Maybe An Art Career Wasn’t Meant For You
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- Опубликовано: 18 фев 2022
- #arttalk #artvlog2022 #musicforpainting #artcareer #gettingpaidforart
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Common topics discussed on my channel:
- Managing the emotional ups and downs of being a professional artist
- Finding artistic style and finding ideal career path
- art vlogs with other known art youtubers
- personal struggles with being an artist
- artistic motivation
- social media advice for artists
- overcoming artistic procrastination
- unique professional artistic skills
- artistic skill development
- professional artistic training
- private art schools
- online art mentorships
- emotional advice for artists
- common art career mistakes
- finding artistic confidence
- maximizing artistic growth
just to name a few...
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Equipment used to produce this video:
Audio equipment:
- Art Talk mic: Shure SM7B
- Product & Book review mic: RODE NTG5
- Amp: Mixpre 3
Audio/Video Editing Software:
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Adobe Audition
- Adobe After Effects
- Screenrecording: Techsmith Snagit
Digital Painting Equipment & Software
- Adobe Photoshop
- Cintiq 27QHD
Logo Stings: Evanto Market
Unique Fonts: Creative Market
Transition & Effects: MotionVFX 
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I hope this reaches you Adam. I just found out I was rejected from an internship opportunity I was really looking forward to. I went to RUclips to kind of shut my brain down and distract myself, but I find this video. Just released today. Sometimes your timing is too perfect. It feels like you’re talking directly to me. I hope this channel continue to reach people for many years to come.
Well seeing how much our brains are hardwired together (as artists that is), I'm very much aware that when I share my personal experiences, I'm speaking for most of us
So essentially, I AM speaking directly to you :)
I hope you are not thinking in conquering europ
Thank you Adam.
I'm 27 and graduated with a degree in Game Art and Design 3 years ago. All throughout college I did an amount of work that allowed me to get by, never pushing myself or striving for something great. After graduating I couldnt find a job in the industry and felt I needed to build my portfolio and told myself that now was the time where I would really set to working on passion projects and effective projects that display my skills.
Well I ended up getting a job in phone support to support my living expenses, and this ended up consuming my life and mind. I was so drained at the end of the day and week emotionally that I just resorted to tuning out, playing games, watching movies and shows. I completely lost my passion for everything I was doing.
A few months ago my jobs contract ended, and we were moved to a new position, reviewing short social media video clips for 10 and a half hours a day. The work was mind numbing, soul crushing and left me feeling even worse then the phone support had where I was atleast kept busy. After quitting my job I had a severe panic attack for the first time in my life when i was alone at home. I thought I was having a heart attack, and called my parents panicking, convinced that I was dying and that these were my last moments.
A few months on now and I am doing my best to recover from the daily anxiety I'm experiencing. I've found it hard to sleep, and im constantly aware of my heart rate, pulse, and small twinges in my body leave me wracked with worry but one thing that I realized helped me to calm down was painting, and sometimes when I'm able to be in front of the screen, relearning my 3d skills from college.
Your story and calm manner of speaking has really brought me peace today, solice in knowing there are others out there who have struggled with their career in similar ways.
I've recently been put on anti depressants as I find it very hard to find enjoyment in anything nowadays but as I work towards a happier future there is one thing thing I know, and that is that if there is one thing I'm even mildly passionate about, its creating characters, worlds and stories. I'm going to trust myself, I'm going to trust in the knowledge that if I keep practising that I can one day reach a point where I can look at my work with confidence rather then dissapointment.
To everyone in the comments who have expressed their stories: Thank you, your sharing of emotions and stories is truly comforting at this time and I wish you all the very best in overcoming your own situations
互勉，加油。兄弟
I believe you can do it. Good luck
I wish you strenght
You’re very welcome Thorns, and thank you for sharing this story - you are most definitely not alone in feeling this way
This worries me reading this, I'm in the middle of doing a Games Design degree right now. I really hope you get where you want to be in the end, I really do.
This hit's extremely close to home. I graduated college almost 10 years ago, and have never landed a real job at an actual studio. And coming from a family of hard-working, self-reliant people, I feel like they look at me wondering when I'll decide to grow up. But I'm built different, every job I've every had has felt temporary. This is the longest I've EVER committed to anything in my life. As many times as I've wanted to give up, I never could. Now that I'm finally getting a better grasp of where I fit in as an artist, hopefully I won't have to feel ashamed, like I'm constantly being judged or I've wasted my life. Someone once told me, "Do what you love and the money will come later." I feel like "later" might finally be on the horizon
I hate to piggy-back on people's comments like this, but I literally had this same EXACT thought not two days ago. I am in the same boat, and I definitely feel what you're describing here. The judgement. Feeling like I've been wasting time pursuing a goal that's always just beyond reach. Lol. Eff that. We keep it pushing because we know our potential. I don't know who you are, but go get it!!
in my case is different, my family hard workers actually support me in this waste of time, but i dont, i fucked up pretty bad deciding to be an arASTist, what a waste, you both will do this, me?, fuck this, im out, im about to graduate and i only see one way out, offline myself cause im not good at what i love, i spent shit ton of time tru videos and im devolving not improving, now i cant even draw anything on paper when i started drawing on paper, have so many ideas my hand cant reproduce, both of my uncles are aaa class programmers fucking gods in that stuff, after struggling they nailed it and are about to retire safe, me, i need to be a triple a artist to land a safe job, in a couple of months, i hate this now, i should be a cashier and give up, atleast i will bring money to my house as thanks to my fucking country my mom cant work and im not about to leave her in peril
@@Weiswolfe i know this might not reach you, i hope you understand that life is people, relationships, small moments. Don't feel so bad about yourself when it comes to art, your mood will affect your art. I am also studying art and as of rn i had never shown any interest in art, i literally started at art at 17 and I'm 19 now and still real bad. But hey, i wanna try i wanna keep going. If harsh times come, face them with a smile and a ton of enthusiasm. You got it okey? Just keep going, and take time, focus on the now, and live it and use it to get better.
@@Weiswolfe you'd probably regret it for the rest of your life or wonder what if.. if you'd actually become a cashier instead of trying. Life is this weird unbalanced depressing and most fun game you'll ever play, so do what you feel is right .
well, i am just an idiotic cow with a revolver and a hat on the internet, but you get the point
Same here, kind of. I did major in graphic arts and design at my country's leading university but never made art in a professional setting - got sidetracked into computers and web development instead because, well, it was easier to make money that way. Fast forward twentysomething years, some months ago I got unexpectedly fired from my last IT job, and there and then I decided enough was enough; got hold of my savings, realized I have enough to get myself by for a good while and here I am now learning new skills and attending workshops of what I've always wanted to do - create edu/entertainment content for kids. Here's hoping my bet pays off as I'm going all in this time. - I've been waiting like 30 years for this chance; never stopped drawing, the passion was always there. About time to face the music and learn to dance :)
You are literally the only content creator that when saying "love yall" or anything like such, actually makes me feel it, like someone that actually cares about the humanity on the other side of the screen instead of the gold coins. Idk if im too young or naive or ifs actually it, but you make me hear you, and think, and try to care more about me and what i do.
Thank you man
"love" is not a word that I take for granted. I mean it when I say it because I authentically feel you deserve to hear it :)
I feel this one big time, thanks for uploading. This quote from Japanese general Yamaoka Tesshu always get me through the times that you speak of: "Not tiring of defeat leads to victory" Thanks Adam
You've just summarized everything in a single phrase. I send my respect to Yamaoka Tesshu and you for that :)
But the sad part is that... The lack of "reward" to a neverending journey weighs you down big time. In my case making comics even on my own terms through creator-owned projects is no longer fun, comics are a mean lover, so much effort for so little. By some point you break and say "no more, I'll never be like the big pros" If you don't see results to your effort or any sign or recognizion that is all worthy... why go on then?
I enjoyed and produced more when this was a hobby.
Just because someone doesn’t make art a career does not mean they are not an artist. The fact of the matter is we all have to make a living somehow, it’s perfectly healthy to have a steady source of income to maintain and support the ability to be creative. Everyone’s journey is different. I joined the US Navy and I’m still an artist and always will be, I’m working on a comic in my spare time! In fact I think having some separate grind gives value, appreciation and inspiration for my artwork when I get down to it. We don’t have to conform to something else or sacrifice the spark just to make money, make the time to be creative. Love all of you.
^ the key thing is to keep creating your own stuff. :)
The fact that you still creating while being in something like the Navy gives me hope.
Exactly ! I'm gonna join the Air Force, and I still plan to work on my project too!! 😎 I notice I have wayyy less artblock and creative issues when I have a separate grind, because I am too damn excited to finally start drawing again after a long hard day!!
Yeah I'm in IT I still draw on my time off and during lunch breaks.
"If you love, you'll come around" I'm not good enough to have a career in art, doing different jobs, but I always come around, wishing if only I can get better enough to get paid for this.
This is insane, I'm reading the comments, and everyone is saying that they were having a career crisis right before clicking on this video. And I just wanna say me too. I've been feeling like crap all day, about my art career and the doubts were eating my insides, I felt so vulnerable and week, I felt like giving in up but I didn't and i kept going even today. So to help myself do that, I thought why not listen to some music on RUclips and this video was on my feed and i just clicked on it and I'm really glad I did. I wasn't about to give up, but this helped a lot. thanks for reminding me of why i want to do this, and what it takes to get there.
Let me help you understand. struggling artists are more likely to click on a video with this title. 😅
As an aspiring artist currently working in big pharma r&d I feel like an alien every single day. I envy my colleagues who all seem so invested and interested in what they do.
Same here. I’m a college student though, studying computer science. I envy my classmates who are in complete love the subject, and will have no problem reciting programmatic concepts with each other. I’m good at math, but don’t have that passion like they do for the field. I chose it for stability or to somehow combine my creativity later in a job. It feels like now I’m trying to pursue two careers, keeping up with both tech and arts in the movie/game industry, and the harder tech in the IT industry. I’m scared of burnout, the pressure, the work life balance in the arts industry. But I’m also scared that I’ll regret it and wasted potential
I do not know why I teared up listening to this. I am just 22 and I already feel this pressure. 14 years. I cannot fathom feeling this way for another 5 years or so. That takes strength. Thanks for addressing the topic, thanks for this channel and thanks for giving me something to think about.
yeah it's crazy also 22 and debating every single day whether to keep trying to go pro or if i'm not cut for it and it's a crushing feeling idk how this person managed to deal with this for so long
If you have any other options, go with them--this culture's treatment of creators is too brutal for words
I wish I would have realized this sooner. College killed my passion for art for a long time. I don’t feel I learned very many important things (hell I feel like I’ve learned more on RUclips than I have in my four years of college). I was rejected from the art program that is specifically for graphic, illustration and animation… it hurt… I loved art… so I finished with traditional instead of dropping out .. but I was always told to theme my work… you can’t just draw whatever (which is such crap) so many restrictions I just didn’t even want to be there . It took about a decade to realize.. it was okay.. I don’t have to make money as an artist… I just want to make art. That doesn’t have to change. I can still feel completely fulfilled as an artist without profiting. So my spark has started to grow once more for my love of art
Omg, that title is so validating. Every time I have gaps in work I suddenly start feeling like I'm a fraud.
I wanted to be an artist during high school, which was almost 10 years ago. I stopped making art a few years back and just recently started again so I'm nowhere near where I want to be (skill-wise). I can't complain financially since I was able to become a firefighter/paramedic but there's still that piece of me that regrets not going through with trying to become an artist.
Thank you Adam, I really really needed this. I'm going through a transitional point a year shy of 30. I finished artschool almost a decade ago. When I went to school I was so idealistic, I wanted to get a job for a big gaming company or production company, but as I got older I realized that those jobs aren't exactly the best for me, as we hear more and more artist speaking out about creative burnout in that field. I now understand what I needed wasn't a 9 to 5 job drawing my soul away for a company that would never care about me, what I needed was creative freedom and the right to choose when I wanted to work and that I realize only comes as either being an internet artist or freelancer. It's been a tough decision to make to give up on applying to gaming companies and sometimes I really doubt myself, but I feel a lot more happier now that the pressure is off and now I can focus on making the art I really want too. My goals finally feel more obtainable; I'm going to bookmark your video so whenever I doubt myself again I can go back to this, it really helps knowing I'm not alone.
I am glad you impart this wisdom to us. I will tell you all this about me. I got a degree in Computer Science. I tried getting a job the first year and flopped at the interviews. I had no one to teach me how to interview for jobs or guide me through the process. I gave up and got a job in retail to pay the bills. I observed a lot of things in that job that I would not have otherwise saw had I gone the "perfect path". I worked it for 2 years. I saw people with 6 figure jobs coming in to harass the staff and put them down. At first, I allowed it to happen, but then I stood up to them. It was then I saw in their faces they lived a miserable life. They were making 6 figures but were sad. Sooner or later some of those customers accepted me and talked to me. Apparently, their jobs were just as stressful and unpredictable as mine. (not having a stable schedule) Even though they were taking in all that money, they had no time to enjoy it. So I concluded that the reason why they were like that to staff was because they had to justify what they were going through by making themselves feel higher than another. The job I took was also the job my dad did to put money on the table. I had to understand why he was never there for us and worked 16 hr shifts. I resented him for years for that. However after a while I finally understood him. I quit that job and stared reading my CS books.
I found a job that was a contract. They would teach me the latest software and help me with the interview process, but I would be in a 2 year contract getting paid extremely lower than usual. I signed on because I knew 1. My skills were good enough to do the job and not stress on solutions. 2. I was reading, but I had no clue if I was studying the right thing. I started in February of 2020. They trained me, then the pandemic happened, and they cut the whole class in April. I was glad they didn't ask me to stay in the contract. They gave me an idea of what the latest technologies that were being used. However instead of teaching me to be a software engineer, they were actually teaching me to be a software tester.
So now I had all the time in 2020 to hone in on my software skills. Guess what I did instead? I bought corel painter on humblebundle and decided it was a great time to start learning how to digitally paint. This is when I started finding channels like this one and paint coach. My first paintings were utter trash. Then they started to look extremely well. Note this was just portrait paintings and landscapes. It was not something like concept art. It was then I realized the painting process is somewhat like building software. I spent a year learning everything I could about digital painting AND traditional painting. It was the best fun I ever had.
Anyways I had to stop in 2021 lol. Texas freeze stopped me in the winter times. Then the AC stopped working and I had no money to fix that. It was constantly 95 degrees inside the home. From May to August. I tried turning on my PC and laptopts and the tempuratures were insane. All my software books were ebooks. I begged for winter to come. December was warm....The scary part is I don't remember much about 2021. Except sleeping frozen in the winter and sleeping hot in the summer. Then January I started reading after buying ski clothes. I also bought a portable ac and put it in the most insulated room. Now I am reading about software again and cleaning up my skills. I have to build my software portfolio up. (As you would with your art portfolio) I actually wiped my github after reading a book and realizing my software was trash lol. I should NOT have done that. I should have modified it and added the new stuff I learned.
I have a different perspective about interviews now. At first, I was afraid to say anything and hoped I said the right thing. Everything that would stray off course, I would freeze and fumble. Then, I realized something. If this was someone trying out my code/program and seeing how it handled input data, it would fail. There is something in software that can handle extreme processes and continue as if nothing happened. They are called exception handlers. This is when my brain exploded with possibilities. If I treated the interview process as I make my software, I should be prepared for almost anything.
So I started thinking about questions they will probably ask me. Questions they might ask me, and questions that they would never ask me. Then I wrote how I would handle those questions. When I recently did an interview, I had no stress or fear. I didn't get the job, but I knew I did well. At the end of the interview, I now ask "what could I have done/ what did I miss that I could work on to make you want to hire me?" I love that they honestly tell me right there if I had enough to be placed in a pool to get the job and they give me tips on what to improve as well. If they say "nothing more you did well" Well you know you are in the pool. However, if you are rejected, don't get too down. They found someone else that resonated with their vision. It's time to look elsewhere. Trust me when writing requirements for software of the customer (I am guessing this is the same for finding the vision of art the customer wants) They are very all over the place at the beginning. We give them prototypes or markups on how the software might work. Sometimes we can meet eye to eye, sometimes we have to part ways. It's part of life.
I think once in a while we need a positive feedback or a dopamine release to keep doing something we are not getting the results we want. A sense of inner satisfaction with the work we make can be fuel. It is hard to keep up something without getting any value in return, internal or external.
oh for sure - if it's just pure abuse then forget it. But what you can't do is quit the moment you get knocked down
Thanks for this talk Adam. I may not be pursuing an art career. However, the little introverted, nerdy and geeky kid in me, I'm learning to love again. My passion for art is the key to my overall life goals that I want to pursue. People will come and go, things will pass me by, but my passion for art will stick by me more than anything!
This is an interesting subject because I ended up changing my career goals from illustration to programming. I went to uni for illustration, got my degree, and ended up just coasting along after that. When I made the decision to study art, it was what I liked most. But I didn't work that hard on the career side of things, became more disillusioned over time, and as a result was sort of withering up in my bedroom. I happened to then try out programming and felt a compelling obsession and sense of satisfaction when writing programs that I hadn't felt with art for a long time. It took me a couple months after discovering this before I decided to go back to school for a computer science degree. I would be able to transfer in all my general ed classes and I would finish much faster than first-time students. I figured I would find a job and start contributing to my family quicker this way as well.
Sometimes, we really do just choose wrong. Self-awareness and self-understanding is not exactly our forte. A significant number of people work in a different field than their first career choice or degree. What we thought we wanted isn't something we actually want. And some of the most fulfilled people made the wrong choices over and over.
Nobody knows you better than yourself, but we're still kind of bad at this. We can only figure things out by messing up and ramming our head against the wall enough times before we wake up to our own reality. Maybe I'm wrong even now to pursue programming. But, what people forget is that every time you pick wrong you will actually understand yourself better than you would have otherwise. And the people who understand themselves well make for incredible people.
There will be some amount of people who picked wrong, who would be more fulfilled and happy doing something else, and who are driving themselves sick with art. I worry about you guys. Because the moral assumption to make is that you just have imposter syndrome, or are going through tough times, or just need to find the side of art that fits you better. Nobody wants to tell you that maybe you're right and you should do something else. Practically nobody gives you the advice you need to hear, the advice you want to hear. The permission to quit and try something else. But nobody can give you the permission for that.
It's a bet you need to make on your own.
Can relate so much, especially as a person who also stopped pursuing a career in art and switched to programming, and actually finding joy and relief in what I am doing now. After years, I finally felt like I stopped expecting anything from art, I felt I was the one who was torturing my art, who demanded so much from it while it just wanted to exist in any imperfect form and be a soothing, comfortable thing for my soul. And yea, it took me a lot to give myself a permission to quit and try something else because I felt as if I were betraying myself, people around who knew about my goals, even my Cintiq tablet (lol). But I found it easier to pursue a career in something that blows your brain off (in a good way) with its tasks and logic, but not touching your soul and emotions the same as art does. Maybe I am also wrong, but we would never know if we didn't try.
Quitter, programming is a corporate slave job.
For once I feel better about all the self-doubt, because of you Adam.
I'm definitely not the "fitting-in" type of person which can feel extremely lonely/overwhelming, especially with art. You always feel like you're going the wrong way. For example learning the fundamentals properly, which often feels like grasping at straws for a self-taught person.
Thank you for always giving guidance/reassurance whenever I need it
That's how I feel
1. The new intro smacks
2. I cannot describe in words how much I needed to hear this Adam. It's been a rough time getting work, but I think my self esteem recovered a bit thanks to you.
I came across your video by accident and I literaly cried myself out while hearing it. I can relate so much to that...I've been doing art as long as that girl and never managed to make something out of it. Always comparig myself to more talented artists and lacking self confidence made it even harder to live with. My art will probably never be famous but I don't care anymore. I even stopped comparing myself to other artists. I know too well that there will always be someone better than me in that field and it's okay. I don't have to be the best artist out there. I just have to be me, doing the things I like with my own style, my own sensibility, my own ideas and the messages that I want to convey through my art. The fact that I've given up on an artistic career doesen't mean I'm done with art. Now I'm doing art for myself and the people I love and I'm living much better like that. PS: Sorry for my poor english. Hugs from France ♥
I agree with the broader point but I would contend the fact that you don't need a paycheck to be a professional artist and perhaps suggest the point might be best phrased "You don't need a paycheck to be a valid artist" or simply "You don't need a paycheck to be an artist". Professional by definition implies that it is your profession to make art, i.e you make money from doing so. I decided not to pursue a career in art as I enjoy making art more when I don't have to worry about making a living out of it, but I still consider myself an artist since I enjoy the process of creating new things, but I would avoid specifically calling myself a professional artist.
I agree 100%
"as I enjoy making art more when I don't have to worry about making a living out of it"
that's exactly how I think about it, I don't need stress/deadlines/requests to be productive
Feeling like an imposter is the last thing you ever want if you're striving to be a professional so, hey, let yourself boost your morale, you wouldn't want the lack of confidence to reflect on your work.
My friends at university were the same. They liked to draw a lot but when money were involved they were loosing motivation to draw, saying that they did not enjoyed making money by drawing.
so what do we do, work a shit job and in the free tme draw with love, iam asking ofc not trolling, i dont know what to do, my plan was to be a writer and live from it(there are better and faster ways to commit offlinemode) and draw in my free time with no pressure, thing is i finished my first book but publishing in my country COlombia is absolutely impossible if you arent a renown writer already, wtf do i do
Thank you, Adam. I'm at a point where I realize all that, after having been through enough artistic and personal experiences and making discoveries in psychology philosophy and religion, but it's nice to hear it from a fellow artist.
We are the creators of beauty in the world.
We need to understand that.
It's a big responsibility, but we're up for it because we feel things deeply.
Thank you for your gentle reminder.
I hope for this comment to serve as another.
You're very welcome Victor :)
I'm landing late on this video but it was the right moment. I've been doubting myself and my choices about an art career for the last two years. I felt lost and tired. I felt like I would never be good enough, that I was the slowest person in every aspect of my life, and that there would always be people who get better faster than me. I felt like a frode more and more cause every person who cares about me looks at me like an artist but i cuoldn't agree. I always felt like an eternal beginner, jumping from a path to another (i graduated in graphic desgin, in editorial illustration and now i'm trying concept art) cause i never felt like fitting in and while listening to your video i get punched in the face by the realisation that i keep running away from what i really love to do: i love to tell stories, i alway dreamed about writing and illustrating my stories or other people stories, giving life to character and their world. I'm a storyteller and i love the idea of drawing characters but i keep run away from this cause "i will never be good enough, i lack the ability to learn anatomy". I don't know what I'm going to do now with this burst of motivation because I don't want to waste it. However, I will likely utilize it to attempt to get back on my path and not abandon it for something more 'easy'.
I needed to hear this words, thank you.
As i sit at my office job longing to be a full time artist I listen to this often when it gets to be too much. It makes me feel less alone on this journey. Thank you!
hearing all the crippling suffering that art seems to carry when persuing a career about it makes me feel calmed, as I draw and paint as a hobby and have other career paths that I'm working on, either way, I admire you all for all the effort and shit you have to go through
As someone who just quit his cozy (but utterly miserable) IT job to live with his mother at 35 and pursue a dream of drawing and writing his own comics... this video is equal parts horrifying and inspiring.
I think to myself almost daily that I'm making a massive mistake and throwing myself into poverty for the dream I gave up on in my late teens... and yet. I've never been more motivated in my entire adult life.
I don't know what I'm trying to get to, more venting than anything but ultimately I just want to say thank you. Thank you for this.
And yet here I am still being stubborn and do art, even though I have been advised a lot that I don't need to earn money from art to be a professional artist. I know it's better and more sustainable to get a non related art job to fund my passion, but I just can't and don't want to. I admire how some people can suppress the urge to make art and be responsible with other important issues in their life because I can't or don't want to and ignore those responsibilities.
@rambunctiousvegetable I want to make money through art, and that's the only thing I want to do in my life. Of course, I'll have to get good first in order to get hired, but it's hard when you're a slow learner.
Man Adam 😭 this is one of your best talks yet. I’m currently putting my art career to the side to start trucking to fund my own studio after years of failing to get this thing off the ground.
Haven’t drawn anything in a couple of months but I know, I love creating. But I must be able to take care of me and my son first. He’s also an artist which adds fuel to my fire to provide some stability for us to create in peace. Peace and blessings upon you and your family.
Thank you for this video. It just reminded me that I made the right decision. After being rejected from a art college, which I would have to travel to 3-4 hours a day, I took it as a sign. After working on the project for application my wrist was hurting so bad i couldnt lift a book. Got diagnosed with arthrosis due to gymnastics in my childhood. Since I did not want to give up my interest of art in general I decided to apply to a university which, europe wide, is one of the best for art history. Two semesters in I must say - thats the right thing ! Being an art historian, curator and working close with artists in the end is, what I most wished for. To all of you out there for whom 'the' art career doesnt seem to work out: do your best(I'm sure thats what you're doing), if that wont work out pursue it as a hobby, look for a career in a similar field and if after all the time you still can make your hobby a career! Don't give up, but don't force more than you can handle. Best of luck for every one of you, which ever path you chooose.
I was in your position 15 years ago. Now i have a family with two kids, I am a lecture, doing maya, 3ds max, ps and Lr, a photo editor to a multinational company and a wedding photographer. it was tough and painful
I love art. I make art all the time. I hope to never get a job making art unless it's literally exactly the art I'm already making. I've got enough of my own art to make as is, why would I want to waste my time making someone else's art?
I'm just halfway through the video and I'm already bawling, dude. I'm in college studying art right now; it's been my passion since childhood, but I am already so overwhelmed that I just *know* I won't make it in this field. I want to stick it out and get my degree but in my mind I know this is going to end with me being rejected everywhere. This video was a comfort. Thank you so much.
How are you doing now friend? Did you finish college?
@@fern-cx3bf Wow, I didn't expect someone to reply to my comment from last year! Thank you for asking, that's very thoughtful of you. I'm doing okay. This is my final year of college, so I'll be done soon. Gonna get that art degree, since I spent so many years on it anyway, but I've decided not to pursue an art career after I graduate. At least, not for a while, because I really like where I work part-time now, and I'd like to apply there full-time (it's also partially an art job, but more graphic/web design). In the end, I'm really glad I decided to study art, even if it didn't take me down the path I imagined.
@@RedtheMudkip that’s swell friend! Imm glad you could find a job. one more question , in which art branch did you study??
@@fern-cx3bf Thank you :) I studied animation, specifically pre-production.
I really don't understand how you have the same discussions as I do with my self 2 - 3 days before you release a video. 2 days ago I was comparing art with relationship, because I fell out of love for it and looked into other things, but I came back and holding it as close as ever.
I compared it to having a fight in a relationship, you don't give up immediately. You take a break, some longer than usual, but you always come back and try to make things work and remember why you fell in love with it in the first place.
You seem to have read my mind. I was thinking about this topic for the past few days and telling myself to be patient with my career. I noticed after so long, that I'm talented and I can make beautiful stories and people will love it. And it's hard to sit down every day and draw. But I keep going. Thank you Adam for reminding this profession is different than other professions and takes time.
Great and timely, I'm currently ten years out of art school and still honing my craft. It's been discouraging to say the least to where I hoped I would be versus where I am. Yet occasionally I get some good feedback and encouragement. I don't have a supportive family for the most part and very few friends who care about what I do. Keep sharing your words of encouragement and insight, it really helps get some perspective.
I got ghosted many many times myself. Kinda got sick of it and am partially still trying to figure out what kind of Art Career fits me.
What I DO know tho is, that there are so many ways one can be an artist for a living, that every creative can find something of their own.
It may take a lot of time and hard work to find a way, but it pays out once you figure it out for yourself.
" ...I authentically, genuinely, at my core, don't give a shit....these are not my kindred spirits."
Subbed.
Thank you for sharing your personal experiences about your art journey. The path of being a professional artist isn't easy. I've been trying to work at it for eight years now.
There thousands of artists who do not have an art career but love art and love creating art .
Art should bring enjoyment into your life, whether you make a living out of it or not.
Live long and prosper everyone !
Holy fuck.
This screams at me in 1000 different ways.
These are conversations I have had in my head. Its not just similar - its the same.
Cycles of self-hate, guilt, depression, and uselessness.
This exemplifies everything -
Thank you.
I tend to not watch your videos for months at a time, with youtube not even reccomending it. But somehow, when i'm near my lowest points, you always show up there.
Once again i thank you very much for everything you said. I havent failed even for a third of the time of the person in the email, yet i'm so worried abou the future and anxious about if i can make it or not, everyday.
Not getting easier today, but over the years when i'm just about to throw everything over the window, just when i am on the lowest of the low, just when i think everything is lost and there is no hope, you show up to talk about life and art. it really makes me want to raise my chin up and try again.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you Adam
another great one. love the notes about "walking your own path / doing your own thing." thanks Adam.
Hey adam! I absolutely love this topic. I was feeling this way about my previous chosen profession when I discovered drawing 3 years ago. I was recently accepted as a tattoo apprentice and get to call myself a professional artist now which is pretty incredible.
Holy shit that's amazing news Sam! I have SO much respect and admiration of tattoo artists - such an intimate and meaningful skill, not only to you but others as well.
@@AdamDuffArt it is a hugely rewarding career. I am so excited
It seems like youtube understands what I need to hear by recommending this video today. Thank you so much.
I’m in the middle of questioning my relationship with art. Whether I want to continue to do this as my full time job or not, because it’s giving me a lot of hardship at the moment. I wanted to rediscover the joy of making art, and it seems like creating art to express myself, rather than trying to create something that sells, always feels better. But I’m not yet ready to give up the current work that I have, especially because I could imagine how someone would like to be in my position (stable job, and art related). Hopefully I could find a better way to balance the work and pure fun side of creating art.
after 22 years graduating in fine arts and I’m still a nobody
I never had a stable job :(
Today’s the day i give up for good. Thanks Adam.
Every once a while I have had rare moments when I have finished a piece and was absolutely satisfied with it and they reflected on just how much effort I took to listen and put into practice the expert art instructors on RUclips (I'm way too poor, have no access to art school and struggling with cancer so RUclips is my go to for lessons especially this channel. Ps Thank you Adam!!!). Since the beginning of my journey 18 years ago I have kept every piece of work I've ever done even my disastrous abject failures, especially my failures as they became a tool to identify where I had gone wrong, why it went wrong and what I can do in the future to not repeat them. I have sold around 30 commissions , not for mega bucks but enough to top up my art supplies so I could continue learning. Though the cancer has taken its toll and my mental health has hit rock bottom because of complex ptsd and clinical depression after takihg some time away im starting a self portrait to reflect what i perceive myself to be and feel through my art.
This has been extremely fun, rewarding and vital to my sanity. But from what im hearing from video topics like this is the same attitudes or frames of mind but what you need to ge asking yourself is why did you take up art as an interest in the first place? What made you pick up that pencil or brush and how did that make you feel before all the issues of an artist trying to make it dame along? Why not contemplate on where you began so that you can regain that innocent passion you have either lost or forgotten? Just try and be kind to yourself and I wish you all peace, love and empathy ❤️
All of your videos are incredibly genuine and helpful and I cannot thank you enough for posting these. Hearing your experiences is always interesting
adam im forever grateful for these types of videos , its like true honest not bullshit hope
I was watching proko's podcast. And Marshall was saying art is one of the most difficult careers. A lot of the artists that get to where they are they can be completely luck-based. There could be an artist that could be way better and not have the same success. I think in the future it will be a lot harder to break into the industry if you want to be an industry artist. I think if you want to be an artist, you're basically going to have to be an independent artist, a fine artist. Someone who sells their stuff through their own website. An entrepreneur.
I feel like I really needed to hear those words, especially on the last few days. Thank you so much, man.
thank you adam, that early ten minutes was giving me full of dread but thank you for sharing that experience. thank you for giving us the time.
Ayy excited for another video! I just want to say how much I appreciate your videos Adam and your content has helped me in so many ways. Thank you for the awesome uploads!
I'm 17 and graduating high school this year. Preparing to hopefully go to design school for animation. My parents aren't happy or supportive of my decisions but I've made up my mind. I gave the entrances and I'm doing good so far.
I've always thought that I may have to live the struggling artist lifestyle for a long time and I always tell myself that I'm up for it but this video kinda made me realise the actual gravity of the situation and its scary if I'm being honest. But seeing as to you and so many others made something out of themselves through art, I'm hopeful that its possible. Thank you
Been waiting. Thank you Adam for sharing the video with us. Please stay safe and healthy as always. 🥰
i built some other sources of income with little time but good money, now i can do art all i want , free from pressure and timelimits and deadlines
This ending made me cry, as an child, an artist, a stranger, it touch my heart and my soul. You the person that will read this message, please, don't give up. We are all worth to be accepted and heard.
Man, your videos are ALWAYS so *GOOD*. You're so empathetic and kind. I genuinely feel that. And you're kind about the topic of ART too, which I feel like, as you said in the video, we artists are so hard on ourselves for anyway. Thanks for putting this video out! I've been having doubts that I managed to get through, but I know they'll surface again. And when they do, I know exactly what video to listen to again. :)
Thank you so much for this comforting message. It gives a lot of clarity for how I view my career in art, or rather my relationship with it. I’m currently in a “fight,” so I’m taking a breather for a while and nurturing it again. I still am a new artist, so I do get very impatient with myself when practicing. but now I know it’s part of process and that I must embrace the things that spark my heart. Appreciate your video and valuable insights. Hope you’re having a good day 🥰🤍
You reached into my heart and said what I needed to say for myself. I've watched several of your videos and they always seem to reflect my problems. Thank you.
I was in frustration over my work tonight when this video was recommended to me. I cried till I couldn't anymore because this was exactly what I needed to hear. So well spoken. I usually never doubt myself but I'm experiencing higher stakes trying to make a living on my own now. As artists our choices really are limited when you can't give up doing what you love and try managing your passion alongside working the jobs you hate. You realize very early the sacrifices made while knowing there's the uncertain road ahead. Thank you so much for these words 💕
Adam, I don’t know how you do it, but you always manage to upload THE PERFECT video that coincides with what I’m struggling with. I actually listened to this video twice just to make sure I didn’t miss anything! It spoke so well to my relationship with art right now. Thank you for always being so authentic with us. To know that I’m not alone in my creative struggles always encourages me to stick it out. 😊
I love listening to your videos while drawing. They feel both so motivating but also grounding at the same time and i feel like I'm learning something. I'm still young but i love hearing about peoples stories, makes me feel a little more prepared for the coming years
Every time I see a new video from you it feels like taking a breathe after being underwater for so long. I’ve been feeling a bit lost recently, so this really came at the right time. I can only hope to be as sincere and soothing as you one day. Thank you for everything. 💜💛
You're very welcome :)
Just remember guys, no matter how your art career goes, transitioning into politics is not a good idea.
I'm only starting to see the video, but the fact that I've been diving so much into lovecraftian horror art and games and that Adam is working on this kind of painting clicked some things 😂Your art and your talks are amazing, they fill me up with hope. Thank you for everything Adam.
This video found me when I needed to hear it the most. I feel like I've lost my identity as an artist after working for years in animation projects and I still love illustrating but every time I sit down to draw I feel lost on what to do. Fan art and industry work have put food on my table for half a decade but took away my voice from me. Lately I've been trying to find myself again and even now after watching this video I struggle to answer, who I am. Your words are helping me to dare do some soul searching. Thank you
You have a very good sense of touching on topics that people can easily identify with. Your opinion about the topic at 18:40 is just the same that I think about architecture design... after 5 years university and 7 years practicing. I love designing, but I'm more interested in animation/film/concept art. Unfortunately, there isn't any market for these in my country, there aren't many studios. These will remain a hobby for me.
Your channel has a very friendly tone, thank you.
wow I really needed to hear this. thank you for sharing your thoughts, it's nice knowing you're not alone!
Wow thanks for making this - I've struggled for a long time with these emotions and it's just inspiring enough to keep going. The sacrifices made financially, socially, mentally to follow a dream that historically doesn't pay well is overwhelming. It's a nice realizing many people face these difficulties, and that I'm not completely alone in feeling this pain and poverty. It has been faced and beaten by others, and it can be overcome. Persistence is key.
So good I listened twice. I cannot thank you enough for your words of wisdom.
Adam,
I’ve never encountered your channel before today but I needed to hear the message that you just gave to us. Thank you.
Needed to hear all of this, thank you so much! You're inspiring. Also, your voice is really relaxing!
I'm exactly 40-14 and I REALLY needed to hear what you said here.
Thank you so so much for sharing this 🙏
Y'know life is always one hell of a ride and most of what you say is true in one way or another. I never had the support or even a little whispers of "You can be whatever you want" or "You can do it" or the supportive in art family it's always been economics, business and money and I made a lot of mistakes and paying the price for it. my art journey got me delayed because I wanted to be the good child who took what his parents told him to pick for a career but one thing for certain if you're not cut out for it you're not. but I also learned that never give up. and dreams just change over time. I'm already 25 yrs. old and I'm pretty sure I'm not that good or even popular and working in studios and games and such is a long gone dream for me but I'll be damned if I give up now. I'll just adapt as I go.
I’ve been watching these types of videos nonstop for the past few days and they are awe inspiring and making me want to pursue art more. I have a long road ahead but I will ALWAYS try to be open minded and determined to get to the place that I know I will one day be in
Rediscovering who I was when I started this journey is possibly the best advice anyone has given me in a LONG time. Thank you.
Wow this is freaky, I just dropped out of my art course a few days ago.
I dropped out of high school, then pretty much hit the ground running with different courses, I have three certificates from two different places, and I really wanted to persue higher education.
I failed getting my diploma, and it's been really hard to deal with.
I really don't think I want to do art professionally anymore, I don't even think I like my art anymore.
These past two years have been draining, emotionally, physically, I feel awful.
I hated the atmosphere at my previous study, and the fact that it was apparently emulating a proper studio environemt just made me feel so much dread for my future in this feild, it felt soul crushing, I've lost my modivation to draw, I legitimitely have not done an illustration for over half a year.
I don't know what to do with myself anymore, I've spent my nearly 19 years of life persuing this dream of being a great artist, I've been encouraged by everyone around me, and now I don't know what I'm going to do.
you and i good person human, you and i...
I can't hit "like" on this video enough. I'm of the understanding that a comment is equivalent to an algorithm boost? More people need to see your content.
Thank you sir/Adam! this video gave me comfort and insight hours before back to school day, I've been worrying about my artworks that I've done from the past months - thinking that it won't fit in the art school i'm in knowing they're more to abstract, culture and save the earth type - yet i'm glad that i'm not the only one who have done a lot of dark fantasy related artworks. Doubts and fear are catching up on me and i still feel shitty for not giving up to this day (standing on a ledge of deadlines, not reaching the same level as my friends and classmates, making terrible decisions, etc.) but somehow I'm glad I've come this far to still watch your inspiring videos and beginning to make comics (still stuck making concept arts and writing). I guess we artists are strugglers.
Words cannot express enough how much this help me and just how much I needed to hear this. As someone who’s always felt left out or to felt behind. Art was the one thing that gave me any kind of hope. Over the years I never thought I go anywhere beyond what I believed was my limit. Feeling like being who I was would never get me anywhere. That would have give up on my hopes and dreams. Hearing this (especially right now) has given me the strength to go on. I know haven’t taken enough risks when it came to art. That has to change now. I have to put myself out there just so I can a younger me that we tried, that It wasn’t all hopeless. Thank you so much Adam for making me believe in myself again.
Thanks for this talk, Adam. As for many, this video came out at the right time for me. I graduated in 2012, and I have been working at trying to nab that professional, consistent artist career stability for almost 10 years now. I'm grateful for everything that I have, but the "full-time artist" life is something that still eludes me. I'm constantly questioning my artistic abilities and professionalism, constantly wondering when my time will come, and I often wish I could feel fulfilled with my 9-5 and just have art as a hobby. Thank you for sharing your experiences and offering encouragement without the sugar-coating. I'll keep at it, but more importantly, I'll keep creating artwork for myself.
I cannot even express in words gow grateteful i am for your talks Adam, truly thank you!
Draw for most of my life since grade school, wanted to be a cartoonist or an animator. Did not know out bad 2D animation here was with all the outsourcing, or that the cartoons I grew up with were only made to sell merch.
I've lost the nerve back in 2008. My crummy for-profit school had us cold-call artists in the industry and try to talk them in to being a mentor as part of our assignment towards graduation. I had one who I'll leave his name out, but I could tell he didn't want anything to do with me. A very blunt, harsh fellow who just had a kid. Even in my near late 20s, I was too naïve to take a hint. I was late going to college as rural living means being increasingly poor and prime prey for online for profit schools.
He had me redraw some art at least twice, and asked me some nonsensical questions which I didn't understand. Harshly criticized my works as "anime-amateur". Deep down I was more of a cartoonist and not a photo-realistic or "western" artist. He eventually ghosted me, which I can't blame him. Admittedly, my technique was of poor quality and it was a wake up call to my already bruised ego. On that note digital art was taking off, and I was just so poor I couldn't afford a good digital tablet. Between that, and my unsuccess getting even a meager storyboard or 3D modeler job to leave my rural town. 2010 I packed it up, portfolio website taken off and lost the rights to the domain not long after.
I did create a game in 2015 which is still on Steam, though my art could have been better. (Then again we have Pizza Tower and Among Us, so I dunno, heh.). Been thinking about trying it again, but I'm in my 40s now and can't shake the feeling of being a man-child chasing after an ill fated goal. As much as I liked creating, the money career wise just isn't there anymore. It's more volatile than the current tech layoffs where you have to really have actual support (spouse, family, money socked away, etc) to pull this off successfully. Had none of that going for me.
I loved your point at 17:00. I really do think we are who we were at 6-10 years old (or whatever, before puberty crashes the party)
Thanks for the talk.
I can feel it. I'm literally you digging in the pocket right now as I spent my last money a few days ago for food and I really feel like a parasite to my family.
It's been 15 years I'm struggling as a freelance artist and lately I'm questioning my style, my skills etc as I've never been questioning. Is my style good enough? Is it good enough to get any type of success? I almost have lost my self-esteem at this point trying different styles hoping audience's gonna love it and losing myself. Eventually, no audience love and no "me" either.
The idea of abandoning art career terrifies me as I've been doing it for so long and I really love it even though our relationships isn't in a good state at the moment, I genuinely love it. And I'll keep fighting. This video gave me some encouragement I needed, some sense of hope.
Thank you.
please never stop making content, i suffer from extreme anxiety and listening to your videos help me feeling calm and focusing on painting, also it gives me a huge motivation
I don’t even know if you’ll see this comment, because it’s 7 months late, but your video made me cry. In the best way possible. Hearing your story made me realise that somewhere ALL of my art had become for others, to cater to their happiness. So they would like me. It became work, and not my passion. Stuff I’d loved as a kid made me “cringe “ simply because the general public hated it. But I see where I went wrong now. I realised that, in trying to fit into the “grind” per say, or the “hustle”, I’d started rushing to complete a process that, in all ways that matter, will never truly finish. Thank you once again, I think I’ve had my lightbulb moment amidst all the setbacks I’m going through.
Thank you, Adam. Everything you said in this video came at the right time for me. I’ve been floundering trying to figure out what to do exactly. I’ve been figuring out what I don’t like to do as an artist, but can’t seem to find what I really want. I don’t fit into a lot of cliques, though I’ve tried. And, like you described in this video, I have seen other artists get really excited about things that I honestly do NOT care about. But, nonetheless, I just keep going, trying different things, taking little breaks from time to time, and trying find the things that I love to do with my art. Thank you for confirming that I’m not crazy. I just need to keep doing what I love. God bless you.
we might have different culture, and different life, but your video is really hitting me , since im in your position right now.
i'm a rookie artist for really long time, i still dont have that technically advance skill in painting, and brilliant mind, but i always love the craft of drawing, and anything that art related. i live in 3rd world country working as an artist here = long burning ember road ahead, i grew in a really bad economic 3rd world country family, (my highschool year filled with hunger, and lack of happy memory) despite that i found art, im honing my skill late in my 19, learning a lot from friend community and stuff (mediocre art, really meh but im proud of what i can achieve), but never had any professional work, it been 6 years, and i still struggling to improve my art, i've my 9 to 5 job while struggling to improve my art, but this is where i already commited, i really feel alive everytime i draw, i got my mom and dad that couldnt work anymore, and i had 2 lil brother so i gotta feed them, my only reason that i keep pushing was my love to it, and now im starting to start express myself now.
I find myself growing more and more hungry for your wisdom. You say with class and precision what I just came to realize and you are reinforcing my resolve.
Thank you Sensei 🙏
You put this together beautifully. I just started therapy the day you posted this, and I've been living for way too long with an awful external locus of control that made me feel powerless and ashamed for "wasting time" on my interests. Now I'm taking the steps to develop the skills that I'm honestly passionate about (Just modelling a sphere a day for now, small but concrete steps). I just turned 27, and I always thought I was just naturally the shy and avoidant type, but getting therapy and being able to work through my rough points of view has really sparked that passion in me, and I can honestly say I've never felt more comfortable being who I really am around others. This kind of advice really goes a long way towards changing those schemas that've kept me feeling so inhibited before, thank you.
It's incredible how you keep tackling these deep inner things that a lot of yt artist dont talk at all. Even though, I agree that you should practice the fundamental stuff etc, but thats not how you become an artist. There's more to it than just this is how you draw hands and this is how you color stuff...
You are truly hitting the nerv of most of us artist here. Many fails,fears and a sense of not belonging is very real and common amongst us, and it's very encouraging to hear these things coming from a pro thats been in the game for a long time. You, dear sir, are cleansing my soul with your videos and art talks. I have a rough time now as an artist, dealing with rejections from studios, even though i was in many indie game studios, but i just continue forward and draw everyday. Your videos are inspiring me to move forward and not to give up. Hell, you even make me cry as I'm drawing, but after that I feel better, powered up and cleansed to continue.
Thank you for these incredible advices Adam, and thank you for being here for us lost souls!!!
I think we really needed this
Thank you
For thirty years, I put in continuous effort to become a self-taught artist.I am now 50 years old and have not given up.The amount of failures is mind numbing.There are people who enjoy making fun of my efforts.Guidelines from experts are of little help.Yet,there is a force in me saying KEEP GOING! And I am still going.Creating my very own techniques.
I am 18 right now and I was just typing to someone that in 30 years I'll look back and laugh at my old art and laugh(just started out a couple of months ago) , I hope you will still be there sir, drawing, not having it given up even in 30 years.
thanks for this one adam, i was questioning my self on my future art career and ia was struggling with my own self confidence and if i was even cut out to make a living out of art, this did get me thinking that maybe i might just have that possiblity to come my way enlightening me, im really stressed about it since i love art/writing with my soul which makes me question if i can do it or not seeing how good others are compared to me, thanks adam, this has boosted my self confidence
Nothing is an accident and this landed for this student is ready to hear it all. Thank you Adam.
I’ve had some corporate jobs that I thought helped me grow yet I had to leave because it wasn’t for me.
Now, I feel more connected with my art even if I’m not seeing the consistent results I wish I would see.
However, I kept creating, going even if the people around me kept doubting my capabilities as an artist in my forties.
I’ve never felt so self-aware, grounded, trusting the process that this is where I belong.
Thank you brother.
Shoutout from Pointe-Claire 🇨🇦😃👨🏽🎨
Just found this channel. Listening to this was good for me, inspired me to get my sketchbook and just draw...thank you!