How important do you think it is to consume?

[akitsukino]

I started wanting to draw because of how much I loved cartoons and comics, but it feels like I haven't been reading many comics or watching cartoons recently. I heard that you can lose sight of why you're doing something currently if you forget why you started. And I do sometimes forget why I started all this.

So what do you think? Do you think reading and watching stuff you like can inspire you or do you think its just time wasted on actually making your own stuff?

[SleepingPoppy]

Do you think reading and watching stuff you like can inspire you or do you think its just time wasted on actually making your own stuff?

I think it entirely depends on the person. It's never time wasted to focus on your craft, especially if you're loving it and in the flow. But if you need/want to take a break to consume some of the media that inspires you or just need that time to chill and recharge, there is no shame in that! Working hard is important! Taking breaks is important!

[punkarsenic]

bruh, it felt like the minute i started doing webcomics was the minute i stopped reading actual comics (its acc that it coincided with starting further education and Not Having Time to slog through a tonne of marvel crap every week but still), its so annoying bc i absolutely think reading and watching and listening to more anything is really important. it expands your perception of whats possible, and gets you more mentally immersed in storytelling - it gives you things to pick apart and apply your ever-newfound knowledge to. its all fertiliser to the pile.

these days im tryna develop a library of graphic novels and prose novels to fuel my flame, and tryna keep myself watching movies pretty frequently - and when not watching movies, watching youtube videos abt movies (while horrifically nerdy, it really has improved my cinematic literacy and the way i think abt storytelling and esp visual storytelling)

[ZombieOwl]

I find this to be true for me as well. I started because they're fun to make I love telling stories and making people laugh. I think a lot of people had a little light go on in their brains the first time they read a comic that clicked with them.
It's inspiring and motivating to know that comics is an artistic path you can take

But yeah, it's hard to read and support as many comics as I used to now that I'm a creator :o

[Shanny8]

I think I would've burned out a long time ago if I kept treating my work process as working in a vacuum with no direct contact/inspiration. By not only looking at others' works, but also talking with others about their processes and having motivational conversations, it helps me keep the fire lit, so that I can further work on my own material; sometimes it helps to consume to be inspired to create.

[nelmathyria]

I'll often feel really inspired to work on my own story whenever I read/watch something that I really enjoy (sometimes to the point where I'll be watching a movie and will stop focusing on it because I've started daydreaming about my comic, oops) I know for me at least I love that creative rush that I get when I'm experiencing a story that really inspires me. Seeing good stories makes me that much more excited to work on my own! And sometimes I'll catch a part of a movie or something that I'm not super invested in, but a certain aspect or plot point will really catch my attention and whether or not it directly inspires anything in my story, it still gets those creative juices flowing. All that to say, while of course you want to spend a significant amount of time actually working on your comic, I think it's very important to consume other stories of all different genres and media, especially if you're going through a creative slump. You never know what will strike a chord with you and get you excited about creating!

[GesuGesu]

I love consuming media as it gives me a break from my own work as well as lets me enjoy other stories and take inspiration from them.

[Zaboem]

Later tonight, I will be working at a gas station. Over the night, a few customers will come in and empty the change-sharing cup before they even pull out their own money. I once worked at a store where this kid would come in every Saturday morning and stand by my counter the entire shift, wait until the cup filled, buy candy with that change, and then resume his vigil. None of this is ethically wrong because the change is there to be spent by anybody.

Eyes are a resource, like coins. Anyone who is consuming views but not contributing to them is analogous to take pennies and not leaving any. Not supporting the community by reading and leaving feedback is consuming a resource. It's not evil nor dishonest, just a jackass move.

[yozhikisblue]

(sometimes to the point where I'll be watching a movie and will stop focusing on it because I've started daydreaming about my comic, oops)

I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets this way!

I've always been a huge bookworm- often even re-reading the same old book in multiple languages just to see what came across differently in translation- but when I started creating my own content, I found myself actually dropping books and movies midway because I was struck by an idea or sudden motivation to write. The first few times this happened, I actually felt a strange sort of shame for not finishing something- but now I've come to accept it as part of my creative process.

One thing I do worry about sometimes is how an author or artist I admire can impact the direction of my work. I'll get carried away with how they explore a certain theme in their writing, or find an art style radically different from my own to be seductively beautiful, to the point of wanting to incorporate elements of it into my own drawings. Of course I can see the potential advantages of this habit. It ensures that I keep developing as a creator in a multitude of diverse ways. But on the other hand, it also makes it very tempting to go back and rework things indefinitely- or makes me worry that my "brand" as an artist is not consistent enough to always be recognizably mine.

With that in mind, I feel like reading and watching stuff that inspires you is great- but only to a point. There's something to isolating yourself to outside influence every now and then to figure out what your own unique creative voice sounds like.

[CarolRiverArt]

It happens to me in videogames.
I started to make videogames too with my husband. Both love videogames and art, but yea. I don´t have time to play games anymore ;____;