...is what I have been feeling. I've been concentrating on work on my book to such a degree that...it was as if I couldn't even SEE it, if you know what I mean... Hypercriticality (is that a word?), comparing myself unfavorably to others, doubt that I've EVER done ANYTHING good are among the results... So I've been taking time over the last few days to just do some aimless sketches in the a.m., something that I don't care about at all... the above are a couple. (And yes, I did take down that last book page- I've decided that it's not finished.)

One more thing- and I've been meaning to report this for a couple of weeks now (I am such a delinquent blog-ger!)- I am the lucky winner of a signed copy of Holly De Wolf's book, Breaking Into Freelance Illustration, courtesy of Escape from Illustration Island and Holly De Wolf! Thanks to both Thomas James and Holly De Wolf. I will indeed post a review when I receive it!

I've been working on various pages of my book. Here's one that is almost finished, more to come (although I think that I'll start taking them down before there are too many up- I want you to buy the book)!

The second interview/podcast that I listened to on Escape From Illustration Island
was with Jonathan Woodward, who is not only an incredibly talented collage-based illustrator- look at his work here!- but who is also documenting his ongoing progress in his quest to transition to a full-time freelance illustrator on this blog, zero 2 illo. He also seems like a genuine, generous nice guy. Good luck, and thanks, Jonathan Woodward!

It would simply be wrong for me NOT to mention the great site that I recently came across, Escape From Illustration Island.
Experienced illustrator Thomas James has posted an exhaustive list of resources of all kinds that I have no doubt will be of great use to me and to many others starting out. He also hosts a weekly podcast (of which I have only- so far- listened to two episodes, both excellent) in which he interviews various personalities of the illustration world.

As I may or may not have mentioned (whined about?) before, I am occasionally seized by the unpleasant suspicion that 'everyone else' knows something about the illustration game that I don't- that there is something obvious, perhaps, that I am missing, that is THE ANSWER! THE KEY! (to success) etc. etc. A site such as this helps in practical ways ( to point me in directions that it might otherwise have taken me much longer to discover!) as well as psychological. I am grateful to its helpful and generous author.

His most recent interview/podcast featured Holly DeWolf , a successful illustrator who has written a book that I will be ordering, Breaking into Freelance Illustration.
She describes it as 'all of the things that she wished she had learned in school, but had to learn in the real world'. Perfect! Again, for both practical reasons and reasons of reassurance- I wouldn't call it schadenfreude, exactly, but I DO find it comforting to know that I'm not the only one who didn't leave school (I didn't do an illustration programme, rather a 'fine arts' programme with no practical reference to the real world whatsoever) knowing everything that I needed to know. I'll let you know what I think once I've read it.

Yes, I'm still alive. I've been working on my book, and on sending out more mailings. This is a finished page from my book; I will soon post another page (almost done) (the page, not the book...). I finally finished that 'meatball story' commission; I haven't posted it though as it was too large to scan. I'll see if I can do something about that soon.

I've just joined some entrepeneurial 'networking' sites and will endeavor to update my online portfolio sites. Must keep up on the 'business' side of things; that is hard but must be done, unless someone would like to volunteer to do it for me? Anyone? I thought not...

I recently did a sketch for a sports team's logo (sports team/sport to remain anonymous) that may or may not be used. Nonetheless, I am pleased to have made a new contact (web designer); hoping that he may think of me again whether he gets the contract or not. I'm hoping that I was agreeable, helpful, easy to get along with, etc. (Stop laughing!)

Anyhow... back to work. I will attempt to post a new drawing soon.