In my sophomore year of college I decided to be an artist. It was a weird decision to make, because really I’ve been an artist all my life. It’s who I am. But it was that moment when I finally found the courage to begin my journey to become a professional artist, to stake my future on my passion.

I spent the next three years experimenting and learning, trying to improve and find my place in the art world. I found that I loved digital media and telling stories through a visual narrative. I started a webcomic. I paved my own way at my small state university by creating my own major combining art, creative writing and emerging media.

And now I’ve reached the end of my college years. In June I will graduate (the first in my dad’s side of the family to do so) and join the professional world. And that scares the hell out of me.

Am I REALLY ready for this?

The truth is, I don’t think so. I thought about going to grad school, but that’s a lot of money for a field that doesn’t require an advanced degree (or any degree, if you’re good enough). I want to see if I can make it on my own first. But while I’m searching for a job, why not teach myself? There are so many resources out there for aspiring artists, from books and workshops to blogs and tutorials. One just needs to take advantage of them.

So I decided to give myself a year to learn everything I can from these sources. And if I don’t land a job in the field by the end of that year, I’ll bite the financial bullet and see what graduate school has to offer.

I’ll be posting documentation of my self-directed studies here, and you, my dear followers, will be privy to all my research, all my study work, all my personal progress. The first six entries will establish a foundation, a pre-graduation analysis of my process, my strengths and weaknesses, and what I’ve already learned.

So I ask you all this: From what you see in my deviantART gallery, what are my strengths and weaknesses? Where do you think I need the most improvement?