The good, the bad, the update!

Finally, right?

I was gonna summarize this, but I need a good mini rant.

So I think in one of my previous journals, I mentioned I was having some issues with the guy who hired me to do his book illustrations. Basically, I had done 14 illustrations for the childrens book he wrote, but had given him a completely wrong price estimate (300$ for ALL the illustrations, wth was I thinking). So I told him that I was sorry, but I couldn't sell my work for so little. Even though they had already been completed. So I asked for a more proper illustration fee (no royalties, and for full rights D: ) and there was some arguing and hissy fitting and I honestly would have rather let them go unused, and told him he could go pay some illustration contract house the same amount I was asking for work of lesser quality. SO finally we got it all settled and agreed upon and everything seemed.. BETTER.

So blahblah, sending all the files to the publishing house. He emails asking if they had all been sent.. And I hesitantly said yes. SO glad this ordeal was finally over.

And then.. I didn't hear a THING from him for TWO MONTHS after saying that the files were all sent. I of course, was concerned, sent a couple emails over those couple of months asking about the progress, and eventually the payment, which I was really looking forward too. He hadn't said a word to me OR my mother (she bought her great danes from him, so they kept in touch). Obviously He was ripping me off right?

Apparently not?!?
So I get this pissed off email from him, yes, a whole two months later after not a SINGLE email or call, saying he had been in the hospital all that time and couldn't let me know, and he was pissed at ME for sending him emails about the the payment. Shame on me for not knowing these things, and pff. Like you cant call or email in a hospital.

Anyways. He did his pissy little rant, said the book was already published and for sale and that the check was on its way.

Morals of this story, relationships between an author and illustrator are very important, and getting stuck working with someone who doesn't understand anything about what you do or how to communicate properly will usually result in a bad experience. Don't undersell your artwork, it takes a longass time to do, and you should be paid accordingly. And most importantly, research your freakin rights as an artist, so you don't get some janky, suspicious looking contract to sign.

OI. I'm SO glad it's all over and i'm actually going to get paid though. I know a lot of people don't get so lucky with their first illustration experience.  I'm assuming I dont even get a free copy of the book, so I'm not going to link to it just yet. But somewhere out there, Colonel art is in book form!

AND NOW. I'm going to just start writing and illustrating my own childrens books in my spare time, because I hate people and I can do a better job by myself C: Nyah.

ALTHOUGH UGH. I am not an illustrator. So what the heck am I even doing childrens books for. MUST.. ANIMATE..
I feel so bad, its been like.. almost a year since I touched Gatordog :/ Its ssooo close, just needs another few months of revisions and then I'm gonna pay some minions to clean it up and color and fjkls;jfkls. So depressing!

I've been having an amazing time poking around and living off commissions, which is incredible because student loans have the strength to snap a human neck at any moment. But this really sucks :/ So sick of drawing dogs. Time to get back into animation, cause I realizeddd thats what I really love doing! And storyboarding.. AWH MAN. Today was definitely one of those.. "what the hell am I doing with my life" sort of days. Its so depressing D: There's SO much I want to do, so many projects and films and bleh. Where do you even start?

Going to get my portfolio and reel tidied up and sent around hopefully soon, might have some of you animation savvy DA folk help me polish it of, if anyone is interested Gotta gets me a job!

And there you have it! A tiny update. Yep. Carryon.

Dog/sim art account:
Random gatordog account: