Tuesday, August 28, 2012

I have no idea how to manage my days!

Have you ever felt that way?
I have on so many occasions that I have lost count.
It's not because I don't have a clue about time management. I am a virtual master of scheduling and
efficiency. I can plan the hell out of pretty much everything. I have read the theory of time management, I have read about how other artists manage their time and what they spend their working days doing so the problem lies somewhere else.

It lies in execution.
It lies in the fact that I am big fucking scaredy cat!



Too many times I sit down to do some networking or to approach new potential customers or I'll try to look for an agent that can represent me and I have no idea of how I'm supposed to do it. I'm always terrified of offending people, writing the wrong things in my e-mails, sounding unprofessional or any number of silly things like that. I sometimes also find myself stumped when it comes to actually finding new potential clients and markets where my art would fit in. I'm not a 3D modeler, I don't do programming or graphic design. Even though I work mostly digitally I'm pretty much and old fashioned illustrator. I like to do book covers, character designs, spot illustrations, concept art, band merchandise like stickers and t-shirt designs and so on, but I can't do animation and my style is not really a modern editorial style, it just doesn't fit in with what the market seems to be going for these days and it's really frustrating.

I didn't fit in at school, or among most people in general before. I've gotten a lot better at it now though on a personal level, but I'm still struggling in most other aspects of my life. Most of my problems I find to be based in fear. I'm terrified of failure, just the idea of not being able to achieve my goals is sometimes enough to stop me from even starting a project, or I'll start working but I won't let anyone know about it because I'm scared that people will ridicule my efforts. However because I'm stubborn I force myself to do things I'm scared of all of the time. It's exhausting, and I fret so much over my own failures and inadequacies that I have trouble sleeping at night.

The most frustrating part of it all is that I don't have an answer to my problem. At least not a definitive solution. The only thing I can do is suck it up and keep going no matter how scared I am at times. Nothing is going to happen if I just sit around moping. I read once that courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the ability to fight despite of it. So I guess that makes me courageous, and maybe thats all one needs when faced with adversity or ones own fears and inadequacies. A little bit of bravery, mental strength, and I'm sure that a little bit of naivety goes a long way too.

Any thoughts people?


Until next time
Anita K. Olsen

website:
www.anitaolsen.daportfolio.com

contact:
anitaolsen.illustration@gmail.com



Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Alien queen illustration

Yay, another illustration finished. I don't have any projects at the moment, and usually it drives me insane thinking about it. To be honest I'm obsessive..manic maybe even. I am fully capable of stressing myself to the brink of  a panic attack This time however I'm trying something different. I'm focusing on having fun, doing challenges and personal pieces. Which todays illustration is a clear indicator of. I did this one for the ImagineFX weekly forum challenge(number 292). 

This weeks challenge was actually based of my very own theme suggestion. I'm kind of taking that as a small personal victory. I like celebrating the small things ^^
The brief was to make a portrait of an alien queen. She had to be wearing some sort of crown and it had to be a full on portrait. So this is what I made:

P.S. Full view is recommended! 


(c) Anita K. Olsen


Until next time
Anita K. Olsen


Contact:
anitaolsen.illustration@gmail.com

website:
www.anitaolsen.daportfolio.com

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Hulder - My first ImagineFX challenge entry!



So I just finished my entry for the ImagineFX weekly challenge number 290 yesterday. The deadline is today and I'm very excited to see the line-up. There are some pretty spectacular entries this week. This was my first time entering one of their challenges so I was a little nervous about my skill level. I wasn't sure whether I could hold my own, but I think I did pretty well.

The brief was to make a mock cover for the magazine featuring a creature design where the head and the shoulders of the creature had to be visible on the page.
I chose to draw a mythical creature from Norwegian folklore. It's called a Hulder. It's a creature from the underworld who takes the shape of a beautiful young woman and lures men into the underworld or deep into the forests where they can lie with them and then kill them if they are not satisfied. A Hulder usually has a tail similar to that of a cow or a fox depending on where in Scandinavia you live, or she can have a hollow back, much like an old hollow log.

Now that you have been duly briefed on Norwegian folklore, here is my entry for this weeks challenge.
The top one is the mock cover featuring the ImaginFX logo (which I claim no ownership of, it's there strictly for challenge purposes) And the bottom image is the original illustration without all the noise.

Image (c) Anita K. Olsen 





Image (c) Anita K. Olsen


Until next time
Anita K. Olsen

website:
www.anitaolsen.daportfolio.com

contact:
anitaolsen.illustration@gmail.com

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Cooking with magic - colored version!

Ooh dear, this dish just went wrong in all kinds of ways :P Hopefully she will be able to save it.
If you want to see the original sketch please check out my previous post, you will find it there along with a little anecdote that goes with the picture.

Hope you guys like it.

(c) Anita K. Olsen


Until next time
Anita K. Olsen

www.anitaolsen.daportfolio.com
Contact: anitaolsen.illustration@gmail.com