posted
How do you stay excited and practiced when no work is coming in? I go to a meet and find people excited all over the place, focused on whatever project they have in hand, and I get that excitment all over again.
then I go home to my empty "shop" and pull out a brush to practice.
YAWN
All I can see is me having to clean up another dirty brush afterwards, materials used up that I could have used on a job and a little sign or pinstripe that taunts me with "see, you are not as good as you think".
Then I get discouraged.
Then I read your posts on the work you are doing, and wonder what I am doing wrong.
Having ADHD really sucks, but I am getting a handle on that. I just need to get my spirit back up again.
posted
Boyd, this happens to me, too. I call it a "meet hangover". But you can try to keep the love flowing. Go out to your empty shop. Put on some tunes you dig. Get out the brushes and a piece of scrap panel, or anything laying around, and have your own personal little panel jam. Then quit beating yourself up. Make yourself a little office sign, repaint your mailbox to look cool. I know it's hard to find the inspiration, believe me. I have felt like a man who needs Viagra when it comes to my creative juices lately. And it's sure a lonely, frustrating feeling. But it can come back. Yesterday we did a wall for a pizza shop. The sketch I designed was just the basic bare-bones. We went ga-ga on it, adding subtle drop shadows and fancy little touches. Had I not gone to Mazeppa, that wall would have looked just like the sketch...good but not great. What I guess I'm trying to say is that when we come back from a meet, all that joy is still inside us, waiting to spring out if we let it. Hey, NC is NOT that far away...come up to my Jamboree in 3 weekends! Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
I start planning a project for my next meet.
This has two benefits. The information you gathered at the last meet is still fresh in your mind and once you start it, you tend to commit yourself to it and the meet you want to bring it to. I sometimes bag some panels for later use or tackle something I've never tried before. The best part is that you can always come back here to Letterville and gain a few pointers along the way.
Don't forget the Chat button, too. A great way to keep in touch with the folks here. Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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Ohhh, those meet hangovers are the worst feeling ever! I'm pretty sure that's why most continue to go to meets on a constant basis. Gotta get that fix!
The low feeling eventually subsides and you'll get back to it again. But the good time feelings never go away and keep you yearning for more.
posted
I'm having a meet right now! Don't need anybody with me ... just get there in spirit ... join me. Currently listening to http://www.baddogblues.com/ (every sunday between 10-3 I'll be in my garage being a meet head)
It will be almost like I'm there. Let's jam!
quote: a little sign or pinstripe that taunts me with "see, you are not as good as you think".
but if you're having fun, the panels laugh "with" you ... and the next one will always be better
-------------------- Compulsive, Neurotic, Anti-social and Paranoid ... but basically Happy Posts: 2677 | From: Rochester, NY, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Can't say that I have experienced any let down after a meet. Although I prety much gave up on them years ago, I can remember being re-charged for weeks.
I don't mean this to be a pep talk but, each day I can't wait to get to work. Thinking back, before the computer cutters, when I first opened my business, alone, with almost nothing, and was a poor letterer, but I had big expectations. Really BIG. You know the kind when you meet a hot dang gal with everyting you ever wanted, Big. Nothing is as good or bad as it initially appears. But this is pretty good.
I still can't believe people will pay me good money to dream up a sign. This trade has allowed me a casual independence, and a quality of life many folks would like to have. Can't say that changing my image from "Sign Painter" to "Artist" has hurt. Words mean a lot.
Looking back, I can't imagine anything I would rather do. The pay off for me has been everyting I hoped for. Still looking for that gal however.
-------------------- Joe Crumley Norman Sign Company 2200 Research Park Blvd. Norman, OK 73069 Posts: 1428 | From: 2200 Research Park Blvd. | Registered: Sep 2001
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There's always projects I want to do fo myself which get put off and put off because I am busy with paying work. I like to think of them as a reward for doing all the regular stuff.
Even so it is sometimes a bit of a chore to get out the tools and work on your own things. You have to plow through that feeling though and press on. Once you are through those first few minutes of doldrums it becomes fun.
Once you are into it the work it flows... there's no deadlines, no retrictions, and no limits for these projects don't have any timelines or budget. This work can be the most imaginative for you only have to please yourself.
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8741 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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Hey Boyd, like they(who is they???) say, first step is talking about it!!! lol and we're listening, too!!
You know, the next panel swap is "favourite quotation(s)"
well, I've got a couple going in my head, and sketchbook, for this, but also something else.
I got an email from a friend, her friend was having a golf tournament to help out his sister, with money, she's undergoing chemo, a not uncommon occurance these days. Anyway, I got ahold of him, said" I can give what I do, and it's easier than some $$$. That being, panels, he was very appreciative, I said, hey, it's what I do, you can auction them off in your silent and live auction you're having. So, voila! panels to do, got 6 in the mix right now, i'll use a technique, different on each one, got the quotations, they'll be good on the garden wall, garage, w.h.y.
Sure as you start doing something like this, the phone rings, you'll follow up on some previous quotes/ plans, and you'll be BUSY!!! Just remember to put the Love into it all!!
John
-------------------- John Lennig / Big Top Sign Arts 5668 Ewart Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada bigtopya@hotmail.com 604.451.0006 Posts: 2184 | From: Burnaby, British Columbia,Canada | Registered: Nov 2001
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Instead of bemoaning situation, further your skills by practicing on projects to take to future events...give to charity, along w/same results of practice, it additionally warms the heart...
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
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If you think of practice as tuition, rather than "wasting" material that could be sold, that helps, too. ONLY way to get better is to practice and streeeeetch that little envelope! Cat (who sometimes is reluctant to start...)
-------------------- Catharine C. Kennedy CCK Graphics 1511 Route 28 Chatham Center, NY 12184 cck1620@taconic.net "Look at me, Look at me, Look at me now! I't's fun to have fun, But you have to know how!" Posts: 2173 | From: downtown Chatham Center, NY | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Thanks everyone for your encouragement and advice. I like coming here for that little "meet". I would love to go to Jills meet, I'll look into it.
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