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 the value of storytelling, video editing, and using tools like Tourbox to enhance productivity. Josh also highlights the significance 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 planning system that works for you to manage tasks and goals effectively.
  • 🎯 Focus on both hard skills like storytelling, video editing, and cinematography, as well as soft skills such as communication and networking.
  • 🌟 Utilize tools like Tourbox to enhance your workflow and efficiency in creating digital art.
  • ✍️ Engage in daily writing to improve storytelling and scriptwriting skills for your art and educational content.
  • 📚 Invest time in learning and mastering various software for different aspects of your digital art creation process.
  • 💡 Recognize the importance of archiving and bookkeeping for future reference and to track your growth as an artist.
  • 🧠 Prioritize mental health by managing stress, setting boundaries, and creating a positive online environment.
  • 🌱 Seek out new experiences and challenges to stimulate creativity and avoid burnout.
  • 📈 Continuously learn and grow by studying your own work and exploring different artistic mediums and subjects.
  • 🏆 Understand that success in the creative field requires time, patience, and a willingness to continually develop your skills.

Q & A

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

    -Ergo Josh addresses the challenge of navigating the journey of becoming a digital artist, which can be frustrating and confusing due to conflicting advice and the need to balance various aspects of life and work.

  • What does Ergo Josh recommend for managing oneself as an independent artist?

    -Ergo Josh recommends finding a planning method that works for the individual, such as using a digital calendar or a physical agenda, and setting both short-term and long-term goals to work towards.

  • How does Ergo Josh suggest one can create opportunities for luck and serendipity in their career?

    -Ergo Josh suggests that instead of waiting for opportunities to arise, one should actively create schedules and take initiative in designing their life to make room for such chances.

  • 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 artwork and educational videos, making it easier to convey the intended message or narrative.

  • 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.

  • How does Ergo Josh enhance his workflow with the Tourbox device?

    -Ergo Josh enhances his workflow with the Tourbox device by customizing the keypad to fit his editing needs in DaVinci Resolve and using it for more efficient video editing processes.

  • 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 access old records for potential future projects.

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

    -Ergo Josh manages his mental health by setting specific times to check comments and emails, not checking the performance of his work immediately after posting, and creating a positive community environment by moderating comments.

  • What does Ergo Josh suggest for maintaining a balance between creativity and other life experiences?

    -Ergo Josh suggests making time for growth and new experiences outside of art, such as traveling, learning new skills, or engaging in physical activities, to recharge and maintain potent creative potential.

  • How does Ergo Josh feel about the importance of learning and trying new things in the creative field?

    -Ergo Josh believes that learning and trying new things are crucial for growth and mastery in the creative field, as it helps artists stand out and develop a unique skill set that can set them apart from others.

  • What is the role of physical activities and experiences in Ergo Josh's creative process?

    -Physical activities and experiences play a role in Ergo Josh's creative process by providing new stimulation for the brain, aiding in mental growth, and offering a balance to the creative output that helps maintain a healthy and potent creative potential.

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 the importance of understanding that everyone's journey is unique. Instead of copying others, he encourages viewers to use his insights for comparison and to discover their preferences. The video is sponsored by Tourbox Tech, a tool he uses daily, and he plans to discuss its features later. Ergo Josh stresses the importance of managing oneself, especially for those with autism or ADHD, and recommends planning and setting goals to avoid the 'starving artist' stereotype.

05:01

📸 Skills and Tools for Artistic Success

The speaker delves into the technical and hard skills necessary for a successful career in art. He discusses the importance of storytelling in writing and how it can enhance artwork and educational videos. He shares his journey with photography and videography, emphasizing the value of using multiple senses to convey information. He mentions his admiration for James Jean, an artist who works in various media, and talks about the use of video to add meaning to artwork. The speaker also touches on the sense of touch or feeling as an important aspect of emotion in art and mentions the software he uses daily for video and script writing, including Pages, Elgato foot pedal, and Prompter.

10:02

🖌️ Enhancing Workflow with Technology

The speaker continues discussing his daily workflow and the technology that enhances it. He talks about the Tourbox Console app for keypad customization and how it has made him a better video editor. He introduces Descript, a text-based video editing software, and explains how it has improved his editing process and content quality. The speaker also discusses different models of the Tourbox, including the Lite, NEO, and Elite versions, and their benefits. He mentions a surprise giveaway for a Tourbox Elite and emphasizes the importance of archiving and bookkeeping in an artist's career, recommending the practice learned from architecture school called digidoc.

15:02

💡 Social Skills and Mental Health in Art

The speaker talks about the importance of social skills in an artist's growth and creativity, suggesting interactions through text, voice chat, or video calls. He shares his approach to managing mental health, including setting specific times to check comments and emails to reduce stress. He emphasizes not letting external outcomes affect motivation and suggests creating a positive community for viewers. The speaker also highlights the value of making time for growth and new experiences, including studying human anatomy and other interests. He encourages trying new things and assures that these efforts contribute to mastery in one's craft.

20:03

🌟 Balancing Creativity and Life Experiences

The speaker concludes by discussing the need to balance creativity with other life experiences. He suggests various activities that can stimulate creativity, such as outdoor walks, traveling, learning new skills, and even physical exercise. The speaker shares personal experiences with keyboard modding and the Tourbox Elite, illustrating how learning new devices can enhance brain function and workflow. He encourages viewers not to worry about impressing others and to take their time in mastering new skills. The speaker reiterates the importance of maintaining a balance to sustain creative potential and signs off by thanking viewers and sponsors, providing links to Tourbox products in the video description and pinned comment.

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 shares his experiences and insights on becoming a successful digital artist, emphasizing the challenges and skills necessary to thrive in this field.

💡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 burnout and to ensure mental well-being, especially when working as an independent artist.

💡Storytelling

Storytelling is the art of telling stories to engage and inform an audience. In the video, the speaker highlights the significance of storytelling in both the creation of art and the production of educational and entertainment content, as it helps convey messages more effectively.

💡Video Editing

Video editing is the process of manipulating and combining video footage to create a cohesive narrative or presentation. The speaker mentions video editing as a crucial skill that has helped in fleshing out his career as an artist and in sharing knowledge with his audience.

💡Cinematography

Cinematography refers to the art of capturing visual images with a camera to produce a visual narrative, typically used in film and television. In the video, the speaker discusses how learning cinematography has been beneficial in his artistic career, allowing him to craft and shape light to create different moods in his videos and artwork.

💡Tourbox

Tourbox is a customizable input device designed to improve workflow efficiency for creators. The speaker uses Tourbox in his daily work and explains how it has made him a better editor by providing haptic feedback and decluttering his workspace.

💡Descript

Descript is a software tool that allows users to edit video and audio files through a text-based interface. The speaker praises Descript for its ability to save time in video editing by enabling him to navigate and edit footage as if working with a word processor.

💡Archiving

Archiving is the process of collecting and preserving records, documents, or other materials for future reference. In the video, the speaker recommends archiving as a practice for artists to boost morale and to have easy access to old records for future creative projects.

💡Mental Health

Mental health refers to an individual's psychological and emotional well-being. The speaker emphasizes the importance of managing one's mental health to maintain a secure mind that is free to explore new ideas, especially when working independently in creative fields.

💡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 develop personally and professionally. The speaker encourages artists to make time for new experiences to recharge their creativity and to grow as individuals.

💡Community Building

Community building involves creating and nurturing a group of people who share common interests or goals. In the context of the video, the speaker talks about managing his online community by setting boundaries and fostering an environment where viewers feel safe and encouraged to express their ideas.

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 is essential.

Balancing art block and work-life balance is a challenge for artists.

Conflicting advice can make it hard to know the right path in the art world.

Ergo Josh has been on his artistic journey for six years and has learned many unexpected things.

The video is sponsored by Tourbox Tech, a device Ergo Josh uses daily for his work.

There are often overlooked aspects of becoming an artist, which will be discussed.

It's important to manage oneself and understand what to expect on the path to becoming an artist.

Ergo Josh focuses on daily tasks rather than commonly understood tasks like negotiating sponsorship deals.

For those with ADHD or autism, managing oneself is particularly challenging.

Planning and setting goals are crucial for artists, both short-term and long-term.

Ergo Josh recommends starting the day with something fun to stay motivated.

Storytelling through writing is a key skill for artists, according to Ergo Josh.

Video editing and cinematography are valuable skills for artists in the digital age.

Ergo Josh discusses the importance of engaging multiple senses in art and storytelling.

Emotion is a powerful sense that can have profound impacts in art.

Ergo Josh uses various software for video creation and editing, including Pages and DaVinci Resolve Studio.

Tourbox is a device that Ergo Josh finds invaluable for his workflow and editing process.

Descript is a new tool for video editing based on text, which Ergo Josh highly recommends.

Archiving and bookkeeping are essential skills for artists that Ergo Josh learned in architecture school.

Mental health is a crucial component for any creative, and Ergo Josh shares his strategies for managing it.

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

Ergo Josh concludes by encouraging artists to stay balanced and take care of themselves.