Artcast #275 Figuring Out What's Important?

Friday, October 16th, 2015

Hi all ... A new video and new artwork just went live. Have a look, let me know what you think.

The new original is for sale here - http://goo.gl/WJATWm

If your interested in keeping up with everything I'm doing, all the new art, new videos, auctions and blogposts, subscribe to my list and get notifications everytime something new goes up - http://jefflaffertyillustration.blogspot.com/1999/12/newsletter.html





Thanks everyone and see you next time.
-Jeff
read the previous update ...

13 comments:

Marshmanification said...

@Jeff Interesting comments. It seems to me you are questioning the business aspect of your endeavors, more so than the process or the work itself. Are your creative aspirations impeded by the need to earn a living? Perhaps, the answer is to align your creative efforts WITH your revenue source, and the book of nudes could be that first step. Good drawing, btw.

Jeff Lafferty said...

+Marshmanification Thanks

Jesse said...

I think I know how you feel Jeff. I really had this problem for a while, big-time. Every day I'd find myself thinking and worrying about what big project I should start working on, like a comic or maybe even an animation-film project. But once I'd get home from work and sit down, nothing would come out. I usually would just end up doing some drawing studies from photos, or set up still lives and draw those.

The thing that annoys me about it all, is this attitude so many creators seem to have now that it's "not enough" to just be good at 1 thing. I see a lot of the big name illustrators these days talking about how important doing your own big personal project is. I feel like instead of motivating me, it makes me worry that I'll never make decent money as an artist without spearheading my own personal IP or whatever... but the thing is, I'm not passionate about doing a personal IP. I just like to draw stuff that I think looks cool. I love good stories and all that, but I honestly can't stand writing more than an email. Everyone's different. Maybe it is harder to make a decent living just doing visual art, rather than a big, unique personal IP. But for me, I really don't see starting a personal project as a solution.

I miss the morning working hangouts too, Jay's a pretty awesome guy, and it was great to come home from my day-job and have those videos to listen to while drawing myself. The current format you, Scott, and Kevin are doing right now is really awesome in its own right though, even if it is just once a week. I think the topic format is working well, you guys are touching on a lot of interesting information and experiences you've had.

Jeff Lafferty said...

+Jesse Thanks man

davy j.y. said...

Another excellent artwork !

Jeff Lafferty said...

+davy j.y. Thanks Davy!

Mike Emeritz said...

I definitely have that problem with my art. It's like, I know I want it to mean something, but I don't know what the hell that is. Hahaha... It's the same with wanting what I do to impact people, but I don't know exactly how far that reach is that I want, you know? But... honestly... this past year doing Thee100's, making videos to share my thoughts about everything, and getting to interact online with artists like you and Kevin and Scott and Gaz and everybody... it's helped me calm down a lot and start to just look at the work more, and not worry as much about everything else. I think the biggest lesson I've only just started to take in is that; I'm always going to have doubts and question whether or not I'm doing the right thing or whether or it matters or not or whatever, but I end up getting over it eventually every time, so I may as well just keep doing the work anyway.

Jeff Lafferty said...

+Mike Emeritz Thanks for the comment Mike

Scott Serkland said...

Another beautiful piece Jeff. all the nudes you have been doing lately have been stellar. I'm happy to hear you're considering collecting them in a book. The world needs more Jeff Lafferty books.

Jeff Lafferty said...

+Scott Serkland Thanks Scott

Kevin Cross said...

Great piece! I have struggled with artist block a lot and I think you asked a question at the end of the video that would make a good topic for our next Artcasters episode.

Scott Serkland said...

+Kevin Cross Agreed

Jeff Lafferty said...

+Kevin Cross Thanks Kevin