Stumble it!A quick story about one of the most important lessons I learned in school…
Back in college, I received an assignment that did not go well.
At first I was excited - I had to illustrate a book cover, and the students could choose any story they wanted. I chose The Odyssey. Fantastic beasts, magical gods, adventurous story, and a strong hero - what could be more visually exciting than that?
As a class, we went through the entire process together. We brainstormed ideas, drew thumbnails, and critiqued each other’s work. I even asked a friend of mine to model for photo reference - something I am usually too lazy to do. I had an idea I was excited about and a concept I couldn’t wait to put together. I was determined to make this my best painting EVER.
That’s when it got ugly. And by ugly, I mean ugly drawings, ugly sketches, and ugly paintings. I didn’t see it at first; I think my excitement put me in denial. But that changed once I brought in some of my sketches into class for a critique. Classmates and professors both confirmed that my abilities weren’t living up to my grand ambitions.
Based on the comments I received, I used Photoshop to tweak my sketches here and there. I still thought I could make them work somehow. I went forward in the class, handing in more sketches and studies and eventually the actual painting in progress. However, I was still getting a negative response and I was quickly losing interest in the project. I was resigned to the fact that this one was going to be a dud. The assignment was due in a few days, and I was faced with the task of finishing a painting that I hated.
Then I made a decision. I started over.
It was a bold move for me. With the short deadline I knew I would probably end up with bad painting, but it couldn’t be any worse than what I already had. I figured I could give up on the painting or try to create a better one, so I went for it. The good news was that the second attempt went pretty quickly because I had already figured out a lot of the problems and knew what to fix. It was stressful and a lot of work, but when the deadline came I was able to put a finished illustration up on the wall.
When my professor went and stood in front of my painting, I was holding my breath. I was happier with the second attempt - and for that alone the restart was worth it - but I still wasn’t sure if others would think the same.
Luckily, this story has a happy ending. My new painting was deemed a “pleasant surprise” and I received a good pat on the back for the extra effort. Whew!
Of course, when I look at the painting now, I can see plenty of flaws, but I consider this assignment a huge success. I learned valuable lessons about honesty, overcoming laziness, and not settling with mediocre work.
Don’t be afraid to do what it takes - rework, brainstorm, experiment, and if necessary…START OVER. There is no quicker way to get stuck in a creative rut if you’re not happy with your work and not producing the best art that you can.
Entries (RSS)
July 18th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Ms Dani:
First off, brilliant site. I’m always finding great bits of advice. For that, thanks so much.
Secondly, the crux of this post rings so true. My college printmaking instructor had a mantra: “Don’t get precious.” My dad said something to the same effect, of not being able to make certain undesirable materials shine.
To this day, I’m not afraid to destroy in order to create. If it’s not working, it’s simply not working. Reboot if need be.
Glad you reinforced this point with your post.
Cheers, and continued success.
–boon.
July 18th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Great story as always. We all need to hear that its OK to start over! (as much as its a pain in the butt sometimes.) Speaking of which, I am working on a book right now in which there are several spreads that I’ve done over again and again. Its giving it 110% percent. In the end, we are all happier with our work knowing that.