Some things that I want to accomplish this year are an on-going "bucket list" of things I want to do, while others are a little closer to the surface and more doable this year. As artists, I think its important for us to have/make goals. We need something to shoot for. Look back at the first drawing you did in last years sketchbook....did you get better? Thats what goals do, they give us a reason to look at our progress from time to time. That's important to do. Sometimes its a bit depressing- revealing a weakness; sometimes its the shot in the arm you need to keep pushing forward. I've done a lot in my career-lots I'm proud of-but believe me, there's a ton that I look back on and wish I would have done more.
And, even though I'm an old guy, I feel like I still haven't accomplished that one thing/project that I look back and say, "That was my best work". Maybe you never do, that's how you keep striving to get better. I may never find out.
What are your goals for this year? I'm really only talking about the creative ones, since that's what DA is about. (I am trying to loose 20 pounds this year, but I'm not mentioning it!
I'll be bold and tell you a few of mine. I really haven't told anyone about these.
I want to write and draw a comic strip. I know this is stupid to pursue with newspapers going down the tubes, but its a bucket list kind of thing for me. I have an idea and I've already written a bunch of gags, designed the characters and have 6 strips done! Once I get a months' worth, I'm going to submit them to a syndicate. I know webcomics is an option these days, but I really want to try syndication first. Its very autobiographical strip, so its been fun to do with my small amount of free time. Because I don't have much time to do it, I'm trying to develop a "quick" style so I can keep it up in the future if I decide to stick with it. Who knows?
I'd like to do a comic book again. It may be an original idea of mine or a writer partner, or I'd love to draw a short comic for Marvel or DC. This may be a longer-term goal since comics aren't the easiest thing to do with a short amount of free time.
I want to start doing some online character design and character drawing "mentoring" workshops. This is hopefully less far off for me. With the release of my book "Character Mentor" in April, I am already planning on doing some web-based videos, etc. to tie into that. A workshop (for starters) could tie into that nicely. I have even bigger goals for online schooling past that, but a workshop or two is a good place to start. Yes, there would be a charge, but hopefully a fair one.
There's more, but they get either more crazy or just less impossible to get done in the next year. So, that's a good start. Now that I wrote these down, I can look back in a year and see if I got the ball rolling on any of these. I sure hope so. God may have other plans (and probably does) and I bet they're even better than I could imagine anyway! I'm just thankful for what He has given me and for my family. That's my real goal this new year- to be the best father/husband/servant I can be in His name. God bless you all! -TomB.
