HOW AN ARTIST SURVIVED VALENTINE'S DAY

It's one of those days again where people can choose to either dust themselves with the potion of love or just lament bitterly about loneliness. Me? I choose to work it off and remain opportunistic. Lately my mind seems to be gearing towards its business side. So to celebrate valentine's day, I announced to receive orders for caricatures for people who wants to give a little memento to their loved ones as a sign of affection. A sudden choice that I hope will not dilute the quality my artwork at any cost. In any case,  I have been doing these kind of caricature since I was in secondary school as a side job. It was hard back then because the material cost sometimes exceed the selling price and I was always. It's still hard to complete one now, but Photoshop and Wacom are real life savior that allows quick editing and painting without much regards for pictorial accuracy.

That being said, the response was luke warm. Within 10 hours of the application period I managed to only secure 5. Not sure if its because lack of sample, unsuitable pricing, or simply that people around me are all just single. (HA!). Still, it was a good attempt to dip my fingers in the market.  Besides, I will not be able to finish everything on time if set up a website or at least an official facebook page with a proper marketing campaign for the V day caricature drive. There was just too much commitment with AIESEC, Stereonesia, and Teritori. Anyway, here are the samples of works I have done for the lovely orders I've got from friends. :)

I'm just happy for you guys. Dammit. Ninjas please stop cutting onions. Happy couples, happy couples everywhere.  Nah but seriously, may all of you live long and prosper. :)

And these were the samples I shown to attract the initial orders. It was initially ordered for teacher's day to celebrate the Senior Admin's service to my high school back in Singapore, the proud standing ACS (Independent). Turns out this can be useful as well because all the samples of caricature I did back in Medan are usually given to clients because they exist in hard copy. 

Fortunately all the clients are satisfied with the work so that is a huge relief off my chest. In any case, caricatures are a great way to fill in some excitement amidst the boredom of constantly grinding over normal posters and flyers and even illustration. So I'll be happy to take on one anytime anybody needs a quick birthday gift or special event present for their loved ones at any time of the year. Just send your picture and character you desire to be portrayed as to james.rotanson@yahoo.com and you'll receive it within 1 working day. Well then, gotta go to work at my favorite chocolate bar and see all the couples frolicking over each other now. Oh wait. I survived!

WHY I DIDN'T GO TO AN ART SCHOOL

But decided to go for a business-oriented school instead. 

It really depends on one's own perspective and astuteness in analyzing both sides' own pros and cons. Just two months ago I was pondering whether or not to lodge an application to the Pasadena Art Center College of Design to study Bachelor of Entertainment Design. I reckoned that it will be a good opportunity for me to further my skill by being surrounded with equally or even more creative people.  There will surely be more relevant industries there, situated at the heart of LA and San Francisco. My reasoning was also preoccupied upon the notion that it just does not make sense to pursue art in a university mostly prized for its actuarial studies and accounting program. I was determined to once again set foot for my idealistic and misguided artist dream and told myself, "One does not simply go to a butcher and expect to be served hot chocolate. Go to a chocolatier instead. " 

I finished up the application, answered some of the most interesting essay questions ever and just when I was about to send it in, fate launched its clockwork on me. A series of events started to kick in. AIESEC conference, Google Ambassador, Indonesian society, and a whole lot of other works began to pour in like crazy because of the upcoming new semester. That was when I realized that it is actually a very smart thing to go to a business-focused school rather than an art school.

In a community full of people doing the same thing, basic human nature will prevent each other from promoting each other through the words of mouth. Especially in the likes of artists and draftsman, where expertise decides the thin border between life and death. Between being hired and disappearing to their own fantasy world of secreting tangible forms of ideas and feeling, there will come a time that one will realize passion alone is not enough without any sellable form of product, no matter how fleeting it is. In other words, artists needs to be able to not just make good art, but sell good art as well. 

Being in a business school prepares you the opportunity of networking. There is undoubtedly a multitude of artists far superior than each other in terms of technique and conveyance. But it is a privilege of a handful to be able to do what they love and make a decent living out of it. It is a very big assumption I am making here in terms of the selfish human nature aforementioned and the will of an artist to sell his art. Still, it is hard to believe that anybody is going to promote and recommend anybody if they know they have the capability to do it. 

That is why being the rare few graphic designers is around in a non-art school will mean that there will be lesser competitor around. Whenever a student, charity, or non-profit organization needs a new flyer or a brochure you can rise up to the occasion and provide some form of assistance. Even if it is free, I try to think of it as a mutual benefit because they are promoting my brand and work as well. Think far ahead, when these business students graduated and wanted to create their own business, iphone app, company or whatever it is. There will always be a demand for logo, user interface, website, sponsorship proposal or simply a facebook cover picture to market their service or product. And when that comes, hopefully all the long term investment sown will bore fruition. 

One might criticize this piece of rant as a testimony to how opportunistic I am in trying to commercialize art. But the reality is sadly as such and the bohemian era is now over. It is not survival of the fittest. It is merely an attempt to resuscitate the world of art by making it more beneficial to both producers and consumers of any form of design work. Such ideal might be further challenged by the fact that bowing into consumerism will reduce the creativity of artwork. My answer to that will be time management. Meaning, do design work to make a living, but do ingenious artwork to keep the artist spirit alive. 

And so, to end this, here are some marketing artworks I have done for a few student organizations that have helped me develop as a person, entrepreneur and of course, an artist:

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

It's time to celebrate Chinese New Year again! An annual event that always reminds you of how much of a good company you'll always have right by your side. And with very short time squeezed in between juggling art, friendship, and work, I shall give my thanks for the list of blessings I've been bestowed upon:

-  My mom and my two brothers. You have no idea how much I love you guys despite my poker face demeanor. 

- Dad. That's a lot of shoes you are leaving me to fill in, but you are always my role model. :)

- The courage to carry on doing art despite circumstances. 

- The patience to do voluntary work for the value and not for the profit

- The opportunity to be recruited by AIESEC together with a horde of equally lifeless people from different degree of retarded-ness and craziness. 

- The will to trade a significant amount of brain cells for a more experiential learning

- The pleasure of having a great company I've been able to work, play, and share stories with.

- The various companies I have worked with, from a funeral company to tuition and education center, from a chocolate bar to a top IT company.

- The people who have helped inspire me in continuing to do what is right and worth the cause.

- and finally, some bonus fun stuff just for laughs!