rejection illustration

Rejection is part of the deal

Something weird happened. Well, weird… I found the coincidence remarkable.

This morning I was typing my weekly blog post. I had a topic in mind but decided to write from my heart. Before I knew it I was typing the story of how I much I struggled in art school. One of my teachers told me: “Just stop pursuing a career in illustration. There are plenty of illustrators already and besides: you’re not that good any way.”
I was heart broken, shattered into pieces. I focused on graphic design, graduated (with praise) but still…

I wrote down the whole story for my blog post but mostly about how I quit drawing after that ‘advice’ of my teacher, not picking up a pencil for five years. How I worked as a graphic designer and art director, and as a photographer, after my graduation. All very creative but not illustrating.
And how I started drawing again because, you know: there’s no other path for me than drawing.
While I was not drawing I realised how much illustration is part of me. It’s not just a job for me, it’s my life. *insert dramatic classical music*

Even though I quit for five years because some lame ass teacher told me to, I did pick it up again. And I worked bloody hard for everything I have now. I was rejected so many times! It wasn’t easy, as you might have read in my last post. I can’t tell you how many times I was crying and considering to give up on it. Trying to make illustration your main source of income is sometimes like finding a unicorn: you go through every place on earth to find it but once you’re on that unicorn, it’s pretty magic.

journal doodles marloes de vriesFor me it helped majorly drawing and writing my Journal Doodles, which was later published as a book. In those little daily drawings I could draw and write down all my fears, joys, anger, everything. I got me on the right path again.

So, that’s what I wrote this morning.

But I didn’t post the blog. Because I was thinking rationally: I already posted a blog coming from the heart last week and this week was supposed to be a practical blog.
I thought: I will skip this week and write something else next week.

Until 20 minutes ago. I was scrolling through Twitter although I barely use it. I saw someone ‘mentioned’ me on it and to my surprise @m_atelier posted this photo:

flow magazine calendar
Photo by @m_atelier

It’s a page on the daily calendar by Flow Magazine. A year ago they asked me for some tips and tricks on illustrating and this was one of the tips I gave. I wasn’t informed on which day they would print it.

How remarkable is it that it’s on the same day as I was writing a blog post on the exact same topic, using the exact same anecdote?!
I don’t really believe in coincidences. Sometimes something is just the way it is for a reason.

So today, even though it’s almost Wednesday, I want to tell you: persevere when your heart tells you to.

 

 

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