Artist Advice: Embrace Your Fanaticism

Someone once said - Get good enough at something and someone will pay you for it.

Thing is, getting really good at something takes hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and persistence. There are a number of activities one can get good at: swimming, painting, basketball, speaking... etc. The goal is to do something great with something you love to do. For me, its comic storytelling and drawing with lines. There's just something about visualizing a picture and then etching it on paper that gives me a euphoric feeling. At some point in my 20's I decided to be an Artist.

It didn't take long for me to scour all the media and the web to find my favorite artists that did what I wanted to do and had the skills that I want to have. For the majority of people, when searching for things that they like, they'll find there's not many things that they truly have a connection with. However, those chosen few things that you get obsessed about, start to shape who you are and what you will become. Welcome to fanaticism.

I really am writing this post because I wanted to say that I've been hearing many people that say at some point you need to let go of your obsessions to give you more time to work on your craft. I think this is totally wrong.

The initial attraction that brought you to like something is fuel for everything that comes after. I count it in the same importance as a phrase like "Never forget where you came from". It adds value and identity to your craft to always be inspired by your past and future interests.

Recently, I commissioned one of my favorite artists, Mateus Santalouco to illustrate one of my other favorite things, The Legend of Zelda. First, let me say that Mateus is an amazing illustrator and an even better storyteller. I had never seen him do a character like Link from Zelda, so it was so appealing to see what he came up with for this. Here it is:

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I couldn't have been happier with the results. He captured a mystery and the legend in his face alone. He is clearly not of this world but also so inviting. His stance reads like he's ever so slightly fearful at whatever opposition he is looking toward. Fearful, but in its contrast, courageous. He also looks perfectly young to be a great Link.

This piece will join the wall in my home studio to constantly remind me to find my own voice and to care about every line that I put to paper. I have countless influences and even several influences that have become mentors. If I was in Brazil, I would search Mateus him down and find a way to teach me his ways of visualizing and translating the world he sees. I am so proud to say that I am a fanatic of his.

Don't be afraid to be a fanatic and get obsessed. It means your human.

Thanks for Reading.

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