Now that we know our destination it’s time to start planning our trip. This is probably one of the most important steps in the process. First thing we’ll need is a map. The better the map the easier the trip. On the CI podcast, Chris and I began our trip by preparing a mind map. If you’re not familiar with mind mapping or missed the episode I highly recommend going back and giving it a listen (check out CI-ep-206).

We chose to record our journey using MindMeister. It allowed us to collaborate online and update each other with email alerts. We recorded our ideas for the show, this site, and everything else we could think of related to future plans for CI. We refer to and update our mind map all the time. It is in a constant state of evolution. Each time we have a great idea or a shift in direction we refer to the map. Without it we would more then likely forget half the ideas we’ve had. It keeps us focused and also allows us the flexibility to build and grow.

The mind map will be the main building block for the next several lesson plans. In the next post we’ll take a look at how to construct a mind map of your very own.

Homework: Download FreeMind or the free version of MindMeister and begin messing around with them a little bit (I believe you can find tutorials on both sites). Either program will work well for future posts. MindMeister has recently announced a tie in with Google Docs.

Authors note. Do to unforeseen and unrelated events for both Chris and myself we’ve had to take a little time away from CI. Sometimes life just throws you a curve ball and all you can do, is do your best to roll with it. I am slowly but surely getting caught up with all the projects I had to put on hold and am pretty much back to my normal routine. I hope to be able to continue adding to this blog regularly and posting new episodes of the CI podcast in the near future. Thanks for patience and understanding. Pod On!

Truth is there really is no one simple answer. Everyone is different. We all have our own decisions to make when it comes to choosing the path we want to follow. What might work well for some may be a disaster for others. How you reach your destination will be up to you. There are so many different directions and so many choices to make, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Don’t be discouraged at CI we’ve tried to put together some basic building blocks to help you find your way. We’ll go through them one at at time. Many of the things we talk about on the show will be featured on this blog as well. So be sure to check out the podcast.

Step 1- What do you want to be when you grow up?

Remember when you were a kid and people asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up? Now it’s time to answer that question. The more specific you can be the better. I want to be an artist is okay, but I want to make my living as a children’s book illustrator is better. Take some time to think about it. If you’re still not sure how to answer the question think about it this way. You are planning a trip, before you get in your car it’s a good idea to have a destination in mind. Without a specific destination how can you plan for your trip or for that matter know when you’ve arrived. I want to go to California is good. I want to go to the Monteray California is better. I want to go to Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, California makes finding your final destination a whole lot easier.

If you don’t have the exact address yet don’t worry. Fill in as much detail as you can for now and as we move forward the final destination will become much clearer.

Homework: Think about what you want to be when you grow up. Write it down. Fill in as much detail as you can.

• Have fun
• Be creative
• Take your time
• Be specific

This is part one in a weekly series I’ll be doing about getting your art career started. Thanks for reading… see you next week.

1. Set up a Twitter account
2. Set up an account on Linked In and find the CI group and sign up.
   
3. Set up a blog and start building your site.

Make sure you add content to your blog on a regular basis. Keep it interesting and have fun with it. Begin commenting on other blogs. Team up with other artists and begin getting your art and name out there. Once you’ve completed your home work add a link to your blog, website and or twitter account in the comment section of this post so we can all find you. Good luck, I look forward to seeing your art.