MAKING IT HAS AN ARTIST IS HARD BUT FAR FROM IMPOSSIBLE.
In order to focus on making consistent work we to tell our shiny object syndrome and perfectionism to fuck off! The key to career success is to try to find what platforms, subjects, and mediums that work best for you then simply do more of what works.
I recently had my first big talk at a design conference for Dribbble Hangtime Seattle talking about how to find the thing that makes you special. I also was a part of a live panel on how to overcome the biggest struggles of a creative on Dribbble's Overtime Podcast.
This was my first time on the main stage at an event like this and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. I even made a video showing the whole experience of being a speaker and what it was like to share the stage with amazing designers such as Nathan Yoder and Aaron Draplin.
The theme of the conference was "Quality Over Quantity," but I took my own spin on the theme by shipping out a lot of artwork to then refine down to my best art. This is my secret to selling sold out products and featuring only the best work in my portfolio. This way of thinking not only gives me the confidence to try new things but also saves me countless hours working on projects that no one likes.
I think visual social media platforms should be an inside look into our process where designers should be transparent in their passions that includes both their failures and successes. That way we can create a more honest community of talent where we lift each other up vs. having a competitive atmosphere of who got the most likes.
We should be using platforms like Dribbble, Instagram, and Behance as a soundboard to see how our work does in the marketplace and get constructive feedback on how to improve it. That way we only spend that extra time on pieces that we already know will do well to display our best work for clients, customers, and fans.