Afraid to show work to family and friends?

[Comic.Kikikora]

I generally don't ...

because there are sexual, violence or things that are not quite right scene ...which are very common in the manga world ... but is strange to let people know you draw something like this ...

Do you have the same feeling?

[TheKawaiiGarden]

Kinda but not really. I've only shown my family my comic once, they didn't care about it so I've just kept it to myself after that.

[zammap]

I think my husband is the only one that knows I draw certain pieces, either as commission or trying to get fans. He doesn't like it, he thinks it's no better then cam whoring lol (selling sex for money). But for the most part he just judges internally.

[Comic.Kikikora]

WOW how he related 2 together?

[joannekwan]

I wouldn't say I'm afraid … but I just don't since I don't think it'd be their cup of tea.
Like I definitely wouldn't share my monster porn with them. I'm not ashamed of it, but I know most of my irl friends and family to be a bit prudish/vanilla.

The only person I connect with irl who knows my darkest secrets is my husband LOL.

Also @zammap I agree with ozone, that's kind of a stretch to conflate the two. Not to be a nosy nancy but, does it bother him a lot? Have you talked through about this?

[sprite_1ww]

My friends are degenerates as well so it's not a stretch for them to see...

[kip]

My family’s hasn’t ever seen any of my art (unless they nosed around my sketchbooks without me knowing, which I don’t think happened) because I’m not all that close with them and it used to be my ‘me’ thing.
Friends wise they’ve seen my art but I never shared my comic, not so much because I was scared they’d judge me or anything, I just don’t feel like they’re part of this area of my life (“online me”). a couple of my friends who read webcomics did find my webcomic and make the connection though lol

[zammap]

It's something I rarely do. I think my folder has only like ten max images from over the years. Since it's such a grain compared to all my other works and they are not posted publicly with all my other art he doesn't see it as a problem. But he says I shouldn't have to do it if I really need money, that if I need money I should just ask him.

[kip]

that must be awkward
have you talked to him about it? drawing nsfw really isn’t that big of a deal, sex is sex. it seems like his approach to the subject is a little off/prudish/dramatic, so it wouldn’t surprise me if nothing you said changed his mind, but it’s worth a shot?

[Klaustasya]

I show most of my drawings to my mother, but only to her and my best friend irl, but when it comes to mature content i always avoid that, sometimes i don't even post that on my socials

[unknown_user]

The question of showing art works to family and friends is already a part of this discussion:

Personally, I try to hide it from people... not too much I think some of my family know I draw and post online but I try not to mention it and I'm thankful most people are too busy to bother with it.. Idk why really but maybe I'd do something embarrassing :stuck_out_tongue: so it's a just in case. The only people I would ask to look at it are usually really really close friends and that's it. Do you do the same thing and why?

Ppl have given a bunch of answers here already ¯_(ツ)_/¯

[Darkstrong]

Oh, I shove it in their faces! And I remind them from time to time to read it, too. They almost never do, and I know it, but I still remind them =)
Also, if you are afraid that your friend will not accept your work, I would really consider if they are really your friends. I say go for it, if they like it you will become better friends, if they don't - find better friends
"Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance
Well they're are no friends of mine"

[storytimebiondi]

Considering my mum straight up told me to never write about 'gays' since it encourages them. No. I don't share with her specifically.
Otherwise, I don't mind sharing with my family and friends. I'm just a bit shy about admitting that I write YA, for whatever reason.

[simplykit]

nope

i make my manga while everyone is going about their business

they just pass by me

they know what im into and just leave me be

[mrtoontastic]

My family already knows about my work XD And they support it highly. They don't read my novels much, but they're always spying on my art and seeing what I'm posting. And they recommend my works to their friends when they (or I) bring up that I like to write and draw. It's kinda nice actually.

[ar-ninetysix]

I wouldn't say afraid, but I definitely wouldn't show my parents. They'd probably be dismissive and ask that I pursue some other "real" career upon me asking if they wanna read it... even though what I'm doing is just a hobby, I'd still get a lecture. But I mean, whatever, let's say they actually took the time to read it. I don't think it'd mesh well with them. They're the religious type and since I'm writing about demons and having a character cuss here and there, I'd probably get a lecture out of it, for sure, and I try to avoid those as much as I can...

I mean, my biological mom would probably be more supportive, but I don't think she'd read it bc she loves telenovelas (soap operas for Latinos, basically) lol my little sister would definitely be into it, she loves anime and drawing her own little comics for fun so, she'd be down for it! Uhhh.. Far as cousins and uncles and aunts and everyone else in my family go.. maybe they'd check it out and be like "Oh cool, I didn't know you liked this stuff. Anyways, so about this thing that happened.." and leave it at that xD

I'd definitely show it off to my friends though, I got a bunch who are into anime and comics so I imagine they'd like how it'd turn out. Even the friends I have that don't understand the world of comics would give some love and support my way, since they'd be impressed with the fact that I put so much work into it. Hell, some of them would be down to promote what I got going on so.. I got no fear in sharing my stories with my friends, like at all, and that makes me happy~

[Maps]

I will not show my family or friends unless I have a comic that isn’t NSFW (MAYBE)

[Wumbl]

I used to be embarrassed about my violent and crazy comics but then I realised that friends that don't want to basque in your weirdness aren't the best people to share your work with anyway - I have made friends with similar interests who love the stuff I love and they're always happy to see my work.
A lot of my friends love my OCs and my work - some of them used to draw fanart of my comics and give it to me! I have a few sketch pages from friends over the years.

[Novalinlin]

I've only shown my stuff to my best friend, who is also my partner + 1 other friend

I generally don't show to family because of themes (violence, sex, fighting etc.: even though my family watches movies/series with those themes it's quite different when it's a family member does makes stuff like that) but I have also not shown them because lgbtqia+ themes and characters, and doing so would be outing myself (which I'd rather not to be honest )

Other reasons for not sharing is how uncomfortable it can be, when people who don't draw or create, come with their "criticism" (in their minds) but in reality it's just really opinionated comments that often don't come from a positive place

Plus I also regard my art accounts as a safe space/free space from people I know in real life so I don't think I'll be sharing them with irl people anytime soon

( I have a 'friend' who keeps trying to find my accounts and catch glimpses of the notifications on my phone and it honestly stresses me out and makes me very paranoid - especially since they take pride in their 'internet stalking skills'... yeah, no thank you >__> )

[Jenny-Toons]

Generally the things I'm planning on creating aren't really family-friendly. Our Universe is very wholesome in nature, and it's kinda a contrast to my other projects. Gangsters, horror, thrillers, demons, curses -- things of that nature.

But, I'm comfortable showing my work to the adults in my family, especially my mum. She loves the Godfather movies and follows the Walking Dead series (both tv show and comics).

I do like talking about my story process with my dad. He's a story-teller himself, so he likes having dialogue on the why's and how's of my stories

Now if we're talking about showing my works to my younger cousins, nieces or nephews -- hard pass. Not afraid to show them, but it's just not something they ought to be reading just yet