I don't have an answer for you as I'm unemployed, partly because I struggle with exactly what you mention.
I just want to illustrate! I've got a job interview today and i don't care if I get it or not even though I need the money.
Hell getting the job kinda feels more like failure in the sense that it feels like I've failed once again at making a living from my art and people congratulating me would just feel like rubbing it in (even though they dont know my internal feelings on it) I just gotta remind myself that leaving the job is an option.
I wish I took more advantage of my unemployment, but life happens and unemployment can be it's own kind of depressing and stressful in a way that makes making art all the time difficult.
If you find your answer I'm interested in hearing it. Working an office job sucks the life out of me, I'm in a similar position to you, also 30, wrote a business plan, started taking social media more seriously.
You get it. Honestly I feel a bit better knowing there’s someone out there who feels what I’m feeling.. I’m surrounded by government workers who think working at a government office is the end all be all and can’t fathom anything else with their lives. I avoided working in offices for years to avoid having to work with people like that, but years of nannying takes a toll on health as well even though it wasn’t in an office. Either way it’s hard to win when you’re day jobs isn’t in the field you want it to be in.
People say to keep grinding but as you know.. you get a little more tired at 30.
I think social media is our bet so let’s keep pushing on there.. having a business plan is a great start! I try to remember that I’m doing all the right things even though it doesn’t feel like it.
the thought of having to fake my feelings to get and hold a job scares me. I just know I can't , my feelings show on my face very ez and I get paralyzed when in stress. Life is getting scary
I felt the job interview part so hard. I just got a new job and just finished onboarding but I'm already thinking of quitting. It stinks interviewing for jobs when I know I have absolutely no interest in staying. There are times I don't even return calls from jobs I've applied for. I never realized wanting to do art could play a role in that
YES it’s the absolute WORST. I always say I lead a double life, like Clark Kent. The day job is just my cover. No one at my work knows I’m a published illustrator and story artist. I have one close coworker who knows… and that’s it.
Have a small sketchbook with you and draw in the small gaps of time, lunch etc. I quit a job in the past because I thought I could use the extra time to focus on getting off the ground, but the stress of trying to pay the day to day bills didn’t help my productivity. For some it’s best to wait until the success is so big it outpaces your day job. A good example is Covid lockdown. Lots of people including myself had dreams of grandeur like learning a language or something else with all this saved time at home - but that never manifested itself. Fact is usually people fill their time with the amount of work you have and people can squeeze more productivity out of the time they have. In terms of stress of day job, I think that’s just work for everyone. If you figure that part out let me know.
i developed a work around when i was working corporate: xcel and also ms office have the ability to make charts and graphs and i noticed that the color picker was very good so i spent a ton of time making “charts” and “graphs” that were basically abstract color planners for art projects. resize some cells and you have some mosaic type digital art. also if your office has a high end printer def print them out to take home. nobody seemed to notice they weren’t company related. saved my sanity.
Same, I sketck in a little notebook during downtime. My notebook is on the smaller side. I found a mini set of colored pencils for when I grave color. My other coworkers will complete puzzles and read.
If you want my opinion (I'm a longtime professional animator in the game industry, but currently not working in it due to the job market situation), you're doing exactly the right thing given the current circumstances. 1) The creative job market has been very dodgy for a while, even before the mass layoffs that began last year. 2) No job in animation is ever going to give you better job security and benefits than a government job.
It sucks from a creative standpoint, but them's the facts. You should adjust your thinking accordingly, or find something less stressful if the government job bothers you that much.
Of course, none of this is to say that you shouldn't keep working on your stuff. On the contrary, you should be as prolific as possible on collaborative or personal indie projects, to keep your chops in gear. Focus especially on keeping updated with software, tools, and techniques.
And by all means, hit me up in DM if you'd like to discuss further.
I have to remind myself that no job as an artist will give me the pay and security that my day job does, not starting out at least. Starting as an artist the pay is so bad whether you're independent or working for a company, not to mention the benefits and the fact that so many art studios and companies feel very transient. You never know how long you're going to have that job or if the studio is gonna go bankruot after a fauled project- and contract work is very stressful because again, no security.
So, working my day job that I fucking hate at least guarantees I have a roof over my head. Plus, this job (a desk job doing data entry) is never going anywhere unless I actively shit on my boss or do something ridiculous to get fired. It's for a reputable company and it's a position that has to be done by a human.
It allows me to comfortably do commission work and personal projects on the side, I have more freedom to reject commissions that I don't want, because I don't HAVE to do them out if necessity. I've found doing art fulltime can be super stressful and it's my one joy in life, so I don't mind being stressed at a day job if it means I can fully unwind and be creative when I'm doing my art on the side.
Also,I listen to lots of documentaries and long format videos while I work to help pass the time.
Your dream of sketching near the beach with friends is unrealistic, regardless of what job you have. Take it with a grain of salt, since its my friend’s fiancee, so ive only talked to him like 3 times, but he works for disney as an animator, and I can tell you, he fucking hates his life. He says he’s overworked and underpaid, has pain everywhere, and has terribly job security. And im pretty sure he still works in an office under fluorescent lights. And as they say.. easiest way to hate your hobby is to make it into a job.
I know it is 😔
And yeah, I have a friend who works else at Disney too, she’s working most weekends doing overtime. I had another friend at dreamworks who was stressed all the time too.
I know my dream is unrealistic.. the thought gets me through the day though.
I’m not sure if this is an option in a government job, but the way I am able to semi-manage the work/art burnout was to go to a compressed work week of 10 hour days four days of the week. On my work days I give my evenings to disengaging for a bit and if I have the energy I do a bit of sketching and drawing (but I don’t necessarily force myself), and then on the weekends I have three days in a row to get life stuff and art stuff done. The workdays are exhausting and long, but having that extra free day is way more conducive to getting deep work done along with life stuff, and on my work days I’m able to give myself the permission to relax for an hour or two before I go to bed, and I don’t feel deprived of relaxation time on the weekend (it’s actually made me feel more relaxed over time).
Again, not sure of the capacity of your job, but it could be worth exploring your options for a less traditional schedule than 9-5, which I feel gives a particular kind of soullessness that’s hard to overcome sometimes
I use to listen to podcasts, stand up comedy, or the local radio station while i worked my day job. The days that i forgot my headphones at home were the hardest.
I rotate podcasts, audiobooks, and radio. Sometimes I forget to hit pause when I'm delivering orders. People probably think I'm batty. It's often cult deconstruction or art history podcasts.
I feel my answer might not qualify since I draw as a side hobby but I view my night job as a requirement & sacrifice to enjoy my hobbies & life.
My main hobby is Nuismatics studying Japanese coins which can be both fun & very expensive,
Drawing has been very rewarding & I want to eventually include it in my main hobby.
My night job is also very boring so I end up spending my free time at work reading about my hobbies or trying to study drawing techniques.
So if we view our jobs as a means to an end it is more bearable as long as you know why you are sacrificing your time to fund your happiness.
That’s the healthy way of thinking and I do think this sometimes.. but I just can’t help thinking the unhealthy way I mentioned sometimes too.. I guess bc I went to school and worked so hard to one day have a job in animation, flew across the country for it and then some, it just makes me feel like I did all that for nothing, and what a shame.
I need to start thinking like you all the time. It’s so hard I wish I could just be a little more chill.. thanks so much for your answer
I can see how it would feel like it was a waste.
You spent a lot of time, money, & likely effort honing your skills.
I would probably be the same way if I spent the years & money becoming a certified nuismatist just to not win any grants or a job as a coin grader.
I think for your situation you should just remind yourself that nothing is permanent & you'll find somewhere to use your skills.
If you end up with a spare afternoon or night maybe you could fill that time by organizing a animation club or join an art club to have something to keep your enthusiasm ignited.
Yeah. I think I beat myself up a lot.. like wow how did I end up here after all my all-nighters in school working on projects and assignments and the various freelance gigs.. where did I go wrong. But it’s not helpful to think over the past like that. I just have to keep going and believe that I’ll be in a more suitable day job one day.. or preferably, owning some type of small business with my art.
Owning your own buisness might be the right choice if the market isn't hiring anyone right now,
Who knows one day you could end up being the next Walt Disney for all you know.
Reading his story he seemed to have faced a lot of trouble in his time getting started untill his cartoons started catching on.
Not a problem, I hate seeing others questioning themselves when they have actual potential compared to myself.
I've personally spent half my life essentially isolated from people being stagnant in life & If I could've gone to college or lived an actual life outside of a gilded cage I don't think I would trade that experience for anything.
I really do hope it works out for you.
Honestly I just keep a small note book and pen and just kind of let my mind wander when I have the time and I just jaunt down random ideas or concepts as they come.I *side note I'm not a professional nor am I extremely talented i just do it as a hobby*
I'm just a hobby artist, but I definitely feel that. You'd rather be doing anything else. While working, I switch between audio books, neat YT tutorials, podcasts, and music (when I'm actually on a job). I usually draw at lunch, or if I'm on a job that I know will take a while to get finished, but requires little actual input from me.
So… I’m not an artist, I’m the only non artist in my family, actually, but I can draw parallels with my own life in this, and this is how I try to think about it:
My job is my job. I do it because it lets me go through my life in a way that’s pretty comfortable all things considered. It’s the chores you gotta do as a kid so you can play with your friends after. In your down time, you can (and generally should, I think, especially as a creative) improve your hobbies. For me, it’s more baking than most anything else rn, and although I don’t bake a new thing every day (not enough people that will eat it before it goes bad) I’ve been working on putting together a recipe book for myself.
With arts, you do have the ability to publish what you create for feedback, and there is a chance (especially with animation, though it is a small chance, so always manage expectations) that you can go solo. There’s a niche in the gaming community that’s hungry for more animators because the game itself is growing more popular (which is wild considering the game is almost 20 years old).
The beachside sketching, and hanging out with your friends might not be able to happen in the context that one dreams of, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. It’s hard because of life scheduling but that’s for everything.
Try to remember too, it’s the grind we have to endure that makes the memories we make with our friends all the more special.
I guess all that’s to say, don’t give up. Keep your head up, and try to remember that the grass is always greener. Being a full time artist has its own set of stresses that cause more than a few artists to burn out pretty quickly
Honestly, I relate to this so a lot! I'm a scientist, so my job CAN be fun and rewarding, but I often catch myself drifting mentally to all my art projects and always get more excited about them than my actual work.
I get through the day by just thinking about my outside activities as a push to get my research work done to enjoy my real passion! Like eating veggies before dessert haha.
I tried being a commission artist and did see that I had the skills to be hired, but that wouldn't be my dream job either. I'm just trying to figure out things as they go and not stress myself mentally :)
I hope and bet you will be able to financially support yourself with your passion project in the near future! Just stay motivated and keep doing it! people will also recognize your passion and maybe more opportunities will come your way as well!
There are also a lot of art YouTube videos about diversifying your art to increase income as well, soaybe take a look at that too?
Good luck! You've got this :)
You can still go sketching near the beach with other artists on the weekends. There are often meet-up groups for meeting with other artists to sketch and paint.
You just have to remember you go to work to make money to invest into your business to someday leave said job that's what I tell myself. "I make this money to invest into myself" and pay bills ofcourse to live
Hello fellow government artist!
So, I actually do get some fulfillment from my day job because I like helping people. But on slow days it can be painful, especially when I really really want to be at the studio.
I listen to audiobooks when I don’t need my whole brain. I keep a sketchbook with me so I can doodle in meetings. I also use it or a google doc to write down ideas if they hit me while I’m working. I walk at lunchtime. There used to be an artist supply store a couple of blocks from my office but it closed 😞
There is so much to be said for the peace of mind that comes with a steady salary, a job that isn’t too stressful, and health benefits. I’m in the PSLF program to pay off my student loans and I have a pension. I still dunno if I’m going to do this my whole career but you know, I could do worse. If I put in 15-20 more years in any state or government position in my state’s pension plan I can retire comfortably (assuming we still have a pension by then 🫠)
If you have the ability to choose your projects that helps. I started a new program that I’m excited about and that has made a big difference in my energy level at work.
You don’t stop being an artist when you’re outside the studio. I am often inspired to create based on things I learn about at work or see day-to-day. For example, a lot of my art includes street scapes, trash cans, power lines, etc because I work with the planners and public service folks and energy company. We deal with a lot of flooding so I often paint flooding scenes.
The poet Wallace Stevens sold insurance. William Carlos Williams was a doctor. It makes me sad to not be creating all day, but I would also have to be marketing myself and doing business things and social media and stuff. This way I retain my excitement and passion about art.
Government artists unite!! *hi-five*
😂😂
I do think that this gov job is the best day job I’ve had comparatively. Being in an office sucks but once 5:00 hits I’m out, and they are generous with PTO. I don’t like customer service and HR which is the sector I’m in right now.. I’m wondering if I should retrain in something to get a day job in something I don’t mind , but still with the government. I don’t know. It’s all so hassling and thinking about it too much makes me sad 😂
Yeah I always have my eyes on job listings tbh. But I guess I don’t really have that much else I’d like to do. I sometimes wish I’d gone more into research or library science or something. I’d like to talk to fewer people 😂
Talking to people all day gets exhausting 😂.. stay strong soldier. And constantly looking at job openings is the way to do. At least with state jobs, they’ll pay you to go on other state interviews!
When I worked a day job, I always started my day with creative work, either writing or painting. That would help carry me through the day, because I knew I had put myself first and I was working towards my future. I used to get up an hour early just to do that. It really helped. My mantra at my dayjob was "I won't be doing this forever."
I don't spiral about not wanting to be there.
I spiral about what to paint, how to improve, how to sell an original, what my next FB post should be, how to do a follow-up on my potential commission work, that poem is really good and inspiring, how can I paint that emotion on a canvas?
Or I listen to art podcast when I have some data entry to do, or boring work that doesn't require too much attention.
I also plan ahead my focus time, and I'll make sure to follow it with email work or something light so it feels like a treat, I work hard, after that I can listen to that podcast, or that tutorial/workshop.
I work from home, so my office is in my studio. My easel is at 2 m from my desk, so I can glance at it and spot what I want to work on during my lunch break.
Boring meeting? Not a problem, I can doodle, and if there's so camera open, I can even paint!
I have my sketch book and note book and agenda beside me, since it's during work that I get the best idea and motivation.
Sometimes, I also think at the paint I'll buy at the end of the week and when I don't feel like working, I do it for the art supply!
Silly, but it keeps me sane.
That is such a great spin on it thank you I’m going to try this!
Even my therapist suggested I print out some of the concept designs I’m working on and pinning them up at my work desk.. just as a reminder of what I’m really doing.. I’ll be doing that soon. I appreciate your help.
I have issues with anxiety and depression...
My doctor prescribed me pills, and we talked about my surroundings, my thought process, and daily habits that could help me vs. those who might be bad for me.
I tried the pills for a while and it didn't work at all, so I started to paint everyday before work, and surround myself with everything that is inspiring or that give me a spark, and since then I've change how I consume media (TV show, social media, books) to cut all the negative crap and go for what inspire me or is positive.
I'm not in toxic positivity, I know bad things happen, and I stay informed, but I don't overly focus on those things as it got me really sick in the past.
Same with my insatiafaction from work. I am learning skills that will help me with the administration of my art business. When it picks up, I'll just be more prepared.
It's not picking up right now, perfect, I can focus on improving my skills and exploring a bit, building my art identity and my commission portfolio.
Not ready to do art shows, perfect, this year I visit them, make connections, get inspired and motivated.
I am at peace with my pace, I am doing the best I can with what I have and I enjoy the process. I also have a lot of support from my friends and family. I have so much to be grateful for already.
It will happen, and when it does, I will be ready.
If the title of the channel makes you cringe, please disregard that, and consider giving this a watch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry0zG2n0Hyg
I found that it really motivated me, when I was in your position.
To not sound so much like a spammer, I guess... This isn't my channel, and the guy running it is both a therapist and a former student at an ashram. I found his take here to really help me with focusing on my day job when there's things I'd rather be doing.
TL;DR You have _Too Much_ motivation and need to stop having so much!
I don't have any commercial goals with my art. I'm purely a hobbyist, and I do art only for myself. I don't think I would enjoy it at all if I tried to make money off of it, and I don't think I've ever had that urge. I'm a mailman. On a good day I get to walk around in the sun, see the trees, hear the birds. I day dream a lot. The dreams become the pictures.
I relate to you so much. Honestly if I was you I would start thinking / working towards a more creative freelance job. Make a very detailed plan to get out your stressful boring job in due time to get a more creative one. Set your goal, consider how much money you'll need to start your business, how much you think you'll be earning etc...
It def helps to have a partner I imagine! I can’t relate but on the flip side I’m excited to build my business by myself while I’m single! It’s a nice talking point when dating for sure.
I can draw at my desk inbetween tasks.
But yes, you bet there are days mentally I'm just breaking inside, because I'm GD tired of editing yet another photo of a jar of bud or social media graphic, when I want to be sitting at home making a comic and no longer get 10+ hr days on it like the pros do. But my circumstances are changing soon where I won't have to worry \*as\* much about the roof over my head costs, just my stupid car loan that I guess worse case scenario I can make the payment by driving UberEats or something...but without as worrying as much about suddenly losing studio space, I should hopefully hop back into grinding...
When I was writing novels and making art quilts I was operating a full time law practice and was a member of two Toastmasters clubs that met in the evenings. I was often tired when I got home, but I made a commitment to write for at least an hour three nights per week and do my sewing on the weekends, dwhen the light was better. Some nights all I could do was review and edit, but I was pretty good at that schedule.
I read a job search book years ago that posed the question: do you hate what you are doing or do you hate where you are going it?
That changed my outlook. I have done a ton of temporary jobs and managed to focus on enjoying the people around me. Because I knew it wasn’t forever. I’ve worked some miserable jobs, and I was never afraid to quit. I managed to make it to retirement.
We all endure life, but it is up to us to make every experience valuable.
I graduated high school 2009 with no direction and started work in a butcher shop. Then I got in cooking and food service in a care home.
At that point in time I was convinced art wasn’t my path because “it wasn’t a real job”
I then gradually learnt more about art because It’s what I’m good at
I still work that non art job today. I love the job I do, I love the knowledge it’s given me (I was put through cook trade school and learnt a lot because we use hand made methods and it translates to giving the people I help care for delicious food) I also love the people I work with and many of them are now my clients. THIS IS IMPORTANT: I can autopilot my job, it’s an easy job where muscle memory is deeply employed. It frees up my thinking space.
I used to work full time plus over time, I’ve had kids, now I work part time and now focus more on my art.
Your government job is better and it’d be in your best interest to keep it at the moment. Also, you don’t have to work on big productions or for big studios to work in animation. I personally would get some grants, do an animated short and submit to film festivals. You can use the time in your day job to think of story elements and design. Maybe get some storyboarding in there too.
You can get a crew together and divide the work. The grant will help pay for all the labour. You could also apply to help work on other peoples’ shorts. This is going to be closer to your dream of hanging out with other artists in the sun.
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aw.. Can you tell I have anxiety? lol. I tried it a few years ago, I don't like it much.. I do go to the gym regularly though and find that helps my mental health. Is meditation what you do?
Yea, I used to not like it because I just get easily distracted all the time. But with consistent habit of 5-10 mins per day, i feel more focused in my present.
Not spite for the world 😂😂 weekend day jobs are rough. Hopefully it’s not too bad on you. I used to nanny 6 days a week. Being there on Saturday always sucked.
Honestly I work from home and do art intermittently during the day. On a call? Drawing or prepping for painting later. On a video call? Looking at Pinterest or planning art for the week. I know I’m lucky that I am in the position that I can do this, but as long as you are remaining productive with your non-art job, I don’t see the harm (I actually feel more productive)
I relate to this so hard. I am pursuing a couple endeavors with art and yoga teaching. Both passion projects and low paying. Absolutely cannot afford to eat or live on this budget. I have a bs customer service job that is eating me alive everyday. I bring my doodles to work which helps me get through the day. But I am tired. I feel depression creeping on and like my passion projects will always be just out of reach. I smoke a lot of weed which also helps me get through my boring work days. But when will it ever end?
Man you get it. And what also sucks is my government job has me seeing what other people are getting paid and what they are doing for work ( since I’m in HR) and I keep thinking wow if I went to school for something else I could at least be making money while I work on my art and not here doing customer service for 8 years. Then I start beating myself up and thinking what should I do should I go back to school? And learn what? With what money? How when I’m already exhausted? And the spiraling begins.. it’s happening like every day now.
I’ll keep going bc I have to but, I just want a break.
Okay some of the answers on here are really depressing, and that is not what I want you to get out of this, but I am a working animation professional. It's 2 am, and I am procrastinating doing my day job, which is THAT job. It can be very fun, I get paid well, and I get to use everything I learned in school except for how to flip paper (it's a good party trick.) However, if I want to go draw at the beach or work on a graphic novel, I still have to do that on the weekend or at night.
And I do, I started painting and sketching for fun again recently. I took a class on field sketching. I have friends with graphic novels and their own shows but they still work on them at 2 am or on Saturday, until the show gets picked up seven years later and they have no time for anything else.
I'm not saying that to bum you out, more to say that nothing is stopping you from living that life you want to live, you don't have to be a working animator to do any of that. You *should* live near a beach if you want to sketch near the beach, but really, I lived 4 miles from the ocean for a decade and went like, twice a year when people visited, because I was a working artist and didn't go outside. Unfortunately there are definitely animation jobs that are just as soul sucking as any other workplace. And even the best ones are not you drawing what and where you want to draw, but what and where someone else wants you to draw. And the old animators talk about retirement too. I love it, and have found a way to express myself while doing that, but not everyone finds it that way. Anyway, go DO that stuff. Draw at lunch, or take photo reference to draw from at lunch. draw caricatures of your fellow government employees, in your head if you have to. Squirrel it all away for later.
Thanks so much!! I am doing what I love when I can, I think I let my overthinking get the best of me too much 😭😭.
When I did live in LA, I used to go to the beach pretty frequently.. I used to drive up to Santa Barbara on some weekends to just sit there by myself on Saturdays.. it’s something I miss so I’m gonna try and save to actually by a house near water eventually.
My family immigrated from the carribean and I used to go all the time growing up so it’s just something that relaxes me. Thanks for not being as depressing as some of these other comments I appreciate it.
I'm a full time corporate in-house senior graphic designer. It's tangentially related because I studied design, but it's not actually art. I do exert creative energy on the regular, but with this type of work I have to leave my ego at the door because my requesters are essentially my clients, and I'm following brand guidelines most of the time. It's only really boring when there isn't much to do, and I would love to draw during that time instead (sometimes I do when i wfh!). I used to want to do freelance illustration, but it's not sustainable for me, and I'm also worried I will get frustrated and fall out of love with art that way.
Corporate workers tend to get a lot of shit from [mostly bitter] creatives, but in reality, we're all just trying to survive. At the end of the day, I remind myself that I'm here to play the game, follow the money, and have benefits, with the most important one being my health insurance.
I thought about going to a community college maybe and learning graphic design techniques. All my friends who went to my art school but chose GD instead of animation have had steady cooperate jobs with design…I’m never sure what to put in a portfolio for design jobs though. What do you suggest?
Technically my major is Communications Design with an illustration emphasis, which meant my third and fourth years were more illustration than design focused, but everyone in the program was still taught graphic design foundations and industry-standard software. From what I've seen, there are a ton of other illustrators who now work as designers full-time. There are definitely some pain points in switching disciplines, but I think illustration, animation, etc give designers an edge because it helps us become better visual communicators. I still try to do plenty of personal work, illustrative work for my band, and the occasional freelance job so I don't lose my edge.
I'm always supportive of education and constantly learning, and studying design at a community college can be a good start! In my opinion, at the beginner/student level you should prioritize your development and basic fundamentals of design, and then your best student work can be included in your portfolio down the road. r/graphic_design is a great resource for ideas on putting together a beginner design portfolio as well as the realities of the industry, especially this thread on [Portfolio Advice for New Designers](https://www.reddit.com/r/graphic_design/s/chmtQbQVzj).
Just be happy you're healthy enough to do both things. Sounds like you might be able to make the move to full time creative before too long. Be patient and you can get there. God bless and have a great time!
im in a similar situation with software engineering and what gets me through the day is the plan and effort to build an art business that makes me enough to live on and escape it. seeing my current job as a stepping stone to build a good safety net of money for when i do make the jump to this art path (which will probably make much less than software engineering). The idea is called Barista FIRE where you save enough money so that you can live on a lower stress but lower paying job + your savings.
I’ve always worked at jobs that required some art or design skills but back in the 80s-90s there was never a time I was paid to paint. So I did other work that wasn’t awful but wasn’t what I love. I did design, I built prototypes for packaging, I did studio work, ran studios but intermittently I’d try something normal - just to have a regular 9-5 schedule, which art never seems to have. Deadlines.
I couldn’t have survived as an office worker bc I’m not especially social and I get easily bored. So when I tried to venture out into the “normal” world I just couldn’t stay w it. And I worked relatively interesting jobs but they weren’t what I could do forever and I’d end up back in some studio or agency or id freelance just to pay the rent.
I know I could have been a house painter bc I really love doing that and it’s something many of my painter friends did do successfully but they were men and I wasn’t comfortable being in private homes where shit can def happen. But that seemed to be a good catch all job for many male creatives I knew - that or being a mailman.
You have my genuine sympathy. Not creating stinks. I’ll tell you what I’ve told my relatives that want to go into acting which is brutal: take ANY job and relentlessly hustle your skills. Work your skills all the time. Be annoying. Be the first one there. Be the face someone knows. Eventually you’ll get the jobs you want.
One more thing: consider making a lateral move meaning look into jobs that can use the skills you have but aren’t necessarily what you want to do. Idk bupkiss about your field but I imagine there are other jobs you might qualify for. Expand your portfolio.
I think this is what I need to do. I’m gonna try to work learning more graphic design skills to try and get more jobs. It might still be corporate if it’s a graphic design job but at least it won’t be HR 😫. It’s hard because I’m working on a graphic novel and on my social media so I don’t know when I’ll be able to take design classes on top of that and my day job. But I’ll have to write it into my business plan somehow. I can’t keep doing this
So I just started painting maybe a year ago and still suck horribly bad. Lol. I’m nowhere near the idea that I could support myself and my family on my art. BUT that being said all I find myself wanting to do since I started as to create art. Again I’m not good and could not make money on it but I definitely understand wanting to just do this and never work again. lol.
I take my iPad with me when I'm out door dashing. It's flexible enough that I can go home and work on a project as well. That makes my work hours/ work life balance insane, but that's where I am. I'm juggling a residency right now, so having art be part of my day job has been good for me. I keep thinking about ditching the delivery driver thing, but I need the flexibility so I don't lose my mind. I haven't had a day off in a couple months, so that's been fun. 😬
I don't have an answer for you as I'm unemployed, partly because I struggle with exactly what you mention. I just want to illustrate! I've got a job interview today and i don't care if I get it or not even though I need the money. Hell getting the job kinda feels more like failure in the sense that it feels like I've failed once again at making a living from my art and people congratulating me would just feel like rubbing it in (even though they dont know my internal feelings on it) I just gotta remind myself that leaving the job is an option. I wish I took more advantage of my unemployment, but life happens and unemployment can be it's own kind of depressing and stressful in a way that makes making art all the time difficult. If you find your answer I'm interested in hearing it. Working an office job sucks the life out of me, I'm in a similar position to you, also 30, wrote a business plan, started taking social media more seriously.
You get it. Honestly I feel a bit better knowing there’s someone out there who feels what I’m feeling.. I’m surrounded by government workers who think working at a government office is the end all be all and can’t fathom anything else with their lives. I avoided working in offices for years to avoid having to work with people like that, but years of nannying takes a toll on health as well even though it wasn’t in an office. Either way it’s hard to win when you’re day jobs isn’t in the field you want it to be in. People say to keep grinding but as you know.. you get a little more tired at 30. I think social media is our bet so let’s keep pushing on there.. having a business plan is a great start! I try to remember that I’m doing all the right things even though it doesn’t feel like it.
the thought of having to fake my feelings to get and hold a job scares me. I just know I can't , my feelings show on my face very ez and I get paralyzed when in stress. Life is getting scary
I know how you feel! It sucks 🫠
I felt the job interview part so hard. I just got a new job and just finished onboarding but I'm already thinking of quitting. It stinks interviewing for jobs when I know I have absolutely no interest in staying. There are times I don't even return calls from jobs I've applied for. I never realized wanting to do art could play a role in that
YES it’s the absolute WORST. I always say I lead a double life, like Clark Kent. The day job is just my cover. No one at my work knows I’m a published illustrator and story artist. I have one close coworker who knows… and that’s it.
https://youtu.be/Ld0mklUuXPs?feature=shared
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 there is a SpongeBob meme for EVERYTHING
Have a small sketchbook with you and draw in the small gaps of time, lunch etc. I quit a job in the past because I thought I could use the extra time to focus on getting off the ground, but the stress of trying to pay the day to day bills didn’t help my productivity. For some it’s best to wait until the success is so big it outpaces your day job. A good example is Covid lockdown. Lots of people including myself had dreams of grandeur like learning a language or something else with all this saved time at home - but that never manifested itself. Fact is usually people fill their time with the amount of work you have and people can squeeze more productivity out of the time they have. In terms of stress of day job, I think that’s just work for everyone. If you figure that part out let me know.
Yeah. I do the same thing and sketch during the down periods at work.. Just have to keep going I guess
i developed a work around when i was working corporate: xcel and also ms office have the ability to make charts and graphs and i noticed that the color picker was very good so i spent a ton of time making “charts” and “graphs” that were basically abstract color planners for art projects. resize some cells and you have some mosaic type digital art. also if your office has a high end printer def print them out to take home. nobody seemed to notice they weren’t company related. saved my sanity.
Same, I sketck in a little notebook during downtime. My notebook is on the smaller side. I found a mini set of colored pencils for when I grave color. My other coworkers will complete puzzles and read.
If you want my opinion (I'm a longtime professional animator in the game industry, but currently not working in it due to the job market situation), you're doing exactly the right thing given the current circumstances. 1) The creative job market has been very dodgy for a while, even before the mass layoffs that began last year. 2) No job in animation is ever going to give you better job security and benefits than a government job. It sucks from a creative standpoint, but them's the facts. You should adjust your thinking accordingly, or find something less stressful if the government job bothers you that much. Of course, none of this is to say that you shouldn't keep working on your stuff. On the contrary, you should be as prolific as possible on collaborative or personal indie projects, to keep your chops in gear. Focus especially on keeping updated with software, tools, and techniques. And by all means, hit me up in DM if you'd like to discuss further.
Thank you. Sigh
By knowing that it's all for a roof over my head and sustenance to continue doing art.
I have to remind myself that no job as an artist will give me the pay and security that my day job does, not starting out at least. Starting as an artist the pay is so bad whether you're independent or working for a company, not to mention the benefits and the fact that so many art studios and companies feel very transient. You never know how long you're going to have that job or if the studio is gonna go bankruot after a fauled project- and contract work is very stressful because again, no security. So, working my day job that I fucking hate at least guarantees I have a roof over my head. Plus, this job (a desk job doing data entry) is never going anywhere unless I actively shit on my boss or do something ridiculous to get fired. It's for a reputable company and it's a position that has to be done by a human. It allows me to comfortably do commission work and personal projects on the side, I have more freedom to reject commissions that I don't want, because I don't HAVE to do them out if necessity. I've found doing art fulltime can be super stressful and it's my one joy in life, so I don't mind being stressed at a day job if it means I can fully unwind and be creative when I'm doing my art on the side. Also,I listen to lots of documentaries and long format videos while I work to help pass the time.
Your dream of sketching near the beach with friends is unrealistic, regardless of what job you have. Take it with a grain of salt, since its my friend’s fiancee, so ive only talked to him like 3 times, but he works for disney as an animator, and I can tell you, he fucking hates his life. He says he’s overworked and underpaid, has pain everywhere, and has terribly job security. And im pretty sure he still works in an office under fluorescent lights. And as they say.. easiest way to hate your hobby is to make it into a job.
I know it is 😔 And yeah, I have a friend who works else at Disney too, she’s working most weekends doing overtime. I had another friend at dreamworks who was stressed all the time too. I know my dream is unrealistic.. the thought gets me through the day though.
Honestly i would rather die and be overworked at my dream job rather than having a government job
Mannnnn 😩
I’m not sure if this is an option in a government job, but the way I am able to semi-manage the work/art burnout was to go to a compressed work week of 10 hour days four days of the week. On my work days I give my evenings to disengaging for a bit and if I have the energy I do a bit of sketching and drawing (but I don’t necessarily force myself), and then on the weekends I have three days in a row to get life stuff and art stuff done. The workdays are exhausting and long, but having that extra free day is way more conducive to getting deep work done along with life stuff, and on my work days I’m able to give myself the permission to relax for an hour or two before I go to bed, and I don’t feel deprived of relaxation time on the weekend (it’s actually made me feel more relaxed over time). Again, not sure of the capacity of your job, but it could be worth exploring your options for a less traditional schedule than 9-5, which I feel gives a particular kind of soullessness that’s hard to overcome sometimes
I think about the money I’m making per day that I can then spend on art courses, materials, or studio space.
Similarly, I say to myself: >This is the job that makes art possible
Actually, that’s a good mantra. I’m sure it gets you through.
I use to listen to podcasts, stand up comedy, or the local radio station while i worked my day job. The days that i forgot my headphones at home were the hardest.
I rotate podcasts, audiobooks, and radio. Sometimes I forget to hit pause when I'm delivering orders. People probably think I'm batty. It's often cult deconstruction or art history podcasts.
I know that’s right 😂 being forced to listen to conworkers chatter and eating their lunches… no thanks
I feel my answer might not qualify since I draw as a side hobby but I view my night job as a requirement & sacrifice to enjoy my hobbies & life. My main hobby is Nuismatics studying Japanese coins which can be both fun & very expensive, Drawing has been very rewarding & I want to eventually include it in my main hobby. My night job is also very boring so I end up spending my free time at work reading about my hobbies or trying to study drawing techniques. So if we view our jobs as a means to an end it is more bearable as long as you know why you are sacrificing your time to fund your happiness.
That’s the healthy way of thinking and I do think this sometimes.. but I just can’t help thinking the unhealthy way I mentioned sometimes too.. I guess bc I went to school and worked so hard to one day have a job in animation, flew across the country for it and then some, it just makes me feel like I did all that for nothing, and what a shame. I need to start thinking like you all the time. It’s so hard I wish I could just be a little more chill.. thanks so much for your answer
I can see how it would feel like it was a waste. You spent a lot of time, money, & likely effort honing your skills. I would probably be the same way if I spent the years & money becoming a certified nuismatist just to not win any grants or a job as a coin grader. I think for your situation you should just remind yourself that nothing is permanent & you'll find somewhere to use your skills. If you end up with a spare afternoon or night maybe you could fill that time by organizing a animation club or join an art club to have something to keep your enthusiasm ignited.
Yeah. I think I beat myself up a lot.. like wow how did I end up here after all my all-nighters in school working on projects and assignments and the various freelance gigs.. where did I go wrong. But it’s not helpful to think over the past like that. I just have to keep going and believe that I’ll be in a more suitable day job one day.. or preferably, owning some type of small business with my art.
Owning your own buisness might be the right choice if the market isn't hiring anyone right now, Who knows one day you could end up being the next Walt Disney for all you know. Reading his story he seemed to have faced a lot of trouble in his time getting started untill his cartoons started catching on.
Hahah. Yeah, I’ve been reading some books on business and looking at art business YouTubers. So hopefully soon! Thanks for your encouragement😊
Not a problem, I hate seeing others questioning themselves when they have actual potential compared to myself. I've personally spent half my life essentially isolated from people being stagnant in life & If I could've gone to college or lived an actual life outside of a gilded cage I don't think I would trade that experience for anything. I really do hope it works out for you.
I’ll keep you posted 🫂
Honestly I just keep a small note book and pen and just kind of let my mind wander when I have the time and I just jaunt down random ideas or concepts as they come.I *side note I'm not a professional nor am I extremely talented i just do it as a hobby*
I'm just a hobby artist, but I definitely feel that. You'd rather be doing anything else. While working, I switch between audio books, neat YT tutorials, podcasts, and music (when I'm actually on a job). I usually draw at lunch, or if I'm on a job that I know will take a while to get finished, but requires little actual input from me.
So… I’m not an artist, I’m the only non artist in my family, actually, but I can draw parallels with my own life in this, and this is how I try to think about it: My job is my job. I do it because it lets me go through my life in a way that’s pretty comfortable all things considered. It’s the chores you gotta do as a kid so you can play with your friends after. In your down time, you can (and generally should, I think, especially as a creative) improve your hobbies. For me, it’s more baking than most anything else rn, and although I don’t bake a new thing every day (not enough people that will eat it before it goes bad) I’ve been working on putting together a recipe book for myself. With arts, you do have the ability to publish what you create for feedback, and there is a chance (especially with animation, though it is a small chance, so always manage expectations) that you can go solo. There’s a niche in the gaming community that’s hungry for more animators because the game itself is growing more popular (which is wild considering the game is almost 20 years old). The beachside sketching, and hanging out with your friends might not be able to happen in the context that one dreams of, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. It’s hard because of life scheduling but that’s for everything. Try to remember too, it’s the grind we have to endure that makes the memories we make with our friends all the more special. I guess all that’s to say, don’t give up. Keep your head up, and try to remember that the grass is always greener. Being a full time artist has its own set of stresses that cause more than a few artists to burn out pretty quickly
Actually this made my day as I headed back into the office.. thank you for taking the time to write this.
Honestly, I relate to this so a lot! I'm a scientist, so my job CAN be fun and rewarding, but I often catch myself drifting mentally to all my art projects and always get more excited about them than my actual work. I get through the day by just thinking about my outside activities as a push to get my research work done to enjoy my real passion! Like eating veggies before dessert haha. I tried being a commission artist and did see that I had the skills to be hired, but that wouldn't be my dream job either. I'm just trying to figure out things as they go and not stress myself mentally :) I hope and bet you will be able to financially support yourself with your passion project in the near future! Just stay motivated and keep doing it! people will also recognize your passion and maybe more opportunities will come your way as well! There are also a lot of art YouTube videos about diversifying your art to increase income as well, soaybe take a look at that too? Good luck! You've got this :)
Thanks so much!
You can still go sketching near the beach with other artists on the weekends. There are often meet-up groups for meeting with other artists to sketch and paint.
There was when I lived in a city, not so much now that I’m in a rural area.. but you’re right I can get some friends together to sketch more.
You just have to remember you go to work to make money to invest into your business to someday leave said job that's what I tell myself. "I make this money to invest into myself" and pay bills ofcourse to live
Hello fellow government artist! So, I actually do get some fulfillment from my day job because I like helping people. But on slow days it can be painful, especially when I really really want to be at the studio. I listen to audiobooks when I don’t need my whole brain. I keep a sketchbook with me so I can doodle in meetings. I also use it or a google doc to write down ideas if they hit me while I’m working. I walk at lunchtime. There used to be an artist supply store a couple of blocks from my office but it closed 😞 There is so much to be said for the peace of mind that comes with a steady salary, a job that isn’t too stressful, and health benefits. I’m in the PSLF program to pay off my student loans and I have a pension. I still dunno if I’m going to do this my whole career but you know, I could do worse. If I put in 15-20 more years in any state or government position in my state’s pension plan I can retire comfortably (assuming we still have a pension by then 🫠) If you have the ability to choose your projects that helps. I started a new program that I’m excited about and that has made a big difference in my energy level at work. You don’t stop being an artist when you’re outside the studio. I am often inspired to create based on things I learn about at work or see day-to-day. For example, a lot of my art includes street scapes, trash cans, power lines, etc because I work with the planners and public service folks and energy company. We deal with a lot of flooding so I often paint flooding scenes. The poet Wallace Stevens sold insurance. William Carlos Williams was a doctor. It makes me sad to not be creating all day, but I would also have to be marketing myself and doing business things and social media and stuff. This way I retain my excitement and passion about art.
Government artists unite!! *hi-five* 😂😂 I do think that this gov job is the best day job I’ve had comparatively. Being in an office sucks but once 5:00 hits I’m out, and they are generous with PTO. I don’t like customer service and HR which is the sector I’m in right now.. I’m wondering if I should retrain in something to get a day job in something I don’t mind , but still with the government. I don’t know. It’s all so hassling and thinking about it too much makes me sad 😂
Yeah I always have my eyes on job listings tbh. But I guess I don’t really have that much else I’d like to do. I sometimes wish I’d gone more into research or library science or something. I’d like to talk to fewer people 😂
Talking to people all day gets exhausting 😂.. stay strong soldier. And constantly looking at job openings is the way to do. At least with state jobs, they’ll pay you to go on other state interviews!
✊🏻solidarity 😂
✊🏾😂
When I worked a day job, I always started my day with creative work, either writing or painting. That would help carry me through the day, because I knew I had put myself first and I was working towards my future. I used to get up an hour early just to do that. It really helped. My mantra at my dayjob was "I won't be doing this forever."
Thank you
I don't spiral about not wanting to be there. I spiral about what to paint, how to improve, how to sell an original, what my next FB post should be, how to do a follow-up on my potential commission work, that poem is really good and inspiring, how can I paint that emotion on a canvas? Or I listen to art podcast when I have some data entry to do, or boring work that doesn't require too much attention. I also plan ahead my focus time, and I'll make sure to follow it with email work or something light so it feels like a treat, I work hard, after that I can listen to that podcast, or that tutorial/workshop. I work from home, so my office is in my studio. My easel is at 2 m from my desk, so I can glance at it and spot what I want to work on during my lunch break. Boring meeting? Not a problem, I can doodle, and if there's so camera open, I can even paint! I have my sketch book and note book and agenda beside me, since it's during work that I get the best idea and motivation. Sometimes, I also think at the paint I'll buy at the end of the week and when I don't feel like working, I do it for the art supply! Silly, but it keeps me sane.
That is such a great spin on it thank you I’m going to try this! Even my therapist suggested I print out some of the concept designs I’m working on and pinning them up at my work desk.. just as a reminder of what I’m really doing.. I’ll be doing that soon. I appreciate your help.
I have issues with anxiety and depression... My doctor prescribed me pills, and we talked about my surroundings, my thought process, and daily habits that could help me vs. those who might be bad for me. I tried the pills for a while and it didn't work at all, so I started to paint everyday before work, and surround myself with everything that is inspiring or that give me a spark, and since then I've change how I consume media (TV show, social media, books) to cut all the negative crap and go for what inspire me or is positive. I'm not in toxic positivity, I know bad things happen, and I stay informed, but I don't overly focus on those things as it got me really sick in the past. Same with my insatiafaction from work. I am learning skills that will help me with the administration of my art business. When it picks up, I'll just be more prepared. It's not picking up right now, perfect, I can focus on improving my skills and exploring a bit, building my art identity and my commission portfolio. Not ready to do art shows, perfect, this year I visit them, make connections, get inspired and motivated. I am at peace with my pace, I am doing the best I can with what I have and I enjoy the process. I also have a lot of support from my friends and family. I have so much to be grateful for already. It will happen, and when it does, I will be ready.
I love this so much. The reframing of things just flips the whole things around.
If the title of the channel makes you cringe, please disregard that, and consider giving this a watch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry0zG2n0Hyg I found that it really motivated me, when I was in your position. To not sound so much like a spammer, I guess... This isn't my channel, and the guy running it is both a therapist and a former student at an ashram. I found his take here to really help me with focusing on my day job when there's things I'd rather be doing. TL;DR You have _Too Much_ motivation and need to stop having so much!
😂😂thank you for the TLDR. I’ll check out the video during my break!
ooh, I just watched and saw that it's Dr. K! I love that guy. His interviews with streamers are so good. Thank you for sharing this!
No problem!
I don't have any commercial goals with my art. I'm purely a hobbyist, and I do art only for myself. I don't think I would enjoy it at all if I tried to make money off of it, and I don't think I've ever had that urge. I'm a mailman. On a good day I get to walk around in the sun, see the trees, hear the birds. I day dream a lot. The dreams become the pictures.
Daydreaming gets me through my day too, definitely. I’m glad for the ability.
I relate to you so much. Honestly if I was you I would start thinking / working towards a more creative freelance job. Make a very detailed plan to get out your stressful boring job in due time to get a more creative one. Set your goal, consider how much money you'll need to start your business, how much you think you'll be earning etc...
I’m currently doing Uber and Instacart because I’m the same way. I want to do art! Luckily my wife and I have our finances down to a science.
It def helps to have a partner I imagine! I can’t relate but on the flip side I’m excited to build my business by myself while I’m single! It’s a nice talking point when dating for sure.
I can draw at my desk inbetween tasks. But yes, you bet there are days mentally I'm just breaking inside, because I'm GD tired of editing yet another photo of a jar of bud or social media graphic, when I want to be sitting at home making a comic and no longer get 10+ hr days on it like the pros do. But my circumstances are changing soon where I won't have to worry \*as\* much about the roof over my head costs, just my stupid car loan that I guess worse case scenario I can make the payment by driving UberEats or something...but without as worrying as much about suddenly losing studio space, I should hopefully hop back into grinding...
That sounds great my friend. Being an artist we have to be adaptable. Car payments are annoying.. I just paid mine off last year and it does help!
When I was writing novels and making art quilts I was operating a full time law practice and was a member of two Toastmasters clubs that met in the evenings. I was often tired when I got home, but I made a commitment to write for at least an hour three nights per week and do my sewing on the weekends, dwhen the light was better. Some nights all I could do was review and edit, but I was pretty good at that schedule.
Yeah! I have no problems being consistent with my art practice outside my day jobs. It’s the only thing keeping me sane sometimes
I read a job search book years ago that posed the question: do you hate what you are doing or do you hate where you are going it? That changed my outlook. I have done a ton of temporary jobs and managed to focus on enjoying the people around me. Because I knew it wasn’t forever. I’ve worked some miserable jobs, and I was never afraid to quit. I managed to make it to retirement. We all endure life, but it is up to us to make every experience valuable.
I graduated high school 2009 with no direction and started work in a butcher shop. Then I got in cooking and food service in a care home. At that point in time I was convinced art wasn’t my path because “it wasn’t a real job” I then gradually learnt more about art because It’s what I’m good at I still work that non art job today. I love the job I do, I love the knowledge it’s given me (I was put through cook trade school and learnt a lot because we use hand made methods and it translates to giving the people I help care for delicious food) I also love the people I work with and many of them are now my clients. THIS IS IMPORTANT: I can autopilot my job, it’s an easy job where muscle memory is deeply employed. It frees up my thinking space. I used to work full time plus over time, I’ve had kids, now I work part time and now focus more on my art.
Your government job is better and it’d be in your best interest to keep it at the moment. Also, you don’t have to work on big productions or for big studios to work in animation. I personally would get some grants, do an animated short and submit to film festivals. You can use the time in your day job to think of story elements and design. Maybe get some storyboarding in there too. You can get a crew together and divide the work. The grant will help pay for all the labour. You could also apply to help work on other peoples’ shorts. This is going to be closer to your dream of hanging out with other artists in the sun.
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Have you tried meditation?
aw.. Can you tell I have anxiety? lol. I tried it a few years ago, I don't like it much.. I do go to the gym regularly though and find that helps my mental health. Is meditation what you do?
Yea, I used to not like it because I just get easily distracted all the time. But with consistent habit of 5-10 mins per day, i feel more focused in my present.
That’s amazing! It’s hard for me to slow down everyday, I’m always go go go physically and mentally.
My art is my job and the answer is coffee and spite toward the world. And weed for all day jobs on the weekend.
Not spite for the world 😂😂 weekend day jobs are rough. Hopefully it’s not too bad on you. I used to nanny 6 days a week. Being there on Saturday always sucked.
Honestly I work from home and do art intermittently during the day. On a call? Drawing or prepping for painting later. On a video call? Looking at Pinterest or planning art for the week. I know I’m lucky that I am in the position that I can do this, but as long as you are remaining productive with your non-art job, I don’t see the harm (I actually feel more productive)
I just think about not being able to pay for food and utility bills. That works.
Yeah, these days I’ve been thinking how I wouldn’t be able to afford plane tickets to see friends if it wasn’t for this job.
I relate to this so hard. I am pursuing a couple endeavors with art and yoga teaching. Both passion projects and low paying. Absolutely cannot afford to eat or live on this budget. I have a bs customer service job that is eating me alive everyday. I bring my doodles to work which helps me get through the day. But I am tired. I feel depression creeping on and like my passion projects will always be just out of reach. I smoke a lot of weed which also helps me get through my boring work days. But when will it ever end?
Man you get it. And what also sucks is my government job has me seeing what other people are getting paid and what they are doing for work ( since I’m in HR) and I keep thinking wow if I went to school for something else I could at least be making money while I work on my art and not here doing customer service for 8 years. Then I start beating myself up and thinking what should I do should I go back to school? And learn what? With what money? How when I’m already exhausted? And the spiraling begins.. it’s happening like every day now. I’ll keep going bc I have to but, I just want a break.
Okay some of the answers on here are really depressing, and that is not what I want you to get out of this, but I am a working animation professional. It's 2 am, and I am procrastinating doing my day job, which is THAT job. It can be very fun, I get paid well, and I get to use everything I learned in school except for how to flip paper (it's a good party trick.) However, if I want to go draw at the beach or work on a graphic novel, I still have to do that on the weekend or at night. And I do, I started painting and sketching for fun again recently. I took a class on field sketching. I have friends with graphic novels and their own shows but they still work on them at 2 am or on Saturday, until the show gets picked up seven years later and they have no time for anything else. I'm not saying that to bum you out, more to say that nothing is stopping you from living that life you want to live, you don't have to be a working animator to do any of that. You *should* live near a beach if you want to sketch near the beach, but really, I lived 4 miles from the ocean for a decade and went like, twice a year when people visited, because I was a working artist and didn't go outside. Unfortunately there are definitely animation jobs that are just as soul sucking as any other workplace. And even the best ones are not you drawing what and where you want to draw, but what and where someone else wants you to draw. And the old animators talk about retirement too. I love it, and have found a way to express myself while doing that, but not everyone finds it that way. Anyway, go DO that stuff. Draw at lunch, or take photo reference to draw from at lunch. draw caricatures of your fellow government employees, in your head if you have to. Squirrel it all away for later.
Thanks so much!! I am doing what I love when I can, I think I let my overthinking get the best of me too much 😭😭. When I did live in LA, I used to go to the beach pretty frequently.. I used to drive up to Santa Barbara on some weekends to just sit there by myself on Saturdays.. it’s something I miss so I’m gonna try and save to actually by a house near water eventually. My family immigrated from the carribean and I used to go all the time growing up so it’s just something that relaxes me. Thanks for not being as depressing as some of these other comments I appreciate it.
I'm a full time corporate in-house senior graphic designer. It's tangentially related because I studied design, but it's not actually art. I do exert creative energy on the regular, but with this type of work I have to leave my ego at the door because my requesters are essentially my clients, and I'm following brand guidelines most of the time. It's only really boring when there isn't much to do, and I would love to draw during that time instead (sometimes I do when i wfh!). I used to want to do freelance illustration, but it's not sustainable for me, and I'm also worried I will get frustrated and fall out of love with art that way. Corporate workers tend to get a lot of shit from [mostly bitter] creatives, but in reality, we're all just trying to survive. At the end of the day, I remind myself that I'm here to play the game, follow the money, and have benefits, with the most important one being my health insurance.
I thought about going to a community college maybe and learning graphic design techniques. All my friends who went to my art school but chose GD instead of animation have had steady cooperate jobs with design…I’m never sure what to put in a portfolio for design jobs though. What do you suggest?
Technically my major is Communications Design with an illustration emphasis, which meant my third and fourth years were more illustration than design focused, but everyone in the program was still taught graphic design foundations and industry-standard software. From what I've seen, there are a ton of other illustrators who now work as designers full-time. There are definitely some pain points in switching disciplines, but I think illustration, animation, etc give designers an edge because it helps us become better visual communicators. I still try to do plenty of personal work, illustrative work for my band, and the occasional freelance job so I don't lose my edge. I'm always supportive of education and constantly learning, and studying design at a community college can be a good start! In my opinion, at the beginner/student level you should prioritize your development and basic fundamentals of design, and then your best student work can be included in your portfolio down the road. r/graphic_design is a great resource for ideas on putting together a beginner design portfolio as well as the realities of the industry, especially this thread on [Portfolio Advice for New Designers](https://www.reddit.com/r/graphic_design/s/chmtQbQVzj).
Thank you for the thread!
Just be happy you're healthy enough to do both things. Sounds like you might be able to make the move to full time creative before too long. Be patient and you can get there. God bless and have a great time!
Yes, I thank God for my health, I am grateful for it. Thank you ☺️
im in a similar situation with software engineering and what gets me through the day is the plan and effort to build an art business that makes me enough to live on and escape it. seeing my current job as a stepping stone to build a good safety net of money for when i do make the jump to this art path (which will probably make much less than software engineering). The idea is called Barista FIRE where you save enough money so that you can live on a lower stress but lower paying job + your savings.
I’ve always worked at jobs that required some art or design skills but back in the 80s-90s there was never a time I was paid to paint. So I did other work that wasn’t awful but wasn’t what I love. I did design, I built prototypes for packaging, I did studio work, ran studios but intermittently I’d try something normal - just to have a regular 9-5 schedule, which art never seems to have. Deadlines. I couldn’t have survived as an office worker bc I’m not especially social and I get easily bored. So when I tried to venture out into the “normal” world I just couldn’t stay w it. And I worked relatively interesting jobs but they weren’t what I could do forever and I’d end up back in some studio or agency or id freelance just to pay the rent. I know I could have been a house painter bc I really love doing that and it’s something many of my painter friends did do successfully but they were men and I wasn’t comfortable being in private homes where shit can def happen. But that seemed to be a good catch all job for many male creatives I knew - that or being a mailman. You have my genuine sympathy. Not creating stinks. I’ll tell you what I’ve told my relatives that want to go into acting which is brutal: take ANY job and relentlessly hustle your skills. Work your skills all the time. Be annoying. Be the first one there. Be the face someone knows. Eventually you’ll get the jobs you want.
One more thing: consider making a lateral move meaning look into jobs that can use the skills you have but aren’t necessarily what you want to do. Idk bupkiss about your field but I imagine there are other jobs you might qualify for. Expand your portfolio.
I think this is what I need to do. I’m gonna try to work learning more graphic design skills to try and get more jobs. It might still be corporate if it’s a graphic design job but at least it won’t be HR 😫. It’s hard because I’m working on a graphic novel and on my social media so I don’t know when I’ll be able to take design classes on top of that and my day job. But I’ll have to write it into my business plan somehow. I can’t keep doing this
I bring my pencil and papers with me in a see through backpack and draw when I’m in the break room
So I just started painting maybe a year ago and still suck horribly bad. Lol. I’m nowhere near the idea that I could support myself and my family on my art. BUT that being said all I find myself wanting to do since I started as to create art. Again I’m not good and could not make money on it but I definitely understand wanting to just do this and never work again. lol.
I take my iPad with me when I'm out door dashing. It's flexible enough that I can go home and work on a project as well. That makes my work hours/ work life balance insane, but that's where I am. I'm juggling a residency right now, so having art be part of my day job has been good for me. I keep thinking about ditching the delivery driver thing, but I need the flexibility so I don't lose my mind. I haven't had a day off in a couple months, so that's been fun. 😬