Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Saul Washington III. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Saul , thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
My imposter syndrome is an inconvenient visitor that appears at the worst possible moment. Every time I think I gave it the slip and it can’t find my new address, it shows up with luggage in hand. I haven’t necessarily overcome my Imposter Syndrome because the battle is ongoing. However, I have noticed trends. Recognizing those trends have given me strategies that’s turned each battle into a short skirmish and I’m able to win the day. I’ll share what has worked for me as it pertains to my work as a professional illustrator.
– Recognize The Triggers. The triggers for myself are always the same thing. Going into a new and unknown situation. If I’m taking on an illustration assignment that I’ve done before, like a graphic novel, I can proceed with a measure of confidence. If I’m taking on an assignment that I’ve never done before, “Ding Dong” goes my mental door bell and Imposter Syndrome tries to stop by for a visit. Recognizing my triggers are the first step in taking corrective measures in turning away the house guest from hades. Next, is being decisive.
– Be Decisive. As an illustrator, my primary objective is to solve visual problems. I don’t believe in comfort zones. However, focusing on problem solving fundamentals as it pertains to visual art grounds me. Knowing what my next action will be is a force multiplier no matter what the problems are. All problems are solved with the same steps. This is how being decisive helps me when I start feeling like an imposter. Also, when I’m decisive, I find that I instinctively do the things that only I can do. Being decisive is good for me, but I can’t secure my victory unless I have a rally point in my battles to remember why I’m doing this in the first place.
– Motivation Is My North Star. (Or as I tell myself, “Remember Why You Washed The Dishes”. More on that later.) When Imposter Syndrome attacks, it never creeps in from the outside. Rather, it comes from within. When I was in elementary school, my artwork was bad. Really, really bad. Then, I came across a “How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way” book when I was ten years old. I was convinced that owning this book would be the game changer. It would make me invincible. I would be the best…artist..ever! (Or I could be the best artist in the 5th grade, which was probably even better.) I asked my mother for the book, but she said it was too expensive. However, she made a deal with me. If I washed the dishes twice a day for an entire summer, she would buy it for me. Two and half months later, I would have “My Precious”. I still have that same copy she bought me over forty years ago. Its held together by duct tape, but its still good. Fast forward to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. I never had any formal art training outside of all the additional art books I purchased on my own. I was really intimidated. I didn’t know if I belonged there. My mother told me to remember why I washed the dishes. As odd as it sounds, that’s always worked for me. It doesn’t sound sexy or have the world conquering feeling from hearing the Rocky movie theme song, but remembering why I washed the dishes is in my mental playlist.
Lastly, whenever I don’t know something, I ask someone who knows a little more than I do. Neil Gaiman gave this advice to a graduating class in 2012 as it pertained to the Imposter Syndrome. “So be wise, because the world needs more wisdom, and if you cannot be wise, pretend to be someone who is wise, and then just behave like they would.”
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a professional illustrator. I specialize in Editorial Illustration (Art that expresses an opinion) and Narrative Illustration (Art that tells a story). I use a comic strip-inspired style for all of my work. I’m most excited about the stories I can tell as a comic or graphic novel. I also create illustrations for Middle-Grade Books and Young Adult Graphic Novels. I do work for traditional publishers and self publishers. I also do personal commissions where I’m hired to do character designs, concept sketches, and rendering a person as their own original superhero or as their favorite movie superhero.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
– Find Your Tribe. Find the people near you that are doing the thing that it is that you want to do. Also find those near you that are on the same journey. This fellowship can help with your networking and keeping your motivation levels high.
– Your Resolve Must Be Relentless. Nothing will work unless you do. The answer will always be no if you don’t ask. No one is ever truly ready on their first outing. Sometimes failure is just the stepping stone you need. Gather as much information as you can and venture out. Just don’t jump into it blindly. The internet is a wealth of knowledge outside of cat videos.
– Rest When You Need To, And Forgive Yourself Daily. That’s pretty self explanatory.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
That would have been my mother. Out of anyone, when she said that I could do something, she really believed it, and I could feel that. It wasn’t like the typical “This sounds like the right thing to say, so I’ll say it.” She actually believed it like it was a fact. I used to trust her so completely to the point I thought she knew something that I didn’t. My life isn’t an after school television special and I didn’t win everything. However, I won enough to know I belong anywhere I wanted to be. Belief can change anyone’s world. I learned that from her.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.IllustratorByNight.weebly.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/saulwashington
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/saulwashington
- Twitter: @Saul_Version_3
Image Credits
Saul A Washington III
