Art as a living

[Mendics]

well ive been doing art for 10 years now.. im not yet confident with my works, but ive been thinking about it for quite a while now.. is art really worth getting into... now that im a senior high school student i dont know what to choose in college, my parents are encouraging me to be an architect rather than my so called *art*- well i think they only say this because theyre worried about me.. art is a hard job if you dont know what to do with it.. there are tons of questions going into my mind: is art a good paying job? -can i support myself if i do involve myself in it?, with the competition im going to receive when i become one (seeing that you guys are great and all so young, maybe even younger than me and can accomplish such good art) im afraid that i may end up as a failure and mess up my life.. but with the idea of being an architect its smooth and clear... my moms an architect so i know that will work out but, i dont really find the joy in working myself like a dog cause architects do tend to be busy, my mom developed a cancer because she didnt took care of herself...shes always running and getting stressed out.. plus i dont even know how everything works in the art world.. if you have any ideas please say so... i think the only ones that can help me with this are fellow artists...

[Seedling]

Don’t choose a career because it is safe. I had a friend in college who, after four years of architorture, decided to change plans. He had gone into architecture for exactly the same reasons you are considering it. The field is full, and those who do it out of love for it will wipe the floor with you. Do what *you* love, and you will have the drive to keep at it and keep at it until you are a success.

Check out the “games industry” and “concept art 101” links in my sig. The former may give you an idea of how to get into one particular field if it interests you; the latter can help you beef up on the basics that you will need in any illustrative art field.

[otis]

Don't listen to the people who tell you, "you can't do this or that.."

They only say that becuase they failed to accomplish it themselves.

You want to know if you can make a living as an artist?
I know artist who make $100k-$300k a yr. There are LIVING artists who sell millions of dollars worth of their own work. So, yeah..I'd say you can make a living.

If you go through life settling or choosing to avoid risks will only lead you to failure and mediocracy.

You only truly fail when you quit.

I know you are scared.
But don't avoid fear. Follow it.

[Mendics]

oh really? -thanks, im always being inspired by someone but yeah those questions always confuses me..i get to the point where i get inspired again and then think about it again.. theres not much oppurtunity here so i'll just try to convince my parents about this career i want to be in.. Architecture for me doesnt sound too fun... but yeah as you say i only chose it as a path because i want to be secured and safe... -wow you read me like a book..

[HunterKiller_]

You only truly fail when you quit.

Also when you don't even start.

[bhanu]

Ahh this is hard one for you isnt it?
It always is. But what has been said here already is quite true.ARt must be done because you love it. Now its up to you, what do you love more art or security?
ANd btw art industry isnt all that dangerous palce to be.

[Mendics]

...i guess you guys are right then.. i have another question.. is it important to go to the right college school for art? cause in my country i dont think art is valued(that means that colleges here might not be good enough)- and i cant aford to study abroad cause i know it will be expensive.. (ive already been to an exchange program-and a year was expensive) this has also troubled me.. -once i finish college im going for masters degree and then i think work somewhere out of the country.. (thats why im kinda scared)

[Brendan N]

The quality of the college has little to do with the potential of the student. Think of college as a place to make friends, keep yourself motivated and learn the occasional thing or two. Even though I attend a college, around 80% of what little I know about art has come from these boards.

College can't teach you, it can only help you teach yourself. Learning is 100% up to you, and if you feel college is inadequate in some regard, then get on the internet and research, find out, learn.

hope this helps

[Mendics]

thanks that really helped,.. i guess im ready to try it... hmmm.. now what type of art should i take...?

[painedadj]

Man, I've been said the same, my parents want me to be an architecht but I don't think It sounds too fun either, it seems a boring career choice, mostly drawing structures but with illustrating/digital art or any art in refrence , you can draw anything but as people have said it's our choice to learn and It's up to us to put in the hard work not getting the full support of teachers that are just gonna kiss our ass ( in other words we cant expect them to do all the work for us). For me I need to study alot of perspective, anatomy and basically just learn everything there is to art. Ahh, I refused to become an architecht because I don't want want to do a career I am not going to find interesting (even know I might have to do structures in some of mu art work) I also want to draw people, fantasy and just have fun I just wish I found this site 5 years ago. Im nearly 16 now and I found a wasted all my spare time playing games and could have been drawing/conceptin/modelling and had a learning advantage by the time I reach college, I'm so, gutted if I can say. I've heared my career adviser say there's a lot of compotision out there in the art industry , I know it is now and hope I don't fail either on my way. Thanks for reading, hope you considered this as a bit of help.

[Mendics]

wow your younger than me by a year! (im going to be 17 this year) and you actually solved your problem... dang makes me look like a wasted freak with a desire to do art..you also sound you know more than me even though i had art for 10 years and 5 years of serious self study with anatomy and other stuff. Yeah i also had those regrets about not drawing for some time, cause i quit drawing for a period of time when i could have gotten better.

[Seedling]

Guys. . . I know it feels like the world is screaming up to you like a mac truck, but you're just at the brink of adulthood. Now is *not* the time in your life to be moaning that you didn’t spend the last year or ten years doing what you’ve just now discovered is fun. You are at the perfect *starting* point. Set yourself some goals, and get to work with enthusiasm. You are not late to the party. Don’t screw yourselves by looking too long in the rear-view mirror.

[Jason Rainville]

Guys. . . I know it feels like the world is screaming up to you like a mac truck, but you're just at the brink of adulthood. Now is *not* the time in your life to be moaning that you didn’t spend the last year or ten years doing what you’ve just now discovered is fun. You are at the perfect *starting* point. Set yourself some goals, and get to work with enthusiasm. You are not late to the party. Don’t screw yourselves by looking too long in the rear-view mirror.

Ha, yeah really, I just started getting serious this past year, and I'm going to be 22 But I'm still going to plow right through it and try to make it. Granted I'm going to get a graphic design job before I try to crack into illustration or whatever, but the point is I'm going to do it. I've improved, and I know I CAN do it.

so - just - DO IT!

[lorddon]

I have to laugh at you guys who are 17/18 still in high school or just graduating saying you missed the boat.

I'm 29 and haven't been drawing much for the past 9 years, been doing tech support, and I have full confidence that I can make a living as an artist as long as I have the discipline to learn what I need and to finish projects on time.

Even at 30 I'm young enough to have my life ahead of me and make of it what I want. You guys have plenty of time.

[lordarka]

18 is young. I changed careers from investigative biology, to professional photography, and then most recently to law. I even tried my hand at working in the arts while I was an undergrad.

The last career change (and accompanying graduate education) occurred at the tender age of 29. Even as a practicing lawyer today, I continue to pursue my art whenever I can (having taken a long hiatus from it until late in law school).

Any career contortion and exploration is possible with adequate discipline and commitment. One might argue that my own path demonstrates a certain inability to focus on the thing at hand, but that's another topic.

However, I would caution against thinking that the exceptionally successful artists are the norm within the profession. My wife is an artist who struggles to find work; for every working artist, there are hundreds of also-rans who are not working in the arts. Success in the arts also tends to be an unstructured enterprise, with not kickstart at the beginning of your career.

When I went to law school, we had already secured lucrative employment by the end of our second year in a three year program. With an art degree, you'd be lucky to find relevant work within 6 months of graduating. Not only do you have to acquire skills, but you also have to work hard to market and showcase your talent.

[Noah Bradley]

18 is young.

Yeah, it is. Except they're at least 20 by now.

Thread necro rocks.

[Psychotime]

I wonder how they're doing now.

[Maidith]

What's the worst case scenario? For me, not instantly "making it" as an illustrator right after art academy would mean either living off my parents or unemployment money for a while, or doing an underpaid internship or flipping burgers at McDonalds. Until I get good enough to make a living as an illustrator.
Would it be worth it? Totally. I love painting and drawing and am going to do it for the rest of my life.
And I practice every day and I'm eventually gonna be good enough. So what's the worst that can happen?

edit: oops, old thread. nevermind!

[GoldSeven]

Do these threads ever really get old?

I took the safe way round with all strings attached. After school, I consciously decided against art as a career, because I never wanted to be forced to do something that I liked to do. I became a teacher, doing art all the while, and around the time I was finished with my teacher education, I got the first inquiries for illustration work - by RPG companies and as well as some private stuff. I've been doing that on the side for seven years now, expanding on the art side when I temporarily lost my job as a teacher, and cutting back on art again after the birth of my kids and after getting back into teaching. I've regretted a couple of times that I never got any formal training, but the regret has never been big enough to wish I could go back and take the other road.

[Vinicam]

Damn, old thread... But since it was ressurected I'll benefit from it and post something that has been bothering me about a week.

This is the fourth week that I left my job and started taking art seriously, but I'm already out of gas... This weekend I haven't draw a single line, and yesterday I did just 1 sketchbook page. Today I tryed to draw something, but it came out as pure shit and them I stoped.

Since my last update I haven't worked half of the estimated ... This has worried me a lot. I noticed a sudden upgrade in my work, especially in relation to faces, but since then it seems I'm rolling down the stairs ... Lost a bit of the track, I'm only doin the work from mind, really need to go back to pictures and real people.

[Arshes Nei]

Actually a "Where are they now?" would be interesting...

[seungy]

haha, this is hilarious. Didn't even notice the necro post until it was pointed out. Having said that, I've been having those similar thoughts and experiences. I guess it happens across the board. You just have to keep pushing yourself and be disciplined I suppose

[Jazz]

Arshes, that idea sounds good! I always wonder what happened with someone struggling...and I always get caught in the necro posts *shame*. That sure would solve both my problems! XD

Well, if anyone asks now in this thread, I'm 30 and it's the end of the beginning for me...only that! I feel like an art toddler right now.

[Vinicam]

F... I'm really not in the mood to draw and don't even know why. D:

[drd]

F... I'm really not in the mood to draw and don't even know why. D:

Look at great drawings, thats what i do to get motivated to draw. I think, "I COULD DO THAT...."

And then i try and fail, but at least its better than what i did last time! and if it isnt, at least i drew.

Dont think that everyone that says stuff like the above never has problems getting motivated; i have that problem all the time. Everyone falters, and most do falter a LOT. youre not the only one. That thought alone comforts me, anyway.

[Brian.May]

All depends on the living you want to make. If you want to be decadently wealthy then I suggest you find a wealthy benefactor who loves your work and funds you. If you would like to just get by, then start selling work as much as you can where ever you can and hope that you can make enough to live on OR adjust how you live to be within what you are making in terms of money.
I say sell your work online, license the images so more than one buyer can purchase it. Find some freelance work and then sell some on etsy if you want.
Always places to sell work!

[Lamp]

i dont really find the joy in working myself like a dog cause architects do tend to be busy, my mom developed a cancer because she didnt took care of herself...shes always running and getting stressed out...

Sorry, but making art for a living (or trying to get good enough to do so) won't exactly be easy breezy. If you're not willing to "work yourself like a dog" to get there, it probably isn't gonna happen. Sorry to be blunt, but the competition you're worried about IS going to be working that hard.

Working hard isn't an exactly an impossible goal, but some people just don't want it bad enough to make the necessary sacrifices.

[Brian.May]

Art is a cruel and demanding mistress, as soon as you look somewhere else she will abandon you!
Don't think that a lackadaisical approach to being an artist is going to get your anywhere, it won't

[Sidereal]

I wonder how they're doing now.

Actually a "Where are they now?" would be interesting...

Mendics have a sketchbook thread here (2010):
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=179746

[Dm7]

Hi Mendics,

I wanted to say, don't give up your art field.

And in short... I went there and there and there and there.. and finally there in university/college, not knowing what to do and was afraid of being an artist due to me seeing all wonderful talented artists out there especially here and in cgtalk! I thought I'd fail for sure...
and now yet 5 years later, I'm starting to make some money and am having a good steady improving progress... whereas I thought was impossible 5 years ago. So in few more years, I'm pretty sure I can do it for living....

So...

If I can do it, you can too! You just gotta be determined! Go for it!

Best luck in your art journey!
Dm7