When my eldest son was around two he began to show his life-love of horses. He would fly out of his room yelling, “The horses! The horses are coming!” What would follow was a stampede of about a thousand invisible wild horses. He would grab his invisible whip, mount his invisible mustang, and then pursue the wild herd throughout the house. At night, he would hang his whip, hat, and saddle up and in the morning he would rise and put them all back on.

This was one of his first beliefs. It was a belief in the invisible, the intangible, the ineffable. He held this belief so strong that if need be I could take the whip away, hang it on a wall, and tell him he couldn’t have it until later. Later, with his eye on the whip on the wall—exactly where I had placed it, he would ask, “have my whip, Daddy?”.

This type of belief runs rampant in children. It is the imagined unimaginable. This is Faerie. It is the place of possibility.

In our home, the God of Israel’s creative life-source is Faerie. It is the tangibly intangible. It is the invisible domain of imaginatively-visible: horses, whips, dragons, Bigfeet, hobbits, and so much more. But to enter Faerie, we must enter as a child does—with pure belief. With belief so raw that we can experience its removal and long for its restoration.

Children are from Faerie. They are cut from that roughly hewn rock of belief. They are the Wilds (as I call it in my western fairytale series) all wrapped up in a fragile skin. As we grow older we become more tame. The more tame we become, the less we remember Faerie. The less we remember, the harder it is to believe. But, children, even the most mistreated, can find the doorways to Faerie. (It might not the be bright fairy side, but they still find the invisible, intangible, and ineffable.) Children are their parents link to the world of raw belief.

Hopefully, when the day arrives and our children run away to Faerie land, we will choose to join them in their Faerie land adventures. As often as we do, we too will remember.

• April 22nd is the deadline.
• Four winners will receive an original illustration signed by me.

If you are interested in trying to receive an original, one of a kind, illustration from me here is your chance. Head over to TomyandJon.com and download the cover art for Issue #1 of The Adventures of Tomy and Jon.

Oh yeah, and while you’re at it, pick up an eBook copy of Tomy and Jon’s adventures from iTunes or SmashingWords. It’s free.

If you like The Adventures, please consider leaving a review. Your input is valuable to me. Thank you!

What about the poor parents of wandering children? What keeps them from loss of mind and facilities? What keeps the parents from entering into the tale of their children to rescue them? In the story (with a lengthy title), The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making the author, Catherynne M. Valente, tells us that parents of Fairyland runaways are not cross with their children when the children return, because they know they have been to fairyland. [paraphrased]

Okay, but in the meantime what about the parents? What happens to them? What of their hearts? What loving parent wouldn’t be out of their mind trying to find their child?

When creating tales, as authors, we shouldn’t just think about the action within the tale. What of the action without the tale? It is our job to understand our tale’s affect on those not directly involved. I like the Wizard of Oz in this case, Dorothy was absent; she was missed. Her absence created a hole in the lives of her aunt and uncle, it wasn’t filled until she returned.

Unlike Oz, the Pevensies’ were not missed. There was no stir from their disappearance. Their outside world is virtually gone from mind and reality. Sadly, this is sort of a copout. It makes the real world disappear, in order to create a fairyland that works. It shouldn’t have to be so. An author should be able to hold both existences in tandem. The author should be able to show the effects of a runaway’s disappearance and still communicate the tale without destroying the main point. While it isn’t perfect Oz does do an adequate job of handling this tension between the Faerie and the Real.

What we do with those outside of the tale is as important as those inside, because it brings a bit of reality into Faerie. That reality only grounds the tale and thus allows the reader to not break out of the tale with questions like: what are the parent’s feeling, do the parents/guardians even know, or do they even care. By bringing in the feelings or actions of those the runaway has left behind we can answer some important questions while allowing the tale to move forward and placing the runaway’s real life in a reality.

If you’re interested in my own fairytales check out: The Adventures of Tomy and Jon. It is only the beginning, but every tale has to have one.

In the children’s story series, The Adventures of Tomy and Jon, I have villainized the coyote. Coyotes are not evil creatures. From a reality perspective, they are actually very helpful in controlling vermin and thereby help controlling disease. They are a much needed “villain”. Coyotes have gotten a bad wrap from writers, farmers, governments, (some) myths, and regular folk that listen to the aforementioned.

At one time, in native legend, the coyote held a place of honor. In many native myths, they are equated with the creator, they assist humans, and bring wisdom. In many myths, they are an intermediary between creator and man.

So, why villainize such an honorable creature as that? Because every tale needs an respectable villain, one that isn’t just one dimension, and because there are myths that allow for it. In The Adventures of Tomy and Jon, the coyote will feature heavily and will help me to define goodness in the world of Tomy and Jon—but they won’t be the only villains. I will also villainize: men, the government, helpless dragons, and any others that I see fit—so as to show the goodness in Tomy and Jon’s family, the wolves, indians, and any others that are needed. But, the coyote will be the primary antihero of my tale.

To accomplish this I will make use of native tales smather them together with my own concepts to, hopefully, build a character that is not evil in its purest form—but is evil in contrast to the hero. In this tale, Tomy and Jon have just entered into a struggle that is older than themselves. They have entered into a battle to save the world—and they will find that they have unlikely heroes who will join them in the fight.

Click here to begin the story of the Adventures of Tomy and Jon.

In a nutshell: it is my individual expression that people see in my art. Some artists find their visual voice early on in their life; some take years to mold and grow. I am in the later category. I know what I like, I know what I want, but getting it to work the way I want and like—well, I am still not there.

Of course, most artists don’t feel that they have reached their zenith either. However, many, at least, have found their voices and are able to continue to hone said voice. Unfortunately, and somewhat fortunately, I haven’t.

This shows up clearly, in my series, The Adventures of Tomy and Jon, the illustrations change a bit even within the first issue. From issue to issue it will as well. Issue two is being developed and it’s quite different in illustration style. The characters will be somewhat similar in appearance, but they, like my style, are in flux.

It isn’t that I don’t want consistency, I do, but I haven’t figured my visual voice out yet.

It bothers me. But, it also doesn’t.

Because, until my skill matches my mind’s eye I am going to be in this dilemma. The best thing I can do is just keep pushing myself and find satisfaction and discontent with my current abilities. Satisfaction, because I am trying to produce good work and I am doing my best with the time and ability I have allotted. Discontent, because I want to grow and get better.

The best thing I can do is push myself, yes, even in public-eye, to be better and grow my abilities. The best thing I can do is work to find my voice and share the tales I have to tell—because this is why I was created.

I struggled with the “If you don’t want to…” sentence.

In the end, I forewent the apology and chose to turn it around a bit. The return email was kind and contained a positive response to my work. My fear proved unfounded.

This post, from Jeff Goins, reflects that experience and other posts I have read.

Either say something worth saying or don’t say anything at all.

If you feel like you have to apologize, then you probably shouldn’t waste someone’s time.

Or (and this is a big “or”), learn to be confident in what you do. To the extent that you don’t have to end your requests with clauses like, “You don’t have to…” or “sorry to bother you.”

When you obviously believe in your message, so will others.

Check out the rest of the article. It’s a great one. I still do struggle with asking but, now, when I do ask I am turning off self-rejection (most of the time).

It has been a much slower process than I thought it would be. I am writing, editing, reediting, having my wife and another writer friend
edit the story. Then, I am illustrating, reillustrating, and struggling over illustrations that I am not 100% happy with.

I am nearly 80% done drawing the 10 illustrations I planned for this next issue. I am mostly happy with them. There are a couple that I have just had to let them be what they are and move on to the next one. Horses have always been particularly difficult and I am not sure what I was thinking to make a story wherein they play a prominent role. But, I have and I will end up being better for it.

This next issue is entitled: New Friends, and I am very happy with the story and art overall. I hope to have it published before December, but that might be a pipe dream.

Meanwhile, I have been pulling together the Tomy and Jon site. It is slow going, but it, too, is coming along. I will continue to tweak the site in my sparest of spare time. My wife and I are also working on a coloring contest and a true printed copy. I will share details about that when it is completed.

If you want to be kept abreast of updates and releases or the next issues signup.

There are several things that we need to recall as we look to our favorites.

1. They may have talents we don’t yet possess.
2. They may have been at this longer, or more consistently.
3. They probably don’t feel that their work is as easy as we think that it is for them.

I have touched on the first two in this post. I am not going to beat that one dry. I want to focus on number three. When we look at our favorite’s work too often we assume that they can just spit and their work comes out perfect.

It doesn’t. Follow a few of them on Twitter or Facebook.

You will read about them, at times, with their guard down. You will discover that they too have difficult days. Days when they just can’t get anything right.

This is good. It is helpful. It means they struggle too. Don’t let their polished work fool you, in the end they have favorites that they too feel can do no wrong. (That too I wrote here.)

Ok, so enough of repeating myself.

When we see an artist that has a smooth line style and we think they just whipped it out. Think again. They took their time. The same holds true for one with a scratchy style. Just because it looks rushed and quickly drawn (in a good way) doesn’t mean that it was. In many cases, what we think might be a ten minute drawing (because they are just so cool like that) might in fact be an hour long drawing or more.

Yes, it might be true that their crap is better than our masterpieces or it might be that we have blinders on and that all we need is more confidence in our line-work—that comes with work and persistence.

So, before you close up shop try slowing down. Try easing up a bit on the expectation to perform to your favorites’ capacity and discover your own strengths.

That’s my current process: slow down, reassess my strengths, strengthen my weaknesses.

Don’t Panic…

Realize that you could be worse, but that you are striving for betterment. Don’t stop pushing yourself to grow, but don’t compare yourself to another. That will definitely cause you to become disheartened.

Look at the media that you are trying to break into, realize that there are artists already doing it that aren’t very good (but they are doing it), and then just start trying to get yourself out there and into it (whatever it is for you).

It seems a bit contradictory to write, “don’t compare yourself” but then to write, “realize that there are artists already doing it that aren’t very good”. Why would I do such a thing? Well, I meant both of them. But, I wasn’t clear on either. I rushed out that post (because I didn’t have a lot of time) and i didn’t realize that I had made that simple mistake.

What I meant by “don’t compare yourself” was don’t compare yourself to better artists. Many of them have been doing it longer, do it daily, or have a talent you might not. Don’t judge yourself by them. You will always find yourself coming up short and it is a recipe for disappointment.

However, following and learning from the aforementioned artist/writer will help you to build skill you need to grow. So, pay attention to their work, but don’t judge yourself by their ability.

On the other hand, when I wrote, “realize that there are artists already doing it that aren’t very good”, I meant this is a reality.
You’ve seen them. You know you are better. Okay, now move on.

So, you’re better, but they are doing the work. They are doing what you want to do. If they can, you can as well. Keep working. Publish via a blog, deviant art, dribbble, or some other forum (like ComicCons). It works. It might take some time, but if you keep working and growing you will, most likely, get noticed. The main thing is that you keep trying. Make your own way. Don’t expect someone else to make you successful.

Million dollar question: Has it worked for me? Nope, not yet. I know of others that have been successful posting projects in various forums and have gained well paying jobs.

Though it hasn’t happened to me yet, I am working on my art, writing my stories, and self-publishing. I have only been doing this part (again) for a short period of time. A year at the most. Really, it hasn’t even been that long. I know that opportunities don’t grow up over night. It takes time. It takes effort. And, it takes persistence.

Remember, don’t panic.

Just do it.

Don’t Panic.

(I know that relaxed you a bit.)

You will figure out a lot, of what I am about to write, on your own. Though, I am writing you to tell you a bit sooner than later—hopefully.

We (artists) all suck.

Yep, really. Well, at least we all do in our own minds. None of us (but that select few that have been granted egos larger than their abilities) feel as if we are good enough.

It’s ok.

It’s part of the process.

Don’t give up.

This feeling that we share is all part of the impetus that we need to grow. Without it we would never become what we were meant to be (or, at least, get as close as we can).

I want to share with you my discovery: over the past few months (let’s call it a year), I have begun to see that even the big guys, the ones that I look up too, even they have their own insecurities. Let me share a Todd McFarlane quote with you that I found in the introduction of the graphic novel Monster Zoo by Doug TenNapel. Todd writes:

…Doug TenNapel does both, and what’s frustrating to a guy like me, who has to fight each page that I produce, is that Doug seems to pull it off so effortlessly…

There are very few artists that make me jealous every time I see their stuff. Doug is one of those artists for me.

We all have a Doug. Someone that we look at and think, “Man, if I could, just, be as good as so-and-so, I’d be happy.”

Another artist I follow, on Twitter, (and one who makes things seem so effortless) said, “I wish my sketchbooks looked like this…” and he shared a link. We all have wishes.

Don’t Panic.

Stay the course.

You might not ever become the artist that you want to be, but one thing is certain: if you give up trying you will never become the artist you were meant to be.

The more we use our skills the better we become. This insecurity will help you as you continue to strive for your goal.

Here’s one more quote from the intro to Monster Zoo. Todd continues:

I am glad Doug makes envious, because the day I stop having others that make me want to match them creatively, is the day I’ll begin to lose my interest in comics.

Here’s a cure all. Become happy but not satisfied with your abilities. Realize that you could be worse, but that you are striving for betterment. Don’t stop pushing yourself to grow, but don’t compare yourself to another. That will definitely cause you to become disheartened.

Look at the media that you are trying to break into, realize that there are artists already doing it that aren’t very good (but they are doing it), and then just start trying to get yourself out there and into it (whatever it is for you).

The cool thing is that to one person you might be the artist they are striving to emulate. Prove them right in doing so and then pass on this insecure conversation.