Who picks success?
There are so many artists on several websites like Tumblr, DeviantArt, Patreon, etc., that I've been thinking about this for a couple of days.
What do artists do when they settle in? Like, turn 40 years old?
Do they just quit drawing or make it into a hobbie?
Do they continue to make a living out of it?
Is being an artist really that profitable?
When they turn popular, is it all luck combined with talent, hard work and perseverance?
What got me wondering about this was how in reality it's either luck or being picked up by someone with a lot of influence.
What do artists do when they fail, when their art doesn't get picked up? Do they just change areas or keep going and make it into a hobbie?
It varies. Every individual is an exception to the rule.
It's 50% luck and 50% pandering, I'd say.
Just look at how many shitty webcomic """""""""artists"""""""""" are making a living off by pandering to the tumblr audience. This applies to other things. Youtubers and streamers are the first examples that came to my mind.
>>84294365
I'm going to kill myself by the time I'm 40 and I've met a number of artists who felt the same, so long-term success and popularity isn't really an issue to some people. I've always figured a lot more people might feel that way than they let on, since being an artist and being mentally ill seem to go hand in hand.
One of my professors does fine art and a web comic. It's a gag a day kind of thing with a loose continuity that would fit in perfectly in a newspaper, I think. He's at least in his early 60s now.
Despite being a wonderful professor he's not been very successful, at least from what I can see, in the fine arts or in comics. He mentioned a deep frustration with the act of making art and having no audience aside from random assholes leaving shitty comments on his comic. But he keeps doing it.
I think what I'm trying to say is most people will probably burn out and fade, and some people just keep trying. I think despite the fact its not very rewarding he loves making art so he's going to keep doing it, even though getting anything other then suffering is unlikely.
>>84294704
I would say if making profits from being artist is your main goal, you should stop it right now. Whether it be music, drawing, or whatever.
No one expected Elvis Presley or Kurt Cobain to become famous. They produced some goods and the rest of the world happened to like it.
Making art is best when it's just a hobby.
>>84294365
I don't know a lot about pen, paper, paint, and wacom sort of artists but my mom is a hobby musician who is never going to be bigger than she was at 50.
She released 4 albums, played two sold out concert halls (~1200 seats), and still gets the occasional check from CD baby and a local record store. She was never able to quit her full time job (a teacher), or go one a world tour, or anything that big before her band broke down.
She never failed even if she didn't reach her real goal. The world shifted when the band fell apart, she took up biking and got fit. She has a smaller side band now that practices (though not as often). She never stopped playing music or being a musician BUT the goal and ferocity changed.
>>84294365
Most artists give up or do one thing for life
>>84294744
>tfw you realize your professors were right that most of the graduating class won't be making art three years after they graduate
>>84294844
This is so sad. I've seen so many people just give up or never have what it took in the first place.
>>84294744
>Making art is best when it's just a hobby
Hahahahahahahahaha
>>84294704
i know its 4chan but if what you say its true then i would like to check his site up and leave some nice comments.
Its hard for old artists, i had a profesor who had his own website and everything there looked really bad and wasnt updated for like 4 years but the guy drew amazingly in person, i could never figure that out
>>84295181
I'm paranoid I've already revealed way too much and I don't want him to know one of his students is going around being like "Great professor, too bad he's a failure".
>>84295219
well as a comics thread in /co/ its most likely going to die down in 3 more posts if someone doesnt shoehorn spiderman anyways but ok i guess
>>84294365
Some just become designers working for publishing companies
>>84294704
>He mentioned a deep frustration with the act of making art and having no audience aside from random assholes leaving shitty comments on his comic.
I have exactly the same. It's so weird that somehow only the worst people find my work and comment on it. It's not even bad compared to the things they praise. It's not making any sense. It's like they decide to take a shit on me for no reason other than to be nasty.
It seems that the only thing I can do to get people to unconditionally like my work is if I remove any trace that I made it from it and deliver it through someone else. It's really fucking weird and I don't know why.I'm not going to post my work here, though.
>>84295273http://www.gocomics.com/jetpack-jr/2013/04/01
It's weird, and on hiatus since March this year..
>>84295369
i have no idea how to navigate this site, also is most of his humor based on inside jokes or something? i dont really get it
>>84295449Neither do I. I chalk it up to 'weird old man'
>>84295459
well he sure likes space babys i guess
the therapy ones where ok tho, i chuckled with the first one
