Today I had the privilege of visiting Al Bigley, comic book artist and illustrator at his home studio. What a great experience it was! When I started nine years ago without the foggiest idea about what to do with my talents, I used to visit artists at their studios to learn and get inspired. It is an excellent way of getting a first hand education from those grinding the real stuff in the real world. As the saying goes sometimes you don’t have to reinvent the wheel, so if it worked for me years ago, why not now? It had proven to be once again an art touchstone.
What did I learn from Al in the three hours and a quarter that he patiently dedicated to this intruder?
· Stay passionate about drawing. It is the foundation of art and a medium to respect by itself.
· Take advantage of modern technology by creating your own apprenticeship program via learning online with tutorials, videos and others from seasoned artists who are willing to provide such education through the Internet.
· Even though having a degree could be a cool thing, at the end of the day, nobody ask you for it. What really counts is your performance.
· Remember that at its basic level the main purpose of art is to communicate. Ask yourself, “Am I accomplishing that?”
· Be professional in your dealings with partners and business contacts.
· Stay alert and appreciative of your peers in the field. Study their work and learn from them.
· Do not be afraid of stand firm and defend your own professional and moral standards in spite of the changing winds in the art field.
Al is a serious professional with a youthful, easy going personality. He is also a magnificent teacher that with a few words and illustrations can get his point across convincingly. I truly wish for him to become bigger and even more recognized in years to come. I can certainly see his name being attached to a major awarded graphic novel in the future.
You can learn more about Al Bigley by visiting his site: www.albigley.com
