Another One Down

My latest “SOP” Project is finally finished! For the past few weeks I’ve stolen a moment here and a few moments there while at work and in my home office late at night to work on my most recently finished “Training Wheels” story. This one (the longest one so far) is called ‘The Stilt Garage,’ a strange title, no doubt, until you’ve read the story. I debuted it officially the other night to my two daughters at bed time and was impressed (and a little surprised) at how much of it my 6-year-old understood. As she always does at the end, she eagerly repeated to me what she had understood to be the underlying plot, moral, and varying details of this new story. My 4-year-old, on the other hand, had fallen asleep during the reading. Nice. Ah, well….she is only 4.

I’ve already got an idea for the next two stories that I’ll be writing soon. In the meantime, as they develop, I think maybe I’ll start illustrating my first one now that I have several stories finished. Believe it or not, I think illustrating them will be the hard part for me – fun - but a bit of a challenge. I’ve flirted with the idea of hiring another artist to illustrate them simple to have them get done sooner. I’ve enjoyed writing them so much that illustrating them has seemed almost a chore. Last night, however, while discussing this point with my better half, I was reminded about dumb I would feel having a series of books on the market who’s cover said, “Written by Ty Harmon and illustrated by Mr. Some Other Dude.” A good point. She’s totally right. No matter how long it takes me to illustrate them, I NEED to be the one do it.

The Amazing Glennardo!

I just got off the phone with my kid-brother Glenn, who just happens to be one of my very favorite people. I look up to him a lot. He’s shown a lot of ambition in the last few years in chasing his dreams to become a big time animation artist, and this week, all his work has finally paid off! He just told me that he’s moving to L.A. to take a job as a Story Artist with Sony Pictures!!! I’m SOOO excited for him!!! Selfishly, I’m secretly excited, too, because he’ll only be 4 hours away from me now! Just a few days ago he was on the verge of accepting an offer to work for Blue Sky Animation in New York. That would have AWESOME for him, and really hard for us. L.A. will prove to be a GREAT opportunity for him too! Here is a link to a site that shows some of the TYPES of things he'll be working on. Oh, and did I mention that I taught him everything he knows about art??? (pshhhh, right. I wish....)

Congratulations Glenn!!!

Keeping the Bunny Energized

I’ve always been a very up-and-down kind of guy. I’m the type of person who wears his emotions on his sleeve for the entire world to see ALL the time. I have a really hard time concealing it. The change in my continence is not only obvious, but often. I’m like a roller coaster… up, down, up down, up, down… If I’m feeling disappointed or depressed, it’s obvious from my deflated posture and sullen facial expressions. When I’m successful or excited, there’s a noticeable spring in my step, a grin splitting my face in half and a palpable energy around me. I can barely contain myself with the need to share my glee! Mad, nervous, stressed, frustrated, confused… it’s all the same. Obvious, and…. up, down, up, down, up down. My face is like a billboard exclaiming to all passers by how my day is going. I don’t do any of this intentionally. I’m not sure how to NOT do it. Conversely, and inconceivably, I have friends who, upon winning the lottery, would react as though they had just heard the beep of a microwave telling them that their hot pocket lunch is ready. “Oh, that’s good.” That's it?? That kind of temperment and mentality baffles me to no end. No passion, no exageration, no zeal...

I’m also a very idea-infatuated person. I’ve got more ideas bouncing around in my little head than Las Vegas has hotel rooms! Some of them are even good ideas. With all of this neural activity, one tends to shift from inspiration to ambitition, then distraction, deflation, and finally frustration… all in short succession.

I’m no Energizer Bunny! The constant mixing of all that brain traffic and roller coaster mood-swinging can be exhausting. And being this way, my ABs (Ambition Batteries) often require recharging. Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. I agree. And I’ve not only discovered the necessity to recharge my ambition batteries, but I’ve also invented several methods to do it. These work for me anyway…

Discover what inspires you, and inspire yourself with it regularly: For me, this means audio books, success stories on YouTube, and casual drives through rich neighborhoods. Although I’m always looking for new ones, I listen to the same 2 audio books over and over and over again. Each time, I get something totally new from them and ALWAYS a charge to my “ABs!” I love watching clips from interviews and documentaries on YouTube about successful people. There’s just something very inspiring about see “how they did it.” I love driving through neighborhoods of the wealthy. I like to see their lavish yards, fancy cars and amazing houses. It helps me to remember what’s possible with hard work, creativity, and innovative thinking.

Surround yourself with like-minded “birds of a feather”: You don’t play in the mud with pigs without getting dirty, and you don’t surround yourself with smokers without eventually smelling like one. The same can be said about cleanliness, education and success. Becoming what you want to be can be greatly accelerated by associating with those who are already living it.

Keep your eye on the prize through lists: Achieving many little goals leads to achieve the big ones. Slow-going or not, a step in the right direction every day will eventually result in arriving at the desired destination. I’m a total list-maker. Every day I create a new list, check things off when they’re done, and then start over again the next day. Writing things down not only frees up my mind for more active brain traffic, but it also helps me sleep more soundly, feel more accomplished, actually achieve more goals, and, in the end, keep my “ABs” charged.

Simple Words of Wisdom

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic and power in it. Begin it now.”

~ W. H. Murray

Most Recent Logo Design

I just finished this logo design for a company in California called "House of Chocolate."

I've been told that the difference between a customer and a client is "repeat business." Most of the logo design work I do is for one-timers. Not too many people need more than one logo design unless they're ambitious enough to have more than one business venture going on. Consiquently, I typically don't hear back from my customers after finishing their logo designs. Every once in a while, though, I'll get an extra ambitious customer who, after having worked with me before and loving what we came up with, will commission me for another project, thus officially becoming one of my "clients." I love these business relationships. Typically all that is required are the details of the new design and we're off and running.

This logo was done for a "Client." This particular client was a delight to work with. She didn't even contact me to let me know she needed a new logo in an email. Instead, I suddenly had a 50% deposit arrive in my Paypal account with a little note from her saying that she need another design. What a lovely surprise! Wish all my business dealings could be so easy. Thanks House of Chocolate! Mmmmm... Kind of makes your mouth water, doesn't it?

"Training Wheels" #5

Well, today was a holiday (Labor Day) and I used my free time to write. Knowing how important my creative time is to me, my wife was kind enough to "allow" me to hide in my office for a large part of the day. Eventually I came out long enough to get some "extra Saturday" work done in the garage, but by then I had already had my fill of being creative.

I finally finished writing my 5th "Training Wheels" children's story today! I've been working on this one for a while, and I'm really happy with it. It's called "The Tree-Man's Trade." I tested it out tonight on my two little daughters for their bedtime story tonight. They were entertained, and that is all I could ask for. My oldest, being my biggest fan, paid extra close attention to the story, and when it was finished, told me that she was very proud of me for writing such a great story. What a good kid.

Now I've got to get these first 5 stories illustrated and find myself a good literary agent. Not sure what that's going to run me, but I'm assuming it won't be cheep. I'm going to start my 6th title tomorrow. I've already got a lot of ideas for it.