illustration | Joshua Best

If ever you’ve been in a work situation where a job wasn’t done right or someone wasn’t happy, you know that excuses abound. One of the most common excuses for subpar creative is the lack of time given. Creative people love to grumble about how they weren’t allotted enough time to do good work. For the most part, I think this excuse is boloney.

The only reason creative projects aren’t given enough time is because no amount of time seems like enough to a creative person. Whether you’ve been given one day or one year – it’s never quite enough time to make it perfect. You will always feel under pressure, under the gun, and over stressed when the project is due.

But don’t fret– I’m of the persuasion that creatives actually do better work when they have little time to complete an assignment. I do my best work when I’m under the gun, when I know the pressure’s on, and when I know the project is important. That’s when I buckle down. I focus, I think hard, and I find multiple solutions to the problem. I’m not saying I finish every project on time, but I’m never late because there wasn’t enough time.

Time – to a creative professional – is totally relative. It’s always nice to be given some breathing room, and it’s probably right that we are, but don’t assume that your work will improve with a spacious schedule. Know in yourself that you do your best work when you sit down, you focus, and you realize the opportunity in front of you. Whether you do it now or later is up to you.

Jody Williams: Creative Titan

This is Jody. If you know him, you know he’s sharp. He’s a lean, mean, illustration machine. How did he get that way? Well, he stays creatively fit. He exercises his brain, he thinks differently, and he tries new things. He also has an incredible ability to see his life experiences, not as good or bad, but as opportunities to grow.

Me? I want to try it. I like the challenge.

In the nineties, Jody was in New York City, getting editorial work, illustrating magazine covers and landing jobs. Editorial illustration pays peanuts, so Jody picked up a night job as a concierge at the Hilton, and used the less fashionable job to subsidize the career he really wanted. Later, he moved back to Michigan with a job offer that was seemingly certain. Upon his arrival, he learned it wasn’t, but instead of folding, he found another job. It wasn’t ideal, but he used his down time there to teach himself digital illustration skills. Then, when economic downsizing seemed inevitable, he started saving to buy the same technology he was working on, so that he could branch out on his own. They let him go, and he let loose.

Since bursting onto the commercial art scene in West Michigan, he’s found great success, and has become well respected in the industry, but it wasn’t all easy all the time. Shortly after 9/11, Jody was left with a mere one hundred dollars. Refusing to accept his lot, he gave fifty of it away, and believed God would bless him for doing it. Days later, he got a call that launched him into a very profitable season.

Take the risk.

Some commercial artists stick to one style so they can become top of mind for one type of illustration. Jody, on the other hand, continues to branch out and reach for new techniques. He’s never been comfortable being comfortable. He thinks ahead and sharpens his craft constantly. To Jody, art is not just fun. It’s an outlet for creativity, a great provider, an improbable teacher, and a source of dignity. Jody’s approach to life remind us that challenges shouldn’t destroy you; they should sharpen you. Let’s strive to welcome the practices that make us stronger, better creatives.

I don’t see my paintings as a hobby, I see them as an investment.

Jody Williams is freelance illustrator.
He lives in Grand Rapids, MI with his family.
You can hire him via email j.w.design@comcast.net

Joshua Best

Tag: illustration

Creative Nugget #3: Time, Shmime

Jody Williams: Creative Titan