Gaining an Audience

This week I have some observations on gaining an audience as an artist. These days social websites play a role in this process. However they have a way of confusing and tangling us up over what's actually important, and what we really want as artists.

Around the time I started Forma Pictures, I decided to use Twitter more. Because in addition to it being a great resource to me over the years for learning (I follow great people), I thought it would be good to share and reach out to the community at large. To be clear, all of my tweets are in some way related to art and the profession (since 2009). I reserve personal stuff for direct texts with my friends and family. But check out the last 3 years, you can see the shift in my tweet strategy:

Bailey's Lifetime Tweets

Bailey's Lifetime Followers

You can see when I made the decision. Sometime in August of last year I decided to tweet everyday. I did my best to post and talk about great content. I aggregated pretty videos and learning resources that inspired or interested me. I also posted more of my work and engaged with people. However I recently decided it wasn't worth the time investment (1-2 hours) each week to do that. So, now I'm less regimented. But the negative effects of that have been non-existent. Case in point: in the last month I've had a 32% decrease in tweets and 10% fewer profile visits. However, in that time I've still managed to have a 20% increase in mentions and an 7% increase in followers.

Conclusion: Consistent activity does not necessarily result in more viewer engagement. More activity will naturally result in an engagement increase (nothing happens if there's nothing to engage with). But the biggest determiner in gaining a following, in my experience, has been to get retweeted by established personalities. That's basically Twitter's version of the trusted referral concept that we already know in business, which makes sense. Whenever I've been retweeted or favorited by known comedians or artists, I get an immediate bump in interest.

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That's all well and good, but the real lesson I've learned this year is that gaining an audience of like-minded people takes a long time. Years even. And the best people I have in my circles are due to direct contact methods. And while I've never been one to obsess over it, I have found myself yearning for a larger audience. It's only natural for artists to want to share with people. For me, that's what art is all about.

The obvious behavior is just to concentrate on the work. Thinking about a social presence is fine, but I think one can spend too much time on it until it turns into a distraction. Still, I understand the frustration of a lackluster viewer base. Hopefully my strange art sensibilities will begin to strike a chord with more and more men and women. Because what I really want is to continue to expand my close-knit community of lovely people to share and collaborate with. And as I release more and more content, I expect things to come together.

It just takes time. And referrals. Call to action for the day: if you like me or my work, talk about me to others. It helps me more than you think. Those who have been lovely enough to refer me have helped me pay real bills. I love those people (you know who you are)!

Bailey

Follow @bkalesti

P.S. The blog that you are reading was also part of my strategy. It was a way for me to post more content between my films. However, the metrics on this blog are extremely weak, that is, very few people read it and even fewer people engage with my site past the blog (one of the goals). Nevertheless, I'm keeping the weekly blog because it turned out that it had a very positive impact on me. So, even if 0 people read this, it's still highly beneficial to me and my career.

Working and Feeling Good

This week was a straightforward week of working. I continued to steadily march forward with my 3 primary business objectives. Some work I can't show, other work has it's own blog already, and the other thing is less showable. So, yes, nothing to look at today. 

But that won't stop me from chatting with you for a bit. :)

I'd like to restate just how happy I've been, owning and working for my own business. My goodness. The level of satisfaction and calm that I possess absolutely dwarfs the last seven years of my career. My choice to objectively listen to what I want was the best thing I've ever done in my life. It sounds hyperbolic, but it's true. Sometimes I start to feel bad when I tell people how happy I am, because maybe it comes off as boastful. But to hell with that. I am happy. I think I've earned it.

The thing that would make me even happier would be to help or give confidence to others to go out and get what they need. A number of my closest friends have also gone out on their own, and they too seem much happier. Owning a business isn't for everyone, I know, but lots of people I know complain about working at a big company. All I can say is to listen to your heart. You may not like what it has to say, but it won't lie to you.

If anything, I'm the epitome of this idea. I was actually pretty happy with where I used to work. I was an artist working with great minds. I also happened to live in one of the nicest and safest cities in America. And to top it off, I had great friends and family all around me. And to top the top off, I made pretty good money. What could be wrong?

My heart. That damn heart of mine didn't just want something else, it needed it. It wasn't money that I wanted. It was a more fulfilled and satisfied type of happiness, specific to me. In my case, it meant I needed to do things my own way (among other things).

Of course, this is the same story I tell everyone. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so. If you feel like something is amiss in your life, go out and fix it. Remember: good is the enemy of great. It takes time and effort to figure it out, but it's worth. It's so, so worth it.

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And as a reminder, there are 2 blogs on this site. The one you're reading, which updates every Friday. And the other one is about my short film. That one one updates every Tuesday. So go read about Hunted if you haven't in a while. Because dude, there's always stuff to look at. Last Tuesday, for instance, I showed some screenshots of me working on the finale for the film. Cool stuff is happening!

Bailey

More 20-Mile Marching

This has been a good week. Now that I'm feeling really good about what my objectives are, my mind can just focus on getting things done. Knowing what not to do is a freeing experience. I recommend it.

In addition to this, I decided to keep better track of my 20-mile marching. I have 3 calendars on my wall, and each day I get to add a satisfying x when I hit my minimum performance goal. Why 3 calendars? Each one represents some aspect of my business strategy. So far so good.

Speaking of 20-mile marching, I decided it was time to dedicate an article to the subject. I wrote about it in the blog last January, but now it has a permanent home in the Learn section of the site. If you've never heard of this concept, or are a little hazy on the details, go read it! I tried my best to make it easy to understand. My hope is that it is a useful resource that people can refer to or send to their friends. I even made a poster that people can print out. :)

Bailey

Change

Up until now I've thought about this business as a two phase business strategy. Phase one would focus on contract work as a revenue source. Phase two would be when all efforts focused on developing unique IPs for revenue. However, I've been wondering if this is the right approach. And, more importantly, when would I make the switch? Of course I have years of failure ahead of me, but that's expected. So why not start developing IPs faster? I've had them on slow burn while I've been doing client work, but is that really so smart? In the end, I want to make sure I'm turning the right flywheel (read Good to Great for more on that).

First of all, I've discontinued doing the daily animation sketches. I did a two month run, but I figured out that I want to be doing more interesting and high quality things with that time each night. The good thing was that the sketches resulted in a lot of new knowledge, so it wasn't for nothing.

Secondly, Forma Pictures will remain open for business as a freelance shop. However, more time this year will be devoted to developing original works. I don't know when I'll have this chance again, so I'll be damned if I'm not going go for the gold (successful, self-sustained business). Worst that happens is I learn a crap ton, faster.

These decisions I made this week, and more like them, took a lot of effort (and help from the people I trust) to come to. I'm not afraid of failure. I'm more afraid that I could end up getting good at something I don't fully want to be doing. Here's where I'm at...

“Forma Pictures will develop original art, animation and music in the service of creating stories. We will own these characters, worlds, and ideas. The goal is to create and own meaningful properties.”

The format is less important, but they'll be short films and serial episodes for now. This won't be easy, but that's the direction. After writing all of the options out and staring at them for days, I feel confident in what I need to attain. Monetizing is going to take time to figure out, but working on and owning meaningful works of art is what I want to have 10 years down the line. In summary, I have my 3 circles mostly figured out. However, my economic engine is a tad weak. Still looking for a more effective method of cash flow. That precise profit per x eludes me.

As always, when I write publicly like this, I worry that I'll come off as a bumbling idiot. Or worse, arrogantly. If you know me, then you'll know how much I fear hubris. It's the poison that ruins people and businesses (not to be confused with confidence). But the truth is that I'm on a journey, and it is one that has largely been solitary. And on this journey, I've been learning the hard way about what works and what doesn't. But more importantly, I'm discovering more about who I am and what I want to accomplish. I hope that the mistakes, insights and stories I share have some value to you, the reader.

Remember, you can always reach out to me about anything (info@formapictures.com). Let me know if you think I'm being dumb, going down the wrong path, or maybe you like something I've made. I love feedback, however brutal it may be.

Bailey

P.S. My media recommendation this week is the podcast called StartUp. It documents the beginning of a real business. They make mistakes, but they usually figure it out. Makes me want to do something like that! CHECK IT.

Good People

This special Tuesday edition of the blog will focus on a look back at my career so far. For whatever reason, I feel like sharing.

Way back in 2007, I started working as a game tester at an independent game company called Reflexive Entertainment. It was the same week that I started my freshman year of college. I was a teenager! 

What an awesome place it was. It was a game studio! And one that I had known about for years. I was thrilled. But I remember having to earn the right to be in that office. Here was this inexperienced kid in an office full of brilliant, passionate, hard working, experienced, and self-motivated creatives. I had an inkling of it at the time, but it took me a few months to realize just how great that group of people really was. All I knew was that I really, really wanted to belong. I wanted to help create stuff, but that meant I would need to become an artist.

Through sheer tenaciousness, I began to transition myself into working on art. Testing was my foot in the door, but art was my passion. I remember walking into offices and asking if they needed help with any art. I would do anything. It was a struggle, and I had to really push myself to learn fast. I knew practically nothing, but I was determined.

Over time, I started to make art exclusively. But some people wondered what I was doing. Who does this kid think he is? Isn't he a game tester? They were right that I sucked horribly (so, so bad), but somehow I managed to prove myself. Well, that was my memory of it. Maybe it was my desperation, or my willingness to learn, or my passion. Whatever it was, it took a lot of effort to begin to feel comfortable in the company of my betters. But it would be years before I felt like I wasn't the worst piece of shit artist who ever lived. Of course, I'm still just a student of art, and I always will be. One of my good friends that I met at Reflexive often says "Ancora Imparo," which is a quote from Michelangelo. It means "I am still learning." And that's exactly how I feel too.

Looking back in this moment, I am filled with a tremendous fondness for so many of the good people I worked with during all those years. I'm still friends with most of them to this day. I've known many of them for almost 8 years at this point! And that's really what I'm writing about. Friendship. Forgive me if it sounds hokey, but my career has only been as good as it's been because of the people I've known. I often say that "I'm just barely smart enough to surround myself with smart people." I was fortunate to stumble onto a great bunch of people at the start of my career. And for that, I will always be grateful.

I'm sure they had no idea at the time, but I did learn an insane amount from them. Probably more than even I can remember. Because in all honesty, I was shaped by them. I could sense that their philosophies were rare even in the industry, but I had zero experience to compare them to. Desperate for knowledge, I garnered every truth I could from those guys. I remember hanging on to every word from the artists and programmers around me. I wanted to know what they knew. I wanted to be good, by god! I wasn't going to school for art, so I had to learn on the job and during all my free time. And for better or for worse, I'm still a self-taught artist.

The Buy Out

Reflexive was purchased by a big company about a year after I started working there. But the effects of that company's culture took years to establish a strong presence. In simpler terms, it mostly felt like an independent game company to me, but that was because I was removed from the bureaucratic stuff for a while. I did eventually feel the negative things, which ultimately led to me to move on. But the purpose of this is not to vent the frustration I had with that corporation. But still, it happened.

As the years passed, my skills improved, but so did the challenges. I learned about creative collaboration, and worked to contribute to the group in important ways. I learned about being ruthless with yourself, how to develop smart working habits, and how to be a better communicator. I was in training, and there was much to learn. Ultimately I just wanted to be invaluable. Simply understanding the technicalities of being an artist was not enough, I wanted to know how to be an effective member of a team. I also wanted to help make the workplace a fun place to be. We were, after all, living our lives together. I read a lot on the subject of business as I began to distill my philosophies on work, being effective, and of course happiness.

The spirit of Reflexive lingered on for an astounding amount of time. And even after many of the original members had long since left, there was still a pervading sense of camaraderie among those that stayed and many of those that came in the later years. The reason I stayed for as long as I did had to do with the people. I just loved them.

Time to Go

Alas, as the years stacked upon me, I knew that it was time for me to move on. And although I enjoyed working with such great people, I could no longer stomach the practices and direction of the corporation. I was unhappy. Of course what had happened was that my heart just needed something else, which was no one's fault but my own. Besides, great, unknown adventures were calling my name. It was time.

For a long time I thought about leaving to go work at a different company. But the notion finally dawned on me that going to another company would not satisfy my heart. What I needed to do was something else entirely. I needed to try going out on my own. This prospect simultaneously terrified and delighted me. So, after 4 months of careful preparation, I established Forma Pictures and began life as a freelance artist.

A company to call my own. Many of its founding principles are based off of what I learned at Reflexive.

So, what is the point of all of this? I think the message that I feel deep down is that I'm grateful for the amazing people that I've known so far. And I want to thank them for all they did for me. A teeny tiny part of me feels battle-bruised from the trials of business, but most of me feels true joy. And that's the honest truth. I'm happier than I've ever been. And I recognize that I've had luck in the company I've kept. I hope to work with many of them again in the future because that would make me happy. The day is young, my friends. Let's make it a great one!

Your friend, co-worker, and all-around bud,

Bailey

The Important Things

Today I'm going to talk about some business and life pondering I did this week. But here's a quick update on what's been going on at FP...

This week I attended a motion graphics meetup in LA, and got to mingle with some cool people. Gmunk was the guest speaker, which was a lot of fun. Hope that the meetups keep happening! :)

I've also been taking a hard look at where Forma is going. Specifically, I'm going to be working on a new original project that can release sooner than later (so it will be shorter). As much as I like Hunted, the damn thing is too ambitious to release this year. Still happening, but I've got to get more content out there that doesn't suck. Here's an early concept of where my mind is wandering presently. Yes, this sucks at the moment, but hey...

I keep coming back to this idea of a short adventure that is stylized, brightly colored, and tells a simple story.

What's Important in Life?

I'm always the first to admit that I'm an idiot. But the people around me have been great. My real fortune in life has been in the company I've kept. Somehow I've managed to find and befriend some really talented people. And I often say that "I'm just barely smart enough to surround myself with smart people." The point being that I owe much of my acquired insights and ideas to the good people I've been around.

Most recently I've been thinking about my trajectory as a freelancer. First of all, I'm happier than I've ever been. But that's not to say that there haven't been hard moments, and I expect even harder moments to come. The beginning of any new venture is plagued with difficulty. Sometimes it really doesn't feel like I'm going to be able to overcome this initial hump in the life of a business. Of course, this was all expected. It's why I planned for a long time before taking the plunge.

Nevertheless, I can't help but feel afraid sometimes. After all, what will happen if Forma Pictures fails to go anywhere? I'll have to get a regular art job again. But imagine the humiliation! What will my friends and colleagues think of me? I'll have failed!

But I was recently clued into a great insight by somebody (one of those great people I know): Going out on my own for a while will yield a better story than simply staying at my past job for another year. Freelancing is a new adventure, and more interesting than just doing what I had already been doing for years.

The ideal is to keep this train going for a long, long time. But in the event that I fail, I won't forget all the happiness I've had this past year. Happiness, for me, is worth more than pride, success, fame or acceptance by my peers. Of course I'm extremely ambitious, but I made a deal with myself... if I haven't achieved all my goals when I die, I still have to say that I enjoyed my life. And that's what it comes down to, discovering what it is that actually matters most. And for me, it's joy. The rest is incidental.

Bailey

Eating Frogs

I've been gulping down frogs this week. Well, figuratively. It's a concept from the book "Eat That Frog!" by Brian Tracy that I picked up this week. It describes ways to organize and prioritize tasks in business and in life. Each day there is a task that is more important than the other tasks. This is the one that will have the greatest, positive impact on one's life. This high value task is the "frog" that should be eaten first, before doing the low value tasks that yield fewer positive returns.

It also describes how to practice "creative procrastination." We all procrastinate, but we need to procrastinate doing specific things because there will never be enough time to do everything we have to do. Instead, we should just be on top of our most important responsibilities. The book discusses how to approach this and much more. In the end it's about being productive, efficient and smart. One can fulfill their ambitions and still get home each night to be with their family. I recommend it.

What else...oh, the good people at MatterHackers commissioned me to create some art for the tech conferences that they attend throughout the year. See?

View fullsize

A bunch of banners for all their convention needs. :)

And last, but not least, I've been building a SHOP for Forma Pictures. And in it, you'll be able to buy art I release in the future as well as some merchandise. Actually, the first batch of goods will be arriving today, so I expect to start selling with the next week or so. Stay tuned...

Bailey

Standards Unmet

I have a confession to make... I'm not going to release my most recent animated video that I've been saying I would. The reason is simple: I decided it's not good enough. I try my darnedest to make things I'm proud of, but I sure do fail a lot. 

Of course I like a lot of things about it, but on the whole, I just don't feel that it's up to snuff. Not that any of my past work is very good either, it's just some things are releasable and other things aren't. It's subjective, but I wish I had had the opportunity to make it more musical and animated.

I have released crap before. Just look at the horrific cube dancing videos I make. Or the sketchbook. But those are meant to be throw-away content. I force myself to publicize those in the attempt to toughen up my skin. They're awful, I know it, you know it, and that's fine. But I just can't bring myself to release this video. Do any of you have similar stories? Any advice? I can't be the only one who struggles with these dilemmas.

On the plus side, progress on my 4th EDITED SHORT is going well. You can watch my past edited shorts HERE. I'll tell you, it's so much fun to work on these. Choreographing visuals to music is my favorite way to spend my time. Period. The best thing about these projects is that I do not release them until I'm completely satisfied. Here are some sneak peeks:

ES4 will feature sword choreography...

Around 33% there. This is extremely time consuming. If I don't love a sequence, I scrap it.

Bailey

Be You

This week I'm gonna talk about my favorite subject in the world. But first, an update: I can't release some of the recent client work I've done, because it's still not official yet. I know I said I'd show it this week, but I can release it in like 3 days so it'll be live soon. As for this week, there's a cube dancing video at the end of this. :)

If you've spent even two minutes with me, then you know what I love to talk about: happiness. As far as I can tell, happiness is the only thing worth pursuing in life. If you're happy, truly happy, then you don't give a shit about anything else.

Quiting my day job was the best thing I've ever done. Ever. It's not like I was laying bricks before and now I finally get to do art. In fact, I was an artist who was able to work with some great artists everyday. But something was off. And there was a lot of bureaucracy I was dealing with. It wasn't exactly what I wanted, and it was eating me up inside.

Today, I'm still an artist, but the rules are different. And it feels good. Actually, it feels criminal to be enjoying it as much as I am. Every day is an opportunity to pursue my passions and experience existing. I've been thinking that life is like the world's best open world game. You can do anything in it. But unlike video games, in the real world you can actually go into any store, climb any mountain, and talk to whoever you want. There are endless speech choices and an infinite number of plots with boundless decision trees. Not to mention the scenery or the ultra HD resolution. And as for the personal and cultural expectations we place on ourselves? They're idiotic. There are no rules. We're all just making it up. Obviously don't harm anyone, but other than that...it really is boundless.

The point is that anything is possible. There are no excuses. You can do anything. You can become anything you want to become. There are people way less fortunate or able-bodied than I who are achieving ten times more than what I'm achieving. 

Yesterday I watched the movie Chef directed by Jon Favreau. The job situation the main character has in the beginning reminded me of the yucky stuff I had to deal with at companies. But then he goes out and starts to get what he wants...what he needs. I was really relating to this guy. But we all have this need, and it's different for all of us. I sure didn't like the particular system I was working in, and now I don't have to be in it. I get to choose more of what I work on, I get to collaborate with some killer artists, and most of all I get to take care of me. I've got a limited number of years left on Earth (if I'm lucky and don't get hit by a car), so I'm going to squeeze every drop of goodness out of it that I can.

So if you're feeling lost or even slightly frustrated, have heart and listen. That voice inside you is crying for a better life. It wants you to be you. And it will never stop pestering you, so you've got to listen to it because no one will do it for you. I learned that the hard way. That damn voice just wouldn't stop yearning for something better, so I had to go out and make a life for myself. I'm stumbling around just like everyone, but I'm doing it.

And let me tell you, the world is greener. Much, much greener.

Bailey

Learning

Ever wanted to know about the process behind making art and film? Well, now you can. Introducing LEARN, a new place at Forma Pictures where I discuss the inner workings of the craft from a no nonsense point of view. I've always hated "trade secrets" so I decided to start sharing what I can. I only have one resource to start, but the library will steadily increase. And if you have any suggestions, you can submit them for review.

Here's a quick 2-second boot-up animation I made for the MatterControl tablet, released by MatterHackers this week:

Next week:

• Another cube dancing video, with a retro/nostalgic bent...if you were a child of the 80s/90s.
• Animated music video (2 months in the making).
• Some recent print work that I've done.

Bailey

Quality and Conviction

My project is being delivered today, guys. I've been 20 mile marching more than ever, but I still had to move fast at the end of this project. And I'm a perfectionist, so there's always some hard days at the end. Not sure how to avoid that yet.

But, I still take care of myself even with the long hours. I eat my salad, exercise each night, run 3 times a week, and I force myself to rest for 30 minutes in the afternoon to break up the day. I stand up at my desk for about 3-4 hours each day, and I'm still using software that forces me to rest my hands periodically (been doing that for over 7 years). All of these things have really helped me sustain my energy output for the full days I've been churning out. Like I talked about last week, I'm no good at my job if my body is in disrepair.

I'll share the video as soon as I can, but today you'll have to make do with an image:

I've drawn so many cartoon people this month.

What's next? Well, it's been requested that my cube dancing videos keep coming. You can expect one next Friday. I had a good idea for one a couple days ago that made me laugh. Next week I'm also going to be working on a "video in two days" with somebody. I have no idea what it will be, because we will conceive and create it within the two days. A fun challenge.

I'll be showing more client work later this month in addition to some new work on Hunted. It's been a while, I know.

Releasing Art

I've been getting better at releasing art. This blog and those silly cube dancing videos I've been making have helped me to just get my art out there. I feel embarrassed by them, but there's a method to my madness. Throughout my career I've either obsessed over something for way too long or I've been forced to release stuff by my employers/deadlines.

Quality is still one of my most treasured principles, but releasing unfinished things has it's benefits too. There are some things that I will continue to obsess over, but now I'm creating "throw away" content that I churn out regularly. Right now, it's my cube dancing series.

So, what's the value? Well, it's made me more confident. The last big project I did had a 2 week period of intense crunching at the end. That's right when I was finalizing my business and putting in my 2 weeks notice at my old job. I was frantic! This time, I did work hard at the end, but I wasn't as overwhelmed by the thought of releasing it. I'm sure not everyone likes those stupid cubes, so it's forced me to be okay with that. Bottom line: I know I'm good at my job, so I don't have to prove it with every thing I release. The pressure to do better with every project has often suffocated me instead of helped me. For years my portfolio had like two things in it because I didn't think much of my stuff was good enough.

Not to worry, though. I'm a fanatic for obsessive detail and the life-long pursuit for greatness. I think we should all strive to be excellent in all we do in life. It's one of my life principles. I'm so passionate about it that when the quality of something is threatened, I quickly get involved and I fight really hard to make it good. But as my great-grandmother would say: moderation in all things.

Bailey

The Dark Side of the Creative Process

This blog is all about peeling back the layers. So, I'm gonna be honest...I struggled creatively this week. Art is always a struggle to one degree or another, but every now and then it can be pretty rough. Some people might scoff at the woes of a creative. After all, the job of a creative person can appear to be an easy one. I'll agree that it's not physical labor, but it is exhausting nonetheless. Creating is less like "make-believe" and more like solving a really hard puzzle. A puzzle that you can't even see properly. It's a brain workout.

Unfortunately, inspiration does not flow from a faucet that we can turn on and off whenever we want. That is why the movie, music, and every art industry in the world is inherently volatile. Artists make every effort to increase the odds of new ideas, inspiration and excitement. But that's all we can do. We can only increase the chances of lightning strikes by creating the right conditions for it. I won't get into what those are, because that's a different topic.

Projects can be great fun, but even the best projects suffer from the inevitability of human nature. At least that's my experience. Maybe someone out there has only experienced easy projects, but I doubt it. If you're going to grow, then you need to challenge yourself. And every creative has been bored, exhausted or depressed by a project. It's like the quote by Jill Soloway: "Every project is a race between your enthusiasm and your ability to get it done."

The emotional timeline of a project is a predictable downward slope that pauses at a low, very dark, very serious place before suddenly rising again at the end. This dark place is something every creative has experienced. I'm not kidding when I say that this stage sucks. It's full of self-doubt, apathy and fear. Most of the project is a struggle, but this darkness requires the most energy and confidence to emerge from. It's my thinking that the process of doubt is not a fault of the artist, rather it's just part of the process of doing something new. And a while back I saw a graphic of this, but I modified it based on my own experiences. The original one I saw can be seen here, but here's mine:

You'll notice that it's hard to rise all the way back up to that ideal dream we feel when we first start a project, but we can make something pretty good anyway...if we work hard. And yes, I occupied the lowest point this past week. My enthusiasm was non-existent. But the thing to remember is that every project (especially the long ones) go through this descent and eventual rise. The 3D Printing project was no different last year. There was a time when I had zero interest in it. My inspiration had dwindled and the movie looked like crap. But through considerable effort, I overcame it. We always do, unless we give up or have to stop.

I'm lukewarm on what I've made this month. But it'll come through...enough. That's the other thing. Not everyone will like it. And even worse, there's no guarantee that my art will be liked by my clients. All I want, sincerely, is that I like it. If I like it, then someone else might too. Carrying on to make art for ourselves is the only genuine way to make art.

Creating is hard. I'll admit that I've abandoned a lot of projects to rot in the darkness phase. To be clear, I don't think every project needs to be finished. Sometimes this is perfectly fine because we should be focusing on something else anyway. But if we decide to finishing something, to keep going, to keep marching...know that we can rise to a level that seems impossible from where we are.

Onward and upward!

Bailey

The Life of a Freelance Artist

Artists have to make money. I wish I could just create whatever I wanted and not worry about finances, but I'm not there yet. Most of us are either working at a company earning a salary, or we're out hustling on our own, booking gigs, selling our art and earning a living that way. Right now, I'm doing the latter.

One of the things that's been most surprising to me since starting my business is how my perception of money has changed. I worked in an office for seven years. I earned steady income for that entire period, and I was never out of work. During those years, I didn't really think about money very often. As long as I had a job, everything was magically alright.

But now I think about money every day. It's what keeps this adventure going. So, I hustle, research, and strategize all the time. And when I sign contracts for paid work, it's a feeling like no other. Diving into the unknown can be terrifying, but completely invigorating. I choose to perceive this path as a series of opportunities to make my life the way I want it. And because of that, I feel very good just about every day.

It's important to note that I make every effort to keep my creative time free and clear of stress. It's hard to create when stressed. And if I can't create, I can't live. So, stress mitigation is kinda important. Luckily, I learned a great deal about stress management over the last seven years, and I'm still working to be better at it.

So, would I recommend this path to other artists? Well, it depends on what kind of person you are. It takes a lot of work, time, care, responsibility and discipline. That's just fine with me, because I relish that stuff. It does mean that every move I make matters, but that's why it's so great too. I get to be making the moves, not someone else.

If you're on the fence, think about it like this: you need to satisfy the priorities in your life that are specific to you. For me, this is what I want. I want control, responsibility, and opportunities for insane growth. It suits me, so I'm absolutely happier than I've ever been. But everyone has different intrinsic or situational needs. And they must satisfy them or risk being unhappy. And remember, good will always be the enemy of great (more on that here).

The best piece of advice I have is this: Listen to yourself. We're always subconsciously telling ourselves what we want in life. But do we have the courage to objectively listen, no matter what it says? It may not be easy to accept what we want. I wish I loved building rockets, but I don't so I won't be trying to work for NASA. And years ago, members of my family were upset with me that I didn't pursue a career as a dancer. They said I was throwing away my talent. But here's the deal: I didn't love it. If I had done it, I would have been throwing away my life, not my talent. So, I didn't do it.

I know that fear is the biggest de-motivator. Believe me, I've had my fair share of it. And it was because of fear that I resisted starting my own business. But when I remembered that the days of my life were falling away, like grains of sand, I knew I had to do it immediately. And I knew that I could fail, but I could fail just as easily not doing what I loved. In fact, we're more likely to fail at things that we don't love. And besides that, we can get a string of bad luck, no matter what we're doing. So, I implore you...do what you love.

It's worth it.

And now, for the dumbest yet in my super dumb series of dancing cube videos that I force myself to make quickly. They are not masterpieces, but they make me laugh while I'm making them, so that's something.

Your pal,

Bailey