Focus On Art
June is all about illustration
June has been all about art. The decision for me to spend this month focusing on artwork is admittedly an arbitrary one, or perhaps it was an inevitable conclusion. Creating art has been a large part of my life and recently I’ve been spending more time developing designs and sketches for the interior art for the upcoming paperback print edition of Unsecret Identity: Eric Icarus - Book One. Illustration has been a fun and interesting aspect of my creative endeavors, but it hasn’t been easy to properly showcase my work.
Technically speaking, it is no trouble at all—smart devices and social media enable artists to share their pieces in an instant. Despite the technological ease, every creative type knows all too well the bane of impostor syndrome. As you scroll through any social media platforms, you’re likely to be inundated with works in progress, fully realized renderings, highly detailed drawings, and every genre of art you could imagine. It takes a certain kind of bravery to unveil your creations to the public. Weird scribbles, big, bizarre ideas, or surreal concepts—though there are numerous examples and samples posted daily, it is nothing short of crazy/courageous to submit a deeply personal work of art to the world at large.
I know there are several more skilled artists than myself. Pencillers and inkers, painters, colorists; the sheer talent that exists is staggering. To compare and despair is a self-restricting process. Attempting to live up to a made up standard exemplifies self-sabotage. I’ve become increasingly more accepting of the quality of my drawing. My graphic design work is also an ongoing mission to not only grow but to understand its technical processes. Digital art is something that initially appealed to me because there are more apparent boundaries. The tools are what they are within the computerized realm of creation. Drawing by hand, however, is far more complicated.
Even using a stylus on a tablet while using a drawing program is still essentially drawing the same way as a traditional artist. Obviously there are physical differences, but at the core, it comes down to you and your skill. The fundamentals can be taught, and styles can evolve, but commitment is an intangible element. Drawing can be mentally and physically demanding. Whether it’s a lack of time or strain on joints and muscles, illustrating takes its toll. This affects the mental component by being too drained to come up with a neat little detail for a costume or a fictional palace, etc. Stretching oneself too thin in the name of self-improvement can result in a backfiring bombardment of discouragement. It’s so easy to quit.
Artists carry on, though. So this month, whether it’s due to a random impulse or it’s some form of destiny, I’m putting art in the spotlight. Not only to show off my stuff, but to be cool with it. And even in a hot summer month like June, liking your own art is pretty cool.
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Unsecret Identity: Eric Icarus - Book One is available now from the Amazon Kindle store.
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