May 2020: the First Month out of College Part 2
So, at the beginning of May 2020, I had just graduated from college and completed my first project as a freelancer. Now that school was over, the world was completely open to me, and I could walk whichever way I wanted -- a terrifying and exhilarating realization.
I think if I had graduated under more normal circumstances, I would have pressured myself to find a job and deep dive into a career. I definitely would have been anxious that I would fall behind my peers if I didn't grind away at my art 24/7. I would have probably spent many frustrated nights in front of my computer being unsatisfied with art pieces that were supposed to go into my portfolio.
But it was May 2020, and I didn't have to feel guilty for not "hustling" because companies weren't hiring. All the entertainment industries had paused their projects. I couldn't even move to a city if I wanted to because there was a legitimate risk of catching a deadly virus. So, I was basically forced by the universe to…chill.
I ended up moving back to my mom’s home for the summer. I felt like I was in a Jane Austen novel, taking a trip to the idyllic suburbs to pass my days sketching on the porch. Without the pandemic, I might not have allowed myself time to just relax and take my time with the things I love, and I would have regretted that.
I wasn't completely lazy either. I still drew everyday (my friend and I decided to do the month-long drawing challenge "Misadventure May). I also decided to enter Webtoon's Short Story Contest (more posts on that coming up) But instead of making art for the purpose of my portfolio, I was experimenting more. I think this was a crucial period of time for me as an artist because I was still quite new to art. I was getting the hang of painting in Photoshop, and I barely had any knowledge of form, color, composition, etc. If I felt the pressure to be a professional, I might have rushed to lock down a style and limited my range.
I think it's ok to have "downtime" in your career, especially at the beginning. I don't mean it in the sense that you shouldn't work and watch TV all I day. I mean it more so in that you give yourself a break from your own expectations. While in downtime, don't fret over every action you take and how it affects your future. Instead, just explore. It’s a time to make really dumb things that make you smile. It’s a time where you can get frustrated without feeling the pressure to improve which only exacerbates frustration.
The MisMay art challenge was also a great activity to participate in during my downtime phase. It was a solid month-long drawing workout, where I was forced to complete an illustration every day. I used the daily prompts as ways to explore different facets of Photoshop. By the end of it, I had gotten so much more comfortable with the software which was perfect preparation for my next big project - "Mood for Love", my submission to the Webtoon Short Story Contest.
Next episode will be about the beginning of making "Mood for Love"!
May 2020 (Lessons Learned)
It's ok to have downtime in your career. I promise it won't damage your future success
Don’t forget to be silly with your work and experiment. Don’t get weighed down by the pressure to have a set style - especially when you’re just starting out