Between Christmas and New Year is a quiet time in our shop. I’ve generally just enjoyed a few days off and have had plenty of time with family, and am eager to get going once more. But instead of simply rushing back into work I like to take the time to think back on the past year. I ponder what went well as well as thing about those things that perhaps didn’t go quite as planned.
With the quickly approaching New Year and my birthday shortly thereafter it is a time for new beginnings. What projects have I been longing to do but have simply been too busy to tackle? What goals do I have for the coming year? Now is the time to set new plans and new projects in motion. I don’t even wait for the countdown at midnight tomorrow. Why not kick things off early - as always.
I’ve felt for a number of years that we (personally) are in a state of transition. It’s not place I am especially comfortable with. I welcome change whole heartedly... but once a decision is made I like to get on with it. The water looks deep enough... let’s jump! But life isn’t like that. As I think about it I realize that is most often a good thing too. It’s best if we contemplate change, plan for it, then implement it over time, making sure things are right and the transition is smooth. But I still don’t especially care for the slow pace I am forced to adhere to as things change. Some very cool things are just around the corner.
One project I first contemplated over 30 years ago. I started work on it back then too. The project was a book of my art and some short stories to go with it. The stories were to be inspired by real life events. I bought one of those tiny tape recorders (back when cassettes were modern) and dictated into it as I had time and something to say. A good friend, Dr. Robert Clarke, wrote a rough draft with an electric typewriter. Each time I had some color separations done of some of my artwork I would have an appropriate sized color separation and negatives also made for the book. When they were made at the same time it didn’t cost much extra for the second set. But we moved part way into the process and the work was filed away into a filing cabinet. I haven’t seen Dr. Robert Clarke since back then either. I’ll have to dig up that old book one of these days. Maybe I’ll do a google search for my friend too.
The cost of producing a full color richly illustrated book was prohibitive in those early days and continued to be so each time I revisited the idea through the years. But times have changed. So have I and also what I do for a living. I continue to draw and craft the most imaginative things of course. But these days the computer has changed how I do much of it as profoundly as the jobs of most other people I know.
I still sketch in my sketchbooks and work out my ideas there. But I also happily use my computer, wonderful programs and computerized machinery to help me make the things I make. While some think that it is as easy as pushing a button, the opposite if far more true. It is like writing I suppose. I do still write my thoughts out on paper with an old fashioned pen, but I am also just as likely to sit at my keyboard and type. I still have to think up the ideas and puzzle through grammar, but thankfully spelling has gotten a whole lot easier. The real simple button pushing part is reserved for when I want to print out a hard copy.
After having worked in the industry for more than 40 years now I feel there are some things I would like to record and perhaps pass on to others who might want to learn. When I teach in workshops or seminars I am often asked for more followup material. And I often get requests for material from people who for various reasons are not able to make it to my workshops and seminars. The journals/blogs I write, both here and elsewhere only have so much room and the format doesn’t allow for much depth. It is just time to get on with the big writing project I have been putting off for so long.
With the arrival of the iPad and other e-readers currently on the market I felt the timing was right to launch my efforts into that relatively new direction. Full color graphics, rich content and a superb platform for my kind of story telling was finally at hand. It was time to stop dreaming and kick this project into gear.
I’ve started my research, compiling of photographs, concepts and drawings. The truth is I have a whole bunch of notebooks full of ideas. In recent days I’ve drawn up some outlines for the subjects I will cover. I’ve even started the writing process too. Rather than write one large volume which might never get finished I’ve decided instead to break the work into smaller segments of 20-50 pages each, with tons of illustrations and photos to illustrate my thoughts. Each small book will cover the subject at hand thoroughly. Then I’ll move on to the next. Like the projects in my workshop I doubt I will run out of material anytime soon.
The e-books will be marketed (for a very reasonable fee) on my own website initially and other venues have expressed an interest as well. www.imaginationcorporation.com . As of this writing the e-books will most likely be in PDF format which means you will be able to view them on any computer or any brand of e-reader that can handle color pictures. In coming months I will create a page for information and download. The collection will start small of course and hopefully grow over time.
I’d still love to someday see a hard cover edition of my work and thoughts. Perhaps some publisher will see my writings and pick them up. It’s fun to dream. In the meantime I’ll be here pecking away at my keyboard making the first stage of my dream come true.
Stay tuned for updates. Or drop me an email and let me know what subject you might be interested in reading. I’d love to hear your thoughts. dan@imaginationcorporation.com
Happy New Year to everyone.
-grampa dan