Monday, August 22, 2005

Today is....

....my very first day at a new job. The past two years I've worked from home doing freelance for just about every conceivable type of project. I've done concept design mostly: for an animated feature, props, video games and a couple small start-ups needed illustration or other design related work . Before all this, I was freelance but working 3 days at The Jim Henson Company (as an Art Director) Before that, I worked full time there. Soooo, it's been 6 years since I've had a "first day" on the job. I'm feeling some jitters. But, that is normal...right?! Just like the first day of school I have a new outfit, have sharpened some pencils and woke up extra early. I'm both excited and scared.
One reason I'm excited is that I will have regular hours...well, hopefully. I do know that I can't possibly work non-stop like I do at home. The past several months have been unbelievably busy and my personal life has suffered from it. Go figure, huh? The freelance really starts taking off and I take a 9-to-5 job!! Anyway... I'm scared that I will not be "up to snuff" and that I will struggle to keep up with all the talented folks at this new place. But, I can remember starting jobs in the past feeling the same way, so I know I will eventually overcome that...by working hard and diligently. I'm excited to make new friends. But I'm scared that I won't have the same freedoms I've enjoyed over the past many years, like taking off for long weekends or visiting my parents on a whim. I'm excited that I will have a regular paycheck again and hopefully, save some money. I'll miss my "Court TV" and the random breaks I take to scour the web for more lovely things to view. Most of all, I'm excited to learn and face all my new challenges...to learn the tasks of a Character Designer.



I don't plan on writing details about my new job here. This blog is still primarily a place for me to post new doodles and drawings (and sometimes OLD ONES) when time has run out and I don't have anything new. Like today. Today's drawing is of Nessie, the Loch Ness. She comes from the same project as Red, the Black Bear (posted below) so, the drawing is a couple years old. This depiction of Nessie shows her to be a bit of a "Marianne Faithful" sort of Punk. She shares the house with a whole slew of Cryptozoology's finest and spents most her time in the Jacuzzi. No one understands her thick Scottish brogue. Her housemates assume she's brilliant though.

OK! Off to shower and get ready for my "first day"!! Wish me luck!

52 comments:

carla said...

Best of luck, Paige..Character Designer! That's perfect! Nessie is charming. I like the idea of a punk Loch Ness monster...

bee'nme said...

Hurray for you! Congrats on the new job - I love it that you have a new outfit and sharpened pencils! I predict that after the requisite learning curve, you'll be wowing them like you do us on a regular basis - and they'll be asking themselves in no time how in the world they ever survived before you came along!! Happy character designing, happy friend-making, and happy regular paycheck-spending to you! Blessings! -Becky

Jessica said...

Hi! I'm from HK. I really like your work! Can I post some of your drawings on my blog??

Btw, Congrat Paige! Good luck with your work!

Drazen said...

Good luck at the new Job Paige!
Nessies a cutie.

primary0 said...

good luck!

test said...

Hey Paige! Good luck! Have a great first day. I am incredibly jealous of those folks that will get to work with you daily. They are very lucky people!

Best,
Steve

roz said...

GOOD LUCK, GOOD LUCK! Like someone else here said, I too am jealous of your new coworkers who will get to spend time with you!
You are so very talented..nothing to be worried about. Knock em dead!

MikeS said...

Instead of writing about your first day, why not illustrate it? You'd kill two birds with one stone then. Hope the first day went well!

robsv said...

Good luck, Paige! You've got the skills, so you've got nothing to be nervous about. Don't think of your new co-workers as competition; though I'm certain there will be competetive aspects, I'm sure it will be good to be with people with similar skills 9-5. They may teach you some new tricks, or nudge you in a different direction from time to time. Of course, with your talent, you're sure to have a similar effect on them.

(sorry, I don't have any prescriptions to offer like the anonymous bozo above...)

mman said...

Good stuff as usual Paige, have fun at the new job.

Becky L said...

luck and stuff.

Gotta love the jacuzzi. i spend tons of time in mine too.

Mia said...

all the best Paige ! and as always, the monster looks superb

Anonymous said...

Best of luck Paige! I'm hungering for a consistent paycheck too. :-| This 24 hour a day job type stuff is starting to run me down.

Love your art work, what a talent!

Anonymous said...

hey, just found out your blog and loved it. hope that everything goes well at your new job.
just one remark: i guess you should do something about all the spam comments you have here...
i'll start checking your blog every now and then. take care. all the best.

Yancy said...

Congratulations on the job. You will do beautifully. Your work is outstanding; I now check your blog on a regular basis as well as refer it to my network of friends and colleagues. (I tell them to watch the blog because this illustrator take off.)Keep your chin up and be sure that what you create is good.

Pixie said...

Best of Luck :)

Jon McNally said...

Hurray for Paige! Character Designer sounds like a fitting title for you to wear. Wear it with with pride, self-assurance, and a hat at a jaunty tilt! Hope sometime to hear more about this new adventure.

Hi, Nessie!

pulga atómica said...

Mucha suerte en tu nuevo trabajo :)
Good luck on your new job!

Nessie is lovely :D

Best regards,

Nani

Goggles Piasano Ritardo said...

Im diggin the illustrations. What software do you use?

Anne Duguid Knol said...

So glad to have found this blog, Paige.
It is wonderful and your creations are inspirational.
Have great fun at your new job,

Leeianyuan said...

wow such great drawings...
your works are definitely such a pleasure to look at :)

you've got talent and youre using it the best way you can ---> youre making people smile :)

keep it up!

Suzanne Lanoue said...

You are a very good artist and I am enjoying looking at your drawings! Good luck to you and your new job!

Anonymous said...

hey paige!
that's very very awesome.
best of luck!

Anonymous said...

Well, it's official, you're a STAR!!! Have you seen the number of comments you get with each post? It's insane. But you deserve it, Paige. I wish you all the best with your new job and hope to see lots and lots of your wonderful work on here.

Take care.

BagOfNothing.com said...

awesome

Kactiguy said...

I'm an idiot. I made a comment bout your job and nessie but it didn't show up. Hmm.. makes me wonder if somebody else is reading their blog wondering why they are getting a congrats on the new job. Anyway, congrats on the new job. Nessie is great. Are you still going to be doing any freelance?

Pulkit K. said...

Amazing blog you got here! Congratulations on your job!
But as you start a new day, you'll have lots more to complain about! Check out my blog , all about complaining!

katie's brain said...

I love these drawings! I just found this blog through another one I stumbled upon this evening, and I am blown away by your talent!

Raj said...

Hey, good luck for ur new job.

Anonymous said...

Hey, have fun on Wubby, Widget and Walden! Looks like a really fun show to work on (you lucky girl)!

Michael

Anonymous said...

The Wubblog had blogged about your being on board a while back. Neat-O that it's officially full-time for you! As you know, it's natural to feel all the jitters that come from making an employment change. Take a deep breat...--and fake it until you're comfortable! Keep in touch with us on the outside, eh?

Oh, and I can't comment at the moment on your 'nessy' image as, for some reason, none of your graphics are loading. Hmmm... I'll come back later to see the pretty pics!

Good luck, Paige, and have fun!

Anonymous said...

i love punk nessie! she's a cutie. good luck on your new job paige!

Ward Jenkins said...

Paige, I wish you best at your new fulltime job! You're still the coolest, kiddo. Congrats and break a leg! Or a wrist,... or something.... you get the jist.

It's too late for me right now.

Petra Maricela Thompson Violetarojo said...

It should be too late for me as well but here I am at 2:46 A.M. and still I must keep posting. I really enjoyed scroling your blog. You are very talented. Thank you for sharing your work, thoughts and anxiety about your new job. The best to you.

isay said...

wishing you all the best and i hope you will enjoy every minute of it. one thing about working as an artist and more in an environment like yours is that-creativity is limitless, boundless and outpouring of talents and ideas is beyond imagination....i hope i am in your place instead!

cheers!-

lost_soul said...

hi!

i donot understand, there is it something very refreshing in your blog! my eyes just go wide apart when i see it(well, u know, not literally!)!
u say you are getting old, but your work is amazingly young!
hope u have great success in your new job! :)

Ree said...

i love nessie! you do good stuff. i'm glad i discovered your blog. god bless on your new job. knock 'em dead!

Abz said...

i love ur blog, tell me, how did u get your own header?

paige said...

Wow! Thank you so very much for all the nice wishes!

Paula: yeah, I was hired back in April! If you can believe that...so, it was nice to finally begin the job! Your "fake it" is perfect advice! milles mercis!

paige K: girl, I tell ya...I know about that 24 hour thing. Don't you wish there was that magic button to make art "go" faster?!
I'm sending a little "break" wish your way.

kactiguy: thank you too. At this particular moment, I don't want to take any freelance. I'm completely burned out from this past year. I'm sure that'll change later and will take occassional assignments as long as it doesn't conflict with my job-job. I actually want to keep drawing things on my spare time, just for the fun of it. So, hopefully, I'll be posting that stuff here. I also want to get on the "crafting" bandwagon. I've got a half-finished Sock Monkey here who really needs eyes.

Sthig: You're such a pill.

Steve: how cool would that be?! Come to Cali and get a job here, please!

that's all for now. thanks again to all of you.

paige said...

oh yeah...Denis! I disagree. Not with talent like YOU, Steve, Paula, Ward, Brandon, Jonathan (uloo), Paige K, etc. out there blogging too. I'm sure as soon as my blog gets off the "blogs of note" area things will die down. Meanwhile, I just hope people are checking my sidebar of links...because there are LOTS of amazing artists out there...talented and ass-kickin'.
I hope to add many many many others to that list someday soon.

paige said...

Papa,

Oh, I didn't initially CHOOSE to be freelance. About 30 people or so got the axe on the same day as me, after Disney bought the Muppets. The first year was pretty bad...I was soooooo poor. But things began to pick up soon after. I will miss the freelance life but I already...on day two, I think this full-time thing is going to work spendiferously!

~AprilD said...

Awesome Page! You'll be successful in what ever you do!

Hoboken Resistance said...

Great images. I can't draw to save my life so I really respect the talent it must take to render these wonderfull and creative characters.

Francisco das Chagas said...

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Newsandseduction said...

hi,
visited your blog. have y read naipaul.

marshallhodie said...

i love your drawings! please please please draw my wife and i'll give you some real english money! good luck in the job

T.T. said...

Holy cow you are so darn talented! Thanks for sharing.

Zeppellina said...

Is this Nessie?

If it is, she`s looking good!

Anonymous said...

I just LOVE your blog, especially Nessie.

I am really tempted to download this pic and put in on my desk top.. but will in infringe the copy rights?

WBY said...

Could I have stumbled across a better blog?

paige said...

thanks everyone!

Anon: you won't get busted by the feds for having the image on your desktop! Just as long as you don't make and sell t-shirts of it or anything!!

Anonymous said...

hey paige
am speechless...been sitting nonstop since last night going thru your illustrations. been looking at each one for hours, inspecting each highlight and shadow. i totally love your style and the effortless way the style and colours make for awesome viewing. thank you, you've taught me a lot.

anisha (a fellow (or is it fellie) doodler!)