Depends on the friend.
Some friends I can tell just fine. No issues.
Other friends I will not tell them, because if I tell them, every other fucking day I'll be getting messages from them along the lines of
"HEY I GOT THIS AMAZING COMIC IDEA THAT YOU SHOULD DRAW FOR ME"
sends really bad jokes or script "You can draw this for me right????? I see it going viral/BIG!"
"You know if you're ever looking for ideas for comics to draw I got THOUSANDS of them I can sell to you."
"Can you put my character in your comic?? Not as a background character, needs to be a main character, I just think you're story will be better if my character is in it proceeds to send me 500 page backstory on said character
"Ever think about publishing a MANGA?? I got the perfect script, think Promare, crossed with Attack on Titan, and then some Yuri on Ice to top it off It'll be bigger than Naruto. We'll make millions, 50/50 split."
"Have you ever thought about drawing FANFICS???? I think my fanfics will make GREAT comics!"
And like... I know these requests happen online too, but when you know a person IRL, they are FAR more pushy. I don't know if it's because they know an actual artist in real life or what but it is the most draining thing to deal with.
Then if I ignore them because they will not take no for an answer, (but only when they make those requests) I'm the one who's the asshole for ghosting them and being a bad friend.
Additional Note: THIS BS FUKING EVEN EXTENDS PAST MY OWN RELATIONSHIPS!!! AND WILL ATTEMPT TO GO THROUGH MY OTHER FRIENDSHIPS.
If my mom tells her friends that I draw comics, they will start harassing her with this same messages to send to me or they will add me on facebook and send me these requests. But it'll be so fuking out of touch like
"God gave you a gift, he wants you to draw comics for god I have the perfect script for you."
And it's like "Mam, I am not Christian and I draw gay comics to match my gay personality. Please find someone else to draw your bible comics for you."