We Were All Playing Different Games

 It wasn't long ago when I had a gig at an uptown event with 8 other artists and as things were winding down toward the end of the evening's festivities, we all had time to stand around and chat for awhile. When 8 other artists are together and things are slow, we tend to watch how others draw who are servicing the stragglers.  I was standing next to a much younger artist while we were watching Joe, a senior artist, draw a late customer. The younger artists turned to me and said "see how he doesn't use a pencil before using the marker". 

His remark surprised me somewhat because I myself do not typically use a pencil
before I start with the marker but to this young man, it impressed him. Instead of answering him with a retort like "I do it that way" I remarked in a sort of light hearted way, "yea, I taught him how to do that". To this he snickered a little with a sort of "yea, right" attitude.

Well, it didn't bother me much at the time but as the days went on and I've had time to reflect on it I've wondered why he should have answered me that way. Why would he answer me like that?

I've given him the benefit of the doubt, for the most part, because he doesn't know me very well or for very long but the truth of the matter is, I've been drawing since before the young man was born. I've been drawing professionally probably before he could walk. I've written a book on the subject of creativity. I've held drawing instruction classes and workshops. I'm a humorous illustrator, have my own line of merchandise, I'm a producer of animated videos for web content advertising and I'm also write a blog which your now reading and oh yes, I draw caricatures.

Aside from my experience as an artist, I'm also a Marine veteran and an entrepreneur.

All the artists on that line that day are all talented or they would not have been working there but I seriously doubt they all had the personal capital equal to my own. Maybe some did, but we all are playing different games. It's only recently I've decided to turn my attention to drawing full-time but the time is long overdue for me to stop selling myself short and assert my personal capital.