Now, often the answer to a query of this nature would be 'yes', but this time it wasn't.
A quick Google revealed both client and illustrator. Nice folio. Lovely job. Did I teach them? Seems familiar. Really nice work. I can see why they thought it was me. Yeah, I can definitely see why...hell, this is practically studied. In fact, if there was an Inkymole School of Illustration, this person had to have put in at least a couple of years graft. I was due for a run that afternoon and, feeling unsettled by the similarities in the work, I ran and ran and ran further than I have for months. It felt good.
See, there is no Inkymole School of Illustration. As I've had to tell a few curious emailers lately, my (current) style wasn't taught in a certain specialist class, nor did I do an extra course, and neither is there one you can enrol on now. Every time someone gives me a platform to pass on some of the wisdom I've gleaned from a few years doing this, I tell students the same thing: keep evolving. Keep moving. You absolutely, cannot, ever sit back and rest on your laurels - there's going to be a litter of pup illustrators yapping excitedly around your feet every twelve months, and good luck to 'em too, because we've all been one - and probably taught a few of them.
Illustrator X doesn't know how heavily they've referenced my work (or maybe they do), nor should they. They're just getting on with 'getting on with it'. When things like this come along it's a reminder that it's time to apply the same thinking as in my run - push a bit further even if the limbs ache a bit. Work it off. Evolve. And take the whole thing as a ginormous compliment. If I didn't...I'd be a grumpy old fool, and the illustration biz has absolutely no room for those.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkt8HAXDRevuJrG0Qwl79g4FwMGJtFlFMig7X0soBJmHJazoJJdArs8ZnBd1LwNYLRY57RiPAZtPvtEa2Jd6XR-5_QHvHrLxrDqz3eipNOo9SAGwulhJQj141CNGXT5M_IwNW/s400/Christmas_Gratitude.jpg)
'Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us'.
Albert Schweitzer
(oh, and this one was me).
3 comments:
This post could have easily gone into a negative rant, as I have seen similar ones do. Its quite refreshing, inspiring even, to get a such a positive perspective.
A refreshing and realistic approach to the reality of business. I agree, sitting back and being complacent will only get you one place - forgotten.
Also, I'm keen to see this new studio of yours when it's completed.
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