The "we're all looking out for each other" culture in comics always struck me as a bit of a monkey's paw.
It's been great to connect with artists I admire and get tidbits of advice here and there, but, I've also seen a lot of cases where people act like they are entitled to your attention and guidance because you "made it" (??? whatever that means) and you are therefore obligated to support up-and-comers in whatever length and form *they* determine.
God forbid when a creator puts up a boundary and the person seeking the help turns to the people's court to rip them to shreds.
How many posts have I seen that start something like "Oh, so and so, they're an asshole, I asked for help and they blew me off" and make other implications about some kind of prejudice, and then there's a chorus of people underneath that saying "really? wtf? garbage human!" etc etc.
Yeah, I don't blame any artist for retreating to their monastery in the mountains and sending illustrations down via courier, never to be seen again.
"Yeah, I don't blame any artist for retreating to their monastery in the mountains and sending illustrations down via courier, never to be seen again." I pretty much did that.
Privacy is a wonderful thing. Of course, in regards to an artist's visibility, I often wonder if I'm doing myself a disservice by extracting myself from most social media and the false sense of "brand" that they bring? I mean, Is it wrong to want to focus on one's work instead of the endless prattle of an app's feed? I think not. And in regards to whining, I only see your posts as the really helpful advice that they are.
Oh boy, that is the question of the day. I have a fraught relationship with social media, and I can only try to balance it with work. Social media can be very destructive. When it works, it really works, but mostly it just eats. And thank you about the post, I'm really stressed these days.
I feel this deeply, albeit on a smaller level, as a freelance artist. I hope you're able to take a moment and have a quality meal of whatever you like best.
I had briefly thought about going into comics as an artist in my early 20s (this would have been the late 90s). but with my disability being a progressive one and hearing the insane physical demands of a working comic book artist...i lost the drive for that career.
I had the same notion when i graduated High School in 1977. I found out the page rates and did factory work instead. To make a decent living it would have taken two full pages a day and I'm not that fast.
Your cozy upstairs spot looks very tempting right now! Doing lots of adulting this past month over here, it never rains but it pours, phooey. Hope you eat something delicious today to sustain you as you keep plugging away at everything. Big virtual hugs.
I'm currently low in the "spending money" category, because I wish I could send you something like a care package of chocolate (some experts say it is a good comfort food -- I'm willing to believe them).
That said, I hope you find something delicious and comforting. You do need a dopamine boost! And you have totally earned it!
Also, phooey on the complainers out there who are energy vampires sucking up the energy of other creators. They should be using their own energy to get where they want to go.
The "we're all looking out for each other" culture in comics always struck me as a bit of a monkey's paw.
It's been great to connect with artists I admire and get tidbits of advice here and there, but, I've also seen a lot of cases where people act like they are entitled to your attention and guidance because you "made it" (??? whatever that means) and you are therefore obligated to support up-and-comers in whatever length and form *they* determine.
God forbid when a creator puts up a boundary and the person seeking the help turns to the people's court to rip them to shreds.
How many posts have I seen that start something like "Oh, so and so, they're an asshole, I asked for help and they blew me off" and make other implications about some kind of prejudice, and then there's a chorus of people underneath that saying "really? wtf? garbage human!" etc etc.
Yeah, I don't blame any artist for retreating to their monastery in the mountains and sending illustrations down via courier, never to be seen again.
"Yeah, I don't blame any artist for retreating to their monastery in the mountains and sending illustrations down via courier, never to be seen again." I pretty much did that.
Yeah and I am sort of "pre" doing that haha.
Glad we have Substack, at least for now.
Privacy is a wonderful thing. Of course, in regards to an artist's visibility, I often wonder if I'm doing myself a disservice by extracting myself from most social media and the false sense of "brand" that they bring? I mean, Is it wrong to want to focus on one's work instead of the endless prattle of an app's feed? I think not. And in regards to whining, I only see your posts as the really helpful advice that they are.
Oh boy, that is the question of the day. I have a fraught relationship with social media, and I can only try to balance it with work. Social media can be very destructive. When it works, it really works, but mostly it just eats. And thank you about the post, I'm really stressed these days.
I'd gladly bring you some matzo ball soup if we were in proximity. Cheers!
I would gladly consume your healing soup!
I feel this deeply, albeit on a smaller level, as a freelance artist. I hope you're able to take a moment and have a quality meal of whatever you like best.
I had briefly thought about going into comics as an artist in my early 20s (this would have been the late 90s). but with my disability being a progressive one and hearing the insane physical demands of a working comic book artist...i lost the drive for that career.
People have no idea.
I had the same notion when i graduated High School in 1977. I found out the page rates and did factory work instead. To make a decent living it would have taken two full pages a day and I'm not that fast.
Your cozy upstairs spot looks very tempting right now! Doing lots of adulting this past month over here, it never rains but it pours, phooey. Hope you eat something delicious today to sustain you as you keep plugging away at everything. Big virtual hugs.
That's not whining. That's truth clearly established and I'm glad you got out from under
I'm currently low in the "spending money" category, because I wish I could send you something like a care package of chocolate (some experts say it is a good comfort food -- I'm willing to believe them).
That said, I hope you find something delicious and comforting. You do need a dopamine boost! And you have totally earned it!
Also, phooey on the complainers out there who are energy vampires sucking up the energy of other creators. They should be using their own energy to get where they want to go.
If you said that you were going to charge a fee many of the people would probably have left you alone.
They'd complain I was charging a fee.
love that work!
Infomative