One more semester of school down. Two more to go (?). As an illustration major, you would think a semester of work would mean I have a lot of cool things to show! Well...I'm claiming this entire semester as one giant "artist's block." No matter how much time and effort I put into my projects, I could not seem to get any ideas to stick. There are a couple of things I feel ok-ish to show, and I will, but mostly I just got frustrated and didn't feel like my skills were improving much.

You know what though? It happens. We've just got to keep pushing ourselves, regularly re-evaluate what we are doing, and things will eventually even out. It still sucks while we have that "wall" in our lives though. Here are some of the things that have helped me get through my semester:

1) Look at where you were before. Sometimes we just don't see or remember the progress we've been making, because we're so intent on a higher goal. Give yourself a high-five for how far you've come!

2) Find somebody who has been successful at whatever thing you're having trouble with, and ask them/stalk info about the struggles they had getting to where they are now. If they can overcome their issues, so can you!

3) Monster. This is not for everybody. Sometimes you just have to pull a late night or an all-nighter. Find some food, drink, music, or whatever that will keep you awake and ALERT. The best is to have a friend nearby that you can stay up with (voluntarily or otherwise).

4) Try your hardest not to get too frustrated with yourself. I'm a perfectionist at heart with some things, so this is a tough one for me. Sometimes your best doesn't get you to your goal, but that is OK. Suck it up, take the consequences, and keep going forward. You will learn more this way, too! You can learn from failures just as much as successes.

Alright, here are just a couple things I've still managed to accomplish this semester, despite how frustrated I was getting.

A scene from the epic tale "Beowulf"

A boss from a computer game

An original character. She's obviously not finished,
but I only needed to have her this far for the
purposes of the class. I want to finish her up
and see about making a silicone mold and casting
more in resin.

Thanks for looking. You are dismissed.