Could you draw comics for the rest of your life?

[Nugtown]

I hear a lot of similar stories about not being able to consistantly update their comics on schedule. I've also had to fight with juggling a job and somehow finding the energy to draw the same way only to realize it was not possible for me. So, for a long time I did not believe that even if I were given the time I wouldn't have the discipline to work, but in the end I proved myself wrong. I have provided new chapters for my work virtually every month for a straight year with no desire to stop or conclude things, and with no promise of money or fame.

My question to you is, if someone gave you the chance to stop working tomorrow, do you think you would have enough discipline to hold yourself accountable for the work you need to do? Could you? Would you even want to? And if you think you do, could you do it for the rest of your life?

[darthmongoose]

Yeah. I reckon I could. I've been making Errant for over three years now, and haven't missed an update since getting on the creator bonus program, produced well over 200 pages of it, and that's on top of over 10 published games I've worked on, multiple books, short comics in about five different print anthologies... Plus my part-time day job when I'm not making my own comics is writing and drawing anyway...

I'm highly motivated to create content, and I've done it plenty even without making money. It's just something I have to do; if I don't, I feel frustrated and unfulfilled.

[NickRowler]

I started making comics when I was in middle school, tho I never posted that stuff online. I spent the last 18 years creating comics because I enjoy doing it. Even if I get to a point where I stop posting, I might just end up still writing for myself.

[OohitsEli]

I mean I could but it would have to be on my own terms and schedule. I am a very busy woman and healthcare will always be my first job passion so I definitely would still have to keep my position there, but if I could continue drawing for the rest of my life I would!

[TAMAnnoying]

Could I? Yes. Would I want to? Probably not no.

The problem with doing anything with digital art full time is it's very taxing on your body. I know I know it's so hard to imagine that >sitting< all day can be damaging but it is! I only do art as a part time thing and I still fell into the trap during covid when I was forced to stop going to my job for a month.

You have to be very careful doing art for a living! If you sign for too long you can develop blood clots or you can loose muscle in your legs. If you eat too much you'll get fat and have a hard time carrying yourself around. If you eat too little youll loose muscle and ... Well.. have issues moving yourself around. This is only talking about leg problems and not arm issues. You should invest in a standing desk BUT remember not to use it only for standing (that will just cause the opposite problem.) You should be rotating the sitting and the standing prosses.

I COULD prob do art full time but I'd have to change my message therapy from monthly to weekly and walk twice a day instead of once a day (if not more) taking breaks from art is just as important.

The nice thing about my Jay job is it keeps me active and allows me to think about things other then art- both sides of my brain are getting a daily work out. If I did art full time I'd have to find some way to simulate both the left and right side of my brain else I'll prob go through burnout.

Over all it's not impossible!! But the reason why there's so many horror stories of people going into art full time and coming out of it with a lot of physical damage is because of a lack of movement and breaks. I would prob help people to get a pet or have kids so they are FORCED to take breaks and stay active if they are going to do it full time. At least that's my current plan.

[Lensing]

I could do art for the rest of my life.
I started as a kid when I first discovered art and I´m 47 now, I never wanted
anything else. I still love art every second.
I don´t know if it´s drawing in particular. I enjoy the whole range and drawing
is a part of it

[AmazementComics]

Yes, I could. But eventually I want to step away from it as the ultimate goal is to turn it into a media franchise. It’s an ambitious endeavor I know, but that has always been the goal, since I first started post here on Tapas back in 2017.

[Scarlet_Cryptid]

Could I draw comics for the rest of my life?

I think I already have been. My art exists through the lens of storytelling, and I've started probably half a dozen other, smaller comics (most of them superhero-themed). I draw cute, short 'Sunday Funnies' style comic strips as AU/bloopers for my characters. And the decade-plus where I wasn't trying to do it on a serious, for-public-consumption basis was an aimless and frustrating time for me as I tried to figure out what I was 'meant to do', and looked everywhere and tried everything except art, because CLEARLY that wasn't the answer...

I feel so much better now that I AM making comics. I draw almost daily, which is really good for my mental health. It gives me a routine to follow, which I thrive with. I haven't missed an update yet. I've nearly completed chapter one of my comic, which is hands down, no contest, my longest comic project ever. It might be longer than all of my other smaller projects combined.

Yeah. I could do this the rest of my life. I might change stories, I might pivot to things like illustrated novels here or there, but ... I imagine what else I might do with my time, and just..... crickets.

[Spectorium_1]

Honestly it'd take a long time cause i'd laze off.

[TheLemmaLlama]

My question to you is, if someone gave you the chance to stop working tomorrow, do you think you would have enough discipline to hold yourself accountable for the work you need to do? Could you?

I actually do have the chance to stop working, and I plan to take it in about 2 years.

I don't believe I'll have the disciple to pump out regular updates, but I do believe I'll be able to 'do the work I need to do', which for me means devoting most of my time to working on my comics. Why?

• Boredom. My post-employment life will be pretty bare-bones; I won't be able to spend money to go places or access the internet for the entire day. So there's not much to do with my non-internet time except work on my comics.^
• But with all this time devoted to my projects, why can't I pump out regular updates? Because my working process is chaotic. I jump between different projects. Sometimes I go on a writing streak, and sometimes (less often) I go on a drawing streak. Sometimes I do behind-the-scenes worldbuilding and such, which would produce no immediately visible results. Still, on average I believe I'm more productive this way than if I forced myself to draw when I want to write XD

Would you even want to? And if you think you do, could you do it for the rest of your life?

If I didn't want to, I don't think I'd have the 'disciple' to do this in the first place. And yes, given my working pace I believe I have enough (projects that I will be passionate about) to take an entire lifetime to finish.

But if I do happen to 'run out' (work faster than expected, lost interest in some of my projects and have no new ones to replace them with), then no, I won't be able to do it for the rest of my life

---

^ "Combine rocks, sand, time, and not much else, toss in a mind just sophisticated enough to suffer from a lack of stimulation, and pyramids will pop up like mushrooms." - a quote from this Talos Principle fanfic that I'm quite fond of

[allenT]

To me it's not the comic medium itself, it's the series/world/story that is my baby, and comic is the right media to do it within my own power. I wish I can do 2~3 series (long or mid) in my lifetime.

I will/may have to halt comic-making for other stuff in future, but making my comic series is like a life mission to me. I do feel I can finish my current series in the foreseen future, but I'm not sure I can on my original-wanting-to-make series which is 2~3 times bigger. I will do it anyway.

[Nugtown]

Boredom. My post-employment life will be pretty bare-bones; I won't be able to spend money to go places or access the internet for the entire day. So there's not much to do with my non-internet time except work on my comics.

Yeah, I think it depends a lot on what you're made of, whether you could follow through with this kind of lifestyle or not. There are people who need a lot of stimulation and can't menial work like a factory job, for instance.
But if you're okay spending 90% of your time in a chair with little to no leisure time, then you could. That's a good quote btw.

[nkapit]

yes, but not for money, unless fate is kind

[thepenmonster]

Only if I was earning more from it than...oh, say... going on welfare or working a normie job.

[summermcallen]

Yeah for me it would be ok. Of course only when the payment fits. Like .. I must have money to buy food and pay my apartment XD
But I do my comic now since 3,5 years and don’t get bored of it XD

[CarltonIsaac]

Been drawing comics since 1991, way before there was any internet access for us muggles. And I'm still drawing comics today and will probably keep at it till I turn to stone shackled to my workstation.

[GhostlifeMaku]

I have not thought of that i mean i had dream to be a successful comic creator but never in my life have I THINK of that, but I'm a 10 grade so I only put 40% of my time on webcomic, 5% on reading, 5% on something not important, and 50% on studying, and never think of little details of my future or what will be my future

But what I do want is to make my Mom and Dad proud
And hey! maybe YES I will make comic for the rest of my life, and let's just let time flow

[TroyVSTheWorld]

I'd rather draw pictures than wash dishes, but guess which one pays WAY more
But also, arthritis runs in my family, so I dunno maybe I'm boned either way

[Kann]

I might get in a position, where I would not have time or means to draw or I might completely ruin my drawing hand. Who knows what might happen in the future?

But I gotta answer "yes". I have enough ideas to last me a lifetime of drawing comics and if I'm being optimistic, I could live like this. xD

[Caro]

I’ve been drawing comics for YEARS before it ever became a job for me and I plan to continue for as long as I can.

My problem is I have never been able to manage posting online regularly very well but its alright since most of my income is through traditional print publishing. I’m still at the place where I need to rely on the internet to maintain interest and run my Patreon but other than that I’m not super consistent online. I do about 200-300 pages of comics a year but most of them are for long term print projects or testing and don’t go online or only go to Patreon and I have been maintaining that pace for years.

I’ll be able to slow down this year since I have more money coming in from royalties, I’m getting bigger advances for the same amounts of work, and my Patreon is doing relatively well with little work. I experienced a pretty bad bout of burnout the last few months but I’ll still be drawing comics since its kind of my default mode after doing it everyday for a decade now. Its not something I could stop if I wanted to but I also can’t because it pays the rent and bills and everything.