5 secrets of a successful illustration career

Married couple - the Peruvian-born Boris Vallejo and bodybuilder Julie Bell are very well established fantasy artists and collaborative painters, they give their insight into setting realistic goals...

boris and julie goals

For Boris and Julie, it’s the smaller goals that count towards making you grow.

Why is it important to set goals?

Boris: Goals give a sense of direction, but it’s more important to set smaller goals for yourself than big long-term ones.

Julie: It’s only important to set goals if you have a desire for something to happen in your future. If you have such a desire, setting small, achievable goals are the footsteps that will take you there. Accomplishing goals is fun, gives confidence and makes you feel more passion for your dream.

What goals did you set yourself and have you achieved them all?

Boris: To mention them all would take a while! I believe I’ve achieved more than I’ve missed, but I don’t keep track.

Julie: I’ve achieved the ones that have led me to the place I’m at, which makes me very happy.

What do you do when you miss your goals?

boris and julie

Boris: I try to figure out why. Then I move on to the next.

Julie: Revaluate the situation and hopefully learn something important from it.

Will you ever achieve everything you want in your art?

Boris: I sure hope not.

Julie: No way. Art is too big and too infinite in its possibilities.

What are your current goals?

Boris: To do more personal paintings, just because I want to.

Julie: I feel I’m at a point where I can start trying to find out who I am through my art. I’m trying some more experimental, personal paintings in the fantasy art vein. At the same time, I’m creating a new body of work, painting animals. I’d like to make myself known in the fine art world with these paintings.

This article originally appeared in ImagineFX issue 93.

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