TACKLE THE UNKNOWN IN THE NAME OF ART
Always up for a challenge, Steve reveals why he thinks artists shouldn’t always play to their strengths
“I’m told that challenges are good for the soul. When a new roadblock comes up – and they always will – what does one do? I suggest trying to cushion your hesitation or fear, and remember why you were driven to pick up a pencil in the first place. Of course, every new piece will challenge you, often in uncomfortable ways. My teacher, Mr Kampen, was the first to talk to me about inertia, and that overcoming it, along with hesitation or fear, can scare the best of us.
All of these painted covers I’ve done over the years were challenges. One thing I’ve always believed in is not catering to an artist based on his preferences. If one is known for drawing dinosaurs, give them a story that requires skyscrapers and people in tailored business suits. If you’re out of your element in something, well, I’d just go to the library and research it, or find the real thing and take pictures or do sketches.
Is this hard? No harder than anything else in life or, say, taking time to answer the questions for this article. As wisdom might denote, ignoring challenges doesn’t work, nor does burying your head in the sand. I knew nothing about motorcycles or sailing ships, for example, but one of the stories demanded it, and I had to do something about it.
Learning to overcome ourselves is a life-long pursuit. Dealing with really difficult things seems to be part of the contract we sign at birth. Try and make it count.”