Ironic Timing

So today is a pretty huge day for my long time palaeo-friend Peter Bond. He just had his first legitimate palaeo-art publication with his illustrating our mutual ex-Tyrrell friend Caleb Brown's description of a new species of Thescelosaurus.

This makes Peter the first of the two of us to achieve legitimate Palaeo-artist status. I'm very happy for him.

This however has done a sever number on my self esteem today. Not due to Peter's publication directly, more his tactics and resulting success compared to my own. There is an implication about my own art I can not help avoid detecting.

Whereas I've been proactively canvasing and approaching scientists in a hope of finding an interested party to create art for, Peter simply posted his stuff on ART Evolved and our friend Caleb approached him. So in Peter's case who he knew was as useful as having the art they wanted. In my case I've had every one of my contacts refuse or reject me (in one case mid art creation). Leaving me to ponder does my art suck?

I can not be sure. I know as a matter of fact this year has seen my art ascend to the next level. If even just accidentally. Whenever I open any of my pre 2011 models I immediately have to embark on a major overhaul of them as they are not up to my current abilities.

So in all honesty I may not have been up to the big league standard until now. The question is am I there yet?

I'm also questioning whether approaching people I know is the way to go. My only current hopes lay in essentially strangers (who I approached for totally non-art reasons initially).

So here is to Peter, and may this be the beginning of a brilliant hobby career! Now I just need to sort out my own $h!t...

Ironically I'd started retooling my Leaellynasaura model on the weekend while talking to Bond, which is basically a Thescelosaurus. So I guess I'll call it a tribute to Peter.

In reality its a WIP, so thoughts would be welcome. I can use this for both my New Zealand Palaeo and Traumador books (as I have a CSIish case for Traum Cretaceous NZ)