IMC - What, me worry?

Early tomorrow morning I will be getting in my car and driving to Amherst, Massachusetts for the Illustration Master Class. That sound you ask? That would be my stomach spinning. Thankfully, I have gotten past the feelings of dredge and now I am in the midst of a case of the nerves. Everyone has been wishing me well and telling me I am going to have a fun/great/amazing time and I respond with a forced smile. Don't get me wrong, I am glad I am going… I am incredibly grateful to be able to have this opportunity… I am… just a tad overwhelmed.

My head is constantly filled with the thought that in a week and a half from now I could be a better artist. Is that even possible? If I am not, will I have done something wrong? Did I somehow not do everything I should have done? Did the faculty let me down? Or am I just at the highest level my abilities will allow? Maybe that is what this comes down to… I want to be better then I am right now and I am unsure of how to get there on my own. There are things I want to do with my art and projects I want to work on that will require me to be a higher skill level. In many ways the IMC could not have come at a better time for me. Unfortunately, with the perfect timing also comes a lot of expectation and over thinking in my head.

Did I say something about over thinking? Yeah… been doing a bit of that. I keep worrying about the drawing I am bringing with me, "Is it the right drawing or me? Is it something I can spend a week completely throwing myself into? Could I have come up with something better? Should I have gone with one of those other ideas I had?" I have never produced as many thumbnails before as I have done of this assignment and I have not done a drawing this big in a long time. My wife, who is sending me to the IMC as a gift, who has been my loudest cheerleader, who has been amazing with her supports, who told me now more then ever is the time for me to go to the IMC, says the drawing is great and to stop over thinking it. I just want it to be the best I can do.

We all want to be better at the things we love and do. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses and we all have our talents and short comings. I am grateful everyday for the abilities I have to make art, especially when I am drawing. I have fought very hard over the last six years to advance my drawing skills and I take great pleasure in drawing. It is a HUGE stress reliever for me. I think of all the time and efforts I put into advancing my drawing skill set and I think about all the work I have yet to put into my painting skill set and I get a little queazy. I am not afraid of hard work and I am always up for a challenge… but you know, hard work is hard.

I have a plan and I have a goal and I say that is a big part of this wacky thing called art. I want to make the best monsters I can and I know 26 monsters that I want to make really cool. And that is going to require some hard work and hopefully the IMC will get me going on the right track.

Monsters A-Z
© 2011 Christopher Burdett

So, in a couple of days I am going to be working really really hard, I am going to be learning a lot and I am going be having a fun/great/amazing time. I am going to keep my eyes and ears open and ask as many questions as I can. It is not the destination, it is going to be the journey and this week at the IMC offers to be an exciting journey. I will be documenting everything I see and do while there and will be posting it all once I return home. I will not be posting normally next week, I will be more then a little busy, but I might sneak on with a sneak peak or two.

That is all for today. I will be traveling on Friday, but will try to stop by the blog before I get on the road. Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com