Creator identity?

[sarrowsmith10]

After spamming every single day all my facebook friends for a solid month about supporting my kickstarter, I'm sure there isn't a single person in my life who doesn't know I make comics!

I also illustrate a monthly safety comic for my lab at work, so all my coworkers obviously know that comics is sort of my thing. I also actively recruit folks to work for me at conventions, so that's a thing too. My two writers and I try to do a lot of local things, book signings at comic book stores, library conventions, etc. I just sort of accept the fact that drawing is apart of me and I like to share it with people around me.

I don't draw anything I'd be particularly ashamed of, so I don't really hide anything either. I use the same identity online as in real life, because I want to build brand recognition and make sure that folks in real life know how to find me online. It just sort of makes things easier.

I'm also old, so maybe that's always why I'm not too worried about it? I understand if teenagers and minors want to keep their identify under wraps online since there are a lot of creepy folks out there, and your privacy is really important. I definitely wouldn't want my son to use any personal information online until he was an adult, even if he was trying to build a name for himself in the art world. Alias are perfectly acceptable to protect yourself.

[Penni]

My friends and close family know that I'm writing (but not necessarily online)

I've been somewhat hesitant to voice it too much because part of me feels that this is something for me and I don't really need to broadcast to people who are may or not be interested.

My mother also hasn't had the best reaction to my writing and discourages me because she feels if you aren't J.K. Rowling status there is no point in doing it and I shouldn't bother.

That's what I happy to have Tapas, it allows me to have a place to share my work and get constructive criticism along the way. Ultimately I want to grow as a writer and if one day I make a profit from it then that will be the icing on the cake.

[Chopythes]

Tbh, I'm a very private person and don't talk much about my private life.
My co-workers and boss found out this year (after 8 years of me working with them) that I draw 8D

... I might need to open myself up a little.

I still think that people might be like: Oh like Donald Duck or Strip Comics?
Of which I do neither, but it's so hard to explain to people what I draw since all of them are used to comics with stories to max 10 pages long.

However, all my friends are comic artists, as that's how we all met! No need to keep any secrets from them, except for spoilers ;D

[UrMom]

Yes and no. Many people know I draw, some of them know I draw comics, but maybe 1-2 people actually know what my comic is or about my online handle. I'm not super chill with "outsiders" knowing the contents of my work given it has queer stuff, I dabble with darker subjects, and most of it is NSFW. (most of the people I talk to are coworkers, and they're all religious, queer-phobic, and can't comprehend... stuff... that requires thought) My coworkers see me as this super straight-laced person, I never cuss, I never get confrontational, they think I'm a cinnamon roll, so I don't want to deal with the reactions if they were to see my stuff. Also my comic is kinda personal, it's me expressing the emotions I'm incapable of expressing physically (due to emotional deadening) via drawings, so I'm not comfortable with people I know irl seeing that. It feels a little too vulnerable.

Even with strangers it's near impossible. I tried explaining my comic to a curious non-coworker at work, and I couldn't. It was literally impossible to tell them what it was because I was scared of the reaction if they heard about it's contents. I hate irl confrontation that much.

[afisa.wavinflier]

I'm a little bit proud of my comics, so i talk to everybody about it. hehehe

[SynCypher]

There's not a single person I know who doesn't know I make art. What they don't know, is that I also do it online outside of what I make using traditional tools. (I do art galleries and things of that nature off and on so I can socialize with other artists who use traditional mediums) In fact, the style I use IRL is different from the one I make digitally so, I'm safe from someone I know IRL recognizing my work here.

And no, I haven't told my family about the work I make online, whether it be writing or my webcomic. They're vaguely aware that I've work online but, they've no idea what about. I know it might seem silly but, the reason I keep my online life and my IRL life separate is so I can talk about my Synesthesia with other synnies and make work that reflects my Synesthesia. My family doesn't know I have it and I don't want them to know. It's not that I feel they'd love me any less but, many of them are judgemental and the last thing I want is to be hounded about something that's been a bit of a sore topic for me. I'd also not like my employer to find out,either, as I don't want them thinking it'd negatively affect my work (which it wouldn't).

Like many of you in here, I feel comfortable making online friend groups and enjoying other artists who are more interested in having a fun time and sharing their work, than being negative. That's been the funnest part of it all.

[joannekwan]

My irl friends and family know of my comics and work, but they haven't really read them too extensively and I don't think any of them check out my tumblr where I have my nsfw stuff.
But all in all, I'm proud of my work, and will stand by it. Heck, I use my real name on everything so if they find it, they find it.

[Im_moron]

in terms of irl people and me
I don't show my comics to them, because it might come off the wrong way, though I won't hesitate to draw in public, as I really wanna finish my pages.

I'll only talk if they ask.

in terms of relationship with my work?

I try to work at a pace where I'm contempt with how it looks, till I make it to story beats, where the real fun starts, this is where I go crazy and experiment like crazy.

atm, I'm learning to datamosh.... because.... im going crazy

I otherwise like my current state, though it's never as good as the artist I aspire to be... which may be odd, because that might be the exact same feeling every single artist I know, personally or casually.

[Rhonder]

Hmm, I don't think there's anyone that I know IRL that isn't like a light acquaintance or less that doesn't know that I'm into drawing. I've been pretty passionate about it as a hobby for like 11 years now since Middle School, and although I used to be kind of shy about sharing it outside of close friends/family at first, that's long since dissolved. Like anytime "What are your hobbies" or "what do you like to do for fun?" it's like "Drawing and video games!" As far as my recent comic drawing ambitions go, mostly only a few close friends irl and online know any of the particulars, although I've been teasing it on my recently established art social media platforms, so any of my irl or online friends who pay attention to those should be aware.

The big exception to the above is my co-workers. I've only been here a year and would have no problem talking to them about my hobbies, but no one ever inquires so I never talk about it. They're at least aware that I'm into gaming, because I took a day off last year to go to all 4 days of PAX West (and one of my boss' sons actually works for a game developer and thus also goes) but my drawing never got brought up xD I had a few pieces in my interview portfolio (I work in an architecture firm, so including drawings made sense) as well as a few comic storyboards actually, so recognition might be there but I dunno.

I guess part of it's on me. Whenever I get asked what I did over the weekend, if it was something cool (like a concert or other event) I'll talk about it, but if I just spent the whole time drawing or whatever I'll usually say "oh, not much. Just kind of relaxed" rather than "I spent 20 hours drawing 8D"

[Shanny8]

I'm pretty much on a "none of your business" approach with most of my co-workers at my RL gig. There's a few that know I do comics(hell, my boss has bought some of my stuff); I sit at my desk during lulls between tasks and work on my comic stuff- but when asked, I downplay and try to deflect a lot of it coz I dont want folks feeling that they can ask me to do some art for them(especially when what they ask isnt what I want to do). Not ashamed of what I do- I just like my privacy(when it comes to them).

I'm more or less really vague about stuffs in general. Most of the conventions that I table at are on the weekends; the only 2 that I have taken days off for are MomoCon(starts on a Thursday) and Anime Weekend Atlanta(starts on a Friday). My fam knows I make comics/webcomics and do con shows- they also know I spend most of my weekends working on comic stuff, watching Netflix & anime, and dont care to be bothered most of the time.

[Laht]

Many people know I draw, but I only personally told 2 of them I make comics. XD
I live far away from convention sites so... well. I haven't meet IRL any comic creators. Some of my university friends draw and write a book, but they never really go around telling others.

My comics can sometimes be really personal, so I don't really want anyone near me to take a peek inside my mind ahah. Not that I'm ashamed of what I do, I'm proud of them. I just like my own personal space. It let me breath and not worry about what people may think if I write certain things. It's my freedom oasis.

If anyone finds out, well, I won't freak out or anything. Since I have nothing to hide. I think many would support me in fact. I just like to create my own peaceful place. That's all.

[joannekwan]

I also want to add, that pretty much no one I know in real life (my husband aside) knows about my other interests— how I have a deep thirst over some subjects for example hahaha.
Sometimes it bleeds over into my art and comics, but like I said before, people don't look too in depth. The platforms where most of my irl connections follow me on, facebook and instagram, I keep sfw anyway.

I think I'm the only one of my irl circle who is so wired to the internet, with niche interests. And when I get together with my friends I sometimes think in the back of my mind "Oh? You're into Fairy Tail? That's the most non-mainstream thing you like? That's cute."

I kind of like having this other side to me. Not many people know it's there. Do they dare ask?

[SpavVy]

My family and friends know I make a comic and that I'm in with a small digital publisher. Some of my friends have admitted to reading it regularly in fact. However I'm not too open about sharing links and stuff with some of my relatives because my family on my dad's side are rather...conservative and very Christain. I draw and write some pretty NSFW and sensitive stuff and I kinda don't want them seeing that lol.

[Akhdas]

people whom i know of, know i make comics. they just dont care

[375]

So with me, people know I write because hey when you have 22 best friends they kind of find out what you do and will support you especially your best best friend. But out of the 22, they do know but never read anything of mine. So im hidden but im not hidden?? XD

[lunaartemisasama]

I prefer to keep it private because people ask too much if they know.
I once knew a fujoshi IRL and we were like, ok I will give you my internet alias if you give me yours.... ,but we couldn't... awkwardness everywhere.

[dawgofdawgness]

At the beginning of the year I was pretty secretive about my comic, but nowadays 70% of my friends know it exists. In fact I doodle my characters EVERY where - my homework, the whiteboard, the desk (oops), my tests - the teachers have learned to just accept it... And some even like them

[LordVincent]

Eh. I draw dicks and anime cuties killing each other for a living and everyone knows it.

I'm not very private, reserved or secretive. Never seen the point and I'm nearly incapable of even telling a lie so i couldn't lie about it if I wanted

[eochoa92]

Regarding my writing, I get crap from my supervisor because of the moleskine I carry with me. He says that my days are filled with me packing that notebook with my angst. While I have told him that I do write comics, that's all he knows. I've never shown him any, nor do I tell him what I have in the works.
Same with other people I know and family.
I tend to be reserved about myself, thinking that my talking about my projects is coming off braggy, despite the absence of my own following. If anybody asks, I'll answer. If someone wants to see what I have, I'll show them. But I won't just randomly bring up the topic and shove my content in someone's face. I've been confronted with too many people trying to sell their mixtapes in that fashion.

[sandpaperdaisy]

I'm more the "I forget to tell people stuff" type person. I have friends who would be perfectly happy to read my things but it takes me forever to actually shoot them a link because I'm too busy playing Turtles in Time with them or cooking or whatever.

There's only a few people I purposely don't show my stuff. I'm talking in-laws, etc who are sweet wonderful people but who believe that D&D is satanic and certain sexual preferences don't actually exist and several million people are just making it up. You get the idea. I think of not sharing my work as "sparing" them because they still have to interact with me, so at least I can ensure they're not picturing horrible shapeshifting alien beasts and killer schoolgirls while they're talking to me.

Realistically, I know I'm just sparing myself the conflict and sideways glances though. XD