Well I figured I should actually update this thing, since I’ve got it and it will probably be a pretty useful tool regarding my website.
Anyways, my senior year at Marietta College is coming to a close. It’s been a rather shaping year, as far as work and personal philosophy goes. When I first started here, my goal was to be able to work in advertising. But now, after some thought, that sounds pretty undesirable. I would much rather use my skills as an artist to convey ideas and stories, rather than convince someone to buy or use a specific product/service. I’m kind of an “art is expression” sort of guy, and I have better things to express than “Hey! Buy our crap!”
So now I’m thinking something more illustrative sounds more like what I want, particularly in the comics industry. Through the comic field, I can make use of three of my favorite things, drawing, writing, and graphic design. Writing is probably my weakest area, of those three (as far as stories are concerned) but I have ideas, and in the end, the concept is what really gets things moving. The technical stuff comes later. After finals week is over I’m going to be sending my work off to Dark Horse, Dynamite Entertainment and, if their website ever gets back up, Silent Devil. All three are publishers that cater to independent work, which would be right up my alley.
So we shall see what comes of that. Just working as an artist or a colorist would be great, by no means do I have to do all the work on my own. In fact I’d say being a colorist would be loads of fun, as that ended up being my favorite part of making my comic. The colors are really what gave it the feel I desired. Something muted, but intense, and abstract in a way. It’s also strange that the thing I liked doing most with my comic was something I had to teach myself; coloring digitally was never covered (at least very extensively) in any course I took. So in that regard, I found enjoyment in experimentation and being more or less solely responsible for the successful conveyence of a piece of work.
If I were to give a piece of advice to a new student, I would say to create for yourself. Follow your own interests in design. That is when you’ll really flourish. But, you need to be able to talk about your designs and defend the decisions you make as an artist. “Because I like it” is not a reason to do anything in design. It was to work, it has to have meaning, it has to have an idea behind it. Soon you’ll find yourself liking designs because they work, and not just because “it looks good.” Through experimenting, reflecting on your work, and discussion with others about their work, you will develop an eye for design.
So that’s about it. I’m planning on keeping this updated with new developments in the art world for me. So tune in if you’re interested, and if you’re not, well then I’m impressed you’re still reading.
