Colorado Springs Lightning and Thunder ~ Awesome Storm ~ 08.09.15

vlog # 2

Pay Me What I'm Worth

This is a repost from my Tumblr blog, but it applies to what I have going on over here as well, so I thought that I would go ahead and share it.

Pay me what I'm worth. Hey, I know that times are tough, they're tough for me too, but the fact remains that I'm offering you a professional service, so I expect professional compensation. I studied hard, spending long hours either seeking the information and/or practicing to sharpen my skill set(s) so that I could offer you a service that would be useful to you. Understand, I'm not saying that everything I touch turns to gold, realize, however, that you came to me because you liked the work that I do. You saw that I could do something that you couldn't. That makes that service valuable and as such I expect to be appropriately compensated for the work that I do for you using those rarified skill sets.

I am not a greedy individual, I'm not asking for more than my due. You need to understand, though, that in my career field(s) I don't have the luxury of resting on my laurels. I need to constantly learn new things; keep up with new technologies, research new methodologies and practice like I'm a garage band musician and there is only a week before my first big show. I put a lot of my personal time into my profession. I do this so that when the time comes for me to create a product for you I have a better chance of exceeding your expectations and delivering something that goes beyond what you requested. That's my job: I see the things that you see, but I think about them in ways that you don't. That comes from long hours of research, study and practice, and that's worth something.

Yes, It's true that I do the things that I do because I'm following my bliss. I love being a creative, but at the end of the day I still have bills to pay just like everyone else. Why don't I just get a job like everyone else? Because I have a career as a freelance creative, that's why. Would you tell a doctor or a lawyer to “just go get a real job?” Of course not, and like a doctor or a lawyer I have a specialized skill set, and that's why I'm worth the money that I ask for.

And no, I won't take your gig just to “get exposure.” If I feel like doing work for someone for free just to get exposure, I'll approach them. To be honest, I will get more exposure by my self just doing the things that I'm already doing to advertise myself (chances are that is how you found me, after all) than I will get by working on your project.

I'm really not trying to be a jerk here. It comes down to simple mathematics: if I break it down to the hours worked to give you the best product possible, you lowballing me on a flat fee means that I will end up making minimum wage or less. I didn't go through all of those years of school, and I don't spend all of the time that I do now just learning new things and keeping my skill set fresh, so that I can make less than someone at McDonalds makes.

So, respect me, respect my time and respect my education and pay me what I'm worth.

As if you weren't reading enough blogs lately.

I just wanted to drop a quick missive to let everyone know that I've also started a blog over at Tumblr. The link is http://renaissance-guy.tumblr.com/, and the purpose of the blog will be to act as an extension of an as-yet-unnamed e-zine that I will be publishing quarterly promoting the work of what I like to call nouveau renaissance creative freelancers, those individuals who attempt to eek out a living working in more than one professional creative discipline.

As for this blog: it will be used to communicate specifically about my illustration/design/art work, or, as has been the case lately, my lack there of.

I hope that everyone is having a fantastic and creative week!

Paulzuzu

One down, many to go

I've finished the illustration that I was working on. I posted the un-inked pencils for it here a few days ago. I finished it up last night, and I have posted it in several other places, but I'll go ahead and post it here as well:

if this is too small, you can go to my deviantart profile to see a larger, more detailed image, http://paulzuzust.deviantart.com/

This was done a favor to a friend who had asked me to design a tattoo for her. The idea is that the skull would be on the back of her hand, and the vertebra would go up her forearm. As usual, I procrastinated for a while and then just went and got it done. Now I just need to get my hands on some paying work.

One of the big problems that I have is self promotion. I have this very bizarre selective shyness; I can talk to anyone as long as I'm not trying to promote myself. However, once they actually ask about me I won't shut up, so I guess the trick is to figure out how to get people to actually ask about me. so I'll go ahead and ask for some help here. if you know of anyone who might like my artwork, please send them over to my deviant art profile. Equally, if you know of someone who is looking for affordable video production, direct them to http://vimeo.com/user4530508. This is where they will find a collection of local commercials that I have created.

Now I need to get to work on another illustration. I also have a video project that I need to stop thinking about and just start doing. My propensity for over thinking things instead of just jumping in and getting to work will be a subject for another blog. For now, I'll end this one here as it really seems to just want to meander.

The Goal for Today

The goal for today is to keep busy. I have an illustration to finish, some video work that I need to create graphics for, a CSPA client to call, an e-mail to compose so that I can find more clients and finally, a little laundry and dishes to get done. Here is a sample of the illustration:

Yeah, it's a little creepy, but common, it's fun. This one is for a friend of mine who may eventually convert it into a tattoo. I need to finish up some shading, and then it needs to be inked.

I'm going to be re-doing an older illustration next so that it looks cleaner and more detailed, then, hopefully something for halloween. Oh, and something for my wife, because I love her. Oh yeah, then there is my secret project that is pretty expansive (for me, at any rate) that will hopefully tie together all of the creative disciplines that I love, but that I don't want to talk too much about right now because I'm afraid that I'll jinx myself.

Also, I'm on the lookout for more video clients; if any of the hand full of folks that actually read this blog know of anyone who is interested in having some video work done for commercial, weddings, corporate/training videos, etc, please have them get in touch with me at:

videoguypaul@gmail.com

Samples of my commercial video work are available at http://vimeo.com/user4530508

I'm also looking to do more book cover work and illustration work, so if anyone needs these things contact me at the above e-mail address for a quote. Yes, I can do more, illustration wise, than just creepy/horror based stuff. Take a look at http://paulzuzust.deviantart.com for more samples of my illustration work.

So now, it's time to eat some leftover pizza (the staple food of all freelancers) and get busy.

This will be just a quick post because I have a lot of things on my to do list to get done. Here is a piece of art work that I just finished in honor of my pending three year wedding anniversary to my wife, elementalmuse. Enjoy!