Back to the roots

Just some time ago I have made two articles, one was about surviving of large orders and the other one is about the very fast profile creation from the blank canvas. There is also one related with listing of total number of the made color profiles for last yeas, the number of some ove three hundred. In all of this articles can be noted that work of such a thing of graphic are faced in many cases with some sharp request such as short deadline, complex work … But how extreme this can be? This can be very extreme!!!

My works was so regular in the late April days 2010. I have work on two books, one is about the reconnaissance Spitfires and the another one is about the Dutch well known pre war biplane Fokker C.V. Regular orders for the Aero Journal and SAMI are progressed or delivered. Then it started… my friend email me an ask me to participate in his book about the German camouflage and markings with color profiles. Total number of profiles is some above 80 and they have to be delivered by the end of June, start have to be in the April. All right, I said, lets go. But next email bring new info- the deadline is the end of May… Definitely hard task but what to do, I have already said that I will go.

Short view on the number of types included in the total list has almost shock me- from the eighty profiles, some thirty are very new types, I mean the types of airplanes I have never been illustrated before and they are required so descent time to be developed. If I consider that I have sixty days to work and thirty profiles, this simply mean that I should have to work on the regular profiles and every two days to complete one brand new from the new made layout. Sound weird, isn’t it?

Some of works...

Some of works...

We have start somehow and this goes in many aspect smooth as well I did not need much time to make new profile from available layout and things was easy in some level as well I have some twenty to thirty profiles made before, in many cases for my own need. But still I have been faced with problem of great number of the new profiles to be made from scratch. In the April, work is much progressed but also interrupted in some level. I get order for the magazines- one historic article for the MAM magazine in UK, technical drawings for SAMI, color profiles for SAMI. For French magazine Aero Journal I receive regular order for the new profiles for the back cover. Total score with this orders which need to be complete in less then ten days was six new layout, nothing available on my hard disc!!! This mean additional chaos in the already extra hard work on the Luftwaffe book.

My day begin every day in the early morning, in general some after 6 o clock and end some after the midnight. That was only way to manage to deliver few profiles and make any progress in new layouts. But troubles started. Simply all energy somehow expire from me and my vision become blurred. Tensions and stress become enormous, over any estimates. Concentration under any level and I need and possible power to complete works. What to do? Only Answer was- back to the roots!

Many years ago I have trained martial art and my hart still beat for the Wing Chun Kunf Fu, maybe one of the most dynamics and deadliest fighting style ever made. I remember story which I was learn in that time and story was about the way how the martial arts are made at all in old China. Most responsible for that is the man who has bring new philosophy and religion in China. Legend say that Ta Mo came to China from India around 520 A.D and began teaching of Buddhism in the Shaolin temple in Henan, China. But his monks could not follow him in the very long meditation as well they was weak. They couldn’t concentrate, they fell asleep during meditation, and emaciated themselves by fasting, so Ta Mo instituted a program of regular exercise in the monastery. The number of exercises that he has created, along with Chinese breathing and medical disciplines, became the fundamental of the combat art we now call Kung Fu. And this also help monks to keep them concentrate on the meditations.

That was solution for me- I start night running in the wood in my house neighbor. Night is very important as well air is more clean and best at all is the fact that running in the wood at night help mind to concentrate on the surrounding, and also eye become more sharpen when in the darkness. Result was immediately affected next day on my work- I work faster and more concentrate while still feel all of the pressure of the projects. Best at all is that I have developed couple of the layouts in only one day and some very complex in just two days (some multi engined bombers). I continued night run in wood, and this give me stable day work.

Hand punching training

Hand punching training

May did not bring me anything but new orders for the magazines and also I deliver few drawings for the another book. Again new order for the British publishers and as you guess- all new layouts included. In all of this my PC mouse die. Well, you can get PC mouse everywhere, it is cheap even here in Serbia. I goes in my favorite PC shop and get new one ergonomically shaped mouse. It work perfect but I need some hours to adopt to the new device as well its extra sensitive capabilities. And then come bitter problem- the fact is that my work rhythm was extreme, little change in the device caused strong pain in the right arm. Pain did not stop for a day and even some method of massage did not help. Fact is that I work for a years on my PC and without any training and my muscles are in general weak so change in device make shock to them.

Cure was simple and the same way is used as in Shaolin monastery- new practice. I get new punching item and start new training- number of the strong punches into it and I used the method described in some kung fu methods of the development of the so called iron palm. As with the night run, this also have instant result- my hand become much stronger and I hold and use mouse now without any problem.

So- work on book about German airplanes completed at 21. May, ten days before deadline!!! While you read this I have deliver few new materials to the British publisher and few more will be deliver in following days. Total was that I have complete work on one book and six magazines articles and all of this in two months! End of May I will work nothing- enjoy in sun and drink cold beer. And yes- be sure that I will also run in the night and punch with my fist…

Srecko Bradic

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