Too much
A friend of mine and I got together the other night to catch up. She mentioned that she was taking a digital photography class at Delaware College of Art and Design. I have to admit I was jealous. I tossed the idea around and thought “why not me too?” So, I joined a class titled “Children’s Book Illustration”. Was I totally crazy???
Somehow adding just one thing to my life that has required deadlines seems to have catapulted me in to a mess. I had a sort of panic attack the day before my second class. It was accompanied with chest pains and shortened breathing. It could have been from the “She-ra” stunt I pulled down at the creek with my kids two days earlier when I lifted a rather cumbersome rock for them to look under and then use as a steady standing place. Not the smartest move for a little weakling like me. I had a fever that night and fell asleep by 9pm.
Moving on… I just want to be so good at what I do, yet I feel like no matter what I accomplish I miss that mark of good workmanship. I got the assignment done (which was to rough out a storyboard of what your story will be about with illustrations) and felt like it was mediocre at best. I was so worried about how I was going to get the work in the coming weeks done and felt that I had truly gotten in over my head. I went to the class and, to my relief, was the only one who did the assignment correctly and finished it. Granted there are only four people in the class, but one didn’t even show up. This past week was our third class. Turns out someone else dropped out and wouldn’t be back. The class went alright. But this class is really tough because I feel like we are left to deveop our skills on our own and she is there just smooth them out. I am a bit frustrated… But at the same time I am glad I have someting that is all about me. I know that sounds really selfish, but after 7 years of child rearing (or what ever you want to call whatever I have done to them) I am ready to begin sharpening my art skills and doing something with them.
So this class has serious assignments due each week and I am dumbfounded at how I will get everything done! I’ve had to conclude that I will get what I want out of the class and not get so hung up on perfecting a book ready for publication in record time. I mean there is no way I can accomplish my best work with only three hours a week (and that is the ideal, not to mention only available at night when I am dead tired) to pull together a full color children’s book. Although, it must be said, my hubby is so supportive and he gave me most of this past Wednesday afternoon to get some of the work done. Granted he was taking the kids shopping for my birthday and would have gone out no matter what I had going on. But having a few hours in the middle of the day was like life had been breathed into my dry bones! It was awesome.
So, that is little of what is going on with me. I had a kid throwing up on and off last night, lots of rinsing and washing in the wee hours, and i got maybe three hours of sleep. So, I am off to watch The Office on our TiVo and drink something to cool the stinging in my sore throat… groan.
But I turn 33 on Oct 6, tomorrow! Crazy… But it will be good. I am hoping for a simple and peaceful birthday. My second son, Aiden will be 5 on Oct 8. He is so excited. I love watching preschoolers go nuts about things like that. We are taking him to the Melting Pot, it is our “5 is old enough for the good places” tradition. He really can’t wait… He even gets a free chocolate bar (excellent chocolate bar, by the way) and a polaroid of the event. It should be really fun!
Now I will have an illustrator when I write MY Children’s book-Yipee!
Yeah, well don’t get too excited just yet, Meags! But do let me read the story!
Hang in there, Mindy! I know that you will be able to shift things enough to make time for your assignments. It’s always more overwhelming in the beginning of a new adventure. Your teacher sounds like a caricature of an children’s illustration class teacher. You should do a story about her
I hope Aiden had fun at the Melting Pot.
mind!!! im so excited for you! by the way..i LOVE the post card you sent me! beautiful! maybe sometime you can show me some of your art techniques! love ya, sarah