Congratulations on making it happen. Deadlines are an interesting thing, I sometimes work to very tight deadlines where I have a meeting at 1pm to discuss work that I haven't drawn yet at 10am. But also they force me to stop reading that great book, or playing that same old video game, and get the work done. Without deadlines, goal setting, taking the plunge and doing that scary new thing we give ourselves permission to stagnate. As your friend says, the pressure is a motivating force, as intimidating as it can be. Sometimes the work will be too much for the time you have, and then you will end up settling for calling work "done" even though it's not up to your usual standards. But there are thousands of artists making comics, animations, games, etc and the deadlines are often what get us to go from "I have this cool idea" to "I accomplished my goal'.
Yeah, I resonate with all of that. I think that having a RUclips channel might seem like it comes with a deadline, but I find I can slack off a surprising amount when I’m just not “feeling it.” I feel like the deadline gets on my nerves so much more than forcing myself to be creative when I don’t want to. (even though, in reality, forcing myself to do a thing that I love is one of the weirdest things I have to do to be an artist)
@@stepheninks If it helps, know that the well known fantasy artist Frank Frazetta was notorious for goofing off, playing sports and just doing anything but painting until the last minute, when he'd have to stay up all night and knock out a painting. So it's not like it doesn't happen! 😂
Jut read the description and found the ink (PCB). I am glad to be able to see it used with watercolors. Glad you were able to do the events and enjoy them. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good or complete, the audience will tell you what they like and don't like as you described in the video. I also need that time crunch to be able to do my best work and sometimes even when I know it's not my best work it just needs to get done and I can refine it later. Just and idea, I have a friend of mine who has a company that takes his designs and prints them on merch. He designs things that go on t shirts, hats and other various items and the company prints, and ships them piece by piece with no minimum order they also do the fulfillment and shipping. He sells on Etsy. That way you could do merch that we the viewers can purchase. If I get the name of the company I will pass it along. I would love one of the sketchbooks as well if they are available to buy from you.
Appreciate the info. I might work with a professional printer in the near future if I find that I have regular opportunities to sell. I definitely feel that if I want to sell things through this channel, I really want it to be viable for international delivery, and I want to ensure high quality. My reputation is so much more important to me than any dollar amount. That’s why I’m an artist with a day job! I definitely wanted to do everything DIY this time because I had built so many designs that, as the artist, I have a sort of complicated relationship with. I have no idea what people are going to like. I could see myself getting professional printing services when I’m sure what designs and products I want to focus on.
Hello Stephen, first congratulations! If you want I can try to fix the colors in Lightroom to match the real work (for free of course). I am a photographer, and assuming consistency across the photos it will be easy for me. Anyway keep in mind that sensors and printers can't reproduce all the colors we can see.
I appreciate the offer of help. I wouldn’t want to request the employ of someone without compensation, but if you want to look at my designs, I’ll gladly send you a PDF to play with. I do think though, that I really need to get a better printer (someday I hope), so that’s what I think the main culprit is.
Great video....going to or being in shows helps you get out of your head (if you know what I mean)....the kids book idea is a good one and your art lends itself to that idea. Thanks for your insight and candor.
Thanks for the kind words! I feel like I had to do this weather or not it was successful. This channel has helped me grow a lot, and this challenge pushed me even further. I’m glad I could share it!
@@stepheninks It's always good to push yourself and even better to talk about it to total strangers (RUclips viewers).....it would have been perfectly ok to promote your showing on your channel and turn it into a 2 part video...before and getting ready and then the results and maybe some footage of the event. Invite your followers to come meet you then maybe think about offering a one day workshop.....I have a few more ideas if interested......
A children's book is a great idea. You are quite the idea man, so I am sure you could come up with something good. Though many such books are the product of two people, a writer and an artist.
I felt all that, Stephen, ugh. But you did it! There might be some resources for artists in your area, like nonprofit organizations that promote local artists. There's one in my community where, if you're a member (and it's cheaper than a fancy coffee a month or free for people who can not afford to pay that) you have access to free legal and business advice, along with juried shows and networks with local galleries. Hollar at me in an email if you want to ask about it. Maybe there's something like it in your community. Anyway, great video, and good going!
Appreciate that! I think I actually found a local artists collective that I’m going to try and reach out to in my local area. I think they have monthly events as well! It’s funny, I didn’t hear about them until I mentioned this event to a co-worker who I have worked closely with for almost a decade now… I guess I already had the connections I needed to plug myself in. I suppose you just have to make yourself an available for the opportunities before you can take advantage of them.
@stepheninks yes, you never know what is right in your own back yard until you ask. Glad you've got those connections, and I look forward to seeing how it goes for you 😀
Platinum Carbon Black. There’s a link in the video description if you want to pick some up. That’s what I usually use for blacks, though I sometimes use de atramentis document Brown and Urban Grey, which both have excellent waterproof properties.
Another vote for De Atramentis. I use their Artist Ink series, that come in about 15 colors or so. Also another vote for Carbon Black, completely reliable.
@@ichirofakename Thank you sir! I will try to see if I can grab samples of both from the interweb sellers and try them. Have a great weekend and will see you Tuesday for HJ"s live stream.
1. Man, did you put yourself through the ringer! But now everything will be easy. Yay! 2. I'm happy just giving my stuff away, to people who seem actually to want it. But now that all my friends have one, I can't find a way to be seen by strangers. 3. People paying cash money for your work is the ultimate confirmation. 4. My cousin screen printed 200 kitchen aprons, not counting bad pulls. She sold them all at a weekend event and then swore never to do it again. Clearly you are doing something righter than she, to enjoy the process. Maybe single color is the way to go? 5. I met a guy in a pastel class who was a political cartoonist for a newspaper (long ago, obvs). He had to produce a cartoon every day. He worked REALLY fast, and clean.
1. Famous last words. Watch me set up another event and have another freakout of the exact same magnitude. 2. Same for me as well. Also, I’ve made plenty of things that no one wants. Haha. 3. What is that SO true? 4. Single color is fun. Don’t know how to do multiple colors. Maybe I’ll just stop here? Also, low expectations help. I have very low expectations. 6. I admire that. I’ll bet working at that level is the only way you can really get to that level. Like, you’re not making the work as much as the work is making you?
I’ve toyed with the idea of making something like this as a digital download on my website. It would be interesting to see if others are interested as well. I absolutely dream of doing nature sketching in New Zealand someday.
Congratulations on making it happen. Deadlines are an interesting thing, I sometimes work to very tight deadlines where I have a meeting at 1pm to discuss work that I haven't drawn yet at 10am. But also they force me to stop reading that great book, or playing that same old video game, and get the work done. Without deadlines, goal setting, taking the plunge and doing that scary new thing we give ourselves permission to stagnate. As your friend says, the pressure is a motivating force, as intimidating as it can be. Sometimes the work will be too much for the time you have, and then you will end up settling for calling work "done" even though it's not up to your usual standards. But there are thousands of artists making comics, animations, games, etc and the deadlines are often what get us to go from "I have this cool idea" to "I accomplished my goal'.
Yeah, I resonate with all of that. I think that having a RUclips channel might seem like it comes with a deadline, but I find I can slack off a surprising amount when I’m just not “feeling it.” I feel like the deadline gets on my nerves so much more than forcing myself to be creative when I don’t want to. (even though, in reality, forcing myself to do a thing that I love is one of the weirdest things I have to do to be an artist)
@@stepheninks If it helps, know that the well known fantasy artist Frank Frazetta was notorious for goofing off, playing sports and just doing anything but painting until the last minute, when he'd have to stay up all night and knock out a painting. So it's not like it doesn't happen! 😂
Jut read the description and found the ink (PCB). I am glad to be able to see it used with watercolors. Glad you were able to do the events and enjoy them. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good or complete, the audience will tell you what they like and don't like as you described in the video. I also need that time crunch to be able to do my best work and sometimes even when I know it's not my best work it just needs to get done and I can refine it later. Just and idea, I have a friend of mine who has a company that takes his designs and prints them on merch. He designs things that go on t shirts, hats and other various items and the company prints, and ships them piece by piece with no minimum order they also do the fulfillment and shipping. He sells on Etsy. That way you could do merch that we the viewers can purchase. If I get the name of the company I will pass it along. I would love one of the sketchbooks as well if they are available to buy from you.
Appreciate the info. I might work with a professional printer in the near future if I find that I have regular opportunities to sell. I definitely feel that if I want to sell things through this channel, I really want it to be viable for international delivery, and I want to ensure high quality. My reputation is so much more important to me than any dollar amount. That’s why I’m an artist with a day job!
I definitely wanted to do everything DIY this time because I had built so many designs that, as the artist, I have a sort of complicated relationship with. I have no idea what people are going to like. I could see myself getting professional printing services when I’m sure what designs and products I want to focus on.
@@stepheninks good plan!
Pretty cool stuff - nicely done! :)
Thank you!
Hello Stephen, first congratulations!
If you want I can try to fix the colors in Lightroom to match the real work (for free of course).
I am a photographer, and assuming consistency across the photos it will be easy for me.
Anyway keep in mind that sensors and printers can't reproduce all the colors we can see.
I appreciate the offer of help. I wouldn’t want to request the employ of someone without compensation, but if you want to look at my designs, I’ll gladly send you a PDF to play with.
I do think though, that I really need to get a better printer (someday I hope), so that’s what I think the main culprit is.
Yes, it is most definitely a thing!
I wish it wasn’t. Haha.
@@stepheninks me tooooo!!!!
Cool video , a lot of work
These were the most sped up timelapses I’ve ever used. It took me weeks to pull all this off.
Great video....going to or being in shows helps you get out of your head (if you know what I mean)....the kids book idea is a good one and your art lends itself to that idea. Thanks for your insight and candor.
Thanks for the kind words! I feel like I had to do this weather or not it was successful. This channel has helped me grow a lot, and this challenge pushed me even further. I’m glad I could share it!
@@stepheninks It's always good to push yourself and even better to talk about it to total strangers (RUclips viewers).....it would have been perfectly ok to promote your showing on your channel and turn it into a 2 part video...before and getting ready and then the results and maybe some footage of the event. Invite your followers to come meet you then maybe think about offering a one day workshop.....I have a few more ideas if interested......
A children's book is a great idea. You are quite the idea man, so I am sure you could come up with something good. Though many such books are the product of two people, a writer and an artist.
I felt all that, Stephen, ugh. But you did it! There might be some resources for artists in your area, like nonprofit organizations that promote local artists. There's one in my community where, if you're a member (and it's cheaper than a fancy coffee a month or free for people who can not afford to pay that) you have access to free legal and business advice, along with juried shows and networks with local galleries. Hollar at me in an email if you want to ask about it. Maybe there's something like it in your community. Anyway, great video, and good going!
Appreciate that! I think I actually found a local artists collective that I’m going to try and reach out to in my local area. I think they have monthly events as well! It’s funny, I didn’t hear about them until I mentioned this event to a co-worker who I have worked closely with for almost a decade now… I guess I already had the connections I needed to plug myself in. I suppose you just have to make yourself an available for the opportunities before you can take advantage of them.
@stepheninks yes, you never know what is right in your own back yard until you ask. Glad you've got those connections, and I look forward to seeing how it goes for you 😀
Steven, great video as usual! What waterproof fountain pen ink are you using?
Platinum Carbon Black. There’s a link in the video description if you want to pick some up. That’s what I usually use for blacks, though I sometimes use de atramentis document Brown and Urban Grey, which both have excellent waterproof properties.
Another vote for De Atramentis. I use their Artist Ink series, that come in about 15 colors or so. Also another vote for Carbon Black, completely reliable.
@@ichirofakename Thank you sir! I will try to see if I can grab samples of both from the interweb sellers and try them. Have a great weekend and will see you Tuesday for HJ"s live stream.
1. Man, did you put yourself through the ringer! But now everything will be easy. Yay!
2. I'm happy just giving my stuff away, to people who seem actually to want it. But now that all my friends have one, I can't find a way to be seen by strangers.
3. People paying cash money for your work is the ultimate confirmation.
4. My cousin screen printed 200 kitchen aprons, not counting bad pulls. She sold them all at a weekend event and then swore never to do it again. Clearly you are doing something righter than she, to enjoy the process. Maybe single color is the way to go?
5. I met a guy in a pastel class who was a political cartoonist for a newspaper (long ago, obvs). He had to produce a cartoon every day. He worked REALLY fast, and clean.
1. Famous last words. Watch me set up another event and have another freakout of the exact same magnitude.
2. Same for me as well. Also, I’ve made plenty of things that no one wants. Haha.
3. What is that SO true?
4. Single color is fun. Don’t know how to do multiple colors. Maybe I’ll just stop here? Also, low expectations help. I have very low expectations.
6. I admire that. I’ll bet working at that level is the only way you can really get to that level. Like, you’re not making the work as much as the work is making you?
Would love to be able to ink some off your sketches my self
Your pen reviews and sketches rock shout out from New Zealand
I’ve toyed with the idea of making something like this as a digital download on my website. It would be interesting to see if others are interested as well. I absolutely dream of doing nature sketching in New Zealand someday.