Why we stop drawing?

[Pandastrophic]

I can talk in terms of my experience, I didn't stop drawing but I Stopped working on my comic at the time.
I spent about a year on this comic projects and honestly the main reason I stopped was because I got burned out, the fact that I didn't get much readership was a contributing factor but it wasn't like the main reason. I felt like I was working on something that was going no where, I hadn't planned the story properly, the story had too many 'main' characters (it was about a group of friends) so I wanted to tell all their stories which ment the comic was gonna be really long.There were problems with my writting, I didn't know how to write or develop characters well enough for a story, their personalities where flat and cliched and the story was too. Working on it made it feel more like a job I didn't want to do, it was stressing me out and I kept trying to update on time and pushed myself to keep working on it for a year but by the end I started to realise all the problems in my comic and I was just so burned out from working on it, I also didn't have large following and that made me feel like 'well no ones gonna miss it anyway' so I just ended up quiting.

I'm glad I made that older comic because it helped me see my mistakes but it was only until last year that I decided to get back into making comics after about 3 years of mainly illustrations and adopts.

[timinabox24]

the wird things is, I can't seem to get myself to stop making comics
I've been told all the time for the past few years by people that my comics are trash and got rejected every single time I even tried to show them to someone
I know my comics are bad and I feel bad
and I did try to stop making them
but at the same time I still have so many ideas and I don't want them to go to waste, altho in the end they still kinda do x.x
I don't know how other people do it and manage to give up drawing, I wish I could do that too x.x

[Mikayi]

@kurapikasuki I was one of the many people that did not know how that worked. but that is crazy! that defently is a lot of work. Considering just to make money and have 15 updates a month or even 4. I could image it takes a lot out of people. I can barely manage an update every 2 weeks, but I push myself I don't know how people are able to do 15, then again if that's all they did I do understand that needing income important. that's very sad though the site shut down and many people had to give up. I noticed a comic can get more views online, then on paper back. but their are those that self print and then they can't make to much that way because it's free online. still thank you for letting me know I had no idea!
and thank you, I should try to find you on that site again. I have a few comics I follow on there too. ^-^ it's a bit easier on my mobile to read comics on DD sometimes.

@avimHarZ I figure there's a bunch of reasons. it sad to see someone stop, but I do understand completely that life gets in the way or they can get burned out. I just wanted to pounder the idea of reason why someone would stop. I favorite comics I enjoy and it sad to see it never update, and no word from the author. I guess I get sad thinking something bad happen.

@Vikiro_Hop I see lots of people wanting to make it big in art, then randomly give up due to the feeling of never making it. the what if question ! but that's an intersting little vid. thanks for sharing it! and I think that many people probable have the what if thing going on. something that a person loves is hard to give up on, and sometimes we can wonder if we had did plan A would we need plan B. or Work on Plan B over Plan A.

@rodrigomush Oh no! I do understand the depression part though it really does make you not want to do anything, even things you love. I hope you are able to get back. this place seems to be kind enough where they can always help or talk about things. I seem to find it easier to post online then in front of people. then again online can be tough too. still... I glad you shared that I hope things get better and you feel better to start back again. ^-^

@Pandastrophic I think I did that with one story before, and part of it was because I felt like I had to update daily, but that was when I didn't have to worry about much, and to me the story got jumbled. however, I had redone it recently but it's taken me a lot longer to get to where I wanted, I had 7 vol. with 2000+ pages, now I am in v.3
I do get what you are saying though, it's good experience. and I have read one comic that started out well, but there were to many characters, the story felt like it was bouncing to much, and I stopped reading. but it wasn't yours. I think it does help to know when things can be jumbled and may need to stop. or redo. ^-^

@timinabox24 OH NO! but the only way to get better is to pratice and learn. I'm sorry people tell you those things. although you want to, I think it's nice that you are still somewhat motivated to keep drawing. sometimes it helps just to relieve stress or if you have something to say it helps too. I think it's different for everyone though. so don't feel bad. ^^

[timinabox24]

no, trust me, I have every reason to feel bad X_X I've been making comics for a long time now, and I tried really hard to get better, but in the end they are even worse trash than when I started making them :/
I used to think it would be neat if I could show my comics to people, but unfortunately that impossible, so I just don't see the point in wasting my time on them anymore, if all I can do with them is just toss them in trash as soon as I'm done. I just wish I knew how to stop making them and just forget anyhting ever happened X_X

[r0ckrabbi7]

Sorry for not really joining in on the discussion, I am at work and don't have the time to read every reply, so I'll just post my two cents here:

I have a series on Tapastic. Actually two, but one is just random 4/5 panel stories and I don't think of it as something that interesting.
I came to this website with a story to tell. I'm not here for the subs, for the views, I'm not here with a goal to create myself a fanbase. I mean, all of these are cool to have, but they're not my main reason to be here. I just want to tell the story that I have created and that is about it.
With that being said... My comics is dead at the moment. It has always been on long hiatuses between updates (January, May, October, December) and it's mainly because... Well, I don't really have time for it. Making a single page is bothering me and I don't have the time to make many pages at once, because I have joined projects, I work on personal others that help me get some extra money, I have a dance group to deal with, as well as a social life and a relationship.. It's all little bits that take away from me. I am sad that I can't find enough time to do my comic, especially since I know there are people who look forward to it and I feel guilty, because it feels as if I owe them, but at the same time I am not sure how to balance everything else in such a way that I can sneak in some time for the comic.
So I guess some people are unhappy or get tired of their projects (that's what happened to the Black Brick Road of OZ :/ ), some get disheartened because they are unnoticed and some, like me, get overwhelmed by real life.. It's sad, but it happens. I wish there was more time in a day so I can sneak in the comic and maybe a few other activities too :c

[indagold]

You gotta have something wrong with you if getting depressed, losing hope, feeling lonely and feeling invalid no one is subbing your comic. There's a fine line between disappointment and losing all faith in yourself and whatever piddling amount of self esteem one has. This seems more of a matter of insecurity issues and getting way too obsessed over ones work. I see people posting on this forum their life is over because they don't have subs.

[quakeulf]

The page can't hold more ink.

[Mikayi]

I don't think it's a bad thing to draw it's an outlet to some. And even if you think it's bad you can always try colaberations with others maybe. But don't completely put yourself down.

[Mikayi]

@r0ckrabbi7 that is understandable, I don't have time to do anything either, I am able to draw at least once ever 2 weeks it's hard though, I had 2 jobs at one point and it was getting to be no social life at all. but I think it's something I love to do, and with me basically going to home and work I do have some time to draw. but it's good to hear your experience on why you stopped your comic.

@indagold I understand what you are saying. I had a bout of depression, that kept me from even doing the things I enjoyed, and there are times when things just pile up one after another and it's hard to find something to make you happy when nothing seemly going well. It does in some ways for those just asking for subs.

@quakeulf: I have no idea how to respond to that. O.O

[indagold]

I guess everyone should work out their life problems first. A lot of times just taking a break, taking a deep breath and taking a look back at stuff after some time has passed is better than freaking out. Some people just get too involved with something sometimes and it breaks them...

[keii4ii]

I guess everyone should work out their life problems first.

In some cases, though, that would mean they'd never get to create because their problems are more or less permanent. I know some creative folks who have had depression/anxiety for years, decades even. If anything, not creating makes things worse for them.

Telling them not to beat themselves up over views/subs is fine; I certainly agree with that! But telling them to not even create... that's going too far.

Some people just get too involved with something sometimes and it breaks them...

Often it's not that 'something' that breaks them. They were already broken in the first place, and that 'something' is simply an outlet for symptoms.

[indagold]

look I have bipolar, I know what it's like. I'm not implying people should stop working, I never said that, but should seriously try to take a break instead of wasting all their time fretting over a comic or something pointless. They become too obsessed over something to a point where they can't take care of themselves. "Often it's not that 'something' that breaks them. They were already broken in the first place, and that 'something' is simply an outlet for symptoms." sigghh... I'm talking about how something someone can't handle makes them worse. when not getting subs for a comic sends you into a fit you should seriously talk to you doctor and try to calm down because it's the person themselves not their comic. A comic isn't gonna help you when you're at your breaking point. Some people really do unhealthy things that just makes things worse.

[keii4ii]

because it's the person themselves not their comic

That's actually exactly what I meant. The comic is not the root of their problems.

And these problems are different for each person, especially when the diagnosis is different! I don't think being bipolar means you know what it's like to have other kinds of problems.. e.g. I have anxiety and do not understand depression as closely as I do anxiety. And even when your condition is officially the same as another person's, your experience and theirs could be very different.

[indagold]

I'm talking about how people deal with problems in unhealthy ways or don't even try to seek help. I'm not talking about how I understand everyone's condition. Some people really do dumb or ridiculous things and it has mostly to with their personality or inexperience.

[Mharz]

It is indeed sad to see an artist stop because of financial burdens but I totally salute those who still push through against all odds. I probably would've been one of them too if I wasn't fortunate and stubborn enough. Art is never an easy career after all. It requires tons of sacrifices.

On a side note, years prior to me publishing my webcomic here on Tapastic on 2015, I also have been through a lot of self-loathing and frustrations in the past because my art was so bad. I felt like it wasn't improving and I was totally insecure because the artists I see are really really good and waay freaking younger than me. I was even way too shy and scared to share my art in public. I even thought to myself that maybe I should just stop but I just can't imagine myself doing a different career aside drawing. I'm glad I got over this.

[timinabox24]

I don't think you realize just how horrifyingly bad my comics are x.x
it's just that I put that much time and effort into this, trying to get better and I still failed completely. I see all those people, on this site or everywhere else, who can just do something they love and share it with people and I've always thought that, if I tried hard enough to get better at making comics, I could do that too one day.
I've always been doing this mainly for myself, but is it really that bad if I want to show my comics to people and maybe get something more out of them than toilet paper material?
I still try to get better and I think is this an interesting idea? will people get the joke? must draw the pictures neately! but then I feel like there's no point in trying for something if it's just going in trash without anyone seeing it :/
it just feels like I'm sitting alone in a room laughing at my own jokes :/ if I can't even try to show my comics to anyone, then making them and having to remind myself constantly that they aren't good enough and that I must toss all of my hard work in trash is just making me feel worse

[Reraser]

Hey man, perhaps take it to PMs if you're gonna keep resisting people's gentle words? You really have to pardon the phrase, but you're kind of throwing yourself a public pity party in a thread discussing the ability to pursue our ability to make comics vs. the world.

I'll say the same thing as everyone else- you feel the compulsion to do it, just keep doing it. If you have a huge problem with yourself, study really hard with, say, the jokes of the people you find funny, or artists you aspire to be like. You're just saying things like how "trying to be better just makes worse trash," and that literally means like nothing. Just practice, and engage with people on a level that is not victimizing yourself.

[timinabox24]

so what you're trying to tell me is, maybe instead of having pointless conversations with people who try to tell me I should keep making comics, I should go do something more productive?
you know what, you're actually absolutely right about that o.o I guess I was just overthinking stuff, but I probably should get my mind off of the comics and try to focus on something else