My tweets

• Mon, 15:02: Just signed up for a years subscription to @ImagineFX. Been meaning to do that for years. SHIT JUST GOT REAL!!
• Mon, 19:48: RT @ebertchicago: "If you go home with someone and they don't have books, don't f**k them." -- John Waters
• Mon, 20:16: RT @philhester: My DC portfolio bag, faithful traveling companion for many years, has finally died. Pour out a bottle of Higgins Black M ...
• Mon, 20:25: RT @pauljholden: Goldman Sachs Rule The World Not Governments BBC Sept 26 2011 http://t.co/lYMyiqbl (felt physically ill watching this)
• Mon, 23:13: My ambition is finally in synch with my ability. 8 illustrations in 6 months. But which scenes from the book do i Illustrate?--- >
• Mon, 23:14: <-- How do I choose? Help!!
• Tue, 10:45: RT @capelessT: Humanity's Overdraft Notice http://t.co/PPM2WNpJ What more is there to say?
• Tue, 11:07: 2011 has been "wicked" for films.Check out Drive,Warrior and The Skin I Live In and Tinker, Taylor, Soldier. So many good films! @cineworld

Illustration, ambition and ability

So. The first draft is done. Finished. Complete.
Well done me.

Now the really hard work begins as I have to start work on the illustrations for the novel.

My biggest flaw has always been that my ambition has out stripped my ability. I am at the point now where I'm finally being realistic about what I can accomplish with the time and skill available. Though not without a lot head pounding, to be certain....

So, eight black and white illustrations and six-ish months. Doable? Possibly. But only if I approach the illustrations with the same passion and dedication I did with the writing. That I refuse to cut corners and actually do the hard graft.

Firstly and most importantly, I need to complete "one" to the best of my ability in order to see both where I'm at skills wise and how it takes me to complete the piece. Based on that outcome I'll have a clearer idea of whether I'm still being too ambitious and I need to curtail the amount of pieces I intend to submit.

So, eight illustrations to do. But which ones? Its been suggested that I should either work on the images that I can visualise clearest, or create a beat board and illustrate the most pivotal moments in the book. Which funnily enough are all the moments I originally envisioned illustrating.

So, here I am. I know what has to be done and how to do. And I know what how much work its going to take. What I don't know is how long its going to take. The only way I can find out is by doing it.

It never ends people. But, I wouldn't rather be doing anything else.

More later.