How do people react to knowing you do this as a hobby/for a living?

R.n.P 2016-03-02 20:02:27 UTC #22

they say as long as there is the possibility i will get paid here for doing it as a hobby or job that its good
or those that don't understand the system no matter how much i explain nod their heads in ignorance

ConradComics 2016-03-02 20:30:14 UTC #23

That's pretty much the reaction I get from others. In fact, they usually sound relieved to hear that I do it for a hobby as opposed for a living.

That irritates me more than it probably should. In my head I'm thinking, Hey! People truly are trying to make a living doing this, they are a damn sight better than me and there's nothing wrong with doing it that way! Sigh, but instead, I just swallow it down, point them in the direction of Tapastic and give them recommendations.

nathankschulz 2016-03-02 20:36:29 UTC #24

I have some pretty awesome people in my life, so they're incredibly supportive. Friends and family rock, and I love the heck out of them.
Strangers seem pretty interested. It kind of surprises them, because they never honestly thought you could go and MAKE A COMIC. Just like that. It usually throws them a little, and they have a lot of questions about making comics.

kambreapratt 2016-03-02 21:04:41 UTC #25

When I say "oh I make comics and my husband does work on Disney comics" people get excited. Then they ask if we are famous (no...lol) and they think it pays a lot (again...no)

Generally it is a positive thing.

phen 2016-03-02 21:29:00 UTC #26

In my experience, it's been pretty positive. I hear a lot of esteem-killing stories about people being jeered or brushed off which is a bummer but I've had a lot of encouraging, kind words come back at me -- one person in particular (who's anything BUT an art lover, not even a liker) asked if I was going to be working on movies. My parents' friends always ask where my painting commissions are being sold and if I've gotten in contact with any studios (I balk at that, oh my gooossshh, not ready).

I'd say the only lighthearted kind of "negativity" I get is from fellow art school graduates, heh! We jab at each other about who will be the last to "get a real job".

Bluejay 2016-03-02 21:40:10 UTC #27

"What a nice drawing.
--Did you copy that from a picture?"

"Yeah, my kid can draw. Gon' be an architect."

"Can you draw on my 'insert-bodypart-here' ?"

"So cool."

"Draw me." asdgfkjglh

And my friends:

"WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON A STORY/ANIMATION/COMIC TOGETHER GUAHHHHH"

efdvorsky 2016-03-02 21:51:45 UTC #28

Too real. Way too real. |"D

I get a bit of both, depending who I talk to.

"So you publish your own manga?" / "Do you want to move to Japan?" / "Oh...but you'll get a real job later, right?" / "You know, it would be great if you could make concept art for my short film. Ad honorem, sadly." / "Have you thought about going to Cal Arts or to [insert expensive art school here]" / "ok but when will you start making A LOT of money?"

Are the ones that I usually hear, but again it depends who I talk to. Some people get excited and ask me to expand on it or to see samples. I try to focus on the good things and keep positive comments in a list for me to look back to whenever I feel discouraged but at this point I don't...really point it out unless I feel confident enough about it.

Lately, it's been a little better, though!

studioclairidi 2016-03-02 22:16:30 UTC #29

ChloroFluoro: I've only told my friends that I draw. Most of them say things like "WOW THIS IS SUCH A CUTE COMIC" or "WOW YOUR ART HAS IMPROVED" because over the years I've been showing them eyesores XD

zetina 2016-03-02 22:19:14 UTC #30

This reminded me of my friend in uni. She's a super swell person and shows the most sincere amazement watching me draw. She doesn't have a lot of questions necessarily, but I imagine she feels what the people you're talking about feel - like "yo you're actually making a thing! that looks like a proper thing! what!" She said something to that effect when I linked her my comic. I kind of get it too, or I think I do. Vaguely.
(my favourite part about her is that she never asks me to draw anything and understands that drawing takes effort aaa bless)

VermillionWorks 2016-03-02 22:55:17 UTC #31

I don't tell a lot of people IRL. My close family (my parents and sisters), are totally cool with it and support me all the way.
Strangers and random relatives tend to make a weird face, say something along the lines of "oh, that's cool" and then change the subject.
...........

BraveHeartTatsumaki 2016-03-02 23:21:01 UTC #32

Well, once I said I'd like to draw comic in the future as job and I got the respone
"Haha so you wanna be an anime"

Me:

Since then, I don't say it often unless like "it's just a hobby", my mother knows but she doesn't bother me, she trust in what I'm doing and she's like "if you get more things later and even money, just go for it", my sisters, one is completely neutral and thinks as long I'm happy there's no problem, my other sister is completely against it and she'd get in an argument with my mother for that to make me stop because "it's stupid" even though she also draws and she wants to draw comics as a dream too (yeah you get it xD)
My friends don't take it seriously, like they don't think someone can draw continuity for months so they thought I'd give up (what a nice friends huh???).... (Nah, it's just well, in my country art is not taken seriously, and by art, I mean EVERYTHING art related)

nathankschulz 2016-03-03 04:01:20 UTC #33

You're friend sounds rad! Give 'em a high five for radness achieved.
Yeah, comics are certain things feel so in the periphery for your everyday Joe or Jane, that they treat it like an apple. For us, we buy apple, then we eat apple. For an orchard farmer, its one thousand other steps that we never see, so we don't think about. The comic exists so, like, some machine, plant, or animal pumps it out right? Haha Nope! Hi, I'm trying to write that thing that makes you laugh or gasp. Its not the outcome of magic osmosis.

demthorshie 2016-03-03 06:24:53 UTC #34

My entire family as well as everyone I involve in my life are very supportive of what I do as a hobby and for a living. I've been able to change their perspective on having an art career as well as prove to them that freelance artists can financially support themselves in the world too! People I run in to at conventions generally seem interested when I tell them i'm a freelance artist/story illustrator and create webcomics as a hobby on the side.

The only really negative experiences i've had so far were from so-called professional artists! I can't even begin with some of the horrible remarks i've gotten from those types! x.x

heterodont 2016-03-03 07:23:30 UTC #35

My immediate family is pretty supportive of my goal of eventually becoming some kind of visdev artist or anything along those lines. It's just sorta the whole 'you're doing something you love to do' thing. Extended family is rather judgmental about it...even though I have a cousin who wants to become a musician / actor but apparently going into art is too unrealistic a successful job lol.

I don't get a lot of people asking me what I do for a living, unsuprisingly enough (I look super young so it's more the question of where I go to school) so usually when I respond with my school's name they often say a completely different school or assume I'm talking about a local community college...Though there are some that do recognize my school's name, which is a relief.

KSlinger 2016-03-03 10:35:39 UTC #36

Some really good insights here, thanks guys. I think I'm just pitching to the wrong crowd, it sounds like there's plenty of support out there when you can find it.

ashriott 2016-03-03 10:56:37 UTC #37

I never really tell anyone I draw comics. The last time I did tell someone, and showed them my work was when I was a kid drawing Powerpuff Girl fan comics. I don't say it out loud now, because I AM afraid of what other people's reaction might be. I've had received some reactions before, and all of them are usually awkward to say the least. The only people who know are my sister and a couple friends back in the PPG days. I'm suspecting my mum knows from rummaging through my stuff though... But that's fine, I'm liking a bit of anonymity lol

DuneDeca 2016-03-03 12:46:52 UTC #38

for a long time my family got really uncomfortable when I brought up comic book work. One thanksgiving, my dad even told me it was more honorable to be a cashier at walmart than to work on comic books. It wasn't till I nearly won a scifi comic contest that my family's view changed.

Other people around me seem to get pretty excited when they hear I'm a comic book artist. That is, until they ask me if I work at DC or Marvel and what superhero comic I do. When I tell them I work on my own original series they instantly loose interest and are like "oh, so you aren't REALLY a comic book artist."

Wolven_Sister 2016-03-03 13:28:07 UTC #39

Until I got my first series published, my family didn't really believe in me. My mom always told me as I grew up to have "realistic goals". And my friends were indifferent about it, they didn't have any interst. I had maybe two friends who genuinely supported me. Then I got accepted by a publisher and everyone changed their viewpoints. They still think it's a hobby and something I do in my free time and not my "real" job when it actually is. My webcomic is really my hobby, but my comic job is my real job

I come across people who think I make a lot of money (I don't. Even as a published comic artist it's still a difficult road. It's very rare to make this as a stable income and it takes YEARS!). Then my co-workers at my dayjob get confused when I describe what I do and they give me the same indifferent look with a little bit of distaste. I've had a couple co-workers show interest and once they see my art samples they're impressed but then the conversation stops. And yes I've even been in the same boat when they've asked me if I work for Marvel or DC and make superhero comics and I'm all..."ugh! Those aren't the only comics types out there!" (sry I really hate superhero comics)

I've been considering of lying or saying nothing if people ask me what I do anymore. Just lie and say I work at McDonald's or something. It's very irritating when they bring up the topic and I amuse them with my answers but once they're unsatisfied with what they hear, they instantly turn off the conversation

DuneDeca 2016-03-03 14:20:48 UTC #40

Oh my gosh I think the most frustrating part of this is working. Like, I sit at my computer and work hard everyday but other people don't consider it as your job? So they will call you and want you to play long hours of video games with them or just stop by unannounced and not leave for hours at a time because they know you'll be home.

I even had a boyfriend complain that all I do is draw everyday and that was somehow my fault for ruining our relationship. Like, PLEASE you would not be complaining like this if I worked fast food or at walmart. Like it or not, this is my real job. The fact I draw/work at home does not change that. If anything, they should consider themselves lucky that I work a job where I can be easily reachable on skype or even do effortless activities, like watch a tv show together while I work.

iddqd 2016-03-03 16:09:55 UTC #41

Idk, I think awkward reactions are true for a lot of occupations that are not widely known. Everyone sort of of knows what lawyers, engineers, or medical doctors do (you know, the real doctors). I go to graduate school, and I learned to keep that to myself most of the time to avoid awkward questions, silences, and sometimes judgment. I just "study and work part time in a mental health field". If they are genuinely curious about it afterwards, well, sure, I can tell them more.

Same with comics, if anyone asks me or it comes up, I am "a pen, ink and watercolor artist". I used to say that I draw webcomics in my spare time, and almost no one has a clue what a webcomic is... or even worse, they do, and now they think you're drawing a Sonic OC comic in MS Paint. Then you just have to explain yourself to likely an already reluctant audience... it just goes downhill from there.

On a brighter side, I almost always have great reactions from the animation program people. I know and hang out with a few pretty much every week. They work on their own projects, go to cons, and so on. We're all in it together, they get it.