I always had a certain admiration and sense of wonder for Obsidian. Not only is he a very talented graphic designer and illustrator, but to me he is the cornerstone of the Extra Life Radio podcast. Scott Johnson and Brian Dunnway also contribute a lot, but Obsidian is the star; he is the disruptor, he is the joke, the sarcastic comment and the witty punchline. Above all, he is a Latino inside an otherwise very American tilted show, and that makes it all the more incredible.

So in one of those few opportunities my job allows I was able to lure Obsidian into one of our product launches, and thus meet him in his native Medellin city, in Colombia.

For those who don’t know, Medellin has a bad reputation, but it’s probably one of the five most beautiful cities in the world to me. I love going there, I love the people and the dedication the new government is putting into making it even a nicer place to visit.

There are so many qualities to like from Obsidian that I would not know where to start. Probably what most impressed me is his extreme discipline. Obsidian draws and publishes a comic everyday, no matter what day, and hasn’t missed a date since the last three years! When I think I update my blog once a month, I feel ashamed. Not only does he pencil, scan, color and edits the comic, he even writes a nice blog on it, every day…

Obsidian updates his site with new content and makes a living through commissioned artwork from readers and fans. He has decided not to settle for a job, and works diligently to ensure his freedom. I usually tell my friends how much I hate my job and how much I hate hating what I do. Obsidian came as an inspiration of someone not willing to settle for mediocre, and willing to pay the price with enormous amounts of work to back up the claim.

Another trait which I found very interesting is Obsidian’s approach to education. As a graphic design professor at a local college, O seems a rather strict tutor! His philosophy revolves around work, lots of assignments and homework, and hours of refining artwork.

Obsidian seems happy ti sleep four hours a day, and uses a great deal of time (2 or 3 hours daily) to exercise, ride his bike and practice Kung Fu. He lives alone with his two cats in an apartment he calls himself Spartan. His schedule is built around his obligations, and wakes up at 6 a.m. to start his drawings and commissioned work.

Obsidian made me rethink my whole schedule. I travel a lot, and thus I find multiple excuses not to exercise, eat healthy, write my blog, etc. But ever since knowing him personally, I have been striving to catch-up with my favorite activities, by following a very disciplined approach to maximize usage of time and stop not focusing.

Please, take a minute and visit www.commissionedcomic.com for Obsidians impressive work.

written by Administrator