365 Days of Teddy

I have a little cardboard box on my desk at work. For about a month, I have been filling it with what I sketch during my breaks. There is something very satisfying about holding the sketches in the sizable stack they've now become. Nearly did it every day, but definitely averaged one a day. And as tonight showed, the sketches and doodles can lead to story ideas, which will lead to even more drawings. A wonderful circle of creativity.

But now it is time to take it a step further. I have started to consider my future. I'm not saying that, for the first time, I finally went "Oh yeah. I have to figure out my life." Just been considering the immediate. The next 10 months really. That's when my lease is up and I have decided that I need to be pointed in a certain direction at that point. What that direction will lead is what the 10 months will determine.

So, its time to go all in. For me to come to the proper decision, I have to commit to the life I want to have during these 10 months. Its only when examining every angle that a proper conclusion can be made. It starts with one post. ANYONE can do one post, though. Its about the post that are further down the line. As the stack gets bigger and the cardboard box fills up, it becomes more impressive and I am that much more invested. Its about investing a year into become who I have always wanted to be: a cartoonist.

That last time I was at the Charles M. Schulz Museum, I learned something that has since stuck with me. Schulz was 27 when Peanuts first started, a month and a half before his 28th birthday. That's the time table I want for myself, started on whatever it is that establishes me by the time I am 27. Today, on April 2nd, 2012, I am 25 years, 8 months, 24 days old. 27 months to go.

I started this blog on March 16, 2009. Three years ago. 1113 days ago. And this is post 100 (It happens to be a happy accident that this post knocks us into triple digits). That's 1013 potential posts that never were. 1013 drawings, stories, characters that were never thought of. Looking at the post history is even more discouraging when it is broken down further. 21 posts in 2009, 47 in 2010, 18 in 2011 and 14 this year (I'm not sure if you are interested in those figures, dear reader. But I need to keep those down in writing). Its another way to motivate me for what I want to do.

For the next 365 days, I will post a drawing to the blog, done that day. Not just blurry sketches (at some point during the 365 days, the image quality of said sketches will improve dramatically), but full comics, panels, drawings, in progress pieces; the progression of my style, which has be jumping in leaps and bounds (as an upcoming comic will attest to).

The best part about this (beside furthering my skill as an artist and instilling in me a sorely needed amount of discipline) is that the final day will be April 1st (and Kevin Kauker's 23rd birthday). And having that bit of incidental scheduling is just too good to pass up. Let us begin.

(This single sketch lead to the idea of a trilogy for TrevorCopter)