January 8, 2009

Peculiar Obsessions


I finally FedExed the latest book off to the publisher. (Note I didn't say 'last'... just latest, there is a difference!)

I only had to re-write the label 3 times. I only had to tear up the box once and use a new box to rewrite the address on the box with magic marker.

I always have this obsessive worry about getting the address done correctly. This time I only had to rewrite the address form 3 times before I could live with it. I always worry that the 9 might look too much like a zero or a 1. Or I worry that the 5 looks too much like an S. This is a peculiar problem of mine. But I've heard lots of stories about artists losing their books in FedEx.

I lost a book in FedEx once. It was gone missing for 2 weeks and I actually started over again on it (after two weeks of agonizing and desperate calls to the FedEx call center in Tennessee). But luckily it was found, mistakenly delivered to an address in Colorado... and the recipient was away on vacation for 2 weeks until it was discovered.

I was so overjoyed that I went out and bought a new TV ... (I needed a new TV anyhow, so it was a big celebration). The thought of redoing an entire book was not a happy thought.

5 comments:

Kristi Valiant said...

That must be so scary to send your paintings in the mail! I do everything digital now, so I'm not worried about delivering them to the publisher, but I do worry that somehow my painting files will have an error, and I won't be able to open my paintings.

Celeste Goulding said...

my god! i cannot even imagine how awful it must have been for you to lose a book for 2 weeks and actually have to start doing it again!!!

John Nez said...

Yes, and that was before Photoshop... back when everything had to be drawn from scratch.

Digital is good... but then I obsess about losing the files, so I back them up 5 times.

:0)

natural attrill said...

Oh John, that must have been so worrying.
It's happened to me as well, a couple of years ago I was working on numerous Eeyore and Piglet illustrations for a Disney license, I just managed to finish my work in time to meet the deadline, (or so I thought) - I sent artwork next day delivery post, and it didnt arrive for 2 weeks!

Happy New Year to you and yours.
Penny.

Paige Keiser said...

This has got to be my worst nightmare (illustration career-wise). It's always a leap of faith when I pack up my watercolors and hand them over to Fedex.

My most recent client is in NY...I may hand deliver the final art this time around.