Artists

Wow - Cool thread.
I've been working for the man doing graphic arts for about 13 years. Various magazines and newspapers that come and go. I've been doing advertising and marketing materials for my loacl daily newspaper going on 4 years now. It's certainly not something I love, but I get to exercise my creative muscles at least a little bit each day, even if I'm making advertising which is akin to glorified dog**** in my heart of hearts. But it pays the bills and benefits. I'm too *********** to throw caution to the wind and pursue my own art full time. I suppose if I didn't have a wife who expected me to meet or beat her monthly monetary contribution it would be easier to make the leap, but if/until that falls through and this newspaper stays afloat, I will keep at it unless some amazing windfall comes along.
But that doesn't mean I don't chase art. Far from it. I'm always looking for artistic gigs that interest me doing freelance work. Landed a couple cool ones at the beginning of this year and it makes me feel SO good to know I used my creative energies for something I was p***ionate about. Makes me want to do even more. Hell, we all would love to make a healthy living making our OWN art and not what someone else wants I'm sure.
I can not stress the importance making art (even in my ba*****t studio where it never sees the light of day) means to me. It keeps me sane. I had a rough spell a while back working at a coffeeshop of all places between good paying gigs, we were moving and ALL of my art supplies were packed away. A lot more transpired, but quitting that **** job, digging out my pencils and drawing pulled me away from the edge. I wont lie and say I didn't hate my life at the time and wanted it to just end, but I can tell the truth when I say that following my p***ion, even if it meant being broke, made all the difference in my state of mind.
Don't give up or settle. Life is not a dress rehearsal. I need to take more of my own advice, but go for it, dude.

 

I work at a mom and pop screenprint/custom embroidery shop as a graphic designer. I got lucky driving by and went in and applied and got the job. Although I dont get paid as much as I would like, its money in my pocket and money for my car. If it wasnt for my wifes larger income I wouldnt be making it doing what I do. I do freelance on the side whenever I can, just try to keep busy doing what I love.

 

While not exactly an artist, I do work as a designer everyday. I'm a Sr Industrial Designer working in Detroit designing near-future automotive interiors...Just over the last five-seven years, I've worked on the new Cadillac CTS sedan, coupe and wagon, the current FS GM trucks and SUVs and the Chevrolet HHR along with a large team of very talented folks in many different disciplines all working together to make those vehicles a reality.
I don't really work, I love what I do and get paid quite well for it. It's not easy; you have to be creative 40+ hours a week, every week, every month, every year always coming up with New Stuff. There is a lot of politics involved and right now the future is a little bit shaky but in the end, I earn my keep through my skills and talents and when I get to see something roll down the road I know I helped design, it's a very proud feeling.
I could make more money doing something else (such as going to law school-believe me I have thought about it, but only for monetary reasons), but not being creative would probably slowly kill me...If you have the burning desire to be a creative person 24-7, you will find a way to do just that. If you want to do this, be an artist, then creativity has to be your best friend...it has to consume you to a point that your 'FUN' is being creative, doing that painting, laying down the pinstripe, drafting that plan. carving that clay, working that metal...If you'd rather go play or go out and hang with your friends down at the bar rather than be creative, then I would suggest to you that you keep art as a hobby. I have seen many a designer burn out because they really don't have it in them to be creative 8-10 hours a day everyday..it's hard but if it is your life's work, you will do it incessantly...people will have to pull you away from your 'work'...because to you it is not work...it is your life.
Good luck with your decisions....

 

Been doing custom screenprinting and embroidery for 21 years...started out as a designer and morphed into this...still enjoy coming into the shop every morning though I don't spend as much time doing art as I used to

 

Something I forgot to mention in my previous posts...the day I quit being an artist was the day I started making money. I learned from a rich pinstriper in Houston back in the 70's, who was making serious coin and still loved to stripe, how to market myself and become a real business owner. I did that and ended up with some big time accounts and clients. But along the way, even though I was making 5 figures a month striping (sometimes a week), I found out that if you know how to blend business smarts with your love of art, you may never have to work again...ever.

Now I'm semi-retired (another word for lazy) and will never entirely quit striping. Hell, even if I had $10 Million in the bank I'd still stripe because it is way too much fun.

Mikey

 

Been striping, lettering, airbrushing for a living for 29 years now....Had to do it because i don't get along with bosses

 

You gotta work to live, not live to work. For the past 3 years (since I was 19) I hustle prints, hang in galleries, and vend at car shows to make $$$ for most of the year. Except, Aug/Sept/Oct/Nov I take yearbook/school portraits for about 20,000 teenage brats. 4 months of a consistent paycheck, and 8 months trying to survive as an artist = 12 months of HAPPINESS

 

<TABLE cl***=tborder id=post2856100 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD cl***=alt1 id=td_post_2856100 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #999999 1px solid">As an enthusuiastic 14 year old custom fanatic in the 50's, I started doing pinstriping for spare change. When we moved to the big city, I went downtown to show my model car customs at Daryl Starbird's show (Kansas City 1960). Ed Roth had just arrived with the Outlaw. He was by himself, so I offered to help him unload it. He liked my models and actually let me set up my card table model display inside the ropes with the Outlaw! I watched him paint shirts and fetched him hot dogs all weekend. He showed me how to paint shirts and by the time he came back to town the next year with the Beatnik Bandit for Ray Farhner's show, I was his friendly compe***ion.

I airbrushed at the shows for decades, but for the past twelve years, I have had airbrush stores in a couple of the malls here in Phoenix. I never had a job.</TD></TR><TR><TD cl***=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #999999 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #999999 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #999999 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #999999 1px solid" width=150><HR style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(hamb/misc/dl.gif); BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none; HEIGHT: 1px; BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

I'm a Graphic designer now but I started out doing auto body out of high school, went to Wyo Tech and everything....That was a waste. That lasted about 4 years then I started working for a family friend doing installation work for interior designers.

The installation job required some occasional renderings for clients so I started doing a lot of sketching and realized I was pretty good at it, so it led to Digital design and I went from there. Now I do logo design for local businesses and bands and stuff like that. I'm going to school to further my abilities at the moment but just my side jobs at the moment pays the bills (barely).

I am at this point the definition of a "starving Artist" but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

dont know if ya call it art, but ive been creating and selling resin model car kits off and on for the last 20 yrs. two yrs ago i finally went full time. i dont make a killing, the wife is the primary breadwinner. but im my own boss, and the urge to kill the next idiot in line has diminished conciderably.

 

I tattoo as well, been at it for less time, however, 7 years.
It's a great way to be a living, breathing artist...travelling, if you desire, and my shop, while it keeps me very busy, and I put much money back into it, obviously affords me some degree of extra $$$, or hot rods there would not be....
Just if you ever do become one, don't ever post any pics of your work on here, because even if its on topic subject matter... It will get a thread closed faster than you can say "Dis***ociating with a certain element"....