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Could I ask you a favor?
Ariphon
Registered User new member
Registered User new member
Hi guys,
I was watching the first episode of Strip Search, and while I am excited to watch the show, I was also listening to all the artist talk about their live including there strips and I was hearing the little voice inside my head barrate me for not being a quarter as successful as they are. Now I know to measure your life against other people success is a recipe for disaster, but I also have my expectations of what my life is supposed to be, and at 30 I am supposed to have figured all this stuff out... Right?
I love art, I mean I Love it, nothing in my life has inspired me to be better and strive for more than watching interacting being art. Comics are my firebrand, they kicked this whole thing into motion when I was a kid. Art is what gets me up in the morning and what keeps me awake at night, even more so now that I can't seen to find the strength to create it which in turn makes me hate myself to such a degree to not want to live. I have a high malaise that has me stuck in place still living at my parents watching my family and friend creating their own lives, even though I know that they are having a tough go at it what with low paying jobs, kids, bills etc, they have still done something with there lives while I am a man-child.
I won't bore you with the complete story of my life, which would garner me all sorts of pity responses, also I have a sort of therapist to talk to about how bad I got it. What I think I need is a community, something I have never had, something I am scared to ask for. I really don't know how to put this in a non-pathetic way so hear it goes: I would appreciate anybody who reads this to help me kick myself into gear. The closest analog I have in mind is a personal trainer(or AA sponsor) anybody willing to help me push me to create art.
Now I know I should probs ask people I know, but I always feel like a bother, and to do this is easier because there is a good chance no one is going to read this anyway. Honestly no pressure or anything, but you would be doing me a huge solid.
Thanks taking the time to read my whining,
Michael
I was watching the first episode of Strip Search, and while I am excited to watch the show, I was also listening to all the artist talk about their live including there strips and I was hearing the little voice inside my head barrate me for not being a quarter as successful as they are. Now I know to measure your life against other people success is a recipe for disaster, but I also have my expectations of what my life is supposed to be, and at 30 I am supposed to have figured all this stuff out... Right?
I love art, I mean I Love it, nothing in my life has inspired me to be better and strive for more than watching interacting being art. Comics are my firebrand, they kicked this whole thing into motion when I was a kid. Art is what gets me up in the morning and what keeps me awake at night, even more so now that I can't seen to find the strength to create it which in turn makes me hate myself to such a degree to not want to live. I have a high malaise that has me stuck in place still living at my parents watching my family and friend creating their own lives, even though I know that they are having a tough go at it what with low paying jobs, kids, bills etc, they have still done something with there lives while I am a man-child.
I won't bore you with the complete story of my life, which would garner me all sorts of pity responses, also I have a sort of therapist to talk to about how bad I got it. What I think I need is a community, something I have never had, something I am scared to ask for. I really don't know how to put this in a non-pathetic way so hear it goes: I would appreciate anybody who reads this to help me kick myself into gear. The closest analog I have in mind is a personal trainer(or AA sponsor) anybody willing to help me push me to create art.
Now I know I should probs ask people I know, but I always feel like a bother, and to do this is easier because there is a good chance no one is going to read this anyway. Honestly no pressure or anything, but you would be doing me a huge solid.
Thanks taking the time to read my whining,
Michael
0
Posts
Hello Michael, welcome to the forum. Tough one and I will not pretend to know how to help you. I am not sure what you need here and what you want.
Are you looking for inspiration? Themes? A business model? How to support yourself and still create art?
Pushing somebody to create is hard. I think it has to come from within and that goes for any type of creation. I don't think anybody can "push" you to do elegant and creative work.
Suggestion? Draw, paint, illustrate elements of your world (I am assuming you are an illustrator?). Seems to me like you have a story to tell. "Pain is good for art", as they say.
Did you draw your avatar? I'd like to see some of your art.
Do you have art "out there"? Do you have an online presence? A web site? A blog? How technically-savy are you? I think every artist needs a web site as online portfolios are useful in so many ways these days.
Here goes it.
Make a goal of working on your art X number of hours a day and then stick to it. Don't attach any expectations to these hours, but make sure you are doing work of some kind. Then do that every day, no excuses and no exceptions, and maybe share some of your doodles/WIPs on the art forum here.
But art as a hobby is great and also has value. Are you trying to make this a career? If not, just do it when you want to and enjoy the process, and don't beat yourself up when you don't feel like it. But if you are trying to turn this into a job, you're going to have to treat it like one.
Guys, I know this is like the worst idea to put on the Internet, but all this negativity is in my head, and I have not had a lot of support for this ever... I can hear the worlds tiniest violin too, but I don't know where I could go. It's not that I don't know how to make good art it's that I have artists/writers block I look at the blank page and have an argument with my self were to start, and I feel if some one is encouraging me or breathing down my neck I can focus and accept my art. Basically I would like to make art for you so I can make art for me. Please trust me that I am In a weird place to even ask this.
Thanks guys
I've this exact motivation issue with non-art things as part of this anxiety thing I've had going for a few years. I don't know if an internet drill sergeant is really the answer for you. You need to find something that makes you want to make art. And I don't think all artists who get that far are inspired 100% of the time... they just keep doing it and when they keep doing it long enough good things start to come out. Every artist I've ever heard talk about it has said that you are going to fill sketchbook after proverbial sketchbook with crap, and that's just how it works. If you sit and wait for inspiration, by the time it comes along you won't have the skill or the tools to make any use of it.
it's not a bad thing at all, just be aware that the AC is very much for 1) posting your arts 2) for honest critiques and assessment.
steam | Dokkan: 868846562
That's true for everything! I've been trying to tell that to my son for months!
I personally think that in the "art field", visual or music or anything, it doesn't hurt to have a day job.
Perhaps find something that bridges your passion with something practical (that you can make money with)? For example, I love making music and engineering sounds with computers, it's been a passion of mine for years! But my day job is being a Computer Systems Analyst... It is kind of related. I guess I am trying to say that putting all your eggs in the "art basket" is quite a gamble to begin with. Perhaps others will not agree.
Going to school for art is a good idea. You'll meet people too.
Don't sweat it...Stephan Pastis and Terry Brooks (both of them were lawyers, coincidentally) are examples of people who started creative careers as adults.
I host a podcast about movies.
I have already taken most of the advice laid out, I am in the last semester of school at a community college, I am looking for jobs that are art adjacent, and I am seeing a therapist(probably not as much as I should). I don't now what it is stopping me, I have been going to comic classifieds to look for work, and got a few things, but again the ideas I come up with alway stop short of the page because I get so critical of myself, and I think that anything I can do is not good enough. I know it is crazy, and I know this idea is also not going to work out, but it isn't that I have a little self doubt its that I let my self doubt win 5 years ago when I stopped drawing. I let every judgement anyone else had into my head and then cranked it up to 11. And now I realize the mistake I have made.
Again guys thanks for the advise for this, it is pretty disparate, and if nothing else I allowed myself do express the thought I have been keeping to myself for so long. Hopefully I can get my shit together, and maybe catch a break.
Thanks.
I've been there man, seriously I have. Thankfully I had a supportive wife to talk me off the ledge.
Seriously though, same boat. I drew all throughout high school and planned to get into graphic design in college, but didn't, and stopped drawing completely. Then I got into IT and didn't pick up a pencil for the better part of 7 years and have just now gotten back into things.
A good inspirational story for someone in your shoes is the guy who does Hijinks Ensue. He stopped drawing in college, and decided he didn't want a desk job for the rest of his life, started his comic, used the AC as a tool to get better with his artwork, and worked very, very hard and after about four years of busting his ass he's at a point where comics are becoming a real living for him.
The AC is a fantastic resource, but like FP said, lurk first, and get a feel for it. They've definitely helped me improve my artwork and they're good people(s). Don't be scared of figuring out what you want to do at 30, a LOT of us are in that boat... Another good example there is Chris Hardwick. He thought he knew what he wanted to do for a living but it wasn't until he turned about 35 that he REALLY figured out what he was passionate about and he worked EXTREMELY hard to build a media empire that he now manages.
It's not too late by any means, so do what makes you happy, keep your day job in the mean time, and work hard! Good luck!
Do yourself a favor and look at early PA or Kurtz stuff vs. modern. You'll get better.