Jul 27, 2008

Wind of Change

I move out soon.

I feel like it's time to get serious, and start making a moderately real income. I retracted a blog the other day expressing my fears, as the comments advised that I start taking on freelance. Granted it is a legitimate and secure path to take.

BUT,

I feel like there is no other time in my life with all things aligned like finances and being unburdened with a girlfriend, children, etc that I can take advantage of the time I have. Essentially, 2008 has been about my desire to live the artist life. One of creating artwork that I desire to make, and not for commission, or a client.

So here's a preliminary plan of the upcoming half of 2008.

Originally, I had planned to make stock vector to provide a passive source of income. I think I will pursue that, but instead of submitting elsewhere where a majority of the profits will be usurped by the promoting company, I will take it upon myself to promote the products. If it doesnt work, I can always submit to a third party to sell.

Although contests do help to promote myself as an artist, being mostly speculative and dependent on market/community forces, they do not produce the desired effect of creating a consistent stream of income, nor is the final product in my ownership.

I will continue pursuing contests, just not as much. They do provide some usefulness, but if I can build a product just as the companies that accept contest submission, I think in the long run, the financial gains will be larger.

Besides, knowing that I am an artist personality, and the need for frequent absolution through acceptance of others of my work spurs my activity, I want to disconnect from that need as that need probably causes me to take on endeavors that leave me shorthanded.

I'm uncertain if I can remain motivated to follow my plan for the rest of the year, but imagine if I used the time wisely. By year's end, I would have quite a hrm... buttload of imagery all owned by me to be sold to the designing community. Not only that, I would also be privy to creating designs from them.

Beyond that, if it necessitates for financial purposes, I will take on an occasional freelance job, but only if it is worth my interest.

As far as re-starting my own apparel line, it's still under consideration. It takes money to make money, and it would probably have a better effect on my artist identity if I went ahead with it.

Not sure about any of it, but it's time to level up and take on more difficult challenges.

Gonna finish the latest design Lust for Life first and move before I start that machine.

The Next Dover!

The Next GoMedia!

We'll see...

3 comments:

AttilaTheMom said...

Change is scary, but also good. Keep faith in yourself. :)

bloodboyDigitalArts said...

Hey Jimiyo .. I ´ve red your article about freelance and stuff .. You are a amazing Artworker .. and should work for large companies ..like Clothing Brands or Bands or something Else .. About selling your own Vector-Pack .. I think you can sell a lot ,, couse you are well known person in the Net.. And I think you can self promote your vector-pack .. like Gomedia I think :) Also maybe you can earn some money doing more tutorials with a higher resolution and sell a Tutorial-DVD .. Also the Idea with your ClothingBrand through BigCartel or even Myspace .. You should find a name like Jimiyo-Clothing .. or something like that .. with its own logo .. and promote on emptees and myspace and of course your blog .. I think you will gonna sell alot in the future ... Like me and I startet with only 50 Shirts of bloodboyclothing.com and now it works .. So wish you the best for your Targets..

Huge Fan from Germany
Greets tobias

Anonymous said...

Hey Jimmy, read your newest thoughts. I'll be very happy to see what kind of vectors you can create, eager to buy them. I hope you make them useable in t-shirt ''industry'', as thats biggest problem with YWFT vectors. I think tshirtfactory is good example how vector business could give you extra income.