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Saturday, July 05, 2008

The Next Professional Steps -

- I am taking to further my career.... ?

On the last day of the IMC we were asked if we had made a list of the next 5 Professional Actions we were going to take when we returned home. I hadn't made a list yet, but I instantly set to it. Came up with a bunch more than five - some immediate, some longer term.

1. Buy a new printer - for heavy paper, large format printing (will explain usage in future post). (Done)

2. Plug in WACOM Tablet to laptop and get used to working with stylus. (Done. At least the plug-in part)

3. Upgrade archaic version of Photoshop and get a personal tutorial on usage (Done).

4. Update badly neglected website (Done).

5. Update other portfolio sites online (Done).

6. Research scanners - if applicable, get a larger format, flatbed one (Done).

- there's my more immediate, concrete goals. Others that are longer term or less concrete:

7. Set goals for more live figure drawing (and/or self-directed figure drawing from my many, many applicable books on the subject) (Done - I now moderate a life drawing session 3x a month).

8. Keep working on the oil glazing technique (will use it on one of the books I am contracted to do this year. Short deadline - enforced quick learning.) (in process).

9. Research other artists who use above technique - study their work and methods where possible.

10. Start working on more 'mature' subject matter to expand portfolio into additional markets. (Whilst under current deadlines, aiming for at least one new sketch per month) (in process).

11. Research markets that this new work will apply to (then set goals for getting work seen by new markets).

Plenty to think of. Plenty to do.

The trick will be keeping it up, and keeping the enthusiasm for doing so even as my current project(s) deadlines loom....

Feel free to ask me how I'm doing as time goes on.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fascinated by this series of before and during and after the workshop, Tara. Thanks.

Jane

Ulla said...

Wow! Thats one impressive goal list!!! Sounds like you'll be a new you!!! (f.y.i. we used apoxy clay to adhere pearls and crystals onto bottles).
Hope your fairytale life is wonderful!!!

Hayden said...

excellent goals - even better since some are already acted on!

Chris.P said...

I admire your resolve and enthusiasm to grow and change as an artist. Having a rolling deadline like you do can be frustrating time-wise but it does give you the financial breathing space.

I for one wouldn't bet against you achieving your goals:¬)

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Good list! I predict even greater success.

Maddy said...

Golly you are organised! I still haven't purchased photoshop [lack the time to work out how to use the darned thing!]

But you must promise me faithfully that when you find the perfect scanner you'll tell me what it is! [please]
Cheers

Anonymous said...

First let me say thank you for stopping by. I appreciate your kind words. I love your goal list and you've been very busy since I last visited. I'm going to have to come back to catch up. Some of those sound quite interesting. I'll have to research to understand the oil glazing technique. Right now my goal is to set up a daily practice of drawing. It's encouraging to read your goals. I'll be watching with anticipation!

One Crabapple said...

One new market to think of is...that trailer for books business. You could do drawings of a book and do quick edit formats to narrative and music with your wonderful work / animation ! form ? even ? and get with publishers on making these trailers to use in bookstores for kids to pick out books ! Did I make sense ? laughing. I am working and blogging , same time. I have my ears doing one thing and me typing this - flipping the current back and forth in brain ! hope it makes sense.

YOU COULD DO IT !!! Brilliant arteeest that you are!

Love S.

xxxxx said...

I'm impressed by your list!!! Loads on it, and it's showing me how proactive you've been already. I wish you well, and more, on this journey of furthering your career.

I'm in the process of changing mine :-)