The Secrets to Work-Life Balance as an Artist in 2024

e r g o j o s h
2 Apr 202423:39

TLDRIn this video, Ergo Josh shares insights on becoming a successful digital artist, emphasizing the importance of managing oneself, honing both hard and soft skills, and maintaining mental health. He discusses the value of storytelling, video editing, and the creative process, while also highlighting tools like Tourbox and Descript to enhance workflow. Josh encourages continuous learning, archiving, and experiencing life outside of art to stimulate creativity and personal growth.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 Embrace the unique journey of becoming a digital artist, as everyone's path will differ.
  • 📅 Develop a planning system that works for you to manage tasks and goals effectively.
  • 💡 Recognize the importance of both hard and soft skills in addition to art-making abilities.
  • ✍️ Focus on storytelling and writing as fundamental skills to enhance your artwork and communication.
  • 📹 Learn video editing and cinematography to diversify your skills and increase your audience engagement.
  • 🌟 Archive and bookkeep your work to track progress, maintain a portfolio, and improve over time.
  • 🤝 Engage in social interactions with other artists to stimulate growth and creativity.
  • 💪 Prioritize mental health by managing stress, setting boundaries, and creating a positive online environment.
  • 🚀 Continuously seek new experiences and knowledge to fuel your creativity and keep your skills sharp.
  • 🎯 Be open to learning and integrating new tools and techniques into your creative process.

Q & A

  • What is the main challenge Ergo Josh addresses in the video?

    -The main challenge Ergo Josh addresses is the frustration and confusion that comes with building a career as an independent digital artist, including managing art block, work-life balance, and receiving conflicting advice.

  • What is Ergo Josh's goal for the video?

    -Ergo Josh's goal for the video is to share key daily practices and insights that can help aspiring digital artists learn more about what they like and don't like, and explore further based on his experiences.

  • How does Ergo Josh manage his daily tasks and goals?

    -Ergo Josh manages his daily tasks and goals by using a combination of digital and physical planning tools, starting small and medium-sized projects, and working backwards and forwards from there.

  • What is the significance of storytelling in Ergo Josh's work?

    -Storytelling is significant in Ergo Josh's work as it helps guide the viewer effortlessly through his art and videos, making it easier for them to understand and connect with the narrative he wants to convey.

  • Which software does Ergo Josh use for video editing?

    -Ergo Josh uses DaVinci Resolve Studio for video editing, and he also mentions using Descript for text-based video editing.

  • How does Ergo Josh handle his mental health in relation to his work?

    -Ergo Josh handles his mental health by setting specific times to check comments and emails, not immediately checking the performance of his new videos or artwork, and creating a positive community environment by removing or hiding inappropriate comments.

  • What is the importance of archiving and bookkeeping for an artist according to Ergo Josh?

    -Archiving and bookkeeping are important for an artist as they allow for future reference, boost morale by reflecting on past achievements, and make it easier to study one's process for continuous improvement.

  • What role do soft skills play in an artist's career according to Ergo Josh?

    -Soft skills play a crucial role in an artist's career as they facilitate growth and creativity through interactions and discussions with other artists, which can't be learned solely through online resources or books.

  • How does Ergo Josh stay updated with his skills and knowledge?

    -Ergo Josh stays updated by learning from others directly, taking courses, studying subjects like human anatomy, and constantly pushing himself to try new things in his digital work and other related fields.

  • What is the role of new experiences in Ergo Josh's creative process?

    -New experiences play a vital role in Ergo Josh's creative process by providing fresh perspectives, recharging his creativity, and enhancing his overall skill set, which in turn can make him stand out in his field.

  • How does Ergo Josh use the Tourbox device in his work?

    -Ergo Josh uses the Tourbox device to enhance his workflow efficiency, particularly in video editing, by customizing the keypad with different tools and commands, and using it in conjunction with other software like Descript.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Journey of a Digital Artist

Ergo Josh introduces the topic of becoming a digital artist, highlighting the challenges and confusion that come with building a career as an independent artist. He shares his personal experiences from six years in the field and emphasizes that everyone's journey will be different. The video aims to provide insights into daily tasks and strategies that can help artists discover their preferences and areas for exploration. Sponsored by Tourbox Tech, the video will discuss the importance of managing oneself, developing hard and soft skills, and the unexpected aspects of being an artist beyond creating art.

05:01

📸 Skills and Tools for Artistic Success

The speaker delves into the technical and hard skills essential for a successful artistic career, such as storytelling in writing, video editing, and cinematography. He emphasizes the importance of using all senses to convey information and shares personal experiences with various equipment and techniques. The narrative highlights the work of James Jean as an example of versatility in artistic mediums. The speaker also discusses the role of software in his workflow, including Pages for scriptwriting, DaVinci Resolve Studio for video editing, and the Tourbox Console for customizing keypads.

10:02

🖌️ Enhancing Creativity and Efficiency

The paragraph focuses on the use of Descript as a revolutionary tool for video editing based on text, which simplifies the editing process by allowing changes through a word processor interface. The speaker praises the efficiency and time-saving aspect of Descript, which integrates well with DaVinci Resolve. The discussion extends to different Tourbox models, their features, and how they improve the editing workflow. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of archiving and bookkeeping, learned from architecture school, for future reference and morale boosting.

15:02

💡 Social Skills and Mental Health

This section discusses the importance of social interactions with other artists for mutual growth and creativity, and the speaker's preference for voice calls. The speaker shares a life tip about learning from others beyond online resources and books. The topic of mental health is introduced as a crucial component for anyone creating their own career. The speaker shares personal habits for managing stress and mental health, such as setting specific times to check comments and emails, and not immediately checking the performance of new content. The speaker also talks about the importance of making time for growth and new experiences to maintain creative potential.

20:03

🌟 Balancing Art and Life

The speaker concludes by emphasizing the need for balance between creativity and other aspects of life. He suggests various activities for recharging and growing as a person, which in turn can enhance one's artistic abilities. The speaker shares personal interests in thermodynamics, keyboard modding, and human anatomy as examples of growth areas. The video ends with a message of gratitude, a thank you to Tourbox for sponsorship, and encouragement for viewers to maintain balance in their creative pursuits.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Digital Artist

A digital artist is someone who uses digital technology as their primary tool for creating art. This can include various forms such as graphic design, digital painting, animation, and more. In the context of the video, the speaker is discussing their journey and the secrets to becoming successful in this field, emphasizing the importance of not only creating art but also developing a variety of skills and maintaining a balanced lifestyle.

💡Independent Artist

An independent artist, as mentioned in the video, is a creative professional who operates without being signed to a major label, gallery, or studio. They are responsible for managing their own career, which includes marketing, distribution, and often the financial aspects of their work. The speaker shares their experiences as an independent artist and the challenges that come with it, such as dealing with art block and work-life balance.

💡Storytelling

Storytelling is the art of telling stories in a compelling and engaging manner. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of storytelling in both their artwork and educational content creation. They believe that being able to convey a narrative effectively is crucial for guiding viewers through their work and making a connection with them.

💡Video Editing

Video editing is the process of manipulating and arranging video shots to create a new work. The speaker discusses how video editing and cinematography have become essential skills in their career as an artist, allowing them to share knowledge and create engaging content. They mention using software like DaVinci Resolve Studio for editing their videos.

💡Cinematography

Cinematography refers to the art of capturing visual elements in filmmaking to produce a visually engaging and expressive story. In the context of the video, the speaker highlights the importance of learning how to craft and shape light to create different moods in their videos and artwork, which is a key aspect of cinematography.

💡Tourbox

The Tourbox is a customizable input device designed to streamline the workflow of digital creators, particularly in tasks like video editing and graphic design. The speaker mentions using the Tourbox in their daily work and how it has improved their efficiency and enjoyment in editing videos.

💡Descript

Descript is a software tool that enables video editing based on a text transcript rather than traditional timeline-based editing. The speaker praises Descript for saving time and simplifying the editing process, allowing them to make precise edits to their videos by manipulating the text document instead of the video footage directly.

💡Mental Health

Mental health refers to an individual's psychological and emotional well-being. In the video, the speaker discusses the importance of managing one's mental health, especially for creatives, and shares personal strategies such as setting specific times to check comments and emails to reduce stress and maintain focus on creative work.

💡Archiving

Archiving is the process of collecting and preserving records, documents, or other materials for future reference or use. In the context of the video, the speaker talks about the importance of archiving their work at the end of each project, which not only serves as a record of their progress but also helps in boosting morale and providing material for future creative endeavors.

💡Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping refers to the recording of financial transactions for a business or individual. In the video, the speaker recommends practicing archiving and bookkeeping as essential skills for managing one's career as an independent artist, which helps in tracking income, expenses, and financial growth.

💡Growth and New Experiences

Growth and new experiences refer to the process of learning and trying new things outside of one's comfort zone to expand knowledge and skills. The speaker in the video emphasizes the importance of making time for growth and new experiences to recharge creativity and maintain a potent creative potential in one's work.

Highlights

Ergo Josh shares insights on becoming a digital artist, emphasizing that everyone's journey will be different.

Building a career as an independent artist can be frustrating and confusing, but learning from others can be helpful.

Balancing art block and work-life balance is crucial, and managing oneself is the first and most difficult step.

Ergo Josh recommends planning and setting goals, starting small and working backwards and forwards from there.

The importance of recognizing and working with personal habits is highlighted, rather than trying to change them abruptly.

Storytelling in writing is a key skill, as everything can be broken down into text, and it's the simplest way to start anything.

Video editing and cinematography are essential skills for artists, as they help in sharing knowledge and engaging with the audience.

Ergo Josh discusses the importance of using multiple senses to convey information, not just sight or sound.

The sense of touch or feeling, especially emotion, is powerful as it's hard to fake and relates to everyone instantly.

Ergo Josh uses Pages for drafting and final scripts, and the Elgato foot pedal and Prompter for reading scripts.

DaVinci Resolve Studio is recommended for video editing, with its one-time payment option and extensive functionality.

The Tourbox Console app is praised for its robust keypad customization and ease of use with various software.

Descript is introduced as a new addition to the creator's toolkit, a text-based video editing software that saves time.

Archiving and bookkeeping are essential skills for artists, as they help in boosting morale and providing future references.

Social skills are important for artists, and engaging with other artists can stimulate growth and creativity.

Managing mental health is crucial for anyone creating their own career, and Ergo Josh shares his habits for maintaining a secure mind.

Ergo Josh emphasizes the importance of making time for growth and new experiences to maintain potent creative potential.

Prioritizing time away from art is necessary for recharging creativity and growing as an individual.

Ergo Josh concludes by thanking everyone for watching and thanks Tourbox for sponsoring the video.