Capturing Campus: March

Dreaming as a 10-year-old

before acceptance letters
and decision day
commencement speeches
and ceremonies
I thought of college as some mythical place
some mysterious paradise
of granted logic, satisfying meaning
somewhere of hope and possibility
which I know now doesn’t exist in full
but at least the buildings look like Hogwarts
from time to time

Industrious Illustrating #59 – AMKE and the Grindset

Hello, and welcome back to another week of Industrious Illustrating! Honestly, I forgot to make a post last week because I was out of state for Anime Milwaukee and was focusing entirely on running my Artist Alley table to the best of my ability. I almost forgot again this week because I’ve been figuratively (and literally!) running around trying to make merch orders/re-orders before my next convention at the end of the month. Anyway, here’s what my AMKE table setup looked like this year:

Overall, I did pretty solidly — my revenue was on the higher end of the middle in terms of revenue I’ve made at conventions in the past — but Milwaukee is a fairly expensive city to visit and I’d bring more premade food with me next time to cut down on costs. Otherwise, I’m fairly happy with my profits and I’ll be back if this con accepts me again next year.

On other note, something I’ve been thinking about this week is that even though I do anime conventions instead of art fairs or other events because I specifically love fan culture and engaging with fellow nerds, turning my online shop and convention tables into nearly a full-time job on top of schoolwork is extremely exhausting. I’m almost grateful that I didn’t apply to any cons in April besides Con Ja Nai (Umich’s own one-day anime con!) and I haven’t gotten into any conventions in May (RIP Fanime, ACEN, and MomoCon) because otherwise my entire year would just be convention after convention interspersed with grinding out new merch designs. For one thing, even though I get a lot of merch design requests it’s not like I actually have to constantly make new designs — I’m only just starting to do out-of-state conventions this year and most attendees haven’t seen my work before! For another thing, if I just constantly work myself to the bone chasing higher revenue, would the extra money really be worth burning myself out and making me forget why I’m doing this as a gig instead of working a more “normal” job? Also, all of this is taking away energy, attention, and time I could be spending working on original projects or seeking out other potential jobs/careers, such as doing commercial illustration or user experience design/research. I definitely want to focus more on those during April and May.

That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy making new merch — I do this precisely because I love the process of researching and designing new merchandise and making them into reality — but I also can’t remember how to enjoy that process without giving myself space to decompress and relax. I think that this weekend I’ll focus on doing house chores and taking “me time” (probably playing video games and taking walks) so that I can remember what it feels like to be a human being and not an art-making machine.

All of this makes me wonder whether or not I should consider being a traveling freelance artist a viable job path in the future rather than a profitable hobby. I mean, what happens if there’s a year where I’m not accepted into any major conventions and my online sales aren’t enough to make up the difference? But also, another part of my brain reminds me that just about every industry is being shaken up by AI and other changes in the economy at the moment, and a regular salaried job would also place my livelihood at the whims of external forces. The best any of us can do is diversify our income streams and not place all our eggs in one basket, whether that basket is a corporate job or self-employed freelance. Maybe this isn’t as upbeat and hopeful as I wish I could be, but this is a column about my journey improving my art and trying to make it viable as a career, so I think it’s to everyone’s benefit that I’m candid and frank at least on occasion. I hope all of you have a great restful weekend, and see you next week!

Hima’s new character sheet

Read more: Hima’s new character sheet
Hima’s old, July 2023 character sheet

Once I finish redoing a character, I like to make a new character sheet. There should be additional sketches coming the following weeks.

My goals for Hima’s new design were: make her look her age of 21, her colors more cohesive, and her clothing better reflective of her personality. The process involved giving her a jaw, changing her eyes, and replacing her veins with stitches, but I’m proud to say that Hima looks much more like a confused young adult, which she is. Her techwear-inspired clothes reflect the futuristic setting of her world and shows how she prioritizes simplicity and comfort over fashion, unlike Simon. Her giant red parka is a big part of her character, so I tried to give it the weight and heft it deserves. The pale orange was a last-minute choice; her shirt was supposed to be a light grey. She looks warmer now.

S3 Scribble #17: In Your Eyes

“What on Earth am I meant to do?”

I have had a very busy past few weeks of travel (including a phenomenal Spring Break vacation with some of my best friends), graduate school touring, school, and work, and I am finally adjusting to my normal routine back in Ann Arbor. All of the traveling and unpredictability has resulted in a spike in my anxiety, but I know that as I adjust to my typical schedule, I will feel better and better.

“In this crowded place there is only you.”

The weather has such a strong impact on the way I feel, and after several rainy days, I found myself craving sunnier ones. Not only has daylight savings time made it stay lighter for later into the evening, but today I was able to enjoy a delightful sunny and 70 degree day in Ann Arbor! I went on a long walk and even had a student organization meeting outside since the weather was so beautiful. It appears that spring has sprung!

“Was gonna leave, now I have to stay; you have taken my breath away.”

This week, I officially accepted an offer from a graduate school program, and it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Now, instead of feeling anxious when thinking about my future, I feel hopeful – it’s nice to know where I’ll be living at this time next year! That being said, it still feels bittersweet to know that graduation is coming up in less than two months. However, knowing that I have such great things planned and that I will be attending a graduate program that I am passionate about is absolutely helping me look forward to the future.

“Is the world still spinning around?”

The sunnier weather means I am listening to happier music, and, for me, nothing beats Kylie Minogue’s pop songs when trying to get into the spring and summer mood. The days are longer, the weather is warmer, and I’m excited to see what my future holds!

“I don’t feel like coming down.”

Listen to In Your Eyes by Kylie Minogue here: https://youtu.be/OjETibEMbJY?si=Lh-YicKS7e0sOJO8

Wolverine Stew: A Couple Games of Life

If I looped a day this week it would be

The one of paper eyes, water on fire

And a wave of scattered dice

A room erupting in howling cheers

And you are part of those cheers

And the cacophony is almost as sweet

As the impromptu victory feast of three afterwards

The one of cackling sailors and bees

Mechanical smiles reflecting my own

Popcorn boxes and pinball machines

Acid-touched stone man, wall of magicians and elephants

Going together to each of the

Drums, zombies, and a card with my fortune

Root beer floats, overflowing or not

And I could get used to it all

And to the

Quiet in the sunlight afterward

As turkey tails sprout from rotting logs

And every yard begins to turn blue with flowers

Because whether it’s something old or new

I still feel at home