Happy New Year!!

mrrrrraw?

It's 2012's first Friday and it is time to reflect on what 2011 had to offer...

Stuff to take from 2011

• My first paid freelance jobs happened in 2011, so i'd like to take that experience and confidence (and money!) I gained along with me into 2012.
• Work placement at DiFFERENT-UK, and all the knowledge I gained from that.
• Self-promotion experience.  I got featured on lots of blogs, I made a new website and printed a lovely batch of business cards.  I'd like to carry on with this so that i'm ready for "the real world" when I graduate.
• Social networking.  I loved social networking so much in 2011 that I chose to write my dissertation on it.  I have met so many supportive, inspirational and wonderful people through Twitter and Facebook.
• Being in love with illustration.  I want to stay in love with illustration.  To make a living from something that I enjoy is "The Dream".  Studying illustration at uni and getting the odd commission has been fantastic, and to keep on doing that forever, enough to support myself financially would be lovely.  I really like working from home, working hard to strict deadlines, and being able to choose what work I accept and what work I decline.  That freedom is mint.

Stuff to leave in 2011

• Fraudulent commissions.  (Bible study magazine in Africa, anyone?)
• Procrastination
• Unpaid work.  There will definitely be less of that in 2012.
• Fear of rejection.  Just because a client chooses not to use your work, does not mean you are a complete failure and the world is ending.
• Fear in general.  Nowt to be scared of, innit?!