The story I tell about my journey into illustration goes something like this: I was burned out looking at computer screens in my job as a software designer. My wife bought me a student watercolour kit for Christmas one year as a way to ‘disconnect’. It worked. I loved it. I loved playing once again with physical stuff – water, pigment, time, and gravity. Not only did I love it but it unlocked and entirely new career and feeling of purpose in my life beyond my ‘day job.’
That’s a lot. It’s a powerful story, that’s why I tell it.
But I’ve just spent a weekend sketching and drawing digitally. I have to say, I loved that, too. It’s different, sure. And it doesn’t get me away from the computer – that’s true, too. I can’t deny it though, it’s been fun.
The problem with accepting this is that it feels like it’s challenging my origin story. In fact, I’ve avoided exploring digital illustration work for a long time because of this. My story, as much as I loved it, may have been holding me back.
And now, just because I’m enjoying new things, it doesn’t make that origin story less legitimate, the story remains the same, it’s just a new chapter I’m writing for it – and it’s a good one because I’m really looking forward to what’s coming next even though I don’t know what it will be.
It made me wonder whether others are trapped by their stories?