2011-Let's Do This Thing!

It's a New Year and a fresh start! I have so much ambition for this year, it's a little ridiculous. It's okay because I think I've learned exactly how much I can commit myself to and still follow through.

My intentions for the year are:
*Portfolio
*Promotion
*Progress
*Community

These translate into:
*Project 52- a personal art project where I pick a theme each month, and dedicate myself to creating at least one sketch a week in response to that theme. In order to hold myself accountable, I will publish the sketches every week on this blog on Tuesdays. The themes will be subjects I feel my portfolio is lacking in as a children's illustrator. The goal is to have fifty-two sketches by year's end with at least one solid, full-color piece at the end of each month that is portfolio worthy. (I'd like to be all ambitious and say a sketch every day, and a full-color piece each week, but I'm being realistic. I have a 3 year old and a 5 month old. My days are just a little full.)

*Website redesign, Seasonal postcards, Joining online portfolio sites, Submitting to SCBWI Bulletin, and creating and sharing art that can be downloaded. Each of these promotional activities has been broken down into monthly acts so as not to be too overwhelming.

*Picture Book Dummy Challenge- I'm taking my writing seriously this year, and I am seriously motivated. I am dummying up at least one of my PiBoIdMo ideas. I hope to do a spin-off of Project 52 this summer that could go in the direction of a picture book dummy or promo piece, so either way it's a win-win.

*I'm the Illustrator Coordinator for my SCBWI chapter. That means it's up to me to look out for the interests of the local illustrators and help them grow. My main goal is to set up at least two Sketch Crawls this year, and to get more members to become active outside of the meetings. SCBWI-Houston meets on a weeknight, which can be difficult. I'm hoping if we create an illustrator's group to meet once a month on a weekend day, there can be more of a connection made. Besides that, we have our regional conference in April with a fantastic creative director who is not only presenting a break-out session, he is critiquing portfolios, and judging the portfolio contest as well.

These goals seem relatively simple, yes? Specific enough to stay focused, broad enough to allow for flexibility.  I have a feeling this is going to be a very good year!  What are your intentions for the 2011?