Late Wednesday post (aka Thursday post)

So first off, sorry this is late. Second, in compliance with the new laws concerning bloggers and testimonials, etc., we would like to say that unless specifically notified, Monkey + Seal do not do paid referrals, endorsements, etc. If we talk about a product, we do not get anything via affiliate programs or anything. We endorse things because we believe in them, not because we got paid. And if we were to get paid, we wouldn't do it unless we believed in the product (and we'd notify you too). With that, Monkey would like to talk about a book today:

So I found a listing of good books that every illustrator should read (as well as some killer tips for upcoming illustrators on the fabulous and amazingly talented Yoko Shimizu's website. If you haven't heard of her, go to her site right now and check out all her amazing illustrations. Seriously.


Anyhoo, I ended up buying (and reading) all the books listed, and I found that the single most powerful read was Paul Arden's It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be.

It's a pretty awesome read that you can pick up for cheaps through most online sources - we got a used copy :) It's a simple, short read written by one of the world's top advertising agents. Even though it's specifically for ad people, it really is applicable for any creative who wants to get paid to make art.

It has awesome pieces of advice like "Getting fired can be a positive career move," and "the person who doesn't make mistakes is unlikely to make anything." All in all, it keeps me motivated and thirsty for success. When I think thoughts like "I wish I was able to fully support myself from my art," I realize that I'm thinking small and change my thoughts to something like "I want my art to be more famous than McDonalds/Coca-Cola/Jesus." Gotta think big if you want big things to happen.

It also reminds me that making mistakes is alright, and that every mistake is just a learning opportunity to hep you on your way to international superstardom. I highly recommend it, and I think you can get it for under $8 if you play your cards right.