My First No

The last month has been a bit crazy for me! After being unemployed over the Christmas period I began to feel low and unmotivated with every rejection email from my many job applications. I couldn't enjoy drawing at all when the feeling of failure lingered over my head. I was suddenly met with an office job opportunity, a weekday 9 - 5.30 admin job in bustling Bristol and leapt at the chance to get out of the house! It just so happens that I love the job and the crazy people I work with and motivation to draw has seeped back into my everyday life. I finished my Mother-Daughter commission and my client loved it - quickly sending me another brief (which I am in the middle of doing).

In my second week of work, something exciting happened! I was approached by a lady from America who had written a children's book. Her story sounded great and I was over the moon to be asked to be a part of this project however, after accepting the invitation she told me that she needed the book finished in less than a month. 30 illustrations in 30 days!

She had a tight deadline as the book was part of a product, and after trying to negotiate a larger timeline, with a heavy heart, I said no.

I just had to be realistic with the timescale which would have included character designing, story boarding, media and composition experiments and time for changes as well as creating the final pieces. If only she had approached me a month previously when I was moping around the house...but life doesn't work that way unfortunately!

It would have been a fantastic opportunity and I would have loved to sink my teeth into a children's book project, but I just wouldn't have the time to commit.

My first 'No' has given me a boost of confidence in my illustration, being sought out and offered a job and being able to say no.