Broken Pencil

   Not always do your works come out and everyone love it. To be honest with you most of the time, the only people who will really enjoy or see your first projects are you family and friends. The objective of being an amazing illustrator is diligence. When I was a freshman at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, my professor was a very stubborn and hard man. He would walk around to each illustrator and give tips and hints to becoming better, while evaluating their talent and work ethic. Soon he came to this arrogant and cocky student. He would talk and act as if his work was next to God. Soon My professor came up behind him and said "let me see your pencil." The student very arrogantly gave him the pencil with a smirk and stepped back. My professor turned to the student, broke the pencil and threw it out the window. He then told the student, "You should change your major.", clearly a very mean move but honest.
   The reality of it all is that you're going to hit rough times. The student did change his major and to be honest, it was for the best. The one's who take the criticism and roll with it. Now don't get me wrong it's going to suck for more than a day, or more than a week; but it's those who take those issues and keep going who are real artists. I had a friend who turned in an assignment along side mine and got a better grade. In my eyes I saw myself as the better artist and when he got the better grade, I almost lost it. I complained, threw my hands up and just couldn't find a reason. Hindsight shows that he deserved it because the boy could do environments like nobodies business. After that day I fought for every grade and worked on everything that I believed I was weak at. I believe every artist should take this saying to heart, and every person seeing themselves as a work of art believe this. A broken pencil can still write. So hey everyone out there keep working and keep surviving, long suffering will bring you closer to God and closer to success.