Dare to Dream

We all have Dreams, some we think are too difficult to attempt

One of the dreams I have is to illustrate my own children’s story book.  I have made halfhearted attempts in following that dream, but am easily discouraged by others comments and a deep rooted belief that I am not good enough.

I learnt a lesson this week.  I can do it.  I was being held back by my belief that I could not do the illustration well enough for publishing.  You see I sent my treasured story and illustrations off to the publishers.  I got news back they liked the story but they did not want coloured pencil illustrations, they wanted watercolours and a freer style.  I put the whole thing on the shelf as a ‘too hard to do’ item.  A week ago I got an email from them asking if I was going to do the illustrations in watercolour and if not could they get someone else to do them.

  That moved me.  I was not going to let someone else illustrate my baby.  I brooded for a few days.  It was Tracey Fletcher Kings comment on my Icad cards, about the quirkiness of them that set off a light bulb moment.  My story was quirky, and I have been doing watercolour stuff for Icad. Der!!  But then the gnomes had a field day.  “Yeah, but you are no good blah blah…”  “Excuse me!”  A voice chimed in, “what about your floral watercolours, you are good at that!” Yes I am, I thought, then it hit me the florals don’t matter to me, the illustration is very important to me, it is from my heart, and fear of failure is holding me back.

To cut the story short I got out one my favourite children’s book Wedding Birds by Jutta Ash, and drooled.  “Hey! My inner voice said why don’t you copy one of the pictures and see if you can.”  Well, I can, and even on crappy paper that I couldn’t work the paint and that buckled like crazy.

So the moral of this story is if there is something you want to do TRY IT. DON’T LISTEN TO THE GNOMES IN YOUR HEAD!

(And thank you Tracey)

(PS remember from next week I will be having a give away postcard with every post for Sunday Sketches and Paint Party Friday in July to celebrate my 1st year of blogging.)

Linking to

 Show and Tell Saturday at Artists in Blogland

Manon's Paper Saturday

Alexandra’s Sunday Sketches