June 29th 2018

[DancesWithWerewolves]

Sure is asking a lot of you, isn't it, Seb? :p

In somee ways yes. But it’s a small price to pay for my epic pension and the good hours and vacation.

i would

Me too it's the basis of switching from left to right. I work hard for what I earn and need to live and don’t want it taxed for things I don't want

I'm just tired of this pay-to-live bullshit. "money doesn't buy happiness" is such a bullshit statement, and can only come from people of privilege. Only being able to afford a dump, and can't do anything but wait until going to work to slave away again, just depressing. I don't think it's going to get any better.

Even though I'm working on my comic, I'm 99% sure it will get rejected by Image anyway, and I'm stuck self-publishing, which means only 2 people might buy it. (oh, but 13 people may "like" the post on facebook, and 4 might "like" it on instagram).

Not trying to be an asshole, but you need to develop the secondary skills to monetize your primary skills. Crave does pretty well. I would say in the five years since starting, we are definitely in the top tier of similar businesses started in that span, especially considering budget. I would further suggest that we do not possess any particular skill in cooking that is not common. Our supporting skills are excellent, though.

Think of all the artists who are at your skill level or lower who make more money, then consider their secondary skill sets. That is the missing piece.

You act like I've never looked into how other artists get going. Like I've been in the dark, picking my butt, sitting here doing nothing for 15 years. Missing piece: not getting hired in the first place.

Though...I do think I know why I wasn't hired. I emerged during an era where tracing was the go-to for comic art. And I didn't even realize artists were tracing, even though I found the popular (at the time) art dull and seemed to rely too much on picture references anyway. I didn't trace my work, and I have a lot of gritty 90's influence which has become "out of style". Big artists at the time were guys like Greg Land and Bryan Hitch, artists I thought were so boring, but they turned out to be tracers. (Hitch was better about it than Land though, Land got exposed for tracing porn, so that's pretty funny). Of course I had to keep a roof over my head, so I couldn't keep doing fresh portfolios to carpet-bomb studios.

I'm hoping when I have my book all made up, like you know, an actual product to sell (hopefully, Image publishes it, since they awesomely do creator-owned stuff) that I can at least get attention of people who prefer that style. Nostalgia. There likely will be people bitching about my work, specifically because I have 90's-isms that people hate now, but whatever. But if I'm on my own, I already know due to experience, I have no mental wiring for salesmanship, so it'll be an utter failure. And yes, you have to have a personality wired for it, you don't "learn" it. I can follow a script to a T, but get nowhere. I've literally watched my boss come in, say the EXACT same thing, and get a person to pull a 180. My boss has noticed the same thing and doesn't get it. I don't have "it" for advertising/salesmanship. I also know I don't have money to pay for advertising. I parted a lot of money (for me) for Facebook to help with that, and ultimately was a waste with no clients or anything for 2 damn years.

Oh, I am hoping that when/if I do the live Twitch streams, and I am drawing some of the pieces for the comic, I could, hopefully, possibly, gain some interest that way. Especially when I get around to drawing the covers for each issue.

I'm going to pick my butt now, because it itches.

[DancesWithWerewolves]

I remember one time, a client actually said to me, "a couple more of these and you can finally get yourself a car!" and I just stared like "you have no idea how little money this actually is, and how immediately down the toilet this will be flushed on bills."

This was the guy who owned that Gurrlie GIrl co. Who seem to be out of business last I checked.

[Foo]

Sure is asking a lot of you, isn't it, Seb? :p

In somee ways yes. But it’s a small price to pay for my epic pension and the good hours and vacation.

i would

Me too it's the basis of switching from left to right. I work hard for what I earn and need to live and don’t want it taxed for things I don't want

I'm just tired of this pay-to-live bullshit. "money doesn't buy happiness" is such a bullshit statement, and can only come from people of privilege. Only being able to afford a dump, and can't do anything but wait until going to work to slave away again, just depressing. I don't think it's going to get any better.

Even though I'm working on my comic, I'm 99% sure it will get rejected by Image anyway, and I'm stuck self-publishing, which means only 2 people might buy it. (oh, but 13 people may "like" the post on facebook, and 4 might "like" it on instagram).

Not trying to be an asshole, but you need to develop the secondary skills to monetize your primary skills. Crave does pretty well. I would say in the five years since starting, we are definitely in the top tier of similar businesses started in that span, especially considering budget. I would further suggest that we do not possess any particular skill in cooking that is not common. Our supporting skills are excellent, though.

Think of all the artists who are at your skill level or lower who make more money, then consider their secondary skill sets. That is the missing piece.

You act like I've never looked into how other artists get going. Like I've been in the dark, picking my butt, sitting here doing nothing for 15 years. Missing piece: not getting hired in the first place.

Though...I do think I know why I wasn't hired. I emerged during an era where tracing was the go-to for comic art. And I didn't even realize artists were tracing, even though I found the popular (at the time) art dull and seemed to rely too much on picture references anyway. I didn't trace my work, and I have a lot of gritty 90's influence which has become "out of style". Big artists at the time were guys like Greg Land and Bryan Hitch, artists I thought were so boring, but they turned out to be tracers. (Hitch was better about it than Land though, Land got exposed for tracing porn, so that's pretty funny). Of course I had to keep a roof over my head, so I couldn't keep doing fresh portfolios to carpet-bomb studios.

I'm hoping when I have my book all made up, like you know, an actual product to sell (hopefully, Image publishes it, since they awesomely do creator-owned stuff) that I can at least get attention of people who prefer that style. Nostalgia. There likely will be people bitching about my work, specifically because I have 90's-isms that people hate now, but whatever. But if I'm on my own, I already know due to experience, I have no mental wiring for salesmanship, so it'll be an utter failure. And yes, you have to have a personality wired for it, you don't "learn" it. I can follow a script to a T, but get nowhere. I've literally watched my boss come in, say the EXACT same thing, and get a person to pull a 180. My boss has noticed the same thing and doesn't get it. I don't have "it" for advertising/salesmanship. I also know I don't have money to pay for advertising. I parted a lot of money (for me) for Facebook to help with that, and ultimately was a waste with no clients or anything for 2 damn years.

Oh, I am hoping that when/if I do the live Twitch streams, and I am drawing some of the pieces for the comic, I could, hopefully, possibly, gain some interest that way. Especially when I get around to drawing the covers for each issue.

I'm going to pick my butt now, because it itches.

I don't believe in any of that. I think we create artificial barriers to achieving our goals. Our own minds can be our worst enemies.

[DancesWithWerewolves]

Right. Making it up.

[Foo]

Right. Making it up.

I dont think you are making anything up. I like you, think you are talented, and hope for the best. Just disagree on the path to success.

[showa58taro]

Had a weird start to my day. Greeted by a sad wife at 6:15 because we got a message from my sister saying she’s becoming my brother. Had it in my head that J-Mac had a similar experience. Slightly surprising (though not completely) to see.

Once the decision is made, all you can do is love them and support them. Will be fine.

That’s the approach I’m taking. They are still the individual I grew up with.

[Jmac Attack]

Had a weird start to my day. Greeted by a sad wife at 6:15 because we got a message from my sister saying she’s becoming my brother. Had it in my head that J-Mac had a similar experience. Slightly surprising (though not completely) to see.

Once the decision is made, all you can do is love them and support them. Will be fine.

That’s the approach I’m taking. They are still the individual I grew up with.

It's hard bro. That's why I don't talk about it. I won't even chime in when someone mentions it. But I will now. I feel like my daughter died sometimes. Mine was a total shock. Out of nowhere. That's when he (she) was 12. Now that he is 16, I'm pretty sure this isn't a phase. I haven't allowed the name change or any hormone therapy, but I've been thinking that now might be the time. All we've done is psychiatrists so far.

I will say that going to meetings (or even just one) will help ya. I mention that to others but no one has ever taken that advice. Good luck buddy.

[Jmac Attack]

Right. Making it up.

I dont think you are making anything up. I like you, think you are talented, and hope for the best. Just disagree on the path to success.

Music and Art is one of hardest businesses to break into. I've been mildly successful, and I literally put my life into it. The hours I have spent is ridiculous. I've been on the radio. Recorded with Grammy winners. Jerome Dillon from NIN wanted to start a band with me. Butch fucking Vig wanted to work with my old band. Etc. It's hard. We're not talking about Joe Schmo starting up his own Burger King franchise. With art, it takes a lot of luck. (As does any business though).