The truth is the music industry has changed a lot over the past decade. Where once bands needed to rent a studio in order to cut a demo they are now able to self produce their own albums in their own basements and garages with very professional results. Technology has forever changed the way music is produced, promoted, and distributed. The plus side to this is more power than ever is now in the hands of the artists themselves. The downside is the small studio industry has almost died. None of the small independent studios I had picked up much work through are in existance anymore. The bigger studios like Grant Avenue (U2's favorite studio) and Cathrine North are still in business and there is the odd bit of work that comes through them. In fact of the dozens of studios in Hamilton I used to be able to name and have worked at I think they're the only two still around.
I'm old, crippled and I'm only going to get older and more crippled as time goes by. I just don't have the physical ability to spend every night playing at some bar with some band. The music industry has been very kind to me but now I think I've earned a rest. I can never give up music, it is my first love. But from now on I'm only going to take projects that I want to work on. I'll concentrate on my own music, and Science Ninja Big Ten, and some projects with good friends. But my jobber and session work from now on is going to be severely limited.
I've decided to join the 9-5 world and work a steady job. Of course I'd never be able to do an office job. It would have to be a job that lets me employ my creative skills. As luck would have it such a job happened my way.
Every day after dropping my daughter off at school I would drop off at the Tim Hortons and have my breakfast and have a breakfast of an XL black coffee and an old fashioned plain doughnut (which I would dunk in my coffee). While enjoying this breakfast I'd pencil and ink Apophenia 357. This caught the attention of my friend Bozidar, and artist and film maker from Montenegro. He would give me tips and critique my work and was overall pretty impressed with what I was doing especially given the fact I've only been cartooning for 5 years.
Well he's got a project he's working on and he needs a creative partner. With my skills in art, computers, writing, and music combined with his skills in art, computers, business, and film making we make a pretty impressive combination. So after 13 years of freelancing, today I started my first fulltime job.
I can't give too many details about this project but I'm pretty excited by it.
I'll show you my workstation and the studio loft we're set up for the graphic design.
That's my little corner with a nice little skylight that is north facing so the light is nice and even all day and perfect for drawing. I've brought my portable drawing table to use and the desk is actually an old sewing table. Right now it's in the closed position but it opens up to double the depth when I need more surface area to work on. I'll be using my recently aquired laptop as my main work horse and there's an ancient desktop sitting there too which only holds reference matterial and software tutorials. I've got lots of shelve space to store all my drawing supplies and stuff.
Here's the rest of the studio loft.
There's Bozidar's computer work station as well as a larger drawing table and another desk with north facing light where Bozidar does most of his artwork. There's a work in progress on the eisel. It's a nice workspace, very light and airy and roomy enough for two.
It was very strange reporting in to work today (I work 9:30 until 5:00), my laptop bag and my lunch box. It's been so long since I've done the steady job thing. The big plus when it comes to working as a graphic artist is I don't need to wear a suit and a tie. I've got my fingers crossed that this job is going to be as cool as I hope it will be. When I told my Uncle I was contemplating a career change he joked about me having a mid-life crisis.
