I’m a creative, experienced, multi-purpose artist and art director
who can take projects start to finish in a variety of styles.

Good designs sell –
my designs sell out!

Saturday, November 7, 2015

"Whimsical"

Bro2 asked about making a blog, but after he thought about it, he decided he didn't want one.  He just likes making occasional napkin drawings for this blog, though this drawing was actually done on a fresh piece of paper.  This all works out great this week because he's far more charming and whimsical than me.  Besides that, I'm achy from shifting weather patterns and crabby about daylight savings time.

Or, maybe I'm really crabby because I just rejected work for a full-page, full-color magazine illustration?  It would've been great exposure in their 50th anniversary special edition, but the story accompanying the illustration is a feminist's nightmare.  All that great exposure would be a mess if I was connected to that article.  Sigh.  Sometimes principles really get in the way of my happiness.

The last time I rejected work on principle was for GI Joe.  I don't think we should turn our children into little soldiers.  Men have laughed at me when I've told them about this.  They don't feel scarred by their play.  One man still resents only having a knock off named Jim.  Who am I to stand between men and their dolls?  My co-worker Joe enthusiastically took on the project and had GI Joe shoot me from around corners.

Rejecting the GI Joe project got me punished with Strawberry Shortcake for a while.  I haaaated her.  I couldn't see pink without seeing red for a long time, but at least Strawberry Shortcake wasn't promoting war.  Something about her made me want donuts, so thankfully I wasn't punished too long or I really would've ended up at 400 lbs.  I got moved on to sewer lids and road maintenance manuals after that.

Who says being an artist is glamorous?  I've pretty much done the jobs I've gotten, and felt happy to get paid, even when the pay was crappy.  Maybe the magazine will give me another story to illustrate?  Or not?  Or punish me with a Strawberry Shortcake-ish alternative?  Hey, I've got a day job.  I don't have to take anything that I don't want to do at this point.  That's freedom. 

Or as Bro says, "Life is easy if your aren't an elephant".  Just so you know, he wrote that while laughing at my feminist conundrum and agreeing that I absolutely couldn't do it.  I sent the article to a friend for her opinion and she agreed -- with blue language to emphasize the point.

I wrote the editor and briefly told her why I couldn't do it, apologized, and asked if there was another story to illustrate.  We'll see how that goes.  Whatever the outcome, I'm going to see it as the right outcome.  It's part of my grand plan to use my talents in ways that I want to use them, and in ways that bring me the most happiness in the process.

Like Maria said in The Sound of Music, "Whenever God closes a door, somewhere He opens a window".  There are always more opportunities if we look for them.  If this project doesn't work out, I can find another.  One with fuzzy bunnies or something.

17 comments:

  1. Open windows...yeah, let's keep looking for them, Linda! ♡

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    1. The editor said she understands and might give me another story to work on. I'm really hoping that having principles will work out this time!

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    2. "Let your perfect world form around YOU, instead of straining to fit you (the square peg) in the marketplace's round hole. There are people looking for *exactly* what you love to do and what you excel at." This is what we need to keep reminding ourselves. We are magnets. Let the game come to you. Money needs do tend to get in the way of that approach though, I admit...we do our best, and get better at this!

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  2. I hope that saying is true. Although, now that it is cold I'm keeping my windows closed. Maybe the luck will fly in the dryer vent.

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    1. LOL My dryer belt broke. Maybe some of my luck got stuck in the lint trap?

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  3. I do hope you get an open window and another story to illustrate! Your brother's drawing is delightful.

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    1. I'll be sure to pass on your comment to my brother. He gets a few giggles about getting comments :)

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  4. Good for you Linda....glad the day job is able to give you choices. I am sure doors and windows are out there ready to open. Your bro's interpretation of whimsical is so male, great fun.....would you have just shown Strawberry Shortcake? With or without a noose? ;0) x

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  5. Good for you Linda....glad the day job is able to give you choices. I am sure doors and windows are out there ready to open. Your bro's interpretation of whimsical is so male, great fun.....would you have just shown Strawberry Shortcake? With or without a noose? ;0) x

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    1. LOL Jane! I guess it's a good thing I'm non-violent, or Strawberry Shortcake definitely would have swung. Bro is good at whimsical, but he gives more time to dark themes. Maybe he'll let me post some of his paintings sometime.

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  6. Now I'm curious about this feminist's nightmare of a story. But sounds to me like you made the right choice. You do you, Linda! I'm pretty confident that you'll get a new open window.

    And since your bro is using your blog for fee compliments, I like his elephant drawing much more than I like Strawberry Shortcake.

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    1. I'd post the feminist's nightmare article, but I'll just assume it is copyrighted. Let's just say that I don't feel like celebrating a weary housewife's rant that shows women have made hardly any progress in 50+ yrs.

      I like Bro's elephant way better than SS too. More giggles for him :) Thanks!

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  7. Hi Linda... I've missed you and your blog! 2015 was a little of a bear for me; nothing horrible, but tiring and challenging. Anyway, my blog writing and reading suffered.

    As for your decision to pass, I think you did the right thing because it was "your" decision, regardless of the content of the article.

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    1. 2015 was challenging for me too. At least we're almost over with it, right? Passing on the article worked out for the best because I was given an alternate article to work on. Yay!

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    2. Yay!

      And let's hope that 2015 ends with big smiles and lots of joy for both of us. :)

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