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.

Puzzled

I have a weakness for good science fiction and fantasy illustration. You could say it is a driving force that keeps me creating. Seeing fantastic things that never existed or imagining things that may someday exist is very compelling.This blog entry is connected to IllustrationFriday.com.

This is your introduction into my love for illustration. Occasionally I have shown you my quick sketches or sketch book entries. This is actually the first time I have brought up my illustration background in this blog. It is really no different than a watercolor painting, a comic strip, or even a one panel humor bit. All employ my creativity, but engage me in different ways. I will share with you some brief insights into what illustration is about. Perhaps you can use this knowledge when you create as well.

Illustration Is Art.
Much to my dismay many people want to compare the proper fine art to that of commercial art. Both have the same agenda, to make money for the creator. The only difference is the way they are sold. Sometimes the "fine artist" has less freedom than the illustrator. It all depends on intent.

Illustration Is About The Story.
Illustration on its own may or may not communicate the message it is intended to share with the world. With the back story, illustration will thrive. It is about the narrative.

Illustration Is Found Outside of Commercial Art.
You could say that classic art, especially oil paintings and sculpture, are examples of illustration. They fit the narrative mold. Many folk artists who only created art because it was an itch they had to scratch also narrated stories through their art.

Illustration Has a Decipherable Message.
Unlike conceptual art of the modern and post-modern era, illustration has one purpose alone--the message. If it is not communicated clearly, it may still be art, but it is not an illustration.  

Illustration Has a Diversity of Styles.
There is no set style to illustration. It has changed and grown over the years. Materials have changed along with technology that allows you to make sleeker art, but the media was never the focus. The message was central.

Illustration Has a Diversity of Applications.
Illustration as I said above can be found outside of commercial art. It is also applied to everything from movie animatics to comic strips to how-to books and even toys. As an artform illustration is very flexible.

Conclusion.
Though far from exhaustive, this list above represents the major points on what illustration is about. Perhaps when you look at a book cover or Greek statue or any other message baring image you will think differently about what the story is behind it.

Stay Young...FOREVER!

It took a second look at the shelf to understand it. My hands had actually shelved these books before without my brain connecting the fact that the titles were just stupid. Because they were so ridiculous I can't remember their titles specifically. But they all wanted to say this: "Stay Young, Forever" and they meant it.

What Are We Looking For?
Why o why, would you buy that nonsense? I don't know for sure, but it has to be a strange sickness that has made us believe this junk. Its just sad.

But maybe this thing we are looking for is what we said before, but it is good...staying young, forever. But maybe we really have it backward. Those words don't say what I want them to mean. So, I will show you what I mean. First, I will show you a simple comic. Then, I will explain it. See if you can follow...

I Thought Like A Child.
My first day of junior high I was so happy about the sports that I could soon play all that year that I carried home my duffel bag full of my text books for every class. As a preteen I was more happy about about getting in shape that this task seemed more important than even what people thought of me. I was just looking to succeed. Those heavy books were at least half my weight. Why ride the bus when I could get a work out? My creativity endured without criticism or skepticism. I was unleashed from material expectation. I had physical level of endurance I crave now, but lacked discipline and direction.

Crazy? Maybe, so.

That type of excitement lasted until college. Until I faced the big world problems. I was my own man.

Inject cynicism.

Grow Up, Already.
I hit the school of hard knocks hard. From the beginning of college to my late 20's I was cynical about authority, the system, and pretty insecure myself.Much worse than now. I was looking for a chance to show the world that I was something special, all by myself.  I was miserable because I never thought I could measure up. As one who follows Jesus, I doubted God's blessings in my life. Until, the day I started dealing with my problems. I had carried around a satchel, then as I had carried around that duffel bag before. It was full of all of my ridiculous priorities. And few of them were God's. In a sense this burden was worse than the weight I carried around in junior high and I did so for nearly 10 years. I missed it. I had lost myself. I thought I was mature. My creativity was mostly watered down. I allowed myself to waste away for some unknown reason. Until the day I got an affirmation on my calling. My only benefit was my outward endurance and ability to work hard. This rarely helped me, because I did not have the smarts to match.

Inject grace.

Start At The Beginning.
Much has changed over the last 4+ years. On the day that a friend offered me grace for my immature behavior, I started to begin again. I slowly returned. Older, yes, but my goals are much clearer. These days my fervor for creativity is much stronger. Now, I feel myself physically wasting away. My spirit is much more agile. I willfully carry a ridiculous amount of art supplies in my new satchel to be prepared for art at any moment. Where these past opportunities only built my cynicism, I now use them to build character or create art. They fuel my imagination. Essentially the benefit of returning to my youthful ways is that every second has significance. Though, I did not get here on my own. By investing more in my relationship with Jesus, the change happened to me. I did not create it. More adequately I gave up and just trusted.

Conclusion.
So, maybe we do have it backward. We are looking for physical youth and beauty that will not last. My physical condition has deteriorated, but my spirit has more endurance. The lesson I learned over the last 31 years is that growth is not about outward appearance, but an inward attitude. Youth is a condition of the heart. You can stay young if you put your trust in the right person, Jesus. And out of that ambition and creativity will flow like a mountain spring. Refusing the nonsense that society expects of you is only the first step. After that you have to be willing throw off the expectations you put on yourself and let God do His work. That is where your best creativity will come from.

What are you looking for? Remember and reach back to what drove you to be creative in the first place and reach up to the Lord and Savior of the universe. He will guide you in that. Look for ways to keep that momentum going.

V Is For Verone: Part 1

Who is Verone and where did he come from? And why does he have that "V" on his vest? In this two part story I present a little back story to "The Course".

As the cold winter wind broke through the mountains in some unnamed highlands of Eastern Europe a young gypsy thief ran and took refuge under the cliff. His clan had moved on a day ahead and he was seeking to survive.  Little did he know, there was a gypsy clan who had already taken refuge in the cave. He could smell the cooking stew, probably made from a mountain goat or some poor farmers stray cow.

The boy entered the narrow passage way under the overhang. There before him were several small families hunched together around several fires. They barely acknowledged him as he came down the crevice through an awkward rock path. The boy circled the first fire and no one made eye contact. They were concentrating too much on being warm or they just didn't care. He circled the second one and no one even moved. At the third fire the the boy was desperate. If he could not find solace here he would likely freeze to death if he tried to go on. Though, the stew smelled heavenly, he could endure the hunger. He had done that before. It was warmth and rest he longed for.

Nature of Inspiration

One of the biggest up hill battles I have fought since I graduated from college is what I am supposed to do with the artistic talent I have been given. In my life there has been no shortage of doubts, struggles, and missteps. But above anything else, the journey has been most fruitful when I let go of my expectations and trusted God to fill in the blanks. That is what this piece, The Nature of Inspiration, is all about.

Amongst my watercolors this color sketch is not the most technical. For me it captures the spiraling, yet linear movement of dreams and goals. How they can often be easily read, but still over a blurry and colorful backdrop. I do not know what my future holds or how today will make sense in reference to tomorrow. Yet, God leads the way and the trail will not finish at a dead end.