04-06-2016, 08:13 AM
Hi there! :) Posted this in the wrong spot, lol. Moved it here!
So... I just have some thoughts that I've been turning around in my head for a while now about the balancing act, and I'd kinda like to see what other people think... especially other artists!
For a long time now I've had to balance art, school, and work, along with some difficult family issues. Long story short, I'm in a much better place now, but I'm just kinda tired of the hustle and the pleasing of other people with my work. Though I have a lot of fun doing client work, don't get me wrong! I think I'm just burnt out from the constant pleasing of teachers, and then pleasing of clients, and then pleasing of bosses... I've just had to make so many other people happy, lol.
I have this project I've been working on since I was in high school, and it's kinda calling my name. I had the chance to ask some pros about working on personal projects rather than commission work, but I never did because I'm a gigantic scardey-cat. So now I'm just wondering about it. If you have a personal project you want to put out, how does that happen, for one? I follow some artists who are doing that though, so I have an idea. But I'm still kinda lost. Like... I don't want to focus on the project at the exclusion of my friends and family. But that kinda seems like it's required, when you have a side project?
I dunno, I guess I'm just wondering which path to choose? If I focus on being a freelancer now, I can build up a portfolio and start on the road to supporting myself full time with art. But I'm worried that if I do that, my dream project will always be on the sidelines.
But if I focus on my project, I'll be going for my biggest dreams; that maybe people will like the characters and stories I make up, and that I can have fun with them. I even want to invest money into it, by commissioning musicians and the like. I haven't had fun in a long time, so I'm kinda really excited about it.
I'm leaning more towards keeping on with the day job, doing my projects, and thinking about illustration full-time later on. I also have the choice to teach English in another country, since I have a bachelors in English, and there are a few programs in the U.S. that let you do that. But what's the smart choice?
There's also the fact that I need to get healthy, and that requires nearly as much time as art does. I'd like to learn some form of martial art to do that, because getting healthy needs to be fun too. And learning to punch things correctly is fun!
But yeah... I dunno. I'd appreciate any thoughts, and thanks so much in advance if you got this far! :) You are a rock star if you did, haha.
So... I just have some thoughts that I've been turning around in my head for a while now about the balancing act, and I'd kinda like to see what other people think... especially other artists!
For a long time now I've had to balance art, school, and work, along with some difficult family issues. Long story short, I'm in a much better place now, but I'm just kinda tired of the hustle and the pleasing of other people with my work. Though I have a lot of fun doing client work, don't get me wrong! I think I'm just burnt out from the constant pleasing of teachers, and then pleasing of clients, and then pleasing of bosses... I've just had to make so many other people happy, lol.
I have this project I've been working on since I was in high school, and it's kinda calling my name. I had the chance to ask some pros about working on personal projects rather than commission work, but I never did because I'm a gigantic scardey-cat. So now I'm just wondering about it. If you have a personal project you want to put out, how does that happen, for one? I follow some artists who are doing that though, so I have an idea. But I'm still kinda lost. Like... I don't want to focus on the project at the exclusion of my friends and family. But that kinda seems like it's required, when you have a side project?
I dunno, I guess I'm just wondering which path to choose? If I focus on being a freelancer now, I can build up a portfolio and start on the road to supporting myself full time with art. But I'm worried that if I do that, my dream project will always be on the sidelines.
But if I focus on my project, I'll be going for my biggest dreams; that maybe people will like the characters and stories I make up, and that I can have fun with them. I even want to invest money into it, by commissioning musicians and the like. I haven't had fun in a long time, so I'm kinda really excited about it.
I'm leaning more towards keeping on with the day job, doing my projects, and thinking about illustration full-time later on. I also have the choice to teach English in another country, since I have a bachelors in English, and there are a few programs in the U.S. that let you do that. But what's the smart choice?
There's also the fact that I need to get healthy, and that requires nearly as much time as art does. I'd like to learn some form of martial art to do that, because getting healthy needs to be fun too. And learning to punch things correctly is fun!
But yeah... I dunno. I'd appreciate any thoughts, and thanks so much in advance if you got this far! :) You are a rock star if you did, haha.