Meet Erik Johnson

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Erik Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Erik, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

For me resilience comes from practice, patience and persistence. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so breaking down your goals into bite-sized projects over time is a good way to pace yourself. It’s a thrill to look back on your progress and see how much has changed over time.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m been a cartoonist and caricature artist for fifteen years. I started drawing caricatures at the nearby amusement park before branching out to other theme parks and zoos across to country. I’ve also produced art used to promote The SpongeBob Movie and created commissions for Super Bowl winning athletes.

Many people think that caricature means drawing an ugly picture of with a big nose. (This is a conspiracy spread by people with big noses who have no sense of humor! )

Caricature is all about identifying a person’s best features and cranking up the volume. It’s a way to celebrate the things that make you so uniquely you!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Practice-
Take time to hone your craft daily, even for a little bit at a time helps a lot.

Patience-
Knowing that growing in your craft takes time will help hone your passion and give you clarity and what you love and where you can improve.

Persistence-
I hear so many people say “I can’t even draw a stick figure” and it breaks my heart to see people give up on something if they aren’t good at something right away. Progress is something you see in the rear view mirror once you’ve committed to your journey.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned in the past year is the importance of rest and taking time to step away from devices/screens. While these tools can be useful, keep at it too long and they become “restlessness generating machines”.

Taking a break in order to return with a new perspective is incredibly helpful. Stay hydrated and take up some casual exercise like walking. It’s amazing how much something like that can be inspirational in ways you hadn’t anticipated.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.erikjohnsonillustrator@gmail.com
• Instagram: @erikjohnsonillustrator

Image Credits

All photos were either drawn or taken by myself or family members who knew which button to press.