2021 Intentions
2020 was rough...I'll just leave it at that.
Though if I have to sum up the year in a couple of words; it would be
"Pause, Reflect and Adapt"
Many of us, including myself had plans for 2020 that were either had to change or throw completely out the window.
You can read my 2020 goals here:
One that comes to mind: My Wedding. It went from a well planned big wedding at a beautiful venue to a small ceremony on the beach with friends & family. Funny enough, I honestly preferred the small ceremony and I couldn’t have asked for more. Just goes to show that the little things really do make things memorable.
As an self proclaimed ambitious person, I found myself taking a step back and pausing all of my projects & plans for 2020. Heck the last video I posted on my YouTube channel was 6 months ago.
I just stopped.
In a year where there was so much dread and unknown, it would be hard to accomplish any goal.
So I just allowed myself to pull back to the basic things that I needed to do.
Wake Up
Work
Eat
Planned mini ceremony.
Exercised.
Hangout with friends & family (through zoom and socially distancing.)
Sleep
Repeat.
I took Ursula, from Kiki’s Delivery Service, advice for the whole year of 2020:
“Stop trying. Take long walks. Look at scenery. Doze off at noon. Don't even think about flying. And then, pretty soon, you'll be flying again.” - Ursula. Kiki's Delivery Service.
I was finding my own inspiration...
As the year went on, it had became evident that I was over influenced (if that is a thing) by outside noises and not allow the space and openness to listen to my inner voice. As I posted less and created less content, the more I found myself getting excited about project ideas and personal goals that were my own.
2020 was a year of turning down the noise and tuning into my own radio.
The Thought Process for my 2021 intentions:
One of my favorite YouTubers, Rhett Shull, was talking about 2020; dealing with burn out and having to pivot/change. He gave some great advice on 5 things to put into practice to prevent burn out and stay inspired.
Using that inspiration, here are my intentions for 2021:
The Big Project: Cosmic Play Studios
At some point a creative person would think to one day create their own studio. I myself have had that in the back of my mind the moment I left college. Granted the intention was to be financially independent from a studio and to live off of what I create. Isn't that the dream right?
Though having the intention to make money in whatever you create, it also can lead you down paths that make you forget why you wanted to do create in the first place. Making more financially (AKA SAFE) decisions vs creative (AKA Purposeful) decisions.
Cosmic Play Studios intention is to create stories while having fun.
The reason I came up with the name ‘Cosmic Play’ is that I wanted to have a vast amount of fun while creating. These projects aren't for creating profit or notoriety (I have proven that I can make a living as a professional artist for ten years now), its to fulfill the curiosity I have and to tell stories that I always wanted to see come to life.
The first major project I implemented this philosophy was Molly's Follies back in 2019.
Molly's Follies: Curse of the Skinwalker was the comic that I wanted to read as a kid. Molly and Fluffy were characters that I wanted to have growing up and during the times when I was on my own for the first time.
That comic has shown that it doesn't have to be a perfect story; it just has to be something that I would enjoy reading. When I say that I wouldn’t care if anyone would read it, I truly meant it. This story was for me and for me to share with others. That’s it.
That's really what Cosmic Play Studios is about; Telling stories that I wanted to see, make them a reality and share it with the world. If it connects with people GREAT! If not, well at least I loved it.
Now I can see you thinking to yourself
“Does that mean you are going to quit your current job and pursue this full time?”
The answer: NO.
I am happy where I am at currently. For me, Cosmic Play Studios is the place where I can be experimental and take creative risks. Not in just a creative sense but in entrepreneurship, storytelling and personal development. Not everything is about creating financial value, but to create personal value. That’s what this big project is about!
If it turns out to be something bigger that is awesome, but in the meantime its just my small little studio.
Learning Something New: Blender
In 2010, I was introduced to the 3D program called Blender. After playing around with it for 10 mins I dismissed it as beneath me. Looking back ten years later, I was wrong for counting it out.
Blender has come a long way and from what I have seen other animators and 3D artists alike can do with it, it sparked my creativity. Plus with my interest in 2D animation and my full time job as a 3D Artist, I want to combine those talents in one program. To see what kind of films I can produce.
Create Something: Animation/VFX
This is in line with learning Blender. In the past, I struggled with developing animated shorts was the fact that it was a "Team" sport. Now as advancements in technology has allowed indie film makers and creators to be able to produce high quality films by a few if not one man bands teams.
also taking an hiatus of all of my projects in 2020, I found myself sparking ideas that I only could create in the animation medium. I think what caused me to stop animating was the distraction of making it my profession and have notoriety from it; putting so much pressure to create something epic. Now I just want to animate something that is just appealing to me and share it with you.
A New Style : Illustration/Digital Painting
My draftsmanship over the last decade has improved leaps and bounds. I love the work I am drawing each day. Now I am feeling more confident in my drawing skills, I want to take my art to the next level; which is learning how to digital paint. Really learn how to refine my illustration to look more painterly or even visual development level quality.
While I might not implement everything I learn through digital painting, I might find myself using those techniques in ways that can help improve future comic and animation ideas.
Staying Curious:
"Animation is about creating the illusion of life. And you can't create it if you don't have one."-Brad Bird
In a time where it seems everything is “career focus”, I come to discover that I need to have things outside of my professional art career in order to stay inspired and scratch my curious itch.
-Playing Guitar/Creating Music
One of my loves as a teenager was playing my guitar and getting really into music. I still crank up the volume and scream my lungs out to my favorite songs.
I feel that one the things that was “sacrificed” to the art career was creating music. Funny enough, the drive for playing music never really left. I mean heck if I have my headphones on and my desk at “standing mode” more than likely I am strumming my air guitar!
Over the summer, I rebuilt one of my guitars with my Dad as a way to get back into playing.
That lead me down to learning new scales, then new songs and invest into new pedals.
One night as I was playing with a looper pedal, my wife thought I was playing a song off of YouTube to practice with. When she realized it was a recording of something I was playing earlier she said that I should share it when its done. I use to write music when I was younger and this path so far has gotten me to try writing again.
Music has been a way for me to process the emotions I am feeling in the moment and to allow to express. I would love to record an album or even just a couple of songs just because. Not that I want to go touring or be a professional musician. But to have songs to play for my films or even just to play around the camp fire.
Film:
YouTube honestly warped my perception of how to tell stories through film. While I love that its a community of people that share their passions, it was also a lot of "HOW TO DO THIS" or "TOP FIVE XYZ" or "WHY ABC is ruining your channel". Basically stuff that would be clickable. I remember early YouTube its was people making short indie films, animation, or them doing a funny dance. Remember Numa Numa?
Just like telling stories through animation, I want to try telling stories through film. Mostly because I want to be able to go outside, and I am curious of what kind of stories I can tell through film.
Even though I have made YouTube videos off and on since 2012, I have never really got comfortable being in front of the camera. Kind of like one of my favorite animation directors:
“This is not where I really belong(in front of the camera), I belong behind the camera”-Chuck Jones
I think for the both of us its not about us its about the film & story we want to tell. Yes its not as consistent as a normal YouTube video, its at least something worth putting an effort into. If I am being honest, it was always a challenge trying to make YouTube content; a real struggle. However when it came to the short films I made previously I was able to get them done within a weekend because it was telling creative stories through film.
Photography:
Being almost locked inside for a year has really got me itching to travel to different places around the U.S. and even the world. The last big trip was out to Moab, Utah where I was able to capture the stars. I have had interest in photography back in high school but never really peruse it as a career. Ironically, my 3D art job is to create product photos using renders.
Photos for me is capturing a moment, a feeling, a story. I guess I want to push myself to take more than just the simple travel photo or selfie. Rather to capture something that I want to hang on the wall of my office. To gift to friends and family.
-Creating an Art Store.
Now I know what your thinking; Didn't you say that you didn't want to make money on your art?
I did say that but not as my main income. I am currently at a company that allows me to be creative curious and make enough to live comfortably. This is more of a lesson in how to develop products and diversify your income.
2021 will mark the 10th anniversary of me working as a professional artist. In those 10 years, it has been rare for me to stay at a job for more than four years. Life of a 3D artist I guess...
I am curious at what I can produce as far as products relating to my work and if people would be interested in purchasing it. Not to mention, I want go from the perspective of a person who is sharing more than making a sale. I am thinking of this as more of a hobby/side business than my main income.
Just as I have this idea of creating characters and stories that reflection my tastes, its the same as the products that I would be interested in purchasing.
Things like:
3D prints of my Characters
Clothing apparel (Hoodies, hats,etc)
Art Prints
Stickers
Printed books of my comics
The Art of “Insert Animated Short” books
Online courses
Memberships to see my short films before everyone else.
Plus more.
I will state that I am not going to add ‘Freelancing’ to this list because I have made help make other people’s dreams a reality over the last 10 years. I really want to focus on my dreams for a change.
Final Thoughts:
I am considering calling 2020 “The Great Pause”. I cannot think of any other time in my life that everything was place on hold for so long. Even writing this we are still unsure of whether things will ever get remotely close to what pre-2020 life was like. As much as there was so much turmoil going and still going on, I am grateful for the lessons that this year has taught me. The fact that these intentions exist is because “The Great Pause” allowed me to pause, reflect and adapt.
Also I am ok if I don’t do everything on this list of intentions. Just like the name its in the intent or act of trying that is the real thing I am interested in. This is not for a career or for my brand; this is me exploring things that I hope will keep me inspired.
Thanks for reading!
Chris J.