“I’m a damn good artist, and it’s about time I let everyone else see, how good I am.”
This is a quote from me this weekend.
For some time now, I’ve been making a very common mistake, in regards to my art. It’s the “I have enough time” Syndrome. The syndrome in which, you always tell yourself, and others, that you don’t need to get started on a project right away, because you still have enough time to finish said project.
This (dare I say) epidemic, is due, I believe to our ability to block out, from our minds, one simply fact.
This fact is that SHIT HAPPENS!!
People, including yourself, get sick. Old family, and friends pop out of nowhere, and want to see you. Your car breaks down, and you need to spend time fixing it, or getting others to do the job. Or even more common, we underestimate the amount of time, required, to do a job, or as in the case of my latest “Harbor Life” strip, we forget how much time we don’t have due to previous engagements.
When it came to finishing my last strip for HL, I decided to start a day or two earlier, then I had been, for the other two. Here’s the problem. I forgot that The 12 Hour Challenge was that up coming weekend, (well I didn’t really forget, I just didn’t connect, in my mind, that it would mean less time to work on the strip) and due to it, I lost two whole days, to work on it. Henceforth it’s sub par.
The point is that even though I was trying to follow the advice I am about to pass on to you. If I had really taken it to heart, I’d have had it done (done well, that is) in plenty of time.
Here’s my advice. If you have a project with a due date. GET STARTED NOW. Don’t wait till you think you have enough time, cause chances are you still wont have enough time.
Chances are if you continue waiting till you have to start a project, you’ll end up never showing people, just how good you can be.
As with all things I seem to talk about on here, I’m struggling with this very issue now. I have my first comic due, next month, and I have “enough” time to finish. I’m hoping that it’ll be the project that let’s everyone see how good I really am. If not, I promise myself that my next book will be that project. I refuse to sit on the side lines any longer, because, I’m acting like a wiener, and not giving myself enough time to bring my “A” game!!
Join me. This year you can do great things 
Bri
Justin said
March 19 2007 @ 10:37 pm
Hear, hear!
We can get things done! There’s nothing to it but to … oh never mind. As a chronic procrastinator I feel your pain; I get distracted so easily, it is disgusting. In fact, there are some things I need to do right now. I’m off!