How To Write A Good Goal Question

First off, I'm not claiming expertise on this concept of question writing, but I believe I have a good foundation to give you more than enough to start with.

For 3 years I conducted interviews in my art group, Visual Sanctuary. I tested and re-tested certain types of questions. Some questions required broad answers and some specific. Some questions required most of an evening to unravel and others were just redundant.

The process of writing a good question is more of a one-two punch with refining over an exact science. Little in life is actually an exact science.

I turned the question asking process of interviewers on myself after I read Zig Ziglar's Biscuits, fleas, and pump handles. It was liberating.

Advice-issuing friends and family often press you to state your goals in a nice squared-off corner response, but people who are not systematically wired just get frustrated with that.

Instead of getting caught up in the have-to's of goal writing, just ask a question about where you want to go.

Goal setting questions must:

• Always start with who you are
• Always start with where you are
• Always start with what your passions are
• Always start with what you want to accomplish

• Always maintain an element of uncertainty
• Always seek something beyond your current situation
• Always be flexible with on-coming circumstances
• Always involve you in a story you find interesting

You can answer these eight criteria in one or two simple questions, but probably not the first time you try. Be gracious with yourself and take the time necessary.

For the record, it took several dozen business, art, and career books to get me to this point. The process took over 5 years (half the time from college to the present) to discover how to do this.

You must be at a point in your life that you desire more than your current situation to be successful at this process. Without that passion driving you, failure will frequently snuff out your flame.

The Egg

Like Schroedinger's cat, an egg is an apt symbol for unknown potential.

Freedom to Create

Perhaps its often overlooked that the cost for freedom allows all different kinds of expression.

Before

Pulling from different sources for education and inspiration is a good thing.

However, there comes a time when you must make your statement by acknowledging your own strengths and weaknesses.

Art Is A Foretaste

At my weekly Bible Study we like to have frequent parties. They tend to be banquet sized potlucks.

Last night I prepared some yummy herb-flavored potatoes. I was a half-hour late. When I arrived the hostess said, "Thank you for bringing snack." I looked around and there were no other dishes on the table.

Much to my surprise our potluck is scheduled for next week. Typically I would have let this failure bother me because I looked like a fool. But God reminded me that this dish that I had brought in was a foretaste of what is to come next week.

The Great King

 All things came to be through him,

    and without him nothing made had being. 

John 1:3 (Complete Jewish Bible)

In conclusion to my posts on 3 Kings I wanted to make sure that you understand my motivation.

 

Behind all of this is the Great King, Jesus.

 

He has ordained and been involved in the creation of all things. 

Being Teachable: Art

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. -Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert

On The Art Of Thanksgiving

"Ohhhh, do I feel full. I don't think I'll ever be able to eat again."

Being Teachable: Imagination

After God has provoked us to see things differently, whether through hard times or severe introspection we become open to new ideas. 

With the vulnerability to God and His commands a renewed faith in His work becomes available to us.

This is fuel for our imaginations. 

The reward of enduring hardship is that we have a renewed mind. This means that new possibilities become apparent. 

But how do we curb our imaginations in the aftermath of trials? How do we learn to be productive in the wake of difficult times with our whole beings shaken?

I have found some comfort in the practices below. I hope you will, too.

• Allow life to change pace naturally
• Try on the new lenses given to you by the experience...don't interpret, just partake
• Pick up your creative work again
• Stay the course on your goals
• Record your experiences
• Share your experiences
• Expect that the experience is a learning time, not personal judgment
• Expect that you will see new opportunities
• Be open to the changes
• Create art in spite of the hard times

It's your turn. Will you allow your imagination to be stymied by hard times? What will you do with this gift? 

Feel free to let me know how you endure or have endured hard times.

Being Teachable: God

Preaching is not necessary on this point. If we want to be more like God, we have to learn to weather the trials of life that God sends us.

You can work your whole life toward some supposed level of perfection and never achieve it. We are not that good. 

But when we set our eyes on being righteous (separate in our minds and attitudes) then we move toward being more like God.

For any creative person this lets us be more in touch with the reality of which we interpret. When we offer ourselves up to be more like God we will have our vision changed.

The ways this change of vision helps us as creatives are this:

• Connection with the suffering people around us
• The challenge of starting over brand new
• New opportunities realized
• Humility beyond belief
• Working with what is available
• Depending on God for what we do not have

Do you see a connection between your creativity and being taught by God? What is your story?
 

   

Is Higher Learning Enough?

You know as well as I do that we are confronted with many contradictory circumstances throughout our lives. Many of which we have no prior experience in. 

Our struggles handling these circumstances after we graduate from formal education merit this question almost always: Is higher learning enough?

Is higher learning enough?

I started my college education my junior year of high school through a credits-in-escrow program through my college, which was 15 minutes away from home.

I envied those who got ahead in life. 

Truly college education should be desired.  It meant a thorough career in your area of study. It meant that my creative dreams would come true. But I did not see the danger in this way of thinking until later. I simply bought what society sold without questions. Now I am learning the other side.

My dreams of accomplishment in art had little to do with a college education, but some of the experiences could not have happened anywhere else.

Within the academic system

Here you will see some brief observations of the best of what academia has to offer. Most of my examples come from college, but could also come from primary and secondary education. There is often little difference in format these days.

1. Teachers who are knowledgeable about the subject/topic that they teach
2. Students from a variety of backgrounds
3. Potential for one-on-one tutoring as a part of the system
4. Liberal arts help you have a broader scope of learning
5. Isolated learning experience
6. Great social melting pot
7. Higher potential for achievement
8. Ability to work with other students and be exposed to their learning styles and experiences

Workforce training

Post graduation from high school or college you have to learn a lot of things. 

Most of which you cannot learn under your parents or even independently in a college experience. A majority of these can be learned inside of the academic system, but I would argue that it is neither encouraged nor ideal to do so during that time. Some people get both worlds at once, but many still do not.

1. Interviewing skills
2. Money management
3. Networking
4. How to adjust to demands of different jobs
5. Empowerment to pursue your great dreams
6. How to quit in the right context
7. How to plan for the future
8. Change and growth is inevitable
9. Personal habits can cause conflicts
10. Quality of life matters more than quantity of experiences
11. Relationships are often the difference between success or failure
12. Control over certain variables in life makes life easier
13. You cannot control everything

By following these links: Quitter by Jon Acuff and The Dip by Seth Godin, you will learn about alternative ways of thinking about your career. Both of these books provide a framework for personal challenges in pursuing a different careers. 

The Anxiety Machine

We do not always get what we choose. We do not always get an actual choice. Contrary to what many people believe, others often will choose for us without our permission.

The Anxiety Machine was built as a way to solve that problem. Rube Goldberg had a little to do with it, but so did motivational speakers and pastors.

What do we do when someone chooses for us?

Old Tree By The River

(+)

1. Move on

2. Be productive in some way we choose

3. Choose to forgive

4. Rest

5. Pray

6. Learn how to be constructive in spite of the situation

7. Live

8. Refuse to make the same choice if in a similar situation

9. Be compassionate

(-)

1. Slander the other party

2. Get revenge

3. Hold a grudge

4. Fight

5. Try to forget that it ever happened

6. Destroy something

7. Hurt someone

The choice is yours. 

Which way will you pull the lever?

Just A Little Crooked

What will this guy get away with next, after he's shammed some poor little old ladies?

This gentleman must be bonkers, especially going after these ladies after one has fallen madly in love with him.

This is my off-the-wall post for Illustration Friday.

Short Hand Of Truth

I have heard it said that in order for there to be the most truth in a piece of art, you have to extract the most details.  That is why fairytales, Bible stories, classic art, political cartoons, pop songs, dance moves, plays, and mainstream movies hold such sway over the culture. That is not to say that all of the above always maintain the integrity of their message, but that they are a superior form to delivering one in some form or fashion.

Sure the above piece is a ridiculous scenario. Most editorial or political or op-ed comics are. Whether it's Obama as a mere stick figure or Bush as a monkey, it is a short hand for getting the point across. Whenever necessary the artist must practice this short hand.

Some of the basic components of a visual short hand that I have discovered are as follows:
1. On objects and products leave out as many unnecessary details as possible
2. Choose recognizable objects
3. Create easy repeatable characters (made of simple shapes)
4. If you're working with text, make it short and to the point as much as possible
5. Compose, so that your eye follows the action
6. Keep your style secondary to the message
7. Focus on rendering accurate human expressions on your characters

As always, I encourage my readers to explore and find more ways to deliver the message with simplicity and directness. Let me know if you have some things that work for you. I will be glad to talk about it here.

I'm In The Band

I took a brief respite last week to have some fun with Illustration Friday...which I always do! It is an aside, but it keeps things interesting for me as a blogger and artist.

On Labor Day I visited a local arts festival, The Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival. Long name, but fun festival. After I had finished my pulled pork sandwich, I sat under the tent in front of the main stage and sat down to draw. What was I interested in most at that time? The band.

All The Members In The Band.
James and the Jamerson's, a 60's Motown cover band had the chops. They had great musical harmony and rawness. They demonstrated musical authority in horns, vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, and a mix of black and white performers with shared male and female leads. What we don't see often in bands these days are the honest interpretation of the music live. That means that aside from radio formulated orchestration, most groups are too proud or maybe too poor to have the same expression live. Which is a shame. Both because it seems to be a let down for the audience and it dishonestly represents who they are.

I knew this first hand when I got out of college and moved twice in the same summer. I did not find the harmony with other artists when I first moved to Cincinnati, but I also did not find it at first when I moved to Columbus.

Credibility Gap.
We are individuals and we create as filters of the culture that we are surrounded by. Some artists will not admit that they are filters of culture. They think that if they claim there accomplishments as 100% their own that they will be more credible. This is a lie and it is also not necessary.

It is not necessary to claim your accomplishments as yours and only yours. No doubt we all have influences great and small. I often forget some of the minor influences in my life. Sometimes I discover them anew. But credibility comes after accomplishment not because of the rigorous journey done in isolation. I found this to be true time and again after I failed making quality projects on my own.

Dynamic Works.
The dynamic works like this: We conceive an idea from life experience. Which is always based in culture. Then, we begin to execute it if it is a passion. After that we must test it. When we test it, the project cannot be seen by our eyes only. Fellow artists we trust, close friends and relatives must speak in to it to make it great. Then, if the piece is deemed worthy, the culture receives it.

Conclusion.
In this process collaboration, insight, experience, and interactions of all kinds criss-cross the making of the art. In reality if the art sings, chances are that it was not done by just one person alone on an island. It was done in a band.

Tall!

Illustration Friday Entry

The little bird sat back on it's haunches in awe. The neck of this wonderful oddity reached to the sky as if it was a sky scraper. Then it spoke.

"Hey bub! You like cherries?"

Resetting The Trajectory

Over 2 months ago my roommates and I had a dispute with our landlords about their new surprise policy which was presented at the time wished to consider renewing our lease. A red flag rose when they were unwilling or unable to explain this policy, which had very severe consequences for us if we complied. We were dumbfounded as five year renters. In a sudden trump of our bargaining ability they decided that they should kick us out. They gave us the month of May.

This was the studio space set-up at the townhouse.

On the very same day that their surprise decision to kick us out happened, God vindicated us. He provided another residence to rent. Surprising me that it was through someone I know and had built a friendship with. God also worked out all of the moving logistics almost as quickly. Needless to say we are still unpacking and adjusting.

I had goals and plans and thought that the transition would be much easier. The thing is about moving, whether its 2 miles away or 200 miles away you still have to adjust. You have to relearn how to move about in your new space. You may have to formulate new ways to get things done. If you are closer to work or further away, you have to reset travel time, food arrangements and so on. Your life is one big reset and it is exciting. But it is also hard.

My new creative space is in our basement. Suprising, we have more space and will set up library soon.

The one lesson that I have learned is that moving is an opportunity. It simplifies life for a while. It also makes you think and act differently. New behaviors can be good. The new behaviors can be directed and serve a purpose. I learned a lot about forethought and clutter reduction. All things necessary to being a more productive and profitable artist.

For the time, while I'm resetting the trajectory of my life blog posts may be sparse. My new posting schedule will be unhatched soon, but for now I have got to shake out my priorities and prepare for the next big shift in my life...Business!

Stretch

I can't emphasize the importance of stretching enough. In a road race you know the race won't go well if you start to cramp up or if your muscles start hurting. When you take that extra time to prepare it makes all the difference in how you run the race.

Prepare To Create Your Best Work.
Creating art is not any different than a sport in this respect. Without the right tools you may never make the best art you could. Not everyone is right for that tool. But then there is the comfort level with that tool or process. You have to use it to be good at it.

Stretching Is Learning.
That tool and process is ink and inking. I have practiced it for more than 10 years. It obviously did not come naturally. My initial understanding of inking was with a ball point pen. Some of the stretching that had to be done was to figure out what the tool was used for. I had to figure out which tools work best for different kinds of looks. I have to practice using that skill every chance I get. As I stretch myself I learn more potential and learn more of what I don't know about it.

Conclusion.
Take at least 15 minutes a day before you start your serious project to stretch your ability. With inking I start with blue line pencil drawings of all different kinds of objects, people, different lighting situations, and compositions. Then, I practice all the different techniques and styles I like. Some pieces come out exquisitely, most do not. Think of skills that you want to learn and for it. I know you will improve if you just stretch!

Short Shorts

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? 

Run in such a way as to get the prize. -I Corinthians 9:24 (NIV)

Creating art is like running a race. Like all sports running requires practise, practise, practise! You also have to have the right gear (running shoes, shorts, light shirt, etc...), stretch, think tactically, prepare for your competitors and the course, know when to refresh, think about your finish, and fueling your imagination to win.

Skimpies.
In high school cross country we had to wear the most embarrassing uniforms of all the sports teams. They had to be a couple of decades out of date by the time my class got to wear this badge of honor. As a low profile sport, my high school felt little need to invest in any new trendy uniforms. We wore what we called skimpies. You can guess why they got that name.

Flying.
We all hated these uniforms, but you know what? There came a time when I would not trade those shorts in for anything else. After several years of running during the hot hot summers in Indiana, I was grateful for this less restricting apparel. And their came a time that I longed for the school year so that I could once again feel as if I were flying. Any dedicated runner would know what I am talking about.

Dedicated.
Try as you might, without the right gear making visual art can be hard. If you paint in oil, cheap paint may make it difficult create the atmosphere that you long for. If you are a photographer, the wrong lighting in your studio could mess with your photos and your exposure will come out wrong. Or if your a cartoonist like myself, your inking brushes could cause difficulty in creating the sharp yet varied line you want to make.The truth is that dedicated people will do what it takes to become excellent at their skills or profession.

Conclusion.

Do your best work! Don't skimp on the supplies. You may go through a practise period that you can justify cheaper material, but eventually you will want to reach for a higher level and improve your skill.  You're a creative person after all and if you can't justify the extra dollars and cents to prove to yourself and everybody else that you're worth it, then you might want to consider a new profession or hobby. So, consider the gear that will make your art soar and hone your craft with that. I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed.

Road Work Ahead

The other night I tried desperately to escape from downtown. It seemed that every exit was blocked. Every effort proved fruitless because of road work, an accident, or the normal insecure/inattentive driver.

On the road as in life, we are not alone. We sometimes make it difficult for one another. The sight of neon orange cones or flashing lights even stun some people like deer in headlights. What do we do with these distractions and unplanned detours?

Considering the rabbit trails in my life, I have compiled a short list of how to deal with this road work. I have used these from time-to-time to deal with my own problem areas. I believe they have made my life more productive. After reading this you will probably have some to add this list. I would like to hear what you have to say on the matter.

Rest Up For Trials Ahead.
You will experience curve balls. The best preparation is a sharp mind and a soft heart. This is only possible if you are whole and rested. You can refer back to my post on rest to read more on what I have to say about the topic, click here: Rest: The Secret Ingredient For Success.

Put Blame To Death.
Throwing people under the bus purposefully or accidentally, because life isn't going well solves no one's problems. Test your heart for your motivations. However, if someone is at fault for problems in your life, demand justice. But remember that more important than justice is mercy. Allow justice to take its proper course and then move on. This is a way of putting blame to death as well.



Keep Your Eyes On The Road.
Sometimes fear on our part can cause unintended accidents. As I see others fall behind or get hit, I defer to God's will through prayer. I pray for those who were unfortunate enough to participate in the accident. Then I look ahead, because there is nothing that I can do. Usually, the medics and police have already arrived. With exception to rare moments, where this is not the case, I'd recommend keeping our eyes on the goal ahead.

 Detours Often Mean Discovery.
I have a tendency to get mad when I am rerouted. Nothing is as painful as this random inconvenience. I have goals of my own after all. Who has the right to throw my day off?

But yet, when I am sent on a detour I break from my comfort zone. I am open to discovering new ways to accomplish my goals. When you understand what the barriers are there for, you can joyfully work in a limited palette. A little while back I posted about how that process is used through watercolor, click here for that post: Royal Colors.

The Destination Won't Change.
After you have gone out of your way because your plans were smashed by a situation you can't control there is a tendency to feel completely defeated. But I have learned this lesson over the long haul. My personal comic book project that has been detoured, sidetracked, and put in limbo for reasons I can't explain or remember now over 5 years many times. Every time I get a chance I pick it up again and go at it. The goal never changed. It was still waiting for me at the end of my distraction period. Foremost, I learned how readily and easily I get distracted. Then, I started learning how to curb and commercialize on those distractions (another post in the future).

My advice: Keep your goal in mind as you navigate your new circumstances. Unless you feel as if you should stop or pursue a different goal during this time, you should move forward even if it seems as if you are going in the opposite direction.

Conclusion.
Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy on the road to our goals. Sometimes things happen to us and we can't explain it. The best we can do most of the time is to move forward as often as possible. Be optimistic that you will finish what was started. As long as it is a path that honors God, I'd encourage you to continue on. Chances are God wants you to finish and finish well, too.