Talent, work and luck

[secondlina]

Sometimes I don't feel like a very nice person. I'm lucky enough to have friends that are awesome with their big hearts and inspiring with their amazing art. Yet, sometimes, I feel rather jealous of their talent and fame. And then I feel bad for feeling jealous. Go figure. I wanted to be a comic artist my whole life, and more and more, i'm seeing that 3 things are really required to make it. Talent, work and luck.

Talent is the obvious first criteria. It doesn't really need to be talent in drawing itself. I've read comics that have really moved me. The story was amazing, but the art was just okay. A good comic artist should have talent in drawing, or storytelling, or both. True talent will get noticed, and will make a lasting impression.

That's when the second criteria comes in - work. Talent is nothing without the work. If your goal is to be a comic artist, you need to a work a lot, and mostly for free for your first few years. You will work to produce pages. You will work to improve yourself. You will work to connect with other artists and readers. The amount of work needed often varies depending on the amount of talent. There's some people out there that turn everything they touch into pure sequential gold. And often, for those people, the work required to accumulate readership and interest is smaller, since the work speaks mostly for itself. But there is still work needed. Nobody likes a lazy person, and lazy artists don't produce.

The last required element is luck. You can be talented, you can work hard, but a certain amount of luck will define where the work goes. Take webcomics for example. You can have the world's greatest webcomic. You can have ads all over the internet. But you still need luck if you want people to click on it. You still need luck for another comic artist to mention you on their blog and such. Luck helps you be at the right place and time. It's like a little pat on the back the universe gives you. And the more you work, the more luck you seem to accumulate. If you network a lot, chances are you'll meet some amazing people who know other amazing people, etc, etc.

So all these elements really depend on each other.

A fourth elements I kinda want to add is confidence and/or knowledge. Which is where I think I fail.

I work hard. I'm fairly talented (I think). And i'm pretty lucky, generally (as mentionend at the top, I met some pretty incredible people. I want to hug all of you so much!). But I have very little confidence and knowledge. As in, "I don't know what i'm doing and it terrifies the crap out of me". I'm always the type of person that would have a list, or a plan. I'm terrified by how little I actually know about the comic world. And this lack of knowledge makes me very uneasy and really wrecks havoc on my self-esteem (that is, let's admit it, really small and meek to begin with!)

I wish I had a mentor, a guide or something, who owned a book titled "Sequential art and marketing for dummies".

But watcha gonna do. The best I can do is stay calm, be proud and try to learn by trial and error gradually.

I'm hoping to learn things this weekend at the TCAF. Learn things and meet people. Learn things from people. I look forward to this. Well, that and buying a pile of comics of course!

Anywho. Enough talking about insecurity and such. Time to focus on work!

Have a Namesake sketch :

I’m amused that most people seem to adore these two already on Namesake and yet they have barely interacted. :D

You guys are on to me, or something.

This image isn’t really official. Not part of the comic. Just a little doodle. Might potentially become a wallpaper.

Emma looks pretty badass with a sword, no?

- Isa

Comments

[engelen.livejournal.com]

I try to transform that "lack of knowledge" from insecurity to "pft, I've learned everything on my own, I had no one to teach me, so yeah, I'm fucking awesome, even if I screw up, because nobody helped me out *brag* *asshole*"

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

LOL I guess that would be one way to do it. I do feel pretty lost, but it is indeed due to a complete lack of guidance, so I guess I can be proud that I at least managed to reach this point.

[gallo-de-pelea.livejournal.com]

Hahaaa, I still haven't figured out how to get up the courage to really talk to other comic artists (in person), so the lack-of-knowledge problem perpetuates itself XD

Be sure and let us know if you have a strategy for this! Good luck at TCAF.

[dqbunny.livejournal.com]

It's surprisingly easy once you get past the fear of sounding stupid. I just did it myself this weekend at a con near here. By the time I swallowed my tongue and actually talked with Danielle Corsetto from "Girls With Slingshots," we wound up having a great conversation about cats and working for newspapers.

Be friendly, but not overwhelming. Have an art sample or a card ready. I had my iPhone and showed off the comic, which helps because Isa's art is amazing. Show that you're just as serious about this as they are, and it'll be amazing. I wound up talking with this one webcomics writer who is in the same situation I'm in -- his parter-in-crime is across the country. He gave me lovely tips for doing cons as a writer alone.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Glad to see i'm not the only one suffering from this!

There probably isn't a strategy... The way you talk to an artist probably depends on the person... I wish there was a shiny sign that would magically appear telling us the needed tone and subject...

[amelia-seyroon.livejournal.com]

Yet, sometimes, I feel rather jealous of their talent and fame.

That's exactly how I feel about you! Well, not jealousy, more like envy. B|

The more I watch Pixar movies, the more I wish I could have studied animation.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Yeah, envy is a better word. Less negative.

[ichiban-victory.livejournal.com]

Welcome to Trailblazing 101. Comics, like many things, seem to be going through major change anymore, I doubt there's a tried and true method to go from niche comic, to worldwide sensation. Just keep doing what you're doing, you'll learn along the way.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Trial and error always works, heh?

[threeeyesworm.livejournal.com]

I don't believe luck is one of them.

I think the perception that luck exists has to do with the way our society tells each other about one another's successes. Sayings like "Be at the right place at the right time" perpetuates the idea of luck because they take the moment of success out of its entire context.

Recently, I heard that a friend of mine had her webcomic tweeted by Felicia Day because her strip was about how she saw Felicia and was too shy to talk to her. Many people said that she was lucky. However, if they knew the entire context, they'd know that she's work insanely hard on her webcomic for 9 years (Both at producing and promoting). They'd know that her webcomic has been growing tremendeously in the past few years. They'd realize that such notoriety was only a matter of time.

When we smash ourselves against the walls of our dreams so much, one day there will be a crack. the word 'luck' only pays attention to that crack on that one day. In other words, I'd like to substitute patience as the third criteria. I think patience also encapsulate the feeling of confidence you spoke about.

[putri-nih.livejournal.com]

Ha! See, it's like Pixar and cakes. People in Pixar busted their ass and worked very hard to get where they are now but people refuse to acknowledge it, they just see them as "tremendously lucky" because they used to be owned by Lucas and had Lasseter.

And when I make cakes nobody is there to watch me, but then when it's done people would say "OMG how'd you make it??"

[threeeyesworm.livejournal.com]

Lol. That's another way to put it.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Pretty much any animation studio struggled. It's crazy.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

As usual, you always bring up a really cool point of view! I agree that patience could replace luck pretty well. I guess luck would be for the impatient people!

[little-teacup.livejournal.com]

I agree :)

[autumnestuary.livejournal.com]

Have fun at TCAF, and don't worry overmuch! Your comic is awesome, that should speak for itself.

Emma does look badass with a sword, and every time I see Warrick I squee. Just a bit.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

(Your icon is lovely, by the way!)

I need to calm down and not worry so much, as you say. Whew. I'm such a worry-wart...

Hahaha, that green dude has a lot of fans. It's the cape, I think. and the green :D

[elirrina.livejournal.com]

I think I had something to say to your post, but then I got distracted by your picture :) At this point I really like Warrick because he yelled at Jinjur to get out of his courtyard like a cranky old man. ♥

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

"YOU KIDS GET OFFA MY LAWN"

[spankingfemme.livejournal.com]

Chicks with swords are always badass you know! :P And on all the above, you are correct, although I don't think you are as defunct on the know how as you may think (you know more than I! And going to cons drawing behind the table is a great step in the right direction =D) You do have a lot of self-confidence issues to work on, but I think that is common with artists since most of us are pretty introverted folk to begin with, and big social moves tend to make us nervous :P

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Hahahah, yeah. I'm a huge, shy, hermit introvert so social situations like this make me nervous as hell. I'm probably not THAT bad, but from my perception of things...

[brendala.livejournal.com]

Some of the most talented people I've met have the same, borderline crippling self-esteem issues you do. But look at it this way: your irrational belief that you suck inspires you to keep improving. So in a way, it's a good thing. ^_^;

And you'd be surprised how many big names are more than willing to give out good advice if you ask them at cons. I know approaching them can be intimidating; but most of them are big softies in real life.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I guess that's why we have so many self-esteem issues. Cocky artists don't improve *laughs*

Yeah, that's true. Most people are just kind. I think it's just all the buzz aroudn them that make them intimidating. I know Jeff Smith is a big teddy bear...

[cookio.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about webcomics or animation artists, but what I know about the artists friends I have, of which some are actually becoming succesful is that networking is very important, meeting people and letting them know that you exist, going to their gatherings to meet new ppl and enlarge your network, and that is linked with your social skills. Link's brother is an example, he got his 3D contract because his roomate is actually good at networking ( he is also lucky of having him around). Maybe that is something you could work on? Once again, im not sure how much this is relevant in your field but I hope you may find this useful...

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Networking is definitely important. However, I'm not really sure with whom I should network (I mostly aim other artists right now). That's definitely something I lack knowledge about.

[vonandmoggy.livejournal.com]

Craig MacTavish on confidence and athletes: "In Edmonton, MacTavish was able to study some of the world's best players up close; he learned much about the role of confidence in ice hockey success. The great players didn't necessarily work any harder than their less-accomplished teammates, he realized, but they were more self-confident.

In hockey, bad things happen to every player in a game, but players with high self-esteem are more able to shake off their mistakes and misfortunes and continue to push themselves and perform at a high level, he says."

In other words, fake it 'til you make it.

Von

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, thanks for the advice!

[snapdragon76.livejournal.com]

Yep, I agree with the points you mentioned. But I think it'll happen for you.

And I LOVE the sketch! *giddysquee* And if you make a full drawing of this, I'm gonna download it so fast you head will spin. I just love the dynamic of them together for some reason. I can't explain it!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! :D You're always so sweet!

*laughs* I think I actually will finish this wallpaper, because people really seem to want it!

[snapdragon76.livejournal.com]

Awww, shucks. But thank you!


:DDDDDDDDDDDDD <-- this is actually my face right now!

[little-teacup.livejournal.com]

Aw man, you're not alone in this at all!!

I don't have anything new to add that everyone else has already said, but I just thought I'd let you know it's an all too-common feeling/state of being for me too.

[angelchan-2004.livejournal.com]

But watcha gonna do. The best I can do is stay calm, be proud and try to learn by trial and error gradually.

This is actually a really good mindset to have, I think! <3

Also... EXCUSE ME WHILE I GAWK AT EMMA/WARRICK KTHANKS. HAND HOLDINGGGGG. If I have time I might... color this. *___*