Hello peoples!
I don't normally compose a journal of myself ranting about my "problems", if you will. But, from time to time, I've found that getting thoughts down on paper--or screen, in this instance--can be therapeutic. Or something of the like. As of late, I have been reassessing my purpose for creating what I consider "art" or my work. Using quotations in this instance, I'm sure, will create its own discussion that should be saved for a more education/discipline driven forum. Not that you lovely people aren't educated or disciplined. But I digress (which I tend to do a lot). Again, therapeutic is the idea here.
Back to my main topic: my purpose for creating, why I feel its slow death approaching and what intend to do to stave that off. First, let me say that I appreciate any and everyone of my watchers and "friends" that have come to enjoy my work. And to that end, my reasons have no baring on you. I, like many people who began drawing/painting/writing or one, if not several, of the many different forms of expression, began when I was young. Drawing constantly, if for no other reason than to show it off or because I felt I had accomplished something. But somewhere down the road, I had began to stop. Oxymoronic as that sounds, I'm sure a number of us have reached that point. As you can tell, it didn't really...stick. But it does happen every so often. Of course I've read many articles about why we stop and returning to why we began initially to regain the drive we once had in order to continue doing what we love. In one of these articles, among many, I read there a number of factors that cause us to quit doing hobbies. Parental and personal expectations, social ramifications and ideologies, fear, or a culmination of each.
Unfortunately, I fell prey to the idea of making money from my skills that I've honed for many years now. That's where my downfall began. I decided to jump on the Patreon bandwagon. Needless to say--so I'll just say it--that venture hasn't been as successful as I'd hoped. And that is no one's fault but my own. It seems peer pressure still works even at my age. Again, no one's fault but mine. When I'd heard about Patreon, I immediately thought "this is my way in to becoming a working artist." When, in reality, the opposite and equal reaction occurred. I couldn't keep up with the demand necessary to make the sort of income I wanted for myself. And thus, my drive to draw began to slow even further. But I don't blame Patreon or other artists who are "more successful" through the platform. I commend them greatly. I only condemn my own lack of discipline, another confounding factor.
I recently read the article of an artist here, whose name escapes me at the moment and if anyone knows it please feel free to link to it, that states he/she/they are considering quitting because they began and continue this venture with the intent of making money. Though not my personal position, I completely understand and respect that decision. However, I hope they don't quit making beautiful art. The idea I had gathered from that journal had stuck with me though. I just need to get back to why I began drawing in the first place which is to make stories. I used to do a lot of writing. I mean A LOT. But the writing never seemed to portray the scenes in my head. So I turned to making comics. I figured I could draw out the scenes better than I couldn't write them out. Personally, without any bias whatsoever, I can say I was right. But as I became better and more people began enjoying reading my comics as much I enjoyed creating them--namely Young Lovers--the idea of making money from the work crept back in. Which leads me here to this very lengthy journal.
I'll (finally) get to the point of this. I've decided to use Patreon solely as a tertiary platform to display my wares, as it were. However, due to the nature of the content, Patreon requires that only subscribed patreons have access to the works. This isn't some long advertisement to say "pay me you bastards!" but rather to say I'll soon be uploading comics I've been working on to InkBunny as well as Patreon. So, why bother with both you ask? It's really just to have Patreon as another delivery system. Nothing more. This is not, however, me saying that I'll be doing "free requests." I would still like to make some money for my skills. Just not to the point of overexertion, mental and physical. Some of you may know that I work two jobs in order to survive. A plan concocted after college that has outlived its purpose and my patience for the most part.
With all of that being "written", I'll give you a bit of an update on some of my up and coming workings for those who decide this wasn't too long and did read:
- I'll be uploading more pages from Saturday Sessions in the coming weeks one page at a time and working on subsequent pages as I can.
- I currently have 2 commissions that I am working on that are way (way) overdue. After which point I will let you folks know when I will be open again for those interested, of course.
- The monthly sketches will continue as they have become a good regiment for me to keep drawing.
- Lastly, expect to see Angelica and Lyrie very soon. =3
Well, that is all for now. Thank you for allowing me to get that off my chest even if I didn't actually have to ask for permission and thank you for enjoying my art. =3
