I’ll start with where I’m at now creatively and how I got here.
It’s been a roller coaster from COVID lockdown forward. I left a non art job of 15 years due to poor management decisions on their part. Started a new management position with a new to me company. Two months later COVID hit. After work opened back up the company decided to down size and I was with the newest employees so we were let go.
Some health issues that I’ve been dealing with for a while returned or developed.
I had a serious injury 45 years ago. Among other things, unknowingly, my hips wound up being affected. Around 25 years ago I was at the point of needing both hips replaced or getting a wheel chair. My orthopedic surgeon suggested that I try a device that came available with my insurance. I used it and got back my ability to walk without any problems. 14 years later I started having problems again. The original injury was still healed but arthritis had set in and was causing me problems with walking again. It has been progressing since then to the point that just going grocery shopping takes me forever. I’m exhausted by the time I get home and walking is affected for days. It’s progressively taking more days, the pain doesn’t fully go away anymore and I don’t really bounce back like before.
Around 10 years ago I believe I had a minor stroke. It was during a stressful situation I was having with my parents. I read a message from my wife about a meeting with my dad and stepmom and it didn’t sit well with me. One of my coworkers noticed that I was struggling with my words and had slurred speech. She said that my head and ears were bright red and that the left side of my face was slumping. Ever since this I’ve had problems that slowly develop with my short and long term memory. It’s so frustrating trying to keep up with things that I’m doing from minute to minute.
Art wise….
I lost my main computer for illustrating. I still have my IPad but I did final editing and adjustments on that desktop. I was able to wake Artsy up one more time and double backed it up so I would have all that work. The laptop I have doesn’t have the drawing program or the graphics capabilities. It’s also Windows 7 so internet is on again off again continuously.
Traditional art is a bit harder than it used to be. I don’t have the tools I used to have when I was doing it more full time.
It’s been hard staying motivated but I know this story has to be told. It feels like multiple books already.
Where I’m at now.
I have continued with the journal, making sketch notes of the locations that the creatures I’ve been creating live in.
I’ve also been working on writing the story of that world. I’m trying a different style of writing and storytelling. It’s from a current perspective for the characters. It’s also less of a narrative format. I want the reader to feel as if they are there experiencing things with the characters.
I’ve given strong consideration of a written and illustrated companion guide with reference details explaining things in the main story. These guides will be specific to each book they reference.
I’m still open for commissions to illustrate your creature portraits from the Grotesque Moi collection. Details are available in my shop under the tier banners. http://www.xtillos.com/shop
I hope you all are well! I’ll update when I’ve gotten a little further along. Thank you for your support!
