12.22.24

I just had this thought about how grateful and blessed I am to not only start a new job this past week, but also train with their graphic designer who is retiring. I am taking over her position, essentially. She has been so kind and giving, and providing me with her knowledge and wisdom regarding the job. She's happy to see someone come in and take the reins, and she doesn't have any feeling of fear or loss that I am taking over, and I just find that really important. I guess it's kind of an epiphany that I had.

I have definitely gotten (or at least felt) competitive when it came to my occupation. I've had a few graphic design positions in the past few years, which I am beyond blessed. But I’m really trying to lose that sense of ego. It really isn’t attractive or healthy.

It also made me think of how some artists will tend to hide their “secrets” because they don’t want other aspiring artists copying them, not share their techniques, how they got certain effects, or even jump cut or crop out something they’re doing in a speed paint (please keep in mind that I have noticed these things long before the rise of AI, so the argument of not wanting to show methods or techniques that could potentially train it would not necessarily apply here). I understand wanting to keep something that is yours so you can achieve your results, but really there is no point in holding onto it so hard. There’s only so many ways you can achieve results, and eventually someone else is going to find out how. Much like with music and how many lawsuits are out there because someone just so happened to use a similar chord progression in one part of the song. We are not the first artists and designers.

At the end of the day, nothing is original nor does anyone own a certain way of painting or drawing. I wouldn’t be where I was today if everyone hid everything and didn’t share their knowledge. Everyone deserves the gift of learning and I really believe we should share that, and working with this beautiful soul at my new job has been a humbling experience for myself. I aspire to be that way when I have the opportunity to teach another aspiring artist or designer.