Conquering the Uncomfortable

Hello again!

As I mentioned in my last blog, I’ll go straight to the eight lessons I have learned to conquer in the challenges in my first semester!

#1 – Choose the Battles (Be Wise)

There are many battlefronts. Some are required, some are casual, and some can be life-changing. Planning and picking our battles are as important as fighting them. Focus on the giants before battling minions.

#2 - Know Your Weapons (Strengths)

One of the best pieces of advice I got from a friend is to work within my skill set. It was tempting to show off what grand ideas I had when I started a project. But I soon realized that I need to give myself the grace to pace myself and scale down my ambition. Right now, just passing is good news. It is better to end up with a C with three hours of sleep than burn myself out with no sleep. I need the energy and enthusiasm to keep going on for years to come. I’d rather keep those grand ideas in my pocket to explore in the long run.

#3 - Learn to Fight Well (Boredom)

Most first semester courses teach the fundamentals with somewhat “boring” assignments, which can take a toll if we don’t have a clear perspective. Nobody wants an uneventful job. Nobody wants to draw a bust of a random man. (Not me) But remember, training like this will help us in the long run to reach our destination. It’s not fun to learn things the “boring” way, but I believe in building everything on a firm foundation now will reap life-long benefits.

Yet, I’ve found there are still ways to make my projects interesting. Such as asking myself what angle is natural to draw or how to tell a story. Then, time goes super faster. I’d like to remind myself that in the long term, all these will help me do what I want to do. Finding a hardworking friend to battle and dream together would be a bonus! Last but the most important is to ask my professors for guidance as they’ve been on the battle line for years.

#4 – Fight Together (No Lone Warriors)

Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” Humans were made for community and companionship. This can be tricky for us artists because we’re stereotyped to be the shy kid, and we are required to be “original.” But we still can’t do it alone.

I’ve found it satisfying to challenge myself to talk to my classmates or even strangers who I admire. Working together with my old schoolmates, new classmates, and tutors has made learning so much more enjoyable and fruitful.

It is so rewarding to find new, great quality friends, who support me to go higher…not drag me down. However, it’s also important to know when it’s fun time and when it’s focus time. (Sometimes, being lone warrior periodically is essential for nurturing creativity, too.)

#5 – Avoid Getting Beaten Out (Burn Out)

Burn out happens to all of us and ironically, creatives give in to mental blocks, too. Shouldn’t we be the creative ones in the industry? Then, why can’t we think of anything out of the box?

In this case, sometimes, it’s better to do the opposite of fighting a mental block. Every soldier needs time to recover and to think/rethink. Creativity is a mysterious creature. Sometimes, it isn't there when we need it the most but visits suddenly when we least expect it. It also can’t be forced. Taking a step away to enjoy cooking/eating or listening to a song or anything other than art can reset our brain.

This is easy to say but extremely difficult to do, especially when time may not be on our side. In huge crunch times, I’ve found it so time consuming to look up references and look for art pieces that I love, yet they’ve proved to be time worth spent. Don’t be afraid to take inspiration and (do not forget to) give credit to the world around us.

#6 – Escape the Halt (Depression/Laziness)

Sometimes we may feel so defeated that we lose the ability to keep going. I’ve certainly felt this on my worst days where I lost the strength to do anything. These tough moments will happen. Again, remember to pace ourselves. Even doing just one thing that day is an accomplishment. As long as we keep moving forward and thinking positively, we’re golden. Remember, two is always better than one! Find a companion to fight together and seek help from professors. They are all here to help.

# 7 – Balance the Ego (Pride)

Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” I certainly have battled the three C’s: Cowardness, confidence, and cockiness, a million times. I realized that when I consciously remind myself that I’m here to learn, critiques become less threatening. No one gets it right all the time, especially on the first try, so listen and take notes. Then, discern what feedback is major and learn how to fix it. I also remind myself that critiques are about my art not about me!

#8 – Explore Beyond the Battleground (Outside the Classroom)

This is another golden nugget of wisdom I received and wish to share with you. There is so much more to life than going in and out of classes and doing only homework. Join clubs and get some professional experience that we dream of! (Such as volunteering or going to an art conference!) Or even diving into a new hobby. Being well rounded not only branches our network but also makes us more interesting individuals…perhaps even making us happier people.

All in all, what I realized was a lot of the problems I faced were controllable even though they were uncomfortable! In every uncomfortable situation, there is always a way out. There is always something I can do to make things better. I hope that my blogs encourage and remind us all that we’re in this together. Especially for myself, I find whenever I feel down or hopeless, I look back on what I wrote. It reminds me that if God led me then, He will lead me now too.

Hence, I’ve decided to make my page, College Life, a more vulnerable webpage. I will not just share in-progress works (next semester) but also some works that I’m not so proud of (and explain why). I hope that the contents there may help some of you to decide whether art is for you or may simply provide a space for us to learn, laugh, and cry together. xD

Finaly, I would also like to share one of the biggest regrets for my first semester. Don’t complain, but trust in God. I wish I had trusted God’s promises for me more. I wish I had prayed to Him more often instead of dumping my worries (many times unjustified and unnecessary) on others. I wonder how many times we ramble instead of thinking what we can really be doing to improve or move forward.

I certainly learned this during my 2D design class. Below are three of my 2D projects which detailed my progress step by step. I truly learned the meaning of “Trust and Enjoy the Process.” In all of these design pieces, I came up with narratives to stimulate my passion of illustration at the same time. ^^

Today is also Christmas so I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous, happy and healthy New Year! ^^

Till next time,

Isabelle

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” ~ Ecclesiastes 4:12

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” ~ Isaiah 9:6