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This is my daily regime:

6AM

Arise and drink a cup of coffee.

730AM

Teach in the junior college.

930AM

Answer correspondence and attend to administrative matters.

1030AM

Lead chapel services, including the doxology.

11AM – 12PM

Office hour open to all students.

1PM – 330PM

Luncheon at chicago club and meet with potential donors in business manager’s office, 135 Adams.

4PM

Teach in the junior college.

6PM – 8PM

Teach graduate seminar.

830PM

Supper with Mrs Harper and the children.

930PM

Retire to study for purposes of scholarship and composition.

12AM

Coronet practice and light lunch.

1AM

To bed, having endeavored to use the day to the fullest.

The greatest single element necessary for the cultivation of the academic spirit is the feeling of freedom from interference. It is only those who have this feeling that are able to do work which in the highest sense will be beneficial to humanity.

-President William Rainey Harper

Tags: ::HISTORY::, ::LISTS::, carpe diem, chicago, daily routine, doxology, president harper, quote, university of chicago, william rainey harper

For as long as I can remember I have been a passive person by nature, at times unable to express my true beliefs and feelings for fear of causing offence or sparking a quarrel. Seeing this process at work must be bizarre and entertaining to those many people who speak their mind candidly and often bashfully. The one occasion at which this can be seen at its most hilarious and pathetic is when Jehovah’s Witnesses call by for a chat. I am not in opposition to religion and I am completely open to the concept of an intelligent creator, but what I am not open to is conversion. My beliefs are independent and shall remain such.

On this particular morning I was nettled after losing an important memory stick in a tangled clutter of cables and other electrical equipment, eventually halting the search after coming to the conclusion that said memory stick was now forever lost in the Bermuda Triangle that is my abode. I returned downstairs with a fresh memory stick to recopy some files, feed myself and hit my morning dose of caffeine. Seconds after passing the front door, a heavy knock followed. Under normal circumstances I would have ignored it but, now caught in clear view of the window, I felt compelled to answer. I opened the door to find two men stood, one of which was taking refuge behind a wall whilst the other acknowledged my presence by forcing a leaflet under my nose and reciting his “conversion speech”, beginning with the question: “Do you want peace on earth?”.

We have a lot in common.

Tags: ::ESSAYS ABOUT REAL LIFE::, ::SPIRITUALITY::, daily routine, god does exist, jehovah's witness, religion, watchtower

Discipline is essential. It is the key to getting through the so-called “artist slumps” that one encounters so very often. I try to feed my discipline with daily motivation from other artists around the world and with rigorous sketching routines.

Writing things down helps a lot as well. I have sticky notes all over my computer monitor at times. It has a list of my daily responsibilities as well as motivational quotes I might have picked up along the way and I jot them down to give me the extra kick while working.

I have also made a rule for myself to do at least one life drawing a day regardless of the amount of work I am facing. Not only does this help me loosen up a bit from my commercial work, but it works as somewhat of a refresh button for me. While at times I have music blaring in the background, I have found myself listening to either audio books or spiritual sermons more often lately to help me establish a mental focus as I work and get into the so-called zone.

I believe it is extremely essential to have an artist community that an artist should be part of as well. It is extremely important for me to meet at least once a week with fellow illustrators and either go out sketching or have some discussions related to art, share each other’s new work, talk about clients, share ideas and so forth.

If you look at any of the well known illustrators today: Tomer Hanuka, James Jean, Yuko Shimizu, Sam Weber, Jillian Tamaki, Marcos Chin… and so on. What do they all have in common? (except their success?)… “They all know each other!!!” They are a community. They either went to school together or they hang out on a weekly basis.

The artist community is very essential to an artist’s career.

::Tin Salamunic also writes at http://www.salamunicart.blogspot.com/::

Tags: ::ART::, artist community, artist profile, daily routine, illustration, james jean, jillian tamaki, manual to digital, marcos chin, sam weber, tin salamunic, tomer hanuka, yuko shimizu