with any luck, plenty more will follow it. So watch this space.
Wishing you all a belated Merry Christmas and a bright and happy New Year.
RRRex
So 2014 is almost at an end. And it's been a bit of a strange year for me.
I had been hoping that this year would witness an increase in my productivity. I'd planned on getting a lot more ideas done and a lot more projects finished, and I was hoping it would be the best year for my gallery for some time.
And it was working, for a while. In the first few months of the year, I was very driven, and I managed to get plenty of pieces uploaded. Indeed, I posted this in my journal on 13 April:
I'm taking some encouragement from the fact that I'm doing much better than I was last year in terms of productivity. As I've said before, 2013 was a very frustrating year for me artistically. Between 1st January and 13 April 2013, I'd only submitted three different pictures. So far this year, I've submitted eight already.
Here's hoping - one way or another - the trend continues.
Well... it didn't.
Summer came and brought an art block with it. Then my car broke down in July, and brought with it a whole heap of problems. For a while I didn't put pencil to paper on anything at all. When I did finally start drawing again, I started turning my attention to some bigger comic projects, some of which have been long overdue. But of course, these are big projects with big workloads, and with the limited time I generally have, I still haven't been able to get any of them finished.
The consequence: In the first half of the year, I submitted nine pictures. In the second half - not counting the trio of crappy unfinished pieces I uploaded recently (which are now in my Scraps) - I've submitted... one.
Ten submissions. My previous lowest over 12 months was 11 back in 2009. Far from achieving the target I set out to hit of bumping up my productivity, 2014 has actually ended up being my least productive year yet.
Rather conscious of this, I was striving to get one more picture done before the year was out. Namely, the next episode of the Rexar & Mike: Snapshots series. But Christmas is a very difficult time to get anything done, particularly given some other big family commitments of late which have taken precedence, and I either couldn't find time for my work or just didn't want to. I was hoping I'd have it ready for New Years Eve - and revive an old tradition I used to enjoy of uploading a piece on December 31 - but I'm loathed to rush it simply for that reason and as such have not quite been able to get that done either.
So I'm annoyed. I know I shouldn't be. After all, I know folks will probably tell me it's quality over quantity, and indeed I think there has been a lot of quality in the artwork I've uploaded this year. But it continues to irritate me that with my brain positively bursting with ideas all the time - never mind those that other people send me - I'm never able to find sufficient time to get them out.
As such, I've actually been rather looking forward to the New Year. A chance to start again. Reset the clock. 12 fresh months in which to get something done. And while I know I shouldn't put so much pressure on myself to finish work, I want to do more. Fingers crossed, next year I might actually be able to make it happen.
Hopefully this Snapshot will find its way into my gallery nice and early in 2015 to get the ball rolling, and with any luck, plenty more will follow it. So watch this space.
Wishing you all a belated Merry Christmas and a bright and happy New Year.
RRRex
BILLS
CAR PAYMENTS
BILLS
JOB
BILLS
BILLS
BILLS
JOB
JOB
FUNERAL
OUT OF TOWN
GOT SICK
FAPFAPFAPFAPFAP
BILLS
GOT SICK
BILLS
SEXSEXSEXSEX
THE WALKING DEAD
JOBJOBJOBJOBJOBJOBJOBJOBJOBJOB
BILLS--
Oh look. The year's over. >__> And now you're frustrated because you didn't have time to do what you wanted. >___<
I do agree that you shouldn't put stress on yourself. At no point should your hobby turn into a chore, or something you feel like you have to do. But at the same time, life keeps throwing curve balls at us, to a point where we rarely have time to breathe, so at times it feels like we're forcing ourselves to do our hobby simply because if we don't, we'll never have the time. It's a vicious cycle, I know. X___X
A friend of mine told me that you should make time for yourself so that you have some time to settle down. I've been trying to listen to his advice; I don't know if I'm succeeding too well at that. >__< But perhaps you should try that too. Anyway, hopefully next year won't be so hectic for you, and for everyone else who lives a busy, stress-filled life.
Have a Happy New Year.
I certainly need to make more time for myself, but it's very difficult working the shift times that I do. I'm generally either having to get up very early to find sufficient time during the day before I go to work, or staying up late into the night when I'd rather be in bed.
Thanks anyway - and Happy New Year to you too.
Life sometimes throws you those crazy twists (and I can totally relate on the car one too - that just happened to me in the 26th). But it's less about being annoyed that they happened, and more about how you dealt with them, put them behind you and keep on going. :) Rather than peg doing stuff to a year or time, just say "When I get the chance to put stuff in the gallery.... OOH YEAH... it'll be awesome." As your fans, we will be happy as anything to see it whenever it comes. :)
Hope 2015 is a great year of adventures, lessons learned and good times my friend!
Anyway, thanks mate. You have a good year too - and hope you can squeeze in more kayaking!
Always remember. Now is not the time to dwell on the past, but instead, focus on the future. Don't worry about how many or how few things you drew last year. Just plan on drawing as much as makes you happy, this year.
We can't change what happened this past year, and we can't predict what will happen in the coming year. So, just go with the punches and make it the best year that you can.
Lol!
Nevertheless, I'm hoping this new year will be more productive for me & best of luck to you too.
I'll be seeing you around with a different name. Farewell & have a great year!