The Common Pencil

Happy new year everyone!

I am finding myself without a job for the first time in 10 years. This is a little bit unexpected and I honestly don’t know what to do just yet. Of course, I will go and find a new job. There is no romanticizing my situation. But right now, this joblessness is leaving me with an empty agenda. I am sitting on a goldmine of time, and I aim to gather as much gold as possible.

First of all, I can finally work on improving this website. I am thinking of adding a gallery for sketches & paintings, and an ‘About me’ section with some real life background info. My website was never meant to be as empty as it is today, but I just have not had the time to fix it yet. Now I do!

Secondly, I want to make an effective drawing schedule. A daily ritual, to call it that. I really need to improve some very basic basics: my shading is all over the place, my proportions are way off and my sense of perspective.. oof. This is also something I would like to document for YouTube: The grind, the sweat, and, hopefully, the progress.

But wait, there is more! I really want to work on my social media strategy, and I need to add content to my Ko-fi page. Another something I have been working on in the background is a Discord channel. It is more or less ready to be let loose onto the world but I am a little afraid that managing people might be a bit of a.. thing. Or that nobody will show up. You know, common insecurities that can only be overcome by simply trying things out.

Job-wise, I might end up in a cubicle, or perhaps at the local bakery. There is a chance that I’ll dip my big toe into gathering income as a creative, but dreams do not pay bills and that is probably for the best. One thing I do know is this: 2025 is going to be an actual adventure.

Thank you for reading!

With love,
Heleen Charlotte.