It's been a while since my last post. There has been a lot going on in my life that has put a strong hindrance on my ability to focus on my artwork, and website. As most of you know I don't make a living off of my work, one day I would like to, but for now it is a fun hobby. I enjoy all the feedback, the chance to share lessons with you all, and of course any advice I can give.
I feel lately that I needed some advice and help, and I wasn't getting that in return. I reached out, and got nothing. I'll admit part of me was really bitter and spiteful. I ran scenarios in my head wondering how convicted killers could get donations in the thousands for the best lawyers, or how people come together to build a brand new home for someone that already has a nice trailer home, because they felt it was too small for them. I didn't understand and I was going down a really dark road in my head. I think the nail in the coffin was when I asked a company I have been supporting all this time with free lessons, and promoting their products with my artwork completely blew me off. All the plans we made in the beginning for a duel artist pencil sponsorship and advertisement went right out of the window after they got what they wanted. A free art lesson from an artist that used their pencils because it was all he could afford. It's not the first time I have been burned by the big corporations either, but that is many other stories, and I don't want to be that guy anymore. I am done reliving failures, or believing I have have failed due to my situation.
Regardless of where I am in life I have to remember that others are either in the same position I am in, or worse, and I have to remember that they look up to me. I felt recently that I let those people down because I cracked under pressure. I stopped drawing, and I stopped making lessons. I just froze up. Just know I am still here, and I have more work to show. I have more help to give, and I look forward to helping again. I am sorry I was gone for a while, but I am back, and I don't want to let life interfere with my love for art ever again. I may need some help with that.
I just need to know that what I do here, and on the web is worth it. I pour hours into the lessons, and I don't ask for money like other sites or artists do. If it helps you learn a technique that improves your work that is my payment. In time I will eventually make a book, but for now I just like to help out because I know there are artists that cannot afford to pay for lessons. The same for my comic strips. They make me laugh, and I am happy to know that it made someone laugh. And my artwork, I plan on drawing some more again, in fact I set up the paper for a new piece today. It will be a black and white and that is okay with me. I am going to stop placing rules on my artwork, all that did was hold me back, and make me unhappy.
After all of this I am in a better place. Looking back on what I wrote I feel that I needed to get somethings off my chest if I were to continue. I am going to start drawing for me for a while, and I promise to share new lessons. In fact my daughter gave me the idea for the next lesson. She wanted to learn how I draw trees so fast and realistic so look forward to that in the near future. My next piece on the other hand, you'll just have to tune into my Facebook page for updates, and work-in-progress images. What I can't give out all the details right? I didn't go away for good, but I did fall asleep for a bit. Thank you for sticking around and supporting me through it all. I have learned one all powerful lesson in all of this.
Support doesn't always come in the form of a dollar sign. Your kindness, comments, likes, and just all around support for my work. It helps make everything I do worth it, and I cannot wait to do more. I am not going to let life's obstacles hold me back anymore.
Thank you,
Derrick Rathgeber
http://Derrickr.webs.com
http://Facebook.com/DerrickRathgeber
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