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Financial Hell by Wretneck
with new years around the corner and not having a job again, I'm going the be stuck listening to my folks telling me to go get a job and fuck my life up even further while doing it; and honestly I cannot take anymore.
It's nice that I can get commissions, but so far I still can't pay my bills doing one drawing a week or having to cut my prices down so I can mass enough clients to pay for the Cellphone. I want to make a living at art, and to do that I need to be able to both afford my welfare and bills, but also I need to be able to cover the costs for time and product I make with my art.
as far as I see it, most of my friends who have made a living making art figured that they would actually have to cut off the world from showing off their art; much like I do apparently. I never wanted to restrict my work for money, but nothing is helping me convince others for commissions or even funding. I get more messages of people trying to tell me I'm a wannabe capitalist pig trying to take money from others than I get even likes or favs.
at this point, I don't know what to do but only spend my time working on commissions only and "forcing others to pay me for the art I love to make". I already have a hard time doing commissions when I have to pay my way by doing little tasks that take all my time; some that only allow me a place to stay rather than funding.
I don't want this to be my final choice, but I can't live like this anymore, and I can't take anymore bullshit; I don't want to spend another 3 years working to make others rich by giving up my time to make art just to be abused.
I want to make comics, I want to be an animator, I want to make books of Illustrations, I don't want to waste my life anymore! I want to move out, I need my own place where I only have to worry about my time and my conditions, I need to have my own life!!
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it's both anger, and fear. I had spent all these years working at these jobs where people just devote their time to attacking me or harassing me while I did the work, and having my folks or friends tell me I'm in the wrong when they can't bother to tell me if I'm doing something wrong. I was a bad worker because someone made something personal.
Those 3 years have made me anxious and aggressive, and I don't want to be that person again. 5 if I count the years where I ended up working at studios and publishers who are ran by asshats who thought they could take my work and never pay me (Lesson learned; never work with Utah companies)
Though I am in the process of making a portfolio for an animation studio, the problem I have is I won't have time to make it if I have to pick up another job, because the folks will demand that I make that $300 a month.
I want to work for it, but nothing I can do now will satisfy the ones who let me live here- I still have to pay bills that no job I ever had could even help with. I will hear shit from them where they tell me I chose the wrong profession, and that I should (their word is "have to") give up art all together
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Well, I can now say I'm going to do something that I hope will better my chances at an art career
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TheTiedTigress
If you want to make comics you'll have to invest in them by doing portfolio pieces and shopping them around to publishers. If you want to be animator you need to apply for jobs at studios. If you want to make illustrations you need to contact agents and businesses. (again, with a portfolio and understanding of your talents and main work attributes) There are a lot of industry pros giving out tons of free advice and resources on the web. Your friends do whatever works for them, but it's not a guarantee across the board - audiences vary, timing vary, rising trends and art consumption cultures vary. Trial and error will most likely be necessary.
You can do these things - it costs time, money, and working like fucking hell thanklessly and through haters and whiners (like those wanting you to work for free/less/somehow taking money for a job means art is less soulful, etc). If you really want to be successful then you need work your ass off like every other artist who wants to make it/has made it and to be VERY careful about who sees you venting like this - what you say here can come off very hostile to potential clients. Best to have a private screaming space for it, or better yet, a trust worthy group of people you can talk to without it being recorded in anyway. Then at least, you can create some friends who might network/pass along job offers to you.
Financial hell is the new norm, sadly. When the economy is bad, there's no 'spending money' for luxury goods like art but the reality is not everyone buys commissioned art anyway. So things you can do include finding a balance pricing wise, expanding your audience, maintaining good community relations and networking. MANY artists have several jobs (in and out of art fields) to support themselves, as the saying goes "You can make a fortunate at comics- but you can't make a living". You sound like you have the drive for it (and you have the talent), just need to focus your energies and let go or re-direct some unproductive anger.