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 self-management, balancing hard and soft skills, and mental health. He discusses various tools and techniques, such as Tourbox and Descript, that enhance his workflow and productivity. Josh also highlights the value of continuous learning, archiving, and experiencing life outside of art to maintain creativity and personal growth.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 Embrace the unique journey of becoming a digital artist, as everyone's path will differ.
  • 📅 Develop a personal planning method to manage tasks and goals, starting with small and medium-sized plans.
  • 🚀 Utilize daily and yearly goals to work backwards and forwards, taking initiative in designing your life.
  • 🎮 Begin your day with an enjoyable activity to stay motivated and maintain a positive work-life balance.
  • ✍️ Focus on storytelling and writing as fundamental skills for both artwork and educational content creation.
  • 📹 Learn video editing and cinematography to enhance your artistic expression and engage with your audience.
  • 🌟 Diversify your skills and mediums, much like artist James Jean, to keep your work fresh and versatile.
  • 🖌️ Embrace the power of emotion as a unique sense that can greatly impact your art and connect with your audience.
  • 🔧 Become proficient in tools like Pages, DaVinci Resolve, and Descript to streamline your creative process.
  • 🎯 Prioritize mental health and stress management to maintain a healthy and productive creative practice.

Q & A

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

    -Ergo Josh addresses the challenges of building a career as an independent artist, including the frustration and confusion that comes with it, as well as the difficulty of knowing where to start and maintaining a work-life balance.

  • What does Ergo Josh suggest for managing one's own career as an artist?

    -Ergo Josh suggests creating a plan for regular activities, setting both short-term and long-term goals, and working backwards and forwards from there. He emphasizes the importance of taking initiative in designing one's life.

  • How does Ergo Josh handle personal habits in relation to productivity?

    -Ergo Josh recommends recognizing personal habits and working with them rather than trying to start or quit anything cold turkey. He personally starts his day with something fun to get motivated.

  • What role does storytelling play in Ergo Josh's work?

    -Storytelling plays a crucial role in Ergo Josh's work as he believes that everything he does can be broken down into text. He uses storytelling to guide viewers through his work and to convey narratives with less effort on their part.

  • Which software does Ergo Josh use for video editing?

    -Ergo Josh uses DaVinci Resolve Studio for editing all of his videos, and he also utilizes Descript for text-based video editing, which he finds efficient and time-saving.

  • How does Ergo Josh feel about the Tourbox device?

    -Ergo Josh highly appreciates the Tourbox device, especially the Tourbox Elite and Tourbox NEO models, as they have significantly improved his workflow and editing efficiency. He also mentions that the Tourbox Lite is a good budget option for beginners.

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

    -Archiving and bookkeeping are important for artists as they allow for future reference, boost morale by reflecting on past achievements, and make it easier to access old records for potential future creations.

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

    -Ergo Josh sets specific times to check comments and emails, avoids checking the performance of his videos or artwork immediately after posting, and gives himself permission to remove or hide comments that do not align with the community he wants to build.

  • What is Ergo Josh's approach to learning and growth in his artistic career?

    -Ergo Josh emphasizes the importance of regularly making time for growth and new experiences, learning from others, and studying one's own work. He also believes in the value of trying new things and expanding one's skillset.

  • Why does Ergo Josh believe it's important to take time away from art?

    -Ergo Josh believes that taking time away from art is necessary for recharging creativity and maintaining the most potent creative potential in one's work. He suggests engaging in other creative activities or experiences to balance the output of creativity.

  • How does Ergo Josh feel about the Tourbox Elite giveaway he is hosting?

    -Ergo Josh is excited about the surprise Tourbox Elite giveaway he is hosting, and he encourages viewers to participate by commenting on the video about what they have learned or done to make life as an artist easier.

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 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 for Artistic Success

The paragraph discusses the importance of storytelling in writing and video editing for artists. Josh explains how creating a narrative with artwork is crucial and how video, as a powerful medium, can engage the audience's senses. He mentions his journey with photography and learning to craft light for different moods in videos and artwork. The video also touches on the versatility of artists like James Jean, who work in various media, and the use of software like Pages and DaVinci Resolve Studio for content creation.

10:02

🖌️ Enhancing Creativity with Tools

Josh talks about the role of tools like the Tourbox Console* in enhancing his editing workflow. He describes how the Tourbox device family, with its customizable keypads, has made him a better editor by increasing efficiency and enjoyment. He also introduces Descript, a text-based video editing software, and how it has helped him reduce mistakes and achieve more concise content delivery. Josh emphasizes the importance of archiving and bookkeeping in an artist's growth and the value of studying one's own work for improvement.

15:02

💡 Social Skills and Mental Health

In this part, Josh discusses the importance of social skills for artists, such as engaging with other artists for growth and creativity. He shares his personal preference for voice calls and the benefits of having stimulating discussions. The video also addresses managing mental health, including setting times to check comments and emails to reduce stress. Josh talks about creating a positive community and the value of making time for growth and new experiences to maintain creative potential.

20:03

🌟 Balancing Creativity and Life

Josh concludes the video by emphasizing the need for balance in creativity. He suggests that taking time away from art to engage in other creative pursuits is essential for recharging and growing as an artist. He shares personal experiences with keyboard modding, learning new devices like the Tourbox, and physical activities that contribute to mental well-being and creative stimulation. The video ends with a reminder to stay balanced and take care of oneself while pursuing artistic endeavors.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Digital Artist

A digital artist is an individual who uses digital technology and computer software to create art. In the context of the video, the speaker is a digital artist who shares insights on building a career in this field, emphasizing the challenges and skills required to succeed.

💡Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance refers to the equilibrium between an individual's professional responsibilities and personal life. The speaker discusses the importance of maintaining this balance to avoid art block and manage stress, which is crucial for independent artists to sustain their creativity and mental health.

💡Storytelling

Storytelling is the art of telling stories to engage and inform an audience. The speaker highlights the significance of storytelling in digital art, where artists use narratives to guide viewers through their work and convey messages effectively. This skill is also applied in creating educational and entertainment content.

💡Video Editing

Video editing is the process of manipulating and combining video clips to create a final product. The speaker mentions video editing as a vital skill for artists to enhance their work, making their content more appealing and informative. It is a key component in the speaker's career and income generation.

💡Cinematography

Cinematography refers to the art of capturing visual images with a camera. The speaker discusses its importance in creating mood and conveying information in videos and artwork, indicating that effective use of light and camera techniques can significantly impact the quality of an artist's creations.

💡Tourbox

Tourbox is a customizable input device designed to improve workflow efficiency, particularly for digital artists and creators. The speaker uses Tourbox in their daily work, highlighting its features and benefits, such as reducing editing time and enhancing the creative process.

💡Archiving

Archiving is the process of collecting and preserving records or content for future reference. The speaker emphasizes the value of archiving in tracking progress and achievements, which can boost morale and provide a resource for future creative endeavors.

💡Mental Health

Mental health refers to an individual's psychological and emotional well-being. The speaker discusses managing mental health as a critical aspect of building a career as an independent artist, sharing personal strategies such as setting specific times to check notifications and prioritizing personal growth and experiences.

💡Social Skills

Social skills are the abilities to interact and communicate effectively with others. The speaker advocates for the importance of developing social skills for artists to foster growth and creativity through interactions with other artists and community members.

💡Self-Care

Self-care refers to the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health. In the context of the video, the speaker stresses the importance of taking time away from art to recharge and engage in other creative or relaxing activities, which is essential for maintaining long-term creativity and mental well-being.

💡Lifelong Learning

Lifelong learning is the ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for personal or professional reasons. The speaker encourages artists to continually seek new experiences and knowledge, such as studying anatomy or exploring traditional art forms, to enhance their skills and stay motivated in their artistic journey.

Highlights

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

Building a career as an independent artist can be frustrating and confusing, but learning from others' experiences 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 for artists, as it helps convey the narrative behind their work with less effort from the viewer.

Video editing and cinematography are essential skills for artists, as they can enhance the sharing of knowledge and information.

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

The sense of touch or feeling, particularly emotion, is powerful in art as it is difficult to fake and relates to all humanity.

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

DaVinci Resolve Studio is Ergo Josh's video editing software of choice, with a one-time payment option and robust features.

The Tourbox Console app is praised for its keypad customization and ease of use with various software, including DaVinci Resolve.

Descript is a new tool for video editing based on text, which Ergo Josh finds efficient and time-saving for editing his videos.

Archiving and bookkeeping are recommended skills for artists to keep track of their work and boost their morale over time.

Social skills are important for artists to stimulate growth and creativity through discussions with other artists.

Mental health is crucial for artists, and Ergo Josh suggests managing stress levels and setting times to check comments and emails.

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

The video is sponsored by Tourbox Tech, and Ergo Josh discusses different Tourbox models and their features.

Ergo Josh concludes by encouraging viewers to stay balanced and take care of themselves on their artistic journey.