I'm Doing It Again . . .
I periodically go through these phases where I think everything I create horribly sucks. In all likelihood it probably does, but there are times when I actually think I'm pretty good at this cartoonin' thang - and those are good times. I relish those times. Sadly, those times are few and far between.
I spend most of my creative time in a sort of stasis - not really hating or loving my work. I'm satisfied with my creation(s) and feel they are worthy of public viewing, but I rarely feel as though I really knocked something out of the park. It's a good state to be in because it keeps me striving to be a better cartoonist while not keeping me up at night.
But every once in a while I'll go through a stage where I feel like I'm a lousy hack. It could be that this stage is the "truthful stage", but that's another discussion for another time. When I'm in this stage I tend to look at my work with complete disappointment. I look at my older cartoons and I'm even more critical of the mistakes I see. Then I start thinking about all the other extremely talented cartoonists out there and how they blow me away with their abilities, and it all leaves me with a pretty dismal feeling.
I've been feeling this way lately.
In spite of all this, I received some good news concerning another project I've been working on. It's nothing fantastic, but I was excited and I decided to call my parents with the news. My Dad answered and gave me one of his awesome pep talks which totally brought me out of my funk.
When I got off the phone with my Dad, I started thinking about all the pep talks he gave me while I was growing up. One pep talk stuck out in my memory rather clearly:
I used to have bullies in elementary school, and I can remember coming home from school one day and I was crying because they had tormented me all the way to my block. Despite the fact that the "tormentors" rarely used physical violence (it was mostly empty threats), my Dad decided it was time to teach me how to defend myself. He showed me the proper way to make a fist (don't hold your thumbs), how to hold my hands to guard my face, how to use my elbows, and a couple of kicks for good measure. I don't know if he was serious about me knowing all these moves, or if it was just to lift my spirits and keep me entertained (we laughed a lot during our little practice). Either way, I went to school the next day feeling like a freaking ninja! That is until my bullies started ridiculing me again. It wasn't long before I was right back to feeling like an idiot.
And that's what will probably happen in this situation. In fact, I know it will. My Dad gave me one of his best speeches last night over the phone, and it really did wonders for my morale. But all it's gonna take is one semi-negative e-mail from a reader or a less-than-stellar book review or some lingering feelings of inadequacy to make me feel like a "faker" again. Such is the life of a creative person.
- Wes
I spend most of my creative time in a sort of stasis - not really hating or loving my work. I'm satisfied with my creation(s) and feel they are worthy of public viewing, but I rarely feel as though I really knocked something out of the park. It's a good state to be in because it keeps me striving to be a better cartoonist while not keeping me up at night.
But every once in a while I'll go through a stage where I feel like I'm a lousy hack. It could be that this stage is the "truthful stage", but that's another discussion for another time. When I'm in this stage I tend to look at my work with complete disappointment. I look at my older cartoons and I'm even more critical of the mistakes I see. Then I start thinking about all the other extremely talented cartoonists out there and how they blow me away with their abilities, and it all leaves me with a pretty dismal feeling.
I've been feeling this way lately.
In spite of all this, I received some good news concerning another project I've been working on. It's nothing fantastic, but I was excited and I decided to call my parents with the news. My Dad answered and gave me one of his awesome pep talks which totally brought me out of my funk.
When I got off the phone with my Dad, I started thinking about all the pep talks he gave me while I was growing up. One pep talk stuck out in my memory rather clearly:
I used to have bullies in elementary school, and I can remember coming home from school one day and I was crying because they had tormented me all the way to my block. Despite the fact that the "tormentors" rarely used physical violence (it was mostly empty threats), my Dad decided it was time to teach me how to defend myself. He showed me the proper way to make a fist (don't hold your thumbs), how to hold my hands to guard my face, how to use my elbows, and a couple of kicks for good measure. I don't know if he was serious about me knowing all these moves, or if it was just to lift my spirits and keep me entertained (we laughed a lot during our little practice). Either way, I went to school the next day feeling like a freaking ninja! That is until my bullies started ridiculing me again. It wasn't long before I was right back to feeling like an idiot.
And that's what will probably happen in this situation. In fact, I know it will. My Dad gave me one of his best speeches last night over the phone, and it really did wonders for my morale. But all it's gonna take is one semi-negative e-mail from a reader or a less-than-stellar book review or some lingering feelings of inadequacy to make me feel like a "faker" again. Such is the life of a creative person.
- Wes
Labels: Randomness
posted by Wes at 8:45 PM
15 Comments:
You know Wes, the more you think the good feelings from the pep talk won't last, the less time they will.
12:56 AMKeep your freakin chin up man! Your work is awesome, and your Dad is right, whatever he said. You're still the ninja!
And if anyone says anything negative to you, you beat them down with a huge self-confidence shaped baseball bat. Or just a regular one! : )
YOU'RE THE MAN. KNOW IT. LIVE IT!
the fact that your work IS published, and that you DO have fans should be evidence to the quality of your work. we appreciate your labours and hope that you keep up the good work.
6:40 AMWebsites like yours serve as a gallery for your art, a stage for your wit and a press for your memoirs. I'm truly jealous of both your talent, and your guts to publish what you can do.
7:37 AMThe medium may not be much older than the artist, but like it or not you are a published artist and author. Most of us never get the chance or grow the stones to amount to that. Be glad. Don't stop what you like doing.
Wes, I've been reading your strip for quite some time now and all I can say is, I never miss one. If I do I make sure to go back to catch up. While I'm on vacation, if I have access to a computer, I make it a point to check in. Hell, I even check in on the off days now just in case you go back to five days (frankly, this three day crap is pissing me off, LOL).
10:51 AMI don't really read many other strips (I'm an old guy, most of favorite strips no longer exist, okay, I'm only 43, but still). My all time favorite was The Far Side, but we all now know of Larson's disdain for his fans (j/k). These days it's you, Wiley's Non Sequitur, Doonesbury (preferably when he;s not being political), and Tom the Dancing Bug. This is the company I put you in.
My point is this: Your work is good, damn good. It's entertaining, touching, and funny. You've even managed to hit a social issue on occasion and still maintain the essence of your strip.
I don't know you except for what I read in your strips and your blog, but let me say this: Draw for you.
Draw and write what makes you smile and laugh. Address the things that mean something to you. Screw the rest of us, be true to you and never doubt yourself.
Keep up the great work. You do Chilli proud.
Wes, everything you've said in this blog really hit home for me. Man, do I ever have days like that. Those are the days when I seriously consider packing it in and leaving the art form to the masters...like yourself.
12:08 PMBut then there are other days...days like what you wrote about where you get a good review or a positive comment from a reader and then you remember that yeah, you actually do know what you're doing enough so that other people derive enjoyment from it. And if we're objective about it...we both know the positive feedback far outweighs the negative.
I've been following YHT regularly for over a year now and I can honestly say you're only getting better at this. I can confirm that I enjoy YHT and what you're doing with it more than I did 6, 8 or even 12 months ago. It hasn't gotten stale, it's not getting stale and you're getting better and better at your craft and it makes me insanely envious while at the same time making me strive to do better and better on my own projects.
Keep doing what you're doing, man. Don't let the insecure artist in you take over. That's one demon that never gives up, but don't you give up either.
Wes,
4:24 PM(Not to sound too much like a counselor) Remember that while your feelings are real and valid, they are to add color and flavor to reality, not dictate how you think. We artsy types are our own worst critics...Give yourself some grace. Your comics make people smile, laugh, sigh, and THINK! What a privilege!
Also, *BE* the Ninja! (because you are!)
Blessings!
Joy
Your art is creative and unique. Unique is the kicker. If you drew in a style that was common you'd have LOADS of artists to compare yourself with.
5:33 PMThe thing is, you picked a style that sets you alone in a sea of artists. You have no one to look at and say "gosh, my chins are off today" but yourself. That's a good thing, but I can see why you'd get worried.
Your art is good. Let's just leave it at that. Don't be hard on yourself. :)
I love all you guys. If I could hug you all and smush your faces, I totally freakin' would. You guys are that cool. :)
11:50 PMAnd Brock, don't quit, dude! I've been keeping up on your strip, and you've got skillz to pay the billz. Don't be a quitter. That's what I have to tell myself when I get in a funk. "Don't be a quitter".
But now I think I'm gonna take Joy's advice and change it to "BE the ninja!" I might trademark it and put it on one of those plastic bracelets.
- Wes
Wes-
1:40 AMI'm with all these other people. You are amazing at what you do, and crazy to think otherwise. I found YHT when it was about 6 months old (that'd be...around 2.5 years ago, right?) on some comic rating site or another...at that time, I was reading 8-9 webcomics a day (including Penny Arcade and PBF) now, YHT is all I read on a regular basis...Occasionally, I'll read through Girls with Slingshots and I do love Cyanide and Happiness, but YHT is truly the only webcomic that has kept my interest over the years. Add to that the fact that you're actively involved in the message boards, and actually connect with your readers....you da' man, Wes.
Any time you're feelin' down, just let us readers know. We'll be more than happy to brighten your day :)
-tressa
Wes-
4:01 AMSometimes its probably good to feel this way about what we do in lief, I dont know why but I know that you can never fully find acceptance, identity, security and purpose in a comic / line of work only in God.
I know you know this from previous blog discussions. Keep your head up, your comics have lightened my wife and my days for quite some time now as your comic is our homepages for our computers. You have brightened and brought smiles to more people than most people ever will.
Always strive to be better, but dont let it consume you. Psalms 37:4 bro. Keep it in perspective. Thanks for YHT.
-Nick
The others are right Wes and pardon me for not having a new way of saying this but you are an awesome cartoonist! I mean you've even got fans out here in eastern Canada! It's not very common these days that I will follow a comic strip but my roommates and myself follow your strip weekly. So use that ninjitsu of confidence to knock down your doubts. Your a good artist and story teller, don't forget that.
11:26 AM-Kyle
Thanks, Wes. No, the times when I think of packing it in are few and far between and I can't imagine that I ever actually would. Nice to know you're out there, reading. 'preciate your words of encouragement.
11:50 AMI really enjoy your work and I know I'm not alone in that. Feel good about that. I want you to know that you have a fan down here in Australia and I hope that makes you realize how far-reaching your work is.
2:27 AMAs a young(ish) married myself I totally identify with your comic. I've been reading it since I found it like six months ago and was disappointed when I realized this year that you'd gone to a three-days-a-week schedule. It rocks!
9:17 AMI look forward to reading your comic for a long time, it's got a lot of good humor and heart.
If anyone says differently, then they don't know from funny!
All I've got to say, is that I found your comic yesterday, and spent yesterday and today reading the entire archive...That's how good you are.
5:27 PMBrian
<< Home | Post a Comment