8 years ago, Jake (the other co-creator of Meager Quest) and I set out to make an animated series. It was something we had both always wanted to do and we were ambitious and starry-eyed, not knowing much about what went into such a production. It was called Burmont High, a humorous coming-of-age story about 3 unlikely friends and the zany high school they attended. We dived head-first into the first episode. Then, for a number of reasons, we stopped.
At the time I was an art major, going for a BFA in graphic design. As I continued learning more at school, I realized there were better ways to do things than the methods I had been using on Burmont High. I also started to see how time consuming it was and figured I didn’t have enough time to make it happen. I started to think that I shouldn’t continue to work on it. What if I get better and then my style changes and I want to do it a different way? What if that ruined my continuity and made me want to start all over? Better to wait, I thought.
Surprise, surprise, my skills have increased since then and my style is quite a bit different. We did finish a short promotional toon:
It’s not amazing but I’m actually still proud of myself for finishing something, and it’s still kinda fun to watch.
Even in hindsight, seeing that I was right about my own shift in skill and style, I wish I hadn’t have waited so long to get better. That project sat there untouched for a long time, and sits still to this day. I often wonder how far along it would be now if I had just worked on it a tiny bit every day. I also wonder how much faster my animation would have improved if I had kept at it.
The idea in your head
So you’ve got a big idea you’ve been toying around with for a bit. What’s holding you back from making it happen? Maybe you’re afraid that you’re not good enough yet to do the idea justice. Maybe you think you’ll mess it up. Perhaps you think you don’t have time to work on it. You might suppose you’d be better served by tutorial surfing instead, learning and perfecting your skills to their peak before you start making something important. That’s what I thought, too. These reasons and more kept me back from working earnestly on my own ideas for a number of years.
Don’t wait
The problem with waiting to get good before you engage with your ideas is that the only way to improve is by doing. By waiting to produce something I was passionate about, I was waiting passively to get good. I was also waiting for a magical, non-existent day when extra free time would just fall from the sky, suddenly granting me 30 hours per day instead of a measly 24. Sure, I did the odd small project and the occasional tutorial or course. What I found, though, is that by attempting to learn without an exciting goal in mind, I wasn’t able to keep a consistent focus on getting better.
A lot of people will tell you to work on your skills first. They’ll reason that if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll fail. I’m going to tell you the opposite; failure is always a possibility, but you should start anyway. Sticking to a project you care deeply about will teach you a lot. Should you fail, failure is not the end of the road and spectacular lessons can come from spectacular failures. By all accounts, I failed at making Burmont High a reality, but I learned a thing or two to share with you now, and I still plan on revisiting that idea and making it work in the future.
Since starting my work on Meager Quest, I’ve found all kinds of motivation to study and learn animation. What’s more, I’m able to use what I learn in a meaningful way immediately. Applying new knowledge and skills to a personal passion project is a great way to learn. My intent here is to encourage and embolden those of us who have compelling and ambitious ideas but, for whatever reason, don’t feel ready to take the plunge.
The one exception
Of course, there are situations where you genuinely aren’t ready to start. If you’ve never worked in the medium you intend to use, you should definitely study and learn some things first. Learn the basics and fundamental theory of the format you want to pursue. For example, if you’re wanting to make animations, you should probably know what timing and pacing are and you should have a workable amount of skill in drawing. If you’re wanting to make any kind of film, you should know what goes into a film, the different phases of production and what happens in each. If you’re wanting to write, you should have a good grasp of grammar and structure and should know the importance of editing and revision. The fundamentals will be different for various mediums, but in any case resources for learning are plentiful. If you have zero experience, go spend a few months to a year just studying and learning. Do some of your own “class work” to get a grasp of the basics. Rely on others with more experience than you for honest critique so you can improve in a shorter amount of time. Once you’ve got a good base to build on, come back here. It’s OK, I’ll wait.
The benefits of starting now
Still here? Great. All you need is a working knowledge of your craft and some drive to make something good happen in your life. You really can learn the rest as you go.
I can attest to this personally. Even now I don’t consider myself a top notch, world-class animator or artist. I’ve never had a job in the animation business directly. I didn’t go to school for animation specifically. I know just enough to build upon from the Meager experience I do have. (Pun intended, thank you very much. I’ll be here all night.)
Since I started working on Meager Quest every day, I’ve seen myself improve by strides. As I’ve worked on the project, I’ve worked on myself and my own creative talents in the process. That’s why I’d recommend starting on a big idea to almost anybody, and that’s why I started this blog. I’ve seen my drawing ability increase, I’ve learned handy ways to cheat the process and do things more quickly, I’ve become more able to create and do the things I want to do, I’ve gained more purpose, and I’ve discovered truths about myself. These are the benefits of starting and sticking with something you want to bring to life. It’s never easy work, but with the struggle to create comes important, life-changing lessons. These lessons are especially potent when you’re making something you really care about and want to see succeed.
Becoming more capable
By working to make your dream a reality, you’ll become more creatively capable. Not only will your technical skill improve, but by exerting yourself you’ll cultivate attributes that make you more able to create. Virtues like patience, diligence, optimism, consistency, grit, and focus will begin to grow within you over time. As you seek out an audience for the work you do, you’ll learn to be more attentive to the wants and needs of others out of necessity. As you put yourself out there, you’ll become resilient and able to deal with rejection and criticism in more constructive ways.
I’ve seen my drawing improve by working on Meager Quest. As I said, I don’t consider myself an amazing artist or animator from a technical standpoint and there’s a ton of room for me to improve. As I’ve come across things that are difficult to draw or generally wrap my head around, I’ve made great progress by pushing through them, sticking with the process and drawing from reference. I’m proud of where I’m at now compared to where I was when I started. I’m also learning to be patient with myself and my slow and steady creative process. I’ve found lately that I’m able to avoid beating myself up so much over not getting things perfect or not getting things done as quickly as I’d like. I have more confidence in my ability to create overall.
Finding purpose
We all want to be our best selves. Becoming a better person always entails learning difficult lessons and getting out of our comfort zones. Having a dream you’re actively working toward gives plenty of reasons to stay where you’ll learn those important lessons. By learning to keep a dream in focus over a long period of time, you may also start to find purpose in other areas of your life as well. Are you feeling stuck in a dead-end job? Dedicating yourself to a labor of love after work hours may just help you start to see your employment as a stepping stone to the next exciting chapter of your life; something that feeds and clothes you and enables you to function and create without fear of starvation.
Meager Quest has given me a reason to make myself vulnerable. I’m committed to growing an audience and that commitment prompts me to do the often gut-wrenching work of self-promotion. I’m not always amazing at boldly stepping forward but I’ve done a whole slew of things I thought I’d never be able to do, like consistently putting my work in front of people who could potentially hate my stinkin’ guts. Having purpose has helped me do these things that are hard for me personally, and growth has come as a result.
Learning about yourself
You learn the most as you approach the edge of what you believe you’re capable of. When I started Meager Quest I didn’t think it would entail writing articles like this one. But as I began to grow a following and started to see how much I could potentially help others in a similar situation to mine, I saw that it made sense to branch out. It opened a door for me I hadn’t seen before.
Walk into the fire
Creating something important to you can be a daunting task. I’ve often grappled with roadblocks, struggles, and challenges, and so far I’ve come out on top. I’m an ordinary guy with an idea, limited skill and time, and a host of weaknesses and flaws. If I can stick to my project and benefit from doing so, I’m convinced that anyone can. So walk into the fire. Throw yourself into the deep water. Take that first step into the dark. Whatever metaphor you prefer. After that, stick with it. I think you’ll end up being glad you did.
