Today started off pretty awesome — I got a ton of writing and filming done bright and early, then enjoyed a meeting with the Optimize Creators. We discussed balancing ambition with your fundamentals and health.

After the meeting — things got weird. The studio meeting didn’t happen, but I did a touch-up on a mandala tattoo that didn’t heal very well. After the touch-up I went to do my daily warmup and draw for clients, but my good stylus (the one that I lost and found yesterday) wasn’t working!

So I ordered a new one and did my warmup on some paper with a micron:

Some of the exercises are easier on paper, some are more difficult. I’m just happy to see that my digital practice transfers skill to traditional media pretty well!

Errands and admin work took up MOST of the rest of my afternoon, but I hiked to the cabin once I made it home to sit down and work on some more designs with my not-so-great stylus.

My designs are selling really well on social media right now, so I’m going to continue drawing the things I would really enjoy tattooing and posting them. If I continue selling at the rate that I am, then I’ll reach a point in the not-so-distant future where I won’t have to tattoo client ideas, just the stuff that I draw and enjoy.

What was awesome?

MASSIVE action on CreateQuest and all of my other projects.

Getting some drawing time in, even though it was late in the day.

Meeting with other creators.

Learning about DaVinci Resolve.

What needs work?

I over-did it yesterday and I was exhausted today, but I tackled my big projects early in the day to avoid losing momentum.

I need to be focusing more on art in the A.M. — not just CreateQuest. I got sucked into learning DaVinci Resolve after filming today.

I got very frustrated with my backup stylus — and lost my good stylus to child/animal combo damage. Long story.

What did I learn?

Don’t let the kids get ahold of my stylus. Ever.

Art needs to happen early. Always have a backup of important tools.

I need more rest, which I will try my best to get tonight.

And don’t forget to check out CreateQuest – a project that I’m working on with Chris Beaven. It’s our mission to bring creatives together in an empowering community with a focus on improving the world, not just changing it.

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