Working Habits

I am feeling a little stressed this week. People are looking forward to the long weekend, to me it's an opportunity to catch up on backlog. I know a lot of freelancers feel like that. But it can't be right, can it? And yet I fear it is. So I am thinking about working habits and how we can change them. It's not easy. I have been working for myself for 20 years almost. And always seem to be chasing my tail.

And the funny thing is someone at my crit group the other day asked me how I juggle all the different things I am working on so well. The answer was 'Badly'. I came to the conclusion I look like a swan swimming along serenely, but you should see the feet paddling crazily ... 

E.B. Lewis said at LA conference that if you really want to be a children's illustrator, then you had better be prepared for your life to suffer. What MORE than it is?? Well ok then.

Everyday I make a to-do list. Paying jobs get priority. Then I try to do some personal drawing each day and work on new techniques. Then there is some marketing, social networking. Oh yeah, and then working on my own books. And researching and reading. Oh and spending sometime with 'im indoors and looking after the animals and house and garden.

 

OH HECK AND I HAVE NO CHILDREN GOING BACK TO SCHOOL!!! How do people with children DO IT?

 

So there ... I don't have many problems after all :-)

Back to the to-do list.

I leave you with a little greeting card illustration of carefree fairies with (apparently) no-to-do lists else how would they have time to dance?? Unless it was on their to-do list of course.

ToodlePip

Hazel

aka The Wacky Brit

PS. Nothing new on the bedside table. This rotten heat has been putting me to sleep too quick at night.

Give away Friday!

Today I am giving away original artwork of the cartoon I posted on FB this morning. I'm calling it 'The Cliff of Submission' ... if you would like to own this, drawn in pen and ink, then all you have to do is join my blog and then leave me a comment with your email address on this post. I will draw the winner on Monday. So you haven't got long to enter. I am happy for you to share this blogpost also:-)

Here is the cartoon:

So, I am trying to get back on the Friday post gig. Since I got back from swanning off on vacation I have pretty much had my nose to the grindstone getting on with projects. Gearing up to starting the illustrations for the BOOK. (See previous blogposts. Can't keep boring you with the same details.)

Been working on some more greeting cards for Kelly Morse in Seattle ... here's one of them ... totally in photoshop in case you are interested. (No? Well go have a cup o' tea instead.)

Yesterday was our Re-Vision crit group meet up ... we mosyed over to B&N in Augusta first to see Cynthia Lord, Lynn Plourde and Deva Fagan at a book signing and chatted with them afterwards. It's just a boost to speak to those 'walking the walk', and hear their stories and thoughts. Afterwards we hotfooted it to a nice coffee shop (the diet has really gone to pot!) and swapped news and crits. There is a nice feeling of comradeship building in our group.

(Note to self: Stop using Mapquest. Hopelessly lost in Augusta .... sigh ... perhaps the time is coming for GPS? Or just street map?. Do they even make street maps anymore??)

Here's a couple of pics from Los Angeles, at the Getty Museum ... (DID I MENTION I WENT TO HOLLYWOOD?!? some of you are tired of hearing about it, can't imagine why!) It was truly beautiful at the museum though. if you take me out of the photo that is ... groan.

Well that's it folks ... remember you need to join my blog and leave me a comment to win the cartoon artwork.

Here's looking at you kidz!
Hazel
aka The Wacky Brit.

PS. Book on the bedside table this week is Cynthia Lord's 'Hot Rod Hamster' (cos I bought it last night and she signed it for me :-)))))))))) Thanks Cynthia ... and I AM dreaming Big!

Note to Self: Go to library - read more books.

Vacation, Vacation, Vacation.

That is my excuse for non-blogging this last couple of weeks. Maybe you were glad of the vacation too? But now I am back at the drawing board and ready to hit Fall with a vengeance.

I never fail to be amazed at the ability of American children to pose. We hit Disney for a week with some Brit friends (oh what craziness that was! The crowd on the bus to Downtown Disney will not so easily forget my birthday night out or rendition of Cockles and Mussels!). Anyway, whenever a parent whipped out a camera those American kids were straight into professional poses, teeth gleaming, heads tilted, right shoulder forward. Do they teach it in kindergarten? Maybe things are different from when I was a lass (long, long time ago it seems), but I remember standing poker straight and all photos looking like I was in a concentration camp. And watching UK families in the parks, not much seems to have changed. Also noted, young boys with french manicures on their toenails. YIKES!!!

News in from Matthew Kelly ... they are producing a lovely doll of Max from Matthew's book 'Why Am I Here?' How fabby is that? Here's a couple of pics of the prototype ....

I am quite happy to be back at work ... 10 days seems a long time away from the desk.

Next week I get the manuscript for the PB I am illustrating for Freespirit Publishing, so I am very excited about that and will post more details when I am allowed to by the publisher.

While I was away I took my birthday present with me (a little netbook - thanks to 'im indoors), and I wrote on the plane and a bit in the hotel bar (yes you guessed right, with a cocktail). I managed to do about 6,000 words on my YA fantasy ... it's a departure to be writing for this age group. We will see what happens.

Also roughed out a new PB idea, based on a doodle I did in Los Angeles during a seminar at the SCBWI conference of a little guard and his dragon. So we will see where that goes.

The series of math/problem solving books is tipping over the edge towards submission ... I have to find several days to finish the dummies. Stand by editors!!

On the calendar for the next couple of months ... excitingly back on the Isaac H Evans to teach a drawing cruise in September and then Virginia City, NV in October for the SCBWI mentor programme meet up and conference.  Also a workshop with Toni Buzzeo, a lady I am looking forward to knowing more about. That will be a lot of fun!

And now I have to do something to earn my living, so better get my pencil out. I leave you with a few sketches from Disney, I didn't take a camera and it was so hot down there I nearly melted.

More soon!
Hazel
aka The Wacky Brit