No really, where do I start? Six months after receiving my degree it almost feels like the decision to become a freelance illustrator was enough. Toing and throwing between what was expected of me and what I actually wanted to do got me into a right tizz that it felt like the hard work should be over.
But now I feel even more like a fish out of water. Don’t get me wrong I am fully behind this decision but now it’s no longer the new year is it (diets have already failed) and I can no longer plan to do things, I have to you know… do it! The self-motivation is there; I just need to know where to channel it. I like to draw that much is obvious but I need people to see that and that’s the hard bit. I’m poised at the end of the driving board ready to take the plunge, I just know the water is going to be a shock to the system.
(Tried having blue hair for a few days - got a bit excited that I could draw me with blue hair!)
So, to challenge this I’m going to set myself a list. A list to help me as I walk blind along this career path.
What I plan on doing – 01/2018
1. Fully set up all my social media so when people look for me I’m at least easy to find, unfortunately there already seems to be people with my name out there, so that’s some extra competition – not only the best illustrator but also the best “Jenny Taylor”.
2. Actually keep on top of my Instagram, I swoon over neatly kept Instagram which have their colour scheme on point and are recognisable with each post, mine admittedly isn’t like this but I definitely want it to be. I’m going to set myself challenges every week and really use my Instagram to showcase what I want to design and draw!
3. Finish Setting up my Esty, I’ve been saying for so long now that I’m going to set up an Etsy account and last month I actually did, I just really have to click launch and wait and see if anyone finds me. I intend on selling personalised pet and family portraits under the shop name “TaylorMadeDesigns” – got to love a pun!
4. Work on Unfinished Personal Projects, I’d like to think that now is the perfect time for me to complete projects I’ve started in the past and had to reluctantly push aside for university coursework before. Hopefully by completing these projects I can showcase myself more and encourage people to follow my work (ever the optimist!)
5. Learn new Techniques, I know my comfort zones when it comes to illustration, and the feeling of a coloured pencil and black fine liner is where I feel safe, but I bought gouache, so I am determined to learn how to use gouache!
Bye for now.
Also, I need to find out how to unlike on this blog, accidently went and like my own post. Not just once but twice…