give me a sec while i stop laughing because i'm getting into my late 40's now (well my body is anyhow most of my head is still 10)
I almost never answered this because keeping the frustrations of being a self employed artist contained in that little room in my head with the sign that says " do not enter" is a full time job, so forgive me if the door opens and this turns into a rant. ( and besides answering questions risks showing people there are real people with lives behind this internet thing )
1) What has you’re experience as a freelance artist been like?
Hard, ruddy hard. I've been self employed for four years now and I spent three of them pushing out a comic that people never wanted. I kept telling myself that people would come around and see what i was trying to say by showing story lines that were (are) unpopular in reality but nope, people never got it and I had to scrap the whole thing. on top of that I've had to deal with personal problems, drawing cartoons and competing with internet artist when you have full blow depression makes it a challenge to make funny cartoons.
**2)How hard is it to find work? **
these days, very. people on the internet want everything for free, on top of that other people on the internet have this idea they can steal art from where ever they like and do what they want with it. its not easy finding commissions. you will find the people who have money want to keep it and most of them want everything double the work and half the cost. and on top of that we have cell phone apps stealing customers with their cute little tricks people can now do for free!
3)How does having a day job/other job help or hurt things?
I don't have another job, self employment is my only means of support and that means some weeks i have more money for bills than for food, but artist have starved for century's, why should I be different?
4) How varied are some of the jobs you take (storyboarding vs character design vs writing)?
If it's art based i'll give it ago...(as long as it's not got real horses or bungy-jumping) I have designed all sort's of logos, cartoons, posters, even a caricature of a full international cricket team. and you tube videos.
5)Does isolation (being inside all day) ever become a thing?
well do do start to think a little crazy at times, but crazy helps with comic writing. but i'm never isolated, i have all my internet pals to distract me.
6)Do you ever truly feel stable in your lifestyle?
No, but lets face it nobody is stable. you might have a high paid job and get fired tomorrow. I use to work with people who have had emotional breakdowns due to working so hard. given the choice between having little money and enjoying what i do or working all hours to have lots of money only to end up sitting in a ball talking to a wall (i have seen that) i know the choice i made is ok with me.
7)What’s the most fulfilling and/or disparaging part of it?
the most fulfilling would be knowing people have bought your art because they enjoy it and want to see it on their walls.
the most disparaging for me is when friends and family treat me like my job is just a hobby and think i have all the time in the world to do jobs for them (like fetch and carry for free) or people who come around unannounced to chat when your trying to get a page done and you don't want them to see the artwork.
think i kept the rage contained....but you asked