I know I haven’t really been around, blogging and such for a while now but I promise I can explain myself!  I’ve been super SUPER busy this semester.  Like losing sleep and grinding on each project, harder than the last.  I typically don’t like to take on commission work during school time but there have been a couple things I’ve bent the rules for in the last two months or so.

Firstly, there was this little thing I got hired to do a couple months ago in the form of album art and package design for Natasha Kozaily.  Natasha is a good personal friend of mine and one of the most talented, passionate musicians I know so of course I jumped over the moon when she asked me to work on this for her.  Now, Nat is also a painter and has her own personal taste in aesthetic and application, so naturally she wanted to contribute to the process as well; and I was totally cool with that.  Figured it would make my job easier.

Fast forward two months or so, after I’ve put in DAYS of work on the album cover alone (not even counting what I’ve put in on the rest of the booklet and package).  After all this, emails/phone calls back and forth and an epic revision or two, I’m paid my deposit and dropped from the project.  Which sucks SO bad.

I mean, it stings on so many levels: I’d had my concept and linears approved MONTHS ago and even used the specific colours she requested, EXACTLY as she’d requested.  I’d also been kinda gypped out of fair payment too (though that was pretty much my fault).  Her lawyer drew up the contract, which was my first mistake, so I was working for a fixed fee rather than the hourly rate I usually charge and there was no revision rate or kill fee to speak of so I certainly lost out.  But I’m okay with missing out on some money because I was initially going to do it for free and I’m okay with doing pro bono work for gigs I’m passionate about (and Nat’s music is incredible).  Still, not cool.

I can’t hold her entirely at fault, though, since I know where she’s coming from.  When you’re working on an album independently (and entirely out of pocket, no less), you tend to want become a control freak and lose your head over the nitty gritty details.  Also, when it’s crunch time, you begin to stress and suddenly, things that you would normally love begin to look horrible and things that you would normally hate become like gold to you.  And if you don’t take a step back and just let your designees do what you’ve hired them to do (usually because it’s what they do for a living), then you can lose out on incredible work and destroy otherwise great working relationships.  And for what?  For her to do the artwork and such herself.  Which is an idea I cringe at; not because she’s not an artist (she is, remember), but because she’s not a designer and she’s no good at type.

Now, just to set the record straight, I still love Nat like cooked food.  I’m still gonna cop her album (more on that in a sec) and we’ll still hopefully work together on other ventures.  I’m also not trying to state that my artwork was the unquestionably and irreplaceably best solution ever (you can make that call for yourself).  I’ve just learnt to cover myself better, contractually, even for passion projects.

On a brighter note, it hasn’t been all bad lately.  Since then, I’ve also had the privilege of working for another singer/songwriter by way of Warner Music Group.  April Smith & the Great Picture Show are a retro pop band from Brooklyn and WMG contacted me to design their new tour t-shirt.  While things started out a little shakily, we managed to get it all figured out and my design is on its way to the printers right now!  It was a much smaller/cheaper job than the Kozaily job but still rewarding (and exciting to have my foot in the door with one of the big four)!  I’ll be getting my own shirt in the mail soon so I’ll be sure to post photos to show it off and links (if any) so you can buy your own, should you feel so inclined!

Another job I took on and managed to ace was a Lady Gaga mix for a fashion/hair show.  Now, I’m the FARTHEST thing from a Lady Gaga fan.  In fact, the only song of hers I find tolerable is Telephone with Beyoncé (ironically, another singer I don’t really dig) but I took the job because I’ve been in a DJ kind of mood for the last month or two and I could use the payday.  Now, the clients had a couple requirements that I had to break to do a good job (6 tracks, mixed down to under 4 minutes) but ultimately they were convinced I did the right thing.  I could either lose two tracks or make it 5 minutes and change.

Finally, the last big thing I’ve gotten done has been recording a verse for Nat’s album!  Yes, see, even after our difficulties, I’m still mature enough to take a loss and just do the other things I do, as well as I can.  That being said, I’ll be featured on her re-recording of the song Mix It In and, as far as I know, I’m the only featured guest on the album.  So that’s kind of cool (and I’m getting paid for that too).

So as you can see, I’ve been incredibly busy lately but not without purpose and of the four jobs I’ve worked on in the last three months or so, I’ve only flubbed one.  I’m considering putting “75% Success Rate” on my next business card!  But not really.  God’s been good to me and with the next few things I have coming up, I pray his grace will continue to bless me :)